A Simple Sequence To Open Your Heart To New Possibilities

by Sara DiVello
June 21st was the Summer Solstice, making it the perfect time to head out into your nearest green space, breathe deep and get your asana on. It's also the first ever International Day of Yoga, recognized by the United Nations.

Here are six simple poses to open your heart to new possibilities, ground and connect you to the present moment, and help you consider what you’re cultivating in your life, both on and off the mat.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) With Anjali Mudra

Begin standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), with your feet hips-width apart. Consciously root down through the soles of your feet, feeling the connection between your feet, the mat, and the earth beneath you. Bring your hands to your heart in a prayer — Anjali Mudra. Set an intention.

Tadasana With Padma Mudra

Press your thumbs and pinky fingers together and open your other fingers into Padma Mudra. This is the mudra of receptivity. Take 3 cycles of deep, conscious breath here, and breath your intention into your practice.

High Lunge, Crescent Variation (Alanasana)

Bend your knees and shift your weight into the left leg. Step the right foot back to and bend into your left knee, stacking it over your ankle. Press back through your right heel.

Keep your shoulders over your hips and your weight centered. Find a sense of connection and strength as you raise your arms to frame your ears.

High Lunge With Padma Mudra

Bring your palms to Anjali Mudra, take a breath. Open your palms to Padma Mudra, and take another deep cycle of breath, consciously breathing into your intention.

Connect again to the energy of growth and receiving, and take 5 breaths here. Bring your palms back to Anjali Mudra at your heart. 

Step forward to Tadasana and repeat on the other side.

Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana) Variation

Hinge forward from the hips and lower to Low Lunge, bringing your palms on the mat. You can lower your back knee down if you choose. Keep the front knee over the ankle and stretch your arms forward to flip your palms toward the sky, knuckles down on the mat.

Think of something that no longer serves you in a positive way and decide to consciously let it go. Breathe it out through three rounds of Lion’s Breath.

Flip your palms and bring them under your shoulders. Step back to a high plank. Step the left foot forward and repeat on this side.

Child's Pose (Balasana)

Lower to your knees, bringing the toes together and knees wider than the hips. Stretch the arms out with the palms facing the sky. Bring the hands toward each other in a gesture of receiving. 

Connect to your intention and consciously acknowledge that you are ready to receive it. Take 3 breaths here. 

When you are ready, slowly transition to lay down on your back. As you rest in Savasana, bring one palm to your belly and the other to your heart. Remember the importance of rest for growth. 

Turn to the wisdom of nature and meditate on this quote by Roman poet, Ovid: “Take rest, for rested fields yield beautiful crops.”

5 Yoga Poses That Build Total-Body Strength

By Liz Arch 

Yoga is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think about strength training. While hitting the weights is an effective way to bulk up, total-body strength involves more than six-pack abs. Yoga uses both isometric and eccentric contractions to simultaneously strengthen a muscle as it stretches, creating functional strength that assists us in everyday activities like bending over, lifting, walking, sitting down and standing up. Yoga relies on your own body as the "weight" and targets smaller stabilizing muscles that are often overlooked in traditional weight training. The next time you reach for your gym bag, think about bringing your yoga mat with you.

 

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Chair Pose creates powerful strength in the legs by contracting the hip flexors, glutes, adductors and quadriceps. It also builds strength in the trunk by engaging the rectus abdominus along the front body and the erector spinae muscles along the back.

To enter Chair Pose, start standing with your feet together. On an inhalation, sit deeply back as if sitting in a chair and reach your arms up toward the sky. Feel your shins moving back as the weight shifts away from the toes, which will prevent undue stress on the knees. 

Hold for 5 breaths, then release and come back to a standing position.

 

Boat Pose (Navasana)

Boat Pose targets the rectus abdominus (six-pack muscles) of the core, while strengthening the hip flexors, quadriceps and erector spinae muscles of the back.

Enter Boat Pose from a seated position. Lengthen your spine and lift through your sternum. Bend your knees, lift your feet off the floor, and engage the thigh muscles to straighten the legs out in front of you. Reach the arms forward and soften the shoulders away from the ears.
Hold for 5-8 breaths.

 

Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

Crescent Lunge strengthens the lower limbs, including the quadriceps and glutes, and engages the erector spinae muscles along the back. As a bonus, Crescent Lunge helps to stretch out the hip flexors of the back leg while the front leg is contracting. 

To enter Crescent Lunge, start with your feet together and take a big step back into a lunge. Make sure your front foot tracks straight ahead and your knee aligns over your ankle. Position your hips squarely forward and raise your arms overhead. Draw your front ribs in to engage the core.
Hold for 5 breaths.

 

Forearm Plank (Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Unlike crunches, Forearm Plank is a full-body exercise that works the entire core group, including the erector spinae muscles (located along the spine on the back), rectus abdominus (six-pack muscles), and transverse abdominus (one of the deepest layers of core musculature; that helps stabilize the spine). Forearm Plank also sculpts the shoulders and engages the chest, glutes, thighs and calves.
From tabletop position, come down onto your forearms. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, keeping the elbows in line with the wrists. Step one foot back at a time to Forearm Plank. 

Push actively down through your forearms as you draw your front ribs in. Keep your hips low without collapsing in your lower back. Lengthen your tailbone toward your heels. To increase the contraction, visualize trying to draw your toes forward toward your elbows and your elbows back toward your toes.
Start off with 5-8 breaths and eventually increase up to 1 minute.

 

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Bridge Pose strengthens the hip extensors, including the hamstrings, glutes and adductors, and engages the core to stabilize the spine as it moves into extension.
Start on your back with feet hip-width apart. On an inhalation, slowly begin to lift your hips toward the sky. Create a slight posterior tilt in the pelvis by reaching your tailbone toward the back of your knees. 

Clasp your hands underneath you and press down firmly into the arms as the hips lift. Engage your adductors by visualizing yourself squeezing a block between your inner thighs. Feel your shoulder blades firming against your back to open the chest. 

Hold for 5-8 breaths. Release on an exhalation.

A 5-Minute Yoga Routine for Strong, Slim Arms

Strength through yoga

by Kristin McGee
From Health magazine

My new clients are often skeptical when I tell them yoga is one of the best ways to build upper-body strength. They think they have to spend hours in the gym pumping iron to get sculpted arms. Not so! The truth is, yoga in general and this sequence in particular can do the job. The moves engage every part of the arm. Plus, supporting your own body weight is great strength training.

Hold each pose for 5 breaths, and complete the entire series 5 to 8 times. Do 3 to 5 of these workouts a week to tone up and gain muscle in just 14 days. You might never lift another free weight. 

Downward Dog

Kneel on all fours with hands directly under shoulders. Tuck toes under and exhale, lifting hips toward ceiling. Move shoulders away from ears, drawing front ribs in; push into hands and feet.

Plank

Inhale, lowering hips, coming onto toes and moving torso forward, with shoulders directly over wrists. Contract abs and straighten arms; keep body in line from head to heels.

Side Plank

Exhale, rotating torso and stacking right foot on top of left. Press torso up (body in straight line) with abs tight. Raise right hand up, fingers toward ceiling; gaze up or forward. Inhale; return to plank. Repeat on other side.

Chaturanga

Exhale, keeping body in a straight line and bending elbows to 90 degrees while lowering toward floor. Contract abs; be careful not to round shoulders forward.

Upward Dog

Inhale, lowering hips toward floor. Untuck toes; push into hands, straightening arms, lifting chest and engaging abs. Hug shoulder blades together and down away from ears. Exhale, lifting hips to return to Downward Dog.

Yoga for Abs & Arms

This Yoga for Abs and Arms Workout with Caitlin Turner is a 10 minute, abs and upper body Yoga routine that uses a flowing series of core-strengthening exercises to sculpt lean muscle, improve balance, increase flexibility and tone the abs, arms, obliques and back to shrink the waistline and tighten the midsection fast. Relieve tension, awaken the core and boost energy with Expert Yoga Instructor, Blogger and Host of the TV Show “Yoga Bliss”, Caitlin Turner (aka Gypset Goddess), as she takes you through this ab-sculpting journey that will build a stronger and healthier new you.

12 Yoga Asanas To Reduce Belly Fat

Yoga Asanas To Reduce Belly Fat

by Nithya Shrikant
Erroneous lifestyle, indulgence in junk, lack of exercises, and above all unpredictably high stress levels –all these give rise to a flabby tummy. The wider your abdomen, the higher the level of risk is. And, there are no shortcuts to get rid of the abdominal fat. Proper diet combined with a good fitness routine can definitely help you reduce this fat to a greater level. Yoga not only helps in lessening the abdominal fat, but also allows you to control your body and mind like never before thus, thwarting the risks associated with a wider abdomen.

 

1. Warm up with Tadasana (Mountain Pose):

Tadasana makes an ideal warm up pose. It improves the circulation of blood, thereby ensuring that your body is ready for the poses in store.

• Stand with your feet flat, heels slightly spread out and big toes in contact with each other. Keep the spine erect, with hands on either side of your body, palms facing your body.
• Stretch your hands to the front and join the palms.
• Inhaling deeply, stretch your spine. Raising your folded hands up above your head, stretch as much as you can.
• Try lifting your ankle and standing on your toes, with eyes facing the ceiling. If you cannot stand on your toes, you can keep your feet flat on the ground while your eyes face the ceiling.
• Breathe normally and hold the pose for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Inhale deeply and while exhaling, slowly relax and bring your feet back to the floor.

Repeat the pose 10 times, increasing the count gradually. Relax for 10 seconds before you attempt the next repetition. The picture given above is a variation for the beginners.
The yoga poses for a flatter tummy:

 

2. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation):

Surya Namaskar essentially, is a confluence of twelve yoga positions, each of which has a major impact on the entire body. The forward and backward bends allow stretches, while deep breathing performed during the act helps in detoxification. Practice Surya Namaskar daily in the morning facing the sun for reaping the maximum benefits.

The picture given above gives you a comprehensive and vivid view of how one needs to perform this energetic yoga pose.
Start off slowly, with five rounds, increasing the counts gradually over time. Make sure that you keep a bottle of water with you. Take a sip after each repetition and relax for 15 seconds between repetitions so that you are not worn out.

[ Read: Ramdev Yoga for Pregnant Women ]

 

3. Padahastasana (Standing Forward Bend):

The abdomen gets completely compressed while bending forward that leads to burning of fat. Thus, the compression helps in toning down the tummy. This yoga asana to reduce belly fat can be practiced as follows:

• Stand in Tadasana with your hands on either side of the body while feet rest together, heels touching each other.
• Keep your spine erect.
• Inhaling deeply, lift your hand upwards.
• As you exhale, bend forward in such a way that your body is parallel to the floor.
• Inhale and then exhaling, bend forward completely, body falling away from the hips.
• Try to touch the floor, with palms straight on the floor, without bending your knees. Beginners can try touching the toes or just ankles to start with, working your way to the floor.
• Holding your breath, tuck your tummy in, and hold the position for 60 to 90 seconds.
• Exhaling, leave your toes, and lift your body to come back to Tadasana.

Repeat the asana 10 times, leaving an interval of 10 seconds between two repetitions.

 

4. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend):

 

This is one of the basic poses of Hatha Yoga and stimulates your solar plexus center. Along with acting as a tummy toning pose, the forward bend also offers an admirable level of stretch to the hamstrings, thighs as well as hips. It is also ideal for those who are prone to digestive disorders.

• Sit on the floor in Sukahasana or Padmasana.
• Keep your spine erect, and stretch your legs out to your front. Your feet should point to the ceiling.
• Inhaling deeply, stretch your hands above your head, without bending your elbows. Your gaze should follow your hands. Stretch your spine to the maximum.
• Exhaling, bend from your thighs forward. Bring your hands down and try to touch your toes. Your head should rest on your knees. Beginners can try touching their ankles or just thighs as a starter.
• Once you touch your toes, hold them and try pulling them backward till you experience the stretch on your hamstrings.
• Breathing in, hold your tummy, and try to retain the position for 60 to 90 seconds initially. Slowly, increase the time of holding the position for 5 minutes or if possible, more.
• Exhaling, bring your body upward, relieving your toes from your fingers to come back to the Sukhasana or Padmasana.

Repeat the asana 10 times to begin with, working up to 25 times or more.

[ Read: Ramdev Yoga for Thyroid ]

Variation:
Those who are new to the pose can try Ardha Paschimottanasana. The process is the same as outlined above. The only variation is that you have to stretch out only one leg at a time.

 

5. Pavanamuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose):

This asana helps in alleviating assorted gastric problems, including indigestion and constipation. Since your knees exert pressure on your tummy, holding the position for more than a minute helps in triggering the burning of fat in the region.

• Lie down in supine position with arms beside your body and feet stretched out, heels touching each other.
• Bend your knees.
• Take in a deep breath and as you exhale, gradually bring the bent knees towards your chest, with thighs applying pressure on the abdomen. Hold the knees properly in place by clasping your hands underneath the thighs.
• Inhale again and as you exhale, lift your head allowing your chin to touch your knees.
• Hold the position for 60 to 90 seconds, while breathing deeply.
• Exhale slowly, and release your knees while allowing your head to rest on the floor. Bring your hands onto either side of your body, palms facing the ground.
• Relax in Savasana.

Repeat the pose 7 to 10 times, leaving a 15-second interval between repetitions.

Variation:
Those who are new to yoga can practice the pose with a single leg. Repeat the above outlined procedure with a single leg.

 

6. Naukasana (Boat Pose):

This is one of the most sought after yoga postures that guarantee you a flatter belly when practiced regularly. While holding the posture for more than a minute helps in contracting the abdominal muscles, the posture when done in a boat-like movement helps in toning your abs.

• Lie down on the yoga mat in supine position, legs stretched out, toes facing the ceiling, and palms resting on either side of your body facing the ground.
• Inhale deeply. As you exhale, lift your body from the ground – head, chest, and legs.
• Stretch out your arms so that they form a parallel line with your legs.
• Your fingers should be in the same line as the toes. Gaze towards the toes.
• As you hold the position, you should feel the abdominal muscles contracting.
• Breathing normally, hold the posture for 30 to 60 seconds to start with.
• Inhale and exhaling deeply, slowly relax and come back to supine position.

Repeat this pose for 5 times to begin with, working up to 30 times gradually. Relax for 15 seconds after each repetition.

[ Read: Satyananda Yoga Nidra ]

 

7. Ushtrasana (Camel Pose):

This is normally done to counter the Naukasana. The backward stretch that you experience as you touch your ankles in this pose helps in toning the abdominal muscles. The tension experienced by your belly muscles during Naukasana will now be released, at the same time enjoying a good stretch.

• Sit in Vajrasana.
• Slowly, lift your body up from your knees in such a way that you are now sitting with your whole body weight supported by your knees.
• Your heels should make a perpendicular line with the ground.
• Inhale and exhaling deeply, arch your back. Bring your hands behind your body and try to hold your ankles, one by one.
• Tilt your head behind and stretch backwards until you experience a stretch in your belly.
• Hold the posture for 20 to 30 seconds to begin with, working your way to 60 seconds, breathing normally.
• Exhale and slowly relax.
• Come back to Vajrasana.

Repeat this pose for 5 times to begin with, working up to 30 times gradually. Relax for 15 seconds after each repetition.

 

8. Uttanpadasana (Raised Foot Pose):

This pose helps in getting rid of the fat from your lower abdominal region as well as hips, and thighs. This pose is one of the most efficient and effective ways to eliminate the flab that gets accumulated around your waist and hips during pregnancy.

• Lie down on the mat with your back on the floor, legs stretched out and heels touching each other. Keep your hands on either side of your body, palms facing the ground.
• Inhale deeply and exhaling slowly, tilt your back while bringing your head backwards so that it touches the floor.
• Do not move your hands from their initial position. Breathe normally.
• Stretch to the maximum possible level, without hurting your back.
• Taking a deep inhalation, raise your legs from the floor, making a 45-degree angle with the floor.
• Hold the pose for a period of 15 to 30 seconds, breathing normally. Slowly workout to hold the posture for more than 60 seconds.
• Take a deep exhalation and lift your legs so that it makes a 90-degree angle with the floor. Breathing normally, hold the posture for 30 seconds.
• Inhaling deeply, bring your legs back gradually to initial position – the supine position.

Repeat this pose for 10 times to begin with, working up to 30 times gradually. Relax for 15 seconds after each repetition.

 

9. Marjariasana (Cow Cat Pose or Cat Pose):

The forceful contraction experienced in the abdominal muscles while holding the posture helps in melting the fat and thus, reducing the belly size. This pose is also beneficial to enhance the flexibility of the spine.

• Sit in Vajrasana.
• Breathing normally, arise from the position and allow your body to come parallel to the floor in such a way that your body rests on your knees and palms.
• While knees should be placed beneath your hips, palms go under your shoulders facing the floor. Keep the head straight. Space out the knees slightly so that your weight is spread out evenly.
• Taking a deep inhalation, lift your head while pushing your back down so that your body resembles a concave structure.
• Expand the abdominal region to the maximum possible level so as to suck in as much air as possible.
• Holding the breath, maintain the posture for about 15 to 30 seconds.
• Exhale deeply and lower the head, while arching your back upwards. Hold the buttocks and abdomen firm until you experience the contraction. Your head should be between your hands.
• Breathing deeply, hold the pose for about 15 to 30 seconds, working up to 60 to 90 seconds gradually.
• Exhale and slowly come back to Vajrasana. Relax for 15 seconds.

Repeat this pose for 10 times to begin with, working up to 30 times gradually. Relax for 15 seconds after each repetition.This is also one of the best yoga asanas to reduce belly fat.

[ Read: Exercises To Reduce Belly Fat ]

 

10. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose):

Give your abdomen a good stretch with this yoga asana. The regular practice of this pose aids in strengthening the back muscles, and hence, is one of the most advised poses to alleviate post-partum back pain.

• Lie down on the mat in prone position, legs slightly spaced out, and toes touching the floor.
• Keep the hands on either side of the body, palms facing the floor.
• Bring your palms beneath your shoulders.
• Taking a deep inhalation slowly lift your chest and head off the floor, your gaze fixed on the ceiling. Tuck in your pubis towards your navel, whiling holding your buttocks firm.
• Hold the position for a period of 15 to 30 seconds, while breathing normally.
• Take a deep breath and try to lift your body from the waist upward, bending backward as much as possible. Nevertheless, make sure that you are not hurting your back in the process.
• Hold the posture for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing normally.
• Exhale and slowly bring your body down – chest, neck, and forehead – to return to the prone position. Stretch your arms slowly to the front.

A word of caution: Bend backward only till you experience the stretch on your abdomen, thighs, and backs. Please relax even if you experience a slight pain while stretching. In such cases, you can do just Ardha Bhujangasana.
Repeat this pose for 10 times to begin with, working up to 30 times gradually. Relax for 15 seconds after each repetition.

 

11. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose):

This pose does a wonderful job in toning your tummy. Along with offering a good stretch to your abdomen, back, thighs, arms, as well as chest, this pose also helps in improving your posture.

• Lie down in prone position on the mat, legs together while your hands rest on either side of your body, palms facing the floor.
• Taking a deep exhalation bend your knees so that it could touch your buttocks.
• Lift your head and bend backward.
• Bring your hands backward and try holding your ankles with your hands.
• Support your body weight with your abdomen. Taking a deep inhalation, try to lift your knees higher.
• Hold the posture for 15 to 30 seconds, working up gradually to 60 to 90 seconds. Breathe normally while holding the posture.
• Exhale and slowly relax, stretching out your body.

Repeat this pose for 10 times to begin with, working up to 30 times gradually. Relax for 15 seconds after each repetition.

 

12. Relax with Shavasana (Corpse Pose):

You should allow your body to relax after the rigorous workout and the Corpse Pose is the ideal asana.

• Lie down in supine position.
• Keep your feet together or stretched out, as per your comfort level.
• Allow your hands to rest on either side of the body, palms facing the ground.
• Close your eyes.
• Inhale and exhale deeply, allowing your body to relax completely.

You should lie down till your breathing becomes normal and your body is completely at peace.

[ Read: Aerobics Exercise To Reduce Tummy ]

Along with all these asanas of yoga for reducing belly fat, you should also concentrate on practicing healthy food habits. Plus, make sure that your body is getting adequate levels of sleep as studies have proven the negative impact of poor sleeping habits on your tummy. So, get started right away to show off your flatter tummy!

Belly fat is most prevalent these days thanks to the unhealthy food habits, long sitting hours, stressful life and lack of exercise. Belly fat besides making you unattractive is also a heads- up for you to start taking your body seriously to avoid heart stroke, diabetes etc. So it’s important to for you to loose that extra flab but in a natural way!!

10 Mantra For Meditation

by Nilankeeta Roy Chowdhury

Morning is the best time for meditation as it promotes your transition from the passing moments to a complete new state in which you can start your day. And the best way to enter a meditative state is by practicing mantras. Being spiritually-oriented, mantras can work as ‘higher energetic vibrations’ and help you achieve a whole new level of enlightenment. Here, we have compiled a list of 10 best morning meditation mantras for you.

Mantra For Meditation During The Early Hours

1. Om:

‘Om’ is the most common as well as sacred mantra that you can practice in the morning for expressing the ‘original vibration of manifestation’. This word is taken from Sanskrit language. It generates an extremely comforting sound when the vibration is allowed to loiter in the throat. In order to enter the deep meditative state, you have to focus on that ultimate silence which produces and absorbs the sound. It comforts and relaxes the soul irrespective of your spiritual inclinations.

[Read:OM Meditation]

2. Love:

‘Love’ is the second most popular mantra in this list. It is a very powerful way to create a lovable ambiance around you. When you utter the word ‘love’, you feel great and it reflects on your physical appearance. During meditation, you need to focus on this physical feeling that comes from repeating the word aloud. It simply eliminates all your anger and depression and fills your heart with love.

 

3. I Am:

Identifying self-existence, recognizing self-power and acknowledging self-divinity are some important aspects of meditation. This mantra is absolutely perfect for chanting at the start of a day and honoring yourself for who you are. When you add positive affirmations with ‘I am’, you eventually strengthen your inner-self and step towards success.

 

4. So-Hum:

Here is a natural mantra, which is known to be universal for morning meditation. The vibration generated during the pronunciation of ‘So-Hum’ is actually a part of your regular breath. As air enters your lungs during inhalation, the ‘soooo…’ sound is produced. On the other hand, ‘hummmm….’ is generated when air goes out of the lungs during exhalation.

 

5. Lam:

There are a few morning meditation mantras, which focus on certain parts of the body and improve their functionality. ‘Lam’ is one among them. It is intended for your spinal cord, especially its base region. In order to practice this mantra, you need to position the tip of your tongue on the back of the upper palate by bending it up as well as back.

 

6. Vam:

‘Vam’ is another mantra that you can practice in the morning during your meditation to focus on your genitals and improve its functionality. Start with holding the center of your lower lip with your upper set of teeth. Do not press your lip with the teeth. Rather, place them gently on it. Now, create a breathy consonant, which should sound like ‘fvam’.

 

7. Ram:

You can also focus on your abdominal area and regulate its activities through morning meditation. At first, you need to curve the tip of your tongue and touch the crown of the front segment of the upper palate with it. Then, start enunciating the word by rolling the ‘r’ so that it sounds like a rumble noise.

 

8. Yam:

Morning meditation is good for your cardiac health, if this mantra is practiced regularly. The sound generated during the practice of this mantra is very much similar to humming as you need to breathe in through the mouth and that too audibly. You also have to make the inhalation process longer than the actual resolution of the consonant.

 

9. Ham:

When you practice the mantra ‘Ham’ during meditation, you basically follow the way opposite to the previous form. Breathe in through your mouth without generating any sound of inhalation. Now, start uttering the sound ‘yum’ while the air moves in your lungs and allow the cavities of your mouth and throat to be filled with it. The region of awareness for this mantra is throat.

 

10. Om Mani Padme Hum:

According to Buddhism, the mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ means “The jewel is in the lotus or praise to the jewel in the lotus”. It can be divided into six syllables, the first three of which represent the adulterated ‘body, speech and mind’ of the person who is meditating and the last three stand for the pure glorious ‘body, speech and mind’ of Buddha. It is known to be one of the most effective morning meditation mantras that can take the practitioner from an impure state to a pure one.

8 Yoga Mudras To Overcome Any Ailments

by Mounika Raghavan

Yoga is not only an exercise but a form of spiritual practice to improve you physical, mental and spiritual well being. It doesn’t only refer to twisting and curling your body into different shapes and poses, but it also involves some specific mudras posed during meditations. Mudras mean gestures adopted during pranayams and meditations that directs flow of energy into our body. Yogic tantras say that these mudra yoga techniques stimulate different areas of the brain. 

Hand yoga mudra and their benefits:

There are many different yoga mudras and each of them have a different benefit. Below is the explanation to each.

1.  Gyan Mudra:
This is the first yoga mudra pose known as Gyan Mudra or the Mudra of Knowledge.

How to do?
Practice this mudra when doing meditations. It’s perfect when you do it early in the mornings with a fresh mind. Touch the tip of your index finger with the tip of your thumb. The other three fingers, you may keep it straight or just keep it free, doesn’t matter even if they are slightly bent. This is a very commonly used mudra when practicing meditations.

This is a very beneficial mudra and anyone can practice this.

Benefits:

• As the name suggests, this mudra is meant to increase your concentration and memory power.

• This mudra sharpens your brain power.

• It has the ability to cure insomnia.

• Practice this mudra regularly to heal yourself of all mental and psychological disorders like anger, stress, anxiety or even depression.

2. Vayu Mudra:

How to do?
This mudra can be practiced in a standing, sitting or lying down posture. It’s easy to do. Fold your index finger. As you fold your fingers you can see two bones. These are called phalanx bones. When you have folded your index finger the second bone that you see, you have to press it with the base of your thumb just as shown in the above picture. The rest of the three fingers should be kept extended as much as possible.
Do this at any time of the day as per your convenience. There is also no compulsion of doing this at an empty stomach. You may also practice this mudra with a full stomach.

[ Read: Yoga For Reduce Stress ]

Caution:
Once you achieve the benefits from this mudra, stop doing it. After a certain time, it may cause imbalance within your system.

Benefits:
As the name suggests vaayu mudra, it balances the air element within your body. This mudra releases excess wind from stomach and body thereby reducing rheumatic and chest pain.

3. Agni Mudra (Mudra of Fire):

How to do?
Fold your ring finger and press the second phalanx with the base of your thumb. Keep the rest of the fingers straight. This mudra should be practiced only in sitting position early in the morning with an empty stomach. Maintain this mudra for atleast 15 minutes every day.

Caution:
But if you are suffering from acidity or indigestion, avoid this mudra.

Benefits:

• It helps to dissolve the extra fat boosting metabolism and controls obesity.
• Quickens digestion.
• Improves body strength.
• Reduces stress and tension.
• Controls high cholesterol levels.

[ Read: Herbal Remedies For Stress ]

4. Prithvi Mudra (Mudra of Earth):

How to do?
Touch the tip of your ring finger with the tip of your thumb. Pressing the tips of these two fingers, keep the rest of the fingers extended out.

It is preferable that you perform this mudra in the morning. However you may even do it at any time of the day and for any duration. Sit in a padmasana keeping the palms of both your hands on your knees with straight elbows. Perform this asana when you feel stressed out and exhausted. Padmasana accompanied by this mudra will immediately perk you up.

Caution:
Nothing at all. Perform this asana freely.

Benefits:

• It improves blood circulation throughout the body.

• Increases patience and tolerance.

• Increases concentration while meditating.

• Helps strengthen weak and lean bones. Also increases weight of people suffering from low weight.

• It reduces weakness, exhaustion and dullness of mind.

• This mudra makes you more beautiful by improving your complexion and giving a natural glow to your skin.

[ Read: Remedies To Treat Nervous Weakness ]

5. Varun Mudra (Mudra of Water):

This is the best yogic mudra for your outer beauty. It has a positive effect on your skin and keeps it away off all problems. A very effective yoga asana for your overall health let us learn to do this mudra with perfection. 

How to do?
Lightly touch the tip of your little finger with the tip of your thumb. The rest of the fingers should be kept straight. There is no specific time to perform this mudra. You may do it at any time of the day and in any position, but sitting cross-legged when doing this mudra is preferable. 

Caution:
Take care not to press the tip of the little finger near the nail. That will cause dehydration instead of balancing the water level in your body.

Benefits:
A number of benefits can be achieved by doing this mudra:

• Varun Mudra balances the water content in our body.

• It activates fluid circulation within the body keeping it moisturized always.

• It cures all skin issues like dryness, skin diseases and skin infections. Moreover it also prevents the appearance of pimples for a longer time.

• It adds a natural glow and luster to your face.

• Varun Mudra also relieves and prevents any muscle pains that you may suffer from.

6. Shunya Mudra (Mudra of emptiness):

How to do it?
Press the first phalanx of your middle finger with the thumb.

Benefits:

• Practicing this mudra with full concentration will cure earache within 5-10 minutes at the most.

• It is also very helpful if someone is deaf or mentally challenged. But those who are handicapped inborn won’t benefit from this mudra.
  

Cautions:
After you are cured of these diseases, stop practicing this mudra.

7. Surya Mudra  (Mudra of the Sun):

How to do it?
Press your ring finger and press it with the thumb just as shown in the picture.

Benefits:

• It is quite beneficial when it comes to reducing bad cholesterol.
• Want to lose weight? This mudra comes handy.
• Reduces anxiety.
• Also improves your digestion.

8. Prana Mudra (Mudra of Life):

This is a very important mudra as it activates the energy in your body.


How to do it?
This yoga mudra pose should be accompanied along with padmasana. Bend your ring finger and little finger and touch the tip of both these fingers with the tip of your thumb.

There is no specific time to perform this asana. Any time of the day will be suitable.

Benefits:

• This mudra improves your immune system.
• It also increases your eye power and also cures any sort if eye diseases.
• It reduces fatigue and tiredness.

These are some very important mudras in yoga and are beneficial for your health. Practice them everyday.

5 Ways to Get High Without Drugs or Plants

By Kristohper Love

Since the beginning of time, humans have enjoyed getting high. From peyote to fasting, from booze to orgasm, people love to alter their consciousness and feel good. Some argue that addicts and alcoholics crave this transcendence more than the average person, noting that our brains are just wired differently. I don’t know about you but I like boom-boom big pleasure: Sometimes I just want dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and zippy laugh-riot good times. While I’ve learned that a lot of those big highs come with devastating lows, there are many people in recovery who’ve learned how to get those natural highs without the long-term losses associated with the use of drugs:

1) Meditation

Getting high off of meditation
Now this is an advanced thing and I stumbled upon it accidentally and was delighted. As I started to meditate for longer, I found out I started to feel like I was getting high (the kind of high you get when you smoke marijuana). And once I stared feeling this way, I got addicted! At first I would meditate only in the nights before I went to sleep (did I mention that this is awesome if you have insomnia?), but after this realization I would meditate every time I had some free time anywhere between 15-30 minutes when I wouldn’t be disturbed.
This is the only way, you have to keep doing it and keep increasing your concentration period. And the more you do it, the easier you’ll find yourself to get into this altered state.

Advantages of getting high off of meditation
This high that you get with meditation is not like marijuana where you are going to be high for hours (but if you can meditate for that long, then why not) but you have absolute control and you can come out of it whenever you want.
You wouldn’t get any of the side effects that you would get with the drugs that induce the altered state of mind (nicotine, caffeine, alcohol etc. all are drugs that alter the state of mind).

On the contrary you will have medical benefits! Now how awesome is that!
Meditation has a bunch of benefits but this article is already too lengthy (and frankly I don’t know the list by heart) so here is a link with a concise list: http://www.total-meditation.com/Advantages-Of-Meditation.html

2. Ecstatic Dance / Hula Hooping:

There is something special about moving your body to music you love that puts you in a special state of trance. How you dance and what you dance to has a particularly deep influence on the level of consciousness you will reach during the activity. Any type of movement to music however does get your body producing endorphins that are released during exercise. If you do your dancing consciously or yogicly with hula hoops or some sort of tool that helps you mold your body to intricate geometries repeatedly, it is possible for your body to produce temporary consciousness expanding moments although your state of perception may remain long term.

A meditative state of mind must be achieved to put your perception into a sensitive and moldable state to aid the process. Your state of mind creates the difference between a normal adrenaline / endorphin rush and a full DMT like temporary altered state. I have many times had that experience happen to me where it almost creates a fork in the road, I could either meditate on it and allow a full technicolor geometrical experience to take place or I could simply blink my eyes a few times and it’ll be applied as a happiness rush.

It makes sense if you look on google and see how serotonin in synthesized in the pineal gland to create meletonin and DMT.  Your brain won’t activate the pineal gland during the day unless a meditative state is achieved. Now you understand why the meditative state is required and why so many people never experience what I am speaking of until they start practicing yoga.

3) Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga supports your Divine Purpose in life, that of becoming an excellent human being. The practice of Kundalini Yoga encourages you to think of yourself first as a spiritual being, inhabiting a body that was designed to contain a portion of Divine Consciousness. Through Kundalini Yoga, you will move, breathe and concentrate in an exceedingly specific manner that encourages the level of consciousness necessary to experience your Higher Self, your union with the Infinite, your ‘Sat Nam’.
 

4. Breathing Consciously:

 Breathing is such an integral part of life that we tend to take it for granted.  It simply happens day in and day out endlessly, like the beating of our heart.  These automatic processes of the body often fall into the background of our awareness — we typically don’t notice them until we accidentally swallow water ‘down the wrong pipe’ or enter a suana or extremely hot environment in which the air suddenly becomes hot and breathing labored.  Yet, in many ways, the key to expanded awareness lies in first becoming aware of the breath and bringing its pattern under our conscious control, as breathing controls the flow of ‘life force’ (energy) in our body.

The yogi’s and taoists knew that breath was our primary source of Chi/Qi/Prana — all names for the primordial energy which permeates all things and collects in higher amounts in sentient beings.  They also realized that for most people, breathing was largely an unconscious process characterized by its shallowness.  By becoming consciously aware of the breath and deepening it, they found that greatly expanded states of consciousness could be achieved.  They went on to experiment with all kinds of different techniques, thereby refining the art of breathing into a series of known practices which could be used to enhance awareness at will.
 

5) Conscious Love-Making

 

We all know making love in general is by design going to give you one of the most potent natural highs of all time.  However that typical experience we are use to having, has its ups and down related to the quality of the intercourse we experience. Just like manufacturing a drug, the best way to ensure the high is as good as possible is to make the experience as pure and loving as possible.  When we have intercourse full of conscious love, we allow our sexual experience to speak to our entire body rather than just the lower organs.  This results in a huge increase in pleasure and more control of the experience. The sense of control comes from intercourse being practiced from a place of fullness rather than achievement of the orgasm.
I recommend looking up Tao or Tantric practices to get a structured understanding of the process.

20 Minute Yoga For Beginners

Yoga For Complete Beginners – A Yoga Class In 20 Minutes

 

This routine is demonstrated by Aruna and instructed by Sukadev Bretz of http://my.yoga-vidya.org.

by Joe Martino

For those of us who have trouble meditating, yoga can be a good way to begin feeling what it’s like to be in a meditative state without the sometimes daunting task of simply sitting and trying to quiet the mind. Some of us have an easier time doing something while we are working towards quieting the mind, and yoga is perfect for that.

Yoga puts you in touch with your breath, your body and slowly gets you relaxed and quiet in your mind. Aside from the inner well-being benefits, Yoga is also a great physical activity for both men and women in not only gaining flexibility, but also balance and strength.

Below is a 20 minute routine involving some very simple poses for beginning so you can try out Yoga for yourself. The routine ends with relaxation and stillness as the body rests from the prior movements. This portion of each yoga routine is my favorite as you feel absolutely amazing. Try it for yourself!

Yoga Benefits

• Build strength and flexibility
• Relieves stress
• Builds muscle and increases endurance
• Improves posture
• Increase focus, mental clarity and sharpness
• Focusing inward illuminates habits and behaviours so we can choose to adjust things as we see fit
• Helps bring balance to your neurological system & creates a healthier lifestyle
• Increase your intuition as it is less buried by an out of balance body
• Increase your creative abilities
• Gets you more connected to yourself and the earth