It is still not established as to precisely how long Yoga has been with us, but Yoga experts have so far concluded that the history of Yoga spans between 4000 to 8000 years ago to the present day. The earliest yoga findings have been found at the Indus Valley civilization’s sites, and these were active  around the Indus Valley region in India circa 1700 – 3300 BC. Of course, there will always be new discoveries and Yoga findings and no one as yet could give a definite timeline for this ancient tradition.

Several seals were discovered at the Indus Valley civilization sites in North West India that showed people in meditative yoga like postures. Many experts agree that these seals were depicting a precursor of modern day yoga. One of the most well known and famous seals discovered in India was discovered by Sir John Marshall and is called the Pashupati seal. It depicts a three faced figure seated on a throne in a version of the Hatha yoga, a cross legged yoga posture. Both heels of the yogi sit directly under the scrotum and the yogi’s penis is erect, with the testicles clearly visible. The position of the heels is an advanced Tantric yoga known as Bhanda. This yoga method has been traditionally used redirect sexual energy and can give the practitioner spiritual powers. The figure on this seal is thought to be Shiva. On the right hand side of this figure a large tiger rears upwards facing him and some suggest it represents the yogi people and the Himalayan region, whereas a depiction of elephant on the Shiva seal represents Eastern India, the buffalo represents Southern India and the rhinoceros represents the regions to the west of in the Indus River.

Whatever the exact starting date of yoga is, one thing is very clear, India has had a long history with the practice of yoga and still today it is considered the primary place in the world to study and practice yoga. Many yoga practitioners wishing to take their yoga studies further often go to India for teacher training courses at the numerous workshops there. There are many teacher training courses in India that take place in workshops at ashrams and yoga retreats in India throughout the year.  And the number of yoga teacher training centres in India is growing yearly as the world grows smaller and more people are heading to India the spiritual heart land of Yoga, and learning how to pass on the yoga light itself, by teaching others this ancient practice from India.

Yoga practitioners who travel to India to practice yoga often beeline for the holy city of Varanasi and join one of the many yoga ashrams or yoga retreats that have established themselves there. For many westerners the ultimate yoga experience is to become part of an ashram in Varanasi, experiencing Indian culture first hand and practicing yoga to their heart’s content under the skillful guidance of experienced yoga teachers in a workshop.

Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest living cities where time and has stood still in many ways.  For several thousand years and still today Varanasi is one of the most religious areas of Northern India for Hindus and many will go there to be buried in the holy River Ganges that flows through the city.  Varanasi has been a centre of Indian philosophy, yoga, mysticism and Ayurveda for so long that many hard core yoga practitioners feel it’s almost a necessity to practice yoga in a Varanasi ashram to achieve a high level of yoga ability. Teacher training courses (TTC) and workshops are also available in many of the Varanasi ashrams and retreats and there is a constant stream of westerners travelling to India and in particular Varanasi to take their yoga practice one stage further and become a teacher of yoga at a teacher training centre. At Varanasi there is a great traditional of teaching yoga, learning yoga and practicing yoga and this tradition still carries on today in ashrams all over the city.

Yoga teacher training courses (TTC) in Varanasi and all over India are usually completed at ashrams or yoga retreats. An ashram is a place where students of Indian philosophies can go to study with experienced teachers and with as little as possible disturbance from the outside world. Ashrams in Varanasi are also called yoga retreats and a yoga class is called a yoga workshop.

Everyone is welcomed at ashrams in India, from beginner yoga practitioners to more experienced people that are taking teaching training courses in yoga workshops, hoping to one day become a yoga teacher themselves. Teacher training courses (TTC) include being taught how to understand, correct, assist, encourage and guide students in yoga. As well as this, the teacher training courses teach people practical teaching methods for yoga workshops, such as making yoga lesson plans and teaching educational techniques to explain the principles of yoga.

The widespread use of yoga throughout the western world is largely due to its health benefits, and many westerners with chronic health problems are now practicing yoga as a resort to tackle these issues.  Many people are now aware of the physical benefits of practicing yoga which include improved flexibility, greater strength, better concentration and improved posture.

The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings and is actually derived from the Sanskrit verbal root ‘yuj’ which means to “yoke” or “join” with the supreme spirit. A fair translation would be that yoga helps a person to absorb and reach a state of union with a divine spirit using the spiritual and physical practices of yoga.  Yoga is a scientific practice that teaches people the method of uniting the individual soul with the Supreme soul.

For more information on yoga ashrams and retreats in Varanasi and India please visit http://www.yogi-nomad.org and http://www.yogi-nomad.org/yoga_retreats_india.html

More Yoga Articles

A REAL-TIME CHALLENGING SEQUENCE [IN 4 PARTS] TO BUILD STAMINA, TONE THE BODY, BURN CALORIES AND GET YOUR CARDIO IN! TRY WHAT YOU CAN, AND MOVE TOWARDS WEIGHT LOSS AND WHOLE BODY TRANSFORMATION, TODAY! With Sadie Nardini, Director of East West Yoga in NYC, author of the “Road Trip Guide to the Soul”, and Cretor of the “Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga Power Hour” DVD, both available on Amazon.com now! For more, visit www.SadieNardini.com!

More Yoga Articles

If you are working out at home, turn up the heat.Hopefully, you are able to turn your thermostat up so that the heat is isolated to whatever room you are exercising in.Otherwise, be sure to forewarn your family members or housemates before your crank it up to eighty degrees!You will find that at many power yoga classes, turning the thermostat to about eighty degrees is commonplace.

It causes your muscles to actually be more relaxed, and also, you will inevitably sweat more and therefore burn more calories.If you are a beginner, start off by just doing the vinyasas moves without increasing the heat, and after about one week, try turning the heat up by two degree increments in the following power yoga sessions until you are up to eighty degrees.

Take your time and be patient with your body as you adjust to the vinyasa positions.You may not have the flexibility yet to achieve perfection in your postures – and that’s okay.Don’t try to contort your body into positions that it doesn’t want to be contorted into.Only go as far as you can go.Pushing yourself to do your best is one thing, but working your body to the point of physical injury is quite another.

Too many beginners try to jump in head first to power yoga and they wind up getting hurt, and giving up.The key when you are just starting out is to learn to master your movements and your breathing.Remember: good things come to those who wait.Hang in there – before you know it, you’ll be moving your body in ways you never even imagined possible.

Benefits of Yoga to Your Bones, Muscles, and Joints

The physical benefits of yoga are myriad. Yoga keeps your body strong, as it involves all the muscles in your body to hold and balance yoga asanas (poses). The various yoga postures strengthen your feet, legs, hands, abdominals, lower back, legs, and shoulders.

Yoga’s stretching and breathing exercises improve your flexibility, helping joints, tendons, and muscles stay limber. People suffering from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis will see a noticeable improvement in their stiffness, pain, and other arthritic symptoms by practicing yoga poses and postures.

Yoga improves your endurance, especially the more athletic forms of yoga such as ashtanga yoga, power yoga, vinyasa yoga, and Bikram yoga. These rigorous yoga practices follow a specific sequence of poses (asanas) that become more challenging as you progress. Unlike the more gentle hatha yoga, the forms of ashtagna yoga, power yoga, vinyasa yoga, and Bikram yoga require you to keep your body in constant motion between poses, resulting in a strenuous cardiovascular workout and improved core strength.

Hatha yoga can relieve chronic back and neck pain, since the poses and postures gently stretch and strengthen your back and neck muscles.

Yoga is often prescribed to help heal various injuries, including repetitive strain injuries, knee and back injuries, pulled hamstrings, even minor skin burns. Of course, you should consult your physician before using yoga as a treatment for any injury!

Yoga is an excellent weight-bearing exercise that can improve your bone density. This is particularly beneficial for women approaching menopause, since yoga can help ward off osteoporosis, or thinning of the bone.

Benefits of Yoga to the Cardiovascular System

Yoga has tremendous health benefits for your heart. Most notably:

The gentler forms of yoga lower your blood pressure because the asanas (yoga poses, postures, and yoga positions) keep blood flowing evenly throughout your body while you focus on your breathing.

People suffering from hypertension can benefit from yoga tremendously, as hatha yoga can lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

Many practitioners claim that yoga has also lowered their cholesterol.

Power yoga is an excellent form of cardio conditioning, which strengthens core muscles while it keeps blood and oxygen circulating throughout your body.

Benefits of Yoga on Mental Health

Yoga benefits anyone’s mental health by helping him or her relax, and it is an effective form of psychological therapy. Yoga reduces anxiety and stress, resulting in better health, better mood, and better concentration throughout the day. Yoga has been used to help treat a wide variety of emotional and mental disorders, including acute anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

Even children can benefit from yoga. Those with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity can learn to relax and get control by using yoga breathing and yoga asanas.

Because yoga is a form of meditation, it results in a sense of inner peace and purpose, which has far-reaching health benefits.

Yoga has been used to help heal victims of torture or other trauma.

Find powerful herbal remedies Benefits of Kapalbhati

Benefits of Yoga on Other Health Conditions

Do you have frequent headaches? Yoga can rid you of tension headaches and migraines because yoga circulates blood and oxygen to your head, which can often prevent headaches from starting.

A regular yoga practice helps boost antioxidants throughout your body, resulting in a stronger immune system and improved ability to heal quickly from disease or injury.

Yoga can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight throughout your life. Power yoga is a vigorous form of yoga that burns calories, resulting in weight loss.

Many women going through menopause report an easing of symptoms when they begin practicing yoga.

Benefits of Yoga in Everyday Life

Yoga can help cure insomnia, as regular yoga practice leads to better and deeper sleep.

Yoga can help fight fatigue and maintain your energy throughout the day.

Yoga is an effective treatment for a variety of autoimmune diseases because it can reduce the symptoms these diseases often cause, such as stiffness, malaise, fatigue, and weakness.

Click for DVD – bit.ly .95 for 2 great classes Visit yogayak.com for free weekly downloads. This mat based Hatha Yoga flow is gentle and perfect for a “lazy” yoga day. Diane leads you through a gently active sequence that awakens your body without any strain, leaving you calm and refreshed. Duration 43 min Teacher: Diane Jacobs
Video Rating: 4 / 5

More Yoga Articles

The fascination was further reinforced by a visit to ‘The Healing Hands Centre’ in Maharajgunj. Rahul Bharati, the thirty something who says he earned a PhD in Physiotherapy from Switzerland when only 21 years of age, also claims to be have revived a technique known as Nuad-Bo-Rarn (in Sanskrit), or more understandably, Ancient Thai Massage. Supposedly based on yoga postures, this technique is, as Rahul puts it very succinctly, “Yoga for lazy people”. This of course shouldn’t be taken literally. Rather, Nuad-Bo-Rarn is for those people who, either due to old age or disability, cannot do yoga by themselves but need a helping hand to do so and in the process, gain the inherent benefits of the art. In fact, according to the young teacher, the centre was previously known as ‘Himalayan Yogic Institute’ in which he served as a teacher from 1989 to 1994. Later on, the name was changed to ‘The Kathmandu Centre of Healing’, and finally, is now called, ‘The Healing Hands Centre’. Whatever the reasons for changing names, one cannot doubt that yoga is the basis of all teaching here and this should give a good example of the wide extent of yogic practices. Ancient Thai Massage claims its roots to be in India and is said to be based on the concept of energy lines running throughout the body, in line with the yoga philosophy that life energy (prana) is absorbed with the air we breathe in and the food we eat. Again, in line with yogic practices, Ancient Thai Massage  believes that in addition to the physical body, there is thus a second body comprised of many energy lines. In the case of Ancient Thai Massage, ten main lines are selected along which there are believed to be specially important pressure points.

Similarly, ‘Arogya Ashram’ in Tangal, under the auspices of the International School of Yoga System of Medicine and Hospital, describes itself as ‘The Natural Health and Yoga Centre’ and runs a clinic under Dr. Pramod Gautam’s supervision who practices the art of naturopathy.  Arogya Ashram, established some 35 years ago by Dr. Pramod’s father, the late Yogacharya Dr. Kashi Raj Upadhyaya, believes in the credo, ‘Prevention is better than Cure’. “We believe that chemical medicines are harmful and most of the treatment we practice is based on the concept that toxins are the major problems of all disease. So our goal is to detoxify the body,” reveals the doctor.  This is done, according to him, through various treatment regimes such as clay therapy, hydrotherapy, solar therapy etc. In fact, much of the therapy is derived from the philosophical aspect of ‘Panchakarma’, i.e. the five elements – fire, air, earth, water and akash (vacuum) and the practice is said to be a yoga system of medicine.

“We believe that yoga is a discipline,” says the doctor. “And yes, ultimately, besides the medicinal aspects, yoga develops personality.” Dr. Gautam has 20 years experience to his credit so what he says should hold water. According to him, the centre conducts a regular yoga class everyday under the guidance of skilled practitioners. Besides this, and a major activity of the centre, is of course naturopathy – the curing of diseases through the ‘natural way’. “Naturopathy is efficacious for treating many gastro, osteo and neuro-related diseases as well as ENT problems,” he asserts. “Also, for problems of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, asthma and gout, naturopathy has proved to be a boon.” He adds, “Our treatment is specially good for pain management.” At the same time, the doctor reminds, “Our system of yogic medicine is actually geared towards changing bad habits and degenerative lifestyles.” For those interested, treatment usually lasts for a month in most cases and costs Rs.200 for a two-hour session everyday. However, for more chronic problems, therapy can continue for upto six months. Early treatment is advised. The doctor also believes, “If only people are made more aware of good eating habits, it would revolutionize health.” He concludes with, “Naturopathy is a sort of ‘mother therapy’ because it can be combined with any other form of treatment.” Indeed, this yoga system of medicine is free from the much-dreaded side effects that are so prevalent through use of chemical drugs, and indeed, this yoga system of medicine is certain to transform habits, improve lifestyle and in fact, transform lives. Actually, all that yoga states its goal to be.

Both the above examples demonstrate the many different ways in which yoga philosophy is applied. Yoga, as such, is an ancient art with a 3000 year-old history. Its history has five broad divisions that include Vedic Yoga, Preclassical Yoga, Classical Yoga, Postclassical Yoga and Modern Yoga. Although the ancient Vedas contain the oldest known references to yoga, and so is called Vedic Yoga, the classic text of yoga is Patanjali’s ‘Yoga Sutras’ (200BC-200AD) – Classical Yoga. In between the two, around 500 BC, the Bhagavad Gita was created and is therefore it is the oldest yoga scripture. This was Preclassical Yoga. The Gita talked about bhakti (loving devotion), jnana (knowledge or contemplation) and karma (selfless actions). However, it was Patanjali, around the second century, who really tried to define Classical Yoga.  The four systems of yoga were classified as jnana yoga, karma yoga, raja yoga and bhakthi yoga. Patanjali’s ‘Yoga Sutra’ comprises of 195 aphorisms or sutras that expound on the raja yoga and its basic principle: the Eightfold Path of Yoga. These include yama, meaning ethics, niyama, implying personal observance of purity, tolerance and study; asanas, or physical exercises; pranayama – breath control; pratyahara, signifying sense withdrawal to prepare for meditation; dharana – concentration; dhayana – meditation and samadhi, denoting ecstasy. During the 6th Century, Buddha started his  teachings which laid heavy emphasis on meditation and physical postures – he could be said to be the first Buddhist to have studied yoga. Later, in the Postclassical period, yoga gurus started to explore unknown potentials of the human body and began to think of new yogic practices, such as Hatha Yoga which is very popular today, that would revitalize the body and lengthen life. Hatha Yoga’s goal is to facilitate concentration and meditation through asanas and pranayama, thus preparing the practitioner for achievement of samadhi.

Swami Viveknanda introduced yoga to the west during the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. Around 1920, Paramhansa Yogananda, author of ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, established his self-realization fellowship in Los Angeles. In the early 1930′s, J. Krishnamurthy and his expositions on jnana yoga became popular in the west. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, famed for his famous disciples, The Beatles, entered the picture in the 1960′s and introduced Transcendental Meditation. Around the same time another famous yoga guru, Swami Sivananda who is credited with modernizing yoga, opened ashrams in America and Europe. He propagated his modified Five Principles of Yoga that consisted of savasana or proper relaxation; asanas or proper exercise; pranayama or proper breathing; proper diet, and dhayana or positive thinking/meditation. He was blessed with some outstanding disciples. Disciples like Swami Satchinanda who initiated yoga chanting during Woodstock, Swami Sivananda Radha who investigated the relationship between psychology and yoga, and Yogi Bhajan who, in the 1970′s, introduced Kundalini Yoga. Another famous disciple, Swami Vishnudevananada wrote the book, ‘Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga’.  In 1965, Shrila Prabhupada founded the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) in the US and popularized Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion). In the 1970′s, Osho Rajneesh became one of the most illustrious yoga gurus the world over. Sathya Sai Baba too is said to be one of the best-known living yoga gurus today. Another is of course, Swami Baba Ramdev, who is certainly the one most in the limelight at the moment.

Coming back to Nepal, according to Swami Badri Bishal, founder of Bishal Ayurveda Ausadhalaya and Yoga Centre in Anamnagar, Kathmandu, there are probably around 25 to 30 proficient yoga gurus in Kathmandu. Among these, Dr. Yogi Vikashanand of Ananda Yoga Centre, Satungal, Kathmandu, is probably the best known, thanks to his frequent appearances in the media. This, no doubt must be credited to his high degree of expertise in this most ancient of arts. One must also mention Acharya Swami Anand Arun of Osho Tapoban in Nagarjun, who teaches the path of self realization  as revealed by Osho Rajneesh. Speaking of centres of learning, it is interesting to note that the Jain Mandir in Gyaneswar, Kathmandu, imparts yoga lessons free of cost every day to the almost one hundred students who practice yoga there. And speaking again of Badri Bishal, although he is a long time disciple of Satya Guru Bhakta Sanka of Lamjung and is a guru himself, he reveals that he has enrolled in the Balmiki Vidyapeeth in order to learn still more about yoga. He teaches Patanjali Yoga and believes that for a serious student to attain the necessary expertise, at least three years of continued practice is needed. His training schedule includes about ten minutes of jogging with emphasis on balanced breathing followed by a period of Om dhoni (humming the Om sound). In fact, it is only after a beginner has gained some proficiency in the above that he is allowed to proceed further, i.e. to the asanas, then  to pranayana and dhyan.

Undoubtedly, every teacher has his own individual approach to the teaching of yoga, and it is a fact that there are many systems of yoga practiced today, as it has been through the ages, but whatever the method or the system or the path taken by various gurus, yoga’s ultimate purpose is to transform a person through the transcendence of ego. “Yoga is a spiritual discipline,” declares Dr. Pramod Gautam. And self-enlightenment is yoga’s avowed goal. In recent days, with the visit of that new messiah of yoga, Swami Ramdev, to Kathmandu, the ancient art has attained added popularity and one can safely say that yoga is here to stay.

Find More Yoga Articles

One of the biggest drawbacks of your regular exercises is that it can provide fitness to your body only; what about your mind and soul? One simple answer – Try the age-old practice of Yoga. Yes, whatever you call it, yoga, dance yoga, kickboxing yoga, yoga workout or anything else, the point is that it can certainly give you a solution.

What you need is to join a yoga class. You can go for a yoga centre or a yoga studio, whatever it is and start practicing. One advantage of joining such classes is that you can have the proper training from the yoga teachers. Once you have learnt Ashtanga Yoga you can easily practice it at your home. You just need to buy some equipment like a yoga DVD, a yoga bag and a mat to perform the exercise.

No matter where you practice, at home or at a class, doing the yoga correctly is very important for a positive outcome. Whereas a right posture can cure many diseases, a wrong one can create troubles too. Here are some types of yoga which are very popular nowadays.

Pilates Yoga- Developed by George Pilates, this type of exercise is very popular in the United States. Though it is referred as yoga, actually it is not. The only resemblance is that it also gives an exercise to the mind. It can be referred to as a yoga with movement or yoga with machines.  

Bikram Yoga- Bikram yoga is a more aerobic and a physical type of yoga. It was founded by Bikram Choudhry. This type of yoga is not meant for everyone. It is carried out in a warm room with a temperature around 90 to 100 degrees and therefore it is also called as hot yoga.

Power Yoga- This is actually a modified version of Ashtanga yoga, which will be describedlater on. It is a practice of doing ‘yoga poses’ in a continuous series of exercises. This type of yoga helps you to enhance your inner power and to make a connection with your soul.

Ashtanga Yoga- In Sanskrit, Ashtanga means ‘eight limbs’ and it refers to the eight limbs of the Yoga Sutras. It was taken from Yoga Korunta, a very ancient text. A student has to progress through six different series in this type of yoga.

This method helps in realignment of spine, detoxification of body, building strength and flexibility and also in strengthening of the nervous system.

There are three different levels of Ashtanga yoga. The first level helps you to align the body and gets the toxins out of your body. The second level helps to clean and open the energy channels. The last level is for the advanced ones and it helps in measuring power and grace.

Ashtanga yoga is a very popular type of yoga. It is a very energetic and athletic form of practice. It has many benefits like relieving from sore muscle and joint pain. Along with these physical benefits, it does have some mental and emotional benefits also. If you practice this yoga, you gain the ability to focus mentally and release the negative energy. It will give you relief from unwanted tensions as well.

If you are searching for a perfect yoga fitness program, Ashtanga yoga can be a good choice for you. If you are a beginner in the field of yoga then this can be quite tough for you to start with. You can start with some other simple methods. After bringing yourself up to its level and gaining the required fitness level, you can surely give it a try and reap the benefits!!

How are you maintaining a balance with the fast paced world? Do you sometimes feel tired of life? Do you want to strengthen your body so that it can withstand the daily pressures of life? Are you sick of the daily exercises which are boring and which actually you want to avoid every morning? If your answer is a ‘yes’, then read on. And if it is a ‘no’, then I must say, there is something special for you too.

One of the biggest drawbacks of your regular exercises is that it can provide fitness to your body only; what about your mind and soul? One simple answer – Try the age-old practice of Yoga. Yes, whatever you call it, yoga, dance yoga, kickboxing yoga, yoga workout or anything else, the point is that it can certainly give you a solution.

What you need is to join a yoga class. You can go for a yoga centre or a yoga studio, whatever it is and start practicing. One advantage of joining such classes is that you can have the proper training from the yoga teachers. Once you have learnt Ashtanga Yoga you can easily practice it at your home. You just need to buy some equipment like a yoga DVD, a yoga bag and a mat to perform the exercise.

No matter where you practice, at home or at a class, doing the yoga correctly is very important for a positive outcome. Whereas a right posture can cure many diseases, a wrong one can create troubles too. Here are some types of yoga which are very popular nowadays.

Pilates Yoga- Developed by George Pilates, this type of exercise is very popular in the United States. Though it is referred as yoga, actually it is not. The only resemblance is that it also gives an exercise to the mind. It can be referred to as a yoga with movement or yoga with machines.

Bikram Yoga- Bikram yoga is a more aerobic and a physical type of yoga. It was founded by Bikram Choudhry. This type of yoga is not meant for everyone. It is carried out in a warm room with a temperature around 90 to 100 degrees and therefore it is also called as hot yoga.

Power Yoga- This is actually a modified version of Ashtanga yoga, which will be describedlater on. It is a practice of doing ‘yoga poses’ in a continuous series of exercises. This type of yoga helps you to enhance your inner power and to make a connection with your soul.

Ashtanga Yoga- In Sanskrit, Ashtanga means ‘eight limbs’ and it refers to the eight limbs of the Yoga Sutras. It was taken from Yoga Korunta, a very ancient text. A student has to progress through six different series in this type of yoga.

This method helps in realignment of spine, detoxification of body, building strength and flexibility and also in strengthening of the nervous system.

There are three different levels of Ashtanga yoga. The first level helps you to align the body and gets the toxins out of your body. The second level helps to clean and open the energy channels. The last level is for the advanced ones and it helps in measuring power and grace.

Ashtanga yoga is a very popular type of yoga. It is a very energetic and athletic form of practice. It has many benefits like relieving from sore muscle and joint pain. Along with these physical benefits, it does have some mental and emotional benefits also. If you practice this yoga, you gain the ability to focus mentally and release the negative energy. It will give you relief from unwanted tensions as well.

If you are searching for a perfect yoga fitness program, Ashtanga yoga can be a good choice for you. If you are a beginner in the field of yoga then this can be quite tough for you to start with. You can start with some other simple methods. After bringing yourself up to its level and gaining the required fitness level, you can surely give it a try and reap the benefits!!

http://easyashtanga.blogspot.com/

ashtanga yoga demo of steven green shot on location in india. yogasunya.com

This Yoga Kit, Beginner Yoga, Yoga Supplies, Yoga Kits,Yoga Starter Set, Beginner Yoga Videos,  Yoga Kits for Kids, Yoga Mat Set, Yoga Starter Kits, Yoga Beginners Kit, Best Beginner Yoga, Yoga Starter Sets, Yoga Starter Kits, Beginner Yoga Kits, Yoga Mat Sets, Beginning Yoga Kit, Yoga Kits for, Beginning Yoga Ki, Yoga Kits For is the perfect way to begin with yoga. This kit equips you with the right tools required to Understand, Learn Practice yoga effectively & realize its powerful benefits

There are different kinds of yoga kits which are very useful for people who are ardent yoga followers or for those who may follow it someday.

Beginner’s Yoga Kit For One : The SunShineYoga.com Beginner Yoga Kit For One includes the basic yoga supplies you need to get started on a great yoga workout routine. You can select one of four color patterns for your kit. You can also upgrade from a classic yoga mat (68” x 24” x 1/8”) to a deluxe extra thick yoga mat (72” x 24” x 1/8”) for just a few dollars more. With SunShine Yoga kits you save well over 50% over the list price

Beginner’s Yoga Kit For Two : The SunShineYoga.com Beginner Yoga Kit For two includes the basic yoga supplies you need to get started on a great yoga workout routine. You can select one of four color patterns for your kits. You can also upgrade from two classic yoga mats (68” x 24” x 1/8”) to two deluxe extra thick yoga mats (72” x 24” x 1/8”) for just a few dollars more. With SunShine Yoga kits you save well over 50% over the list price.

Deluxe Yoga Kit For One : The SunShineYoga.com Deluxe Yoga Kit for one includes the yoga supplies you need for the finest yoga experience. You can select one of eight color patterns for your kits.
The kit includes one 1/4″ thick quality Yoga Mat, two 4″x6″x9″ Foam Yoga Blocks, one 6′ straps with a plastic buckle, one Yoga Mat Bags for 1/4″ Yoga Mats, and one bottle of Yoga Mat Cleanser Spray to keep all your Yoga equipment clean. The SunShineYoga.com Extra Thick Deluxe Yoga Mat is a full 1/4” thick, and is one of the thickest mats on the market. You may see other mats listed as 1/4 inch mats, but they are actually 4.0 – 5.2 mm in thickness — noticeably thinner than our mat. Made of highly durable foam with a high-tack surface for stickiness, the SunShine Yoga mat should give you many years of use.

Deluxe Yoga Kit For two : The SunShineYoga.com Deluxe Yoga Kit for two includes the yoga supplies you need for the finest yoga experience. You can select one of eight color patterns for your kits.
The kit includes two 1/4″ thick quality Yoga Mats, four 4″x6″x9″ Foam Yoga Blocks, two 6′ straps with a plastic buckle, two Yoga Mat Bags for 1/4″ Yoga Mats, and one bottle of Yoga Mat Cleanser Spray to keep all your Yoga equipment clean.The SunShineYoga.com Extra Thick Deluxe Yoga Mat is a full 1/4” thick, and is one of the thickest mats on the market. You may see other mats listed as 1/4 inch mats, but they are actually 4.0 – 5.2 mm in thickness — noticeably thinner than our mat. Made of highly durable foam with a high-tack surface for stickiness, the SunShine Yoga mat should give you many years of use.

For More Details Please Visit Us : http://www.sunshineyoga.com/yoga-kits.html

The Vedic Samhitas contain references to ascetics, while ascetic practices (tapas) are referenced in the Brāhmaṇas (900 to 500 BCE), early commentaries on the Vedas.[18] Several seals discovered at Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1700 B.C.E.) sites in Pakistan depict figures in positions resembling a common yoga or meditation pose, showing “a form of ritual discipline, suggesting a precursor of yoga”, according to archaeologist Gregory Possehl.[19] Some type of connection between the Indus Valley seals and later yoga and meditation practices is speculated upon by many scholars, though there is no conclusive evidence.[20]

Techniques for experiencing higher states of consciousness in meditation were developed by the shramanic traditions and in the Upanishadic tradition.[21]

While there is no clear evidence for meditation in pre-Buddhist early Brahminic texts, Wynne argues that formless meditation originated in the Brahminic tradition, based on strong parallels between Upanishadic cosmological statements and the meditative goals of the two teachers of the Buddha as recorded in the early Buddhist texts.[22] He mentions less likely possibilities as well.[23] Having argued that the cosmological statements in the Upanishads also reflect a contemplative tradition, he argues that the Nasadiya Sukta contains evidence for a contemplative tradition, even as early as the late Rg Vedic period.[22]

The Buddhist texts are probably the earliest texts describing meditation techniques.[24] They describe meditative practices and states which had existed before the Buddha as well as those which were first developed within Buddhism.[25] In Hindu literature, the term “yoga” first occurs in the Katha Upanishad, where it refers to control of the senses and the cessation of mental activity leading to a supreme state.[26] Important textual sources for the evolving concept of Yoga are the middle Upanishads, (ca. 400 BCE), the Mahabharata including the Bhagavad Gita (ca. 200 BCE), and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (150 BCE).
[edit] Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Main articles: Raja Yoga and Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

In Indian philosophy, Yoga is the name of one of the six orthodox philosophical schools.[27][28] The Yoga philosophical system is closely allied with the Samkhya school.[29] The Yoga school as expounded by the sage Patanjali accepts the Samkhya psychology and metaphysics, but is more theistic than the Samkhya, as evidenced by the addition of a divine entity to the Samkhya’s twenty-five elements of reality.[30][31] The parallels between Yoga and Samkhya were so close that Max Müller says that “the two philosophies were in popular parlance distinguished from each other as Samkhya with and Samkhya without a Lord….”[32] The intimate relationship between Samkhya and Yoga is explained by Heinrich Zimmer:

These two are regarded in India as twins, the two aspects of a single discipline. Sāṅkhya provides a basic theoretical exposition of human nature, enumerating and defining its elements, analyzing their manner of co-operation in a state of bondage (bandha), and describing their state of disentanglement or separation in release (mokṣa), while Yoga treats specifically of the dynamics of the process for the disentanglement, and outlines practical techniques for the gaining of release, or ‘isolation-integration’ (kaivalya).[33]

Patanjali is widely regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy.[34] Patanjali’s yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind.[35] Patanjali defines the word “yoga” in his second sutra,[36] which is the definitional sutra for his entire work:

योग: चित्त-वृत्ति निरोध:
( yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ )
– Yoga Sutras 1.2

This terse definition hinges on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms. I. K. Taimni translates it as “Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)”.[37] The use of the word nirodhaḥ in the opening definition of yoga is an example of the important role that Buddhist technical terminology and concepts play in the Yoga Sutra; this role suggests that Patanjali was aware of Buddhist ideas and wove them into his system.[38] Swami Vivekananda translates the sutra as “Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff (Citta) from taking various forms (Vrittis).”[39]
A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, Delhi

Patanjali’s writing also became the basis for a system referred to as “Ashtanga Yoga” (“Eight-Limbed Yoga”). This eight-limbed concept derived from the 29th Sutra of the 2nd book, and is a core characteristic of practically every Raja yoga variation taught today. The Eight Limbs are:

1. Yama (The five “abstentions”): non-violence, non-lying, non-covetousness, non-sensuality, and non-possessiveness.
2. Niyama (The five “observances”): purity, contentment, austerity, study, and surrender to god.
3. Asana: Literally means “seat”, and in Patanjali’s Sutras refers to the seated position used for meditation.
4. Pranayama (“Suspending Breath”): Prāna, breath, “āyāma”, to restrain or stop. Also interpreted as control of the life force.
5. Pratyahara (“Abstraction”): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
6. Dharana (“Concentration”): Fixing the attention on a single object.
7. Dhyana (“Meditation”): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation.
8. Samādhi (“Liberation”): merging consciousness with the object of meditation.

In the view of this school, the highest attainment does not reveal the experienced diversity of the world to be illusion. The everyday world is real. Furthermore, the highest attainment is the event of one of many individual selves discovering itself; there is no single universal self shared by all persons.[40]
[edit] Yoga and Samkhya
Main article: Samkhya

Patanjali systematized the conceptions of Yoga and set them forth on the background of the metaphysics of Samkhya, which he assumed with slight variations. In the early works, the Yoga principles appear along with the Samkhya ideas. Vyasa’s commentary on the Yoga Sutras, also called the “Samkhyapravacanabhasya”, brings out the intimate relation between the two systems.[41]

Yoga agrees with the essential metaphysics of Samkhya, but differs from it in that while Samkhya holds that knowlege is the means of liberation, Yoga is a system of active striving, mental discipline, and dutiful action. Yoga also introduces the conception of God. Sometimes Patanjali’s system is referred to as “Seshvara Samkhya” in contradistinction to Kapila’s “Nirivara Samkhya”.[42]
[edit] Bhagavad Gita
Main article: Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita (‘Song of the Lord’), uses the term yoga extensively in a variety of ways. In addition to an entire chapter (ch. 6) dedicated to traditional yoga practice, including meditation,[43] it introduces three prominent types of yoga:[44]

* Karma yoga: The yoga of action,
* Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion,
* Gnana yoga: The yoga of knowledge.

Madhusudana Sarasvati (b. circa 1490) divided the Gita into three sections, with the first six chapters dealing with Karma yoga, the middle six with Bhakti yoga, and the last six with Jnana (knowledge).[45] Other commentators ascribe a different ‘yoga’ to each chapter, delineating eighteen different yogas.[46]
[edit] Hatha Yoga
Main articles: Hatha yoga and Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Hatha Yoga is a particular system of Yoga described by Yogi Swatmarama, compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika in 15th century India. Hatha Yoga differs substantially from the Raja Yoga of Patanjali in that it focuses on shatkarma, the purification of the physical body as leading to the purification of the mind (ha), and prana, or vital energy (tha).[47][48] Compared to the seated asana, or sitting meditation posture, of Patanjali’s Raja yoga,[49] it marks the development of asanas (plural) into the full body ‘postures’ now in popular usage [50] and, its many modern variations, is the style that many people associate with the word “Yoga” today.[51]
[edit] Yoga practices in other traditions
[edit] Buddhism
Main article: Buddhism and Hinduism#Meditation
The Buddha depicted in yogic meditation, Kamakura, Japan

Early Buddhism incorporated meditative absorption states.[52] The most ancient sustained expression of yogic ideas is found in the early sermons of the Buddha.[53] One key innovative teaching of the Buddha was that meditative absorption must be combined with liberating cognition.[54] The difference between the Buddha’s teaching and the yoga presented in early Brahminic texts is striking. Meditative states alone are not an end, for according to the Buddha, even the highest meditative state is not liberating. Instead of attaining a complete cessation of thought, some sort of mental activity must take place: a liberating cognition, based on the practice of mindful awareness.[55] The Buddha also departed from earlier yogic thought in discarding the early Brahminic notion of liberation at death.[56] Liberation for the Brahminic yogin was thought to be the realization at death of a nondual meditative state anticipated in life. In fact, old Brahminic metaphors for the liberation at death of the yogic adept (“becoming cool”, “going out”) were given a new meaning by the Buddha; their point of reference became the sage who is liberated in life.[57]
See also: Pranayama#Buddhism
[edit] Yogacara Buddhism

Yogacara (Sanskrit: “yoga practice”[58]), also spelled yogāchāra, is a school of philosophy and psychology that developed in India during the 4th to 5th centuries. Yogacara received the name as it provided a yoga, a framework for engaging in the practices that lead to the path of the bodhisattva.[59] The Yogacara sect teaches yoga in order to reach enlightenment.[60]
[edit] Ch’an (Seon/Zen) Buddhism

Zen (the name of which derives from the Sanskrit “dhyaana” via the Chinese “ch’an”[61]) is a form of Mahayana Buddhism. The Mahayana school of Buddhism is noted for its proximity with Yoga.[52] In the west, Zen is often set alongside Yoga; the two schools of meditation display obvious family resemblances.[62] This phenomenon merits special attention since the Zen Buddhist school of meditation has some of its roots in yogic practices.[63] Certain essential elements of Yoga are important both for Buddhism in general and for Zen in particular.[64]
[edit] Indo-Tibetan Buddhism

Yoga is central to Tibetan Buddhism. In the Nyingma tradition, the path of meditation practice is divided into nine yanas, or vehicles, which are said to be increasingly profound.[65] The last six are described as “yoga yanas”: Kriya yoga, Upa yoga, Yoga yana, Mahā yoga, Anu yoga and the ultimate practice, Ati yoga.[66] The Sarma traditions also include Kriya, Upa (called Charya), and Yoga, with the Anuttara yoga class substituting for Mahayoga and Atiyoga.[67] Other tantra yoga practices include a system of 108 bodily postures practiced with breath and heart rhythm. The Nyingma tradition also practices Yantra yoga (Tib. Trul khor), a discipline that includes breath work (or pranayama), meditative contemplation and precise dynamic movements to centre the practitioner.[68] The body postures of Tibetan ancient yogis are depicted on the walls of the Dalai Lama’s summer temple of Lukhang. A semi-popular account of Tibetan Yoga by Chang (1993) refers to caṇḍalī (Tib. tummo), the generation of heat in one’s own body, as being “the very foundation of the whole of Tibetan Yoga”.[69] Chang also claims that Tibetan Yoga involves reconciliation of apparent polarities, such as prana and mind, relating this to theoretical implications of tantrism.
[edit] Jainism
Tirthankara Parsva in Yogic meditation in the Kayotsarga posture.
Kevala Jñāna of Mahavira in mulabandhasana posture

According to Tattvarthasutra, 2nd century CE Jain text, Yoga, is the sum total of all the activities of mind, speech and body.[4] Umasvati calls yoga the cause of asrava or karmic influx [70] as well as one of the essentials—samyak caritra—in the path to liberation.[70] In his Niyamasara, Acarya Kundakunda, describes yoga bhakti—devotion to the path to liberation—as the highest form of devotion.[71] Acarya Haribhadra and Acarya Hemacandra mention the five major vows of ascetics and 12 minor vows of laity under yoga. This has led certain Indologists like Prof. Robert J. Zydenbos to call Jainism, essentially, a system of yogic thinking that grew into a full-fledged religion.[72] Dr. Heinrich Zimmer contended that the yoga system had pre-Aryan origins that did not accept the authority of the Vedas, and hence had to be reckoned as one of the heterodox doctrines similar to Jainism.[73] Jain iconography depicts Jain Tirthankara’s meditation in Padmasana or Kayotsarga yogic poses. Mahavira was said to have achieved Kevala Jnana “enlightenment” siting in mulabandhasana (‘root-lock’) position, which is first mentioned in the Acaranga Sutra and later in Kalpasutra [74]

The five yamas or the constraints of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali bear an uncanny resemblance to the five major vows of Jainism, indicating a strong influence of Jainism.[75][76] This mutual influence between the Yoga philosophy and Jainism is admitted by the author Vivian Worthington who writes: “Yoga fully acknowledges its debt to Jainism, and Jainism reciprocates by making the practice of yoga part and parcel of life.” [77] The Indus valley seals and iconography also provide a reasonable evidence of the existence of a proto-yogic tradition akin to Jainism.[78] More specifically, scholars and archaeologists have remarked on close similarities in the yogic and meditative postures depicted in the seals with those of various Tirthankaras: the “kayotsarga” posture of Rsabha and the mulabandhasana of Mahavira along with seals depicting meditative figure flaked by upright serpents bearing similarities to iconography of Parsva. All these are indicative of not only links between Indus Valley Civilisation and Jainism, but also show the contribution of Jainism to various yogic practices.[79]
[edit] References in Jain canons and literature

Earliest of Jain canonical literature like Acarangasutra and texts like Niyamasara, Tattvarthasutra etc. had many references on yoga as a way of life for laymen and ascetics. The later texts that further elaborated on the Jain concept of yoga are as follows:

* Pujyapada (5th century CE)
o Ishtopadesh

* Acarya Haribhadra Suri(8th century CE)
o Yogabindu
o Yogadristisamuccaya
o Yogasataka
o Yogavimisika

* Acarya Joindu (8th century CE)
o Yogasara

* Acarya Hemacandra (11th century CE)
o Yogasastra

* Acarya Amitagati (11th century CE)
o Yogasaraprabhrta

[edit] Islam

The development of Sufism was considerably influenced by Indian yogic practises, where they adapted both physical postures (asanas) and breath control (pranayama).[80] The ancient Indian yogic text Amritakunda (“Pool of Nectar)” was translated into Arabic and Persian as early as the 11th century. Several other yogic texts were appropriated by Sufi tradition, but typically the texts juxtapose yoga materials alongside Sufi practices without any real attempt at integration or synthesis. Yoga became known to Indian Sufis gradually over time, but engagement with yoga is not found at the historical beginnings of the tradition.[81]

Malaysia’s top Islamic body in 2008 passed a fatwa, which is legally non-binding, against Muslims practicing yoga, saying it had elements of “Hindu spiritual teachings” and that its practice was blasphemy and is therefore haraam. Muslim yoga teachers in Malaysia criticized the decision as “insulting”.[82] Sisters in Islam, a women’s rights group in Malaysia, also expressed disappointment and said that its members would continue with their yoga classes.[83] The fatwa states that yoga practiced only as physical exercise is permissible, but prohibits the chanting of religious mantras,[84] and states that teachings such as the uniting of a human with God is not consistent with Islamic philosophy.[85] In a similar vein, the Council of Ulemas, an Islamic body in Indonesia, passed a fatwa banning yoga on the grounds that it contains “Hindu elements”[86] These fatwas have, in turn, been criticized by Darul Uloom Deoband, a Deobandi Islamic seminary in India.[87]

In May 2009, Turkey’s head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, Ali Bardakoğlu, discounted personal development techniques such as yoga as commercial ventures that could lead to extremism. His comments were made in the context of yoga possibly competing with and eroding participation in Islamic practice.[88]

The only sect of the Islam community that has successfully incorporated yoga into its practice is the Jogi Faqir, whose followers are Muslim converts from the Hindu Jogicaste.
[edit] Christianity
Main articles: A Christian reflection on the New Age and Aspects of Christian meditation

The Roman Catholic Church, and some other Christian organizations have expressed concerns and disapproval with respect to some eastern and New Age practices which include yoga and meditation.[89][90]

In 1989 and 2003, the Vatican issued two documents: Aspects of Christian meditation and A Christian reflection on the New Age which were mostly critical of eastern and New Age practices. The 2003 document was published as a 90 page handbook detailing the Vatican’s position.[91] The Vatican warned that concentration on the physical aspects of meditation “can degenerate into a cult of the body” and that equating bodily states with mysticism “could also lead to psychic disturbance and, at times, to moral deviations.” Such concerns can be traced to the early days of Christianity, when the church opposed the gnostics’ belief that salvation came not through faith but through a mystical inner knowledge.[92]

The letter also says, “one can see if and how [prayer] might be enriched by meditation methods developed in other religions and cultures”[93] but maintains the idea that “there must be some fit between the nature of [other approaches to] prayer and Christian beliefs about ultimate reality.”[92] The Rev. John Wijngaards points out the long Judaic and Christian histories of absorbing elements from surrounding religions. He notes that the absence of any intense experience of God’s power has sent some Christians eastward. Many Roman Catholics now bring elements of Yoga, Buddhism, and Hinduism into their spiritual practices.[92]

Some fundamentalist Christian organizations consider yoga practice to be incoherent to their religious background and therefore a non-Christian religious practice. It is also considered a part of the New Age movement and therefore inconsistent with Christianity.[94]
[edit] Tantra
Main article: Tantra

Tantrism is a practice that is supposed to alter the relation of its practitioners to the ordinary social, religious, and logical reality in which they live. Through Tantric practice, an individual perceives reality as maya, illusion, and the individual achieves liberation from it.[95] Both Tantra & Yoga offer paths that relieve a person from depending on the world. Where Yoga relies on progressive restriction of inputs from outside; Tantra relies on transmutation of all external inputs so that one is no longer dependent on them, but can take them or leave them at will. They both make a person independent.[96] This particular path to salvation among the several offered by Hinduism, links Tantrism to those practices of Indian religions, such as yoga, meditation, and social renunciation, which are based on temporary or permanent withdrawal from social relationships and modes.[95]

As Robert Svoboda attempts to summarize the three major paths of the Vedic knowledge, he exclaims:

Because every embodied individual is composed of a body, a mind and a spirit, the ancient Rishis of India who developed the Science of Life organized their wisdom into three bodies of knowledge: Ayurveda, which deals mainly with the physical body; Yoga, which deals mainly with spirit; and Tantra, which is mainly concerned with the mind. The philosophy of all three is identical; their manifestations differ because of their differing emphases. Ayurveda is most concerned with the physical basis of life, concentrating on its harmony of mind and spirit. Yoga controls body and mind to enable them to harmonize with spirit, and Tantra seeks to use the mind to balance the demands of body and spirit.[97]

During tantric practices and studies, the student is instructed further in meditation technique, particularly chakra meditation. This is often in a limited form in comparison with the way this kind of meditation is known and used by Tantric practitioners and yogis elsewhere, but is more elaborate than the initiate’s previous meditation. It is considered to be a kind of Kundalini Yoga for the purpose of moving the Goddess into the chakra located in the “heart”, for meditation and worship.[98]
[edit] Goal of yoga

The goals of yoga are varied and range from improving health to achieving Moksha.[43] Within Jainism and the monist schools of Advaita Vedanta and Shaivism, the goal of yoga takes the form of Moksha, which is liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), at which point there is a realisation of identity with the Supreme Brahman. In the Mahabharata, the goal of yoga is variously described as entering the world of Brahma, as Brahman, or as perceiving the Brahman or Atman that pervades all things.[99] For the bhakti schools of Vaishnavism, bhakti or service to Svayam bhagavan itself may be the ultimate goal of the yoga process, where the goal is to enjoy an eternal relationship with Vishnu.[100]

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years and consists of ancient theories, observations and principles regarding the connection of the mind with the body. The ancient Indian sage systemized yoga philosophy into eight paths or limbs: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. These limbs each express a different aspect of yoga and combined make up the path or yoga practice that unites the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels of our being.

Yama – Yama are ethical disciplines that relate to how we can live in a shared world with peace and integrity. Niyama – These disciplines relate to the individual and focus on living a healthy, fulfilled and masterful life. Asana – The word asana means ‘to be’, in the sense of being in a posture. The asanas were developed for the maintenance of a healthy mind and body, with each posture affecting the body, mind and emotions in a unique way and working as a pathway to balance and wellbeing. Pranayama – In the practice of pranayama, we develop breathing techniques that increase oxygen intake and strengthen lung capacity while also increasing the absorption of prana, or life force. In its simplest form, pranayama involves deep, full breathing. Dharana – Following on from pratyahara, dharana is the ability to be completely internally absorbed and focused. This practice of single-pointed concentration stills the mind and leads to profound quietness within. Dhyana – Following on from dharana is dhyana, or meditation – sitting where there is no focus, just stillness; no thoughts, only emptiness. Samadhi – In this state of absolute personal freedom there is union of the individual soul with the universal soul. It is the practice of living at one with all that is.

With regular yoga practice of yoga, you will get strength, flexibility and good health, the benefits of which flow into all aspects of life. Increased energy levels bring a new perspective on life, the increased feelings of self-love and inspiration lead us to discover talents and interests we never knew existed and problems that once seemed overwhelming become more manageable.