Yoga Meditation-Exploring Sankrit: Mrityunjai
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
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We are happy announce a new series of Yoga Meditation articles by Padma Meditation exploring various sankrit words and their application in Yoga, Meditation and daily life. In the first of this Yoga Meditation series, we will look at Mrityujai.
Mrityunjai means freedom from fear of life’s changes. Mrit means death and jai is victorious. Death is in the change of any situation, expectation or idea. Whenever the world changes there is an end of the previous situation. Whenever a relationship changes it is an end of the previous relationship. Even when our expectations are unfulfilled or an idea we hold is challenged, it is a kind of death of what we have known. If we have been particularly attached to a situation or idea, these changes unsettle our mind’s sense of stability and can cause fear.
Jai is the freedom from this fear. Not by trying to suppress or stop changes from happening, but by expanding our awareness that changes will always happen and are inevitable: The world is in change, people are in change. The victorious state is an understanding and acknowledgment of this universal and timeless change.
Meditation allows you to remember the unchanging essence of your life. Remembering this essence makes acceptance of changes so much easier.
About Padma: Padma is one of Canada’s best-known teachers of meditation and yoga, and hosts a nationally syndicated tv series on meditation and yoga called ‘Living Yoga with Padma’. For eight years Padma studied advanced-meditation in the western Himalayas of India. She read and mastered original Sanskrit texts of meditation philosophy and is authorized to teach by the director of the International Meditation Institute of India. Learn more about Padma.
Popularity: 57% [?]
Ask Our Yoga Teachers - Yoga and Tendonitis
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
Q: I have a very painful biceps tendonitis which I’ve been told the remedy for is rest and ice. Is it possible for me to continue a yoga practice?
A: Biceps tendonitis is the inflammation of tendon sheaths (tissues connecting muscle to bone), typically as a result of overuse. Symptoms of tendonitis can include localized pain (often made worse by joint movement), redness and swelling. Treatment for tendonitis involves rest of the affected joint and muscle region, systematic application of cooling packs to reduce inflammation, and in severe cases, the use of anti-inflammatory agents or drugs.
When applying ice/cooling packs, never apply the packs directly to the skin. Have a thin cloth separating the pack from skin to prevent irritation and over-cooling of the skin. It is important to reduce the inflammation to prevent worse tissue damage from forming as well as to reduce the formation of scar tissue. Rest and ice application will help the recovery of the tendon sheaths more readily. As the tendon is recovering, you may feel comfortable to slowly and mindfully lengthen and bend the elbow to maintain joint/muscle mobility (I am assuming the tendonitis is located in the tendons crossing over the elbow into the forearm bone).
After the inflammation and localized pain has subsided, a therapist may prescribe specific exercises to re-strengthen the bicep muscle and tendon to help prevent reoccurrence of the tendonitis.
In regards to practicing Yoga, Yoga typically does not actively engage the bicep muscles. If you analyze the more vigorous Yoga poses and Yoga flows (as in Power Yoga or vinyasa Yoga), the upper body muscles that are most energetically loaded are the “push-phase” muscles: Pectoral muscles (chest), Anterior Deltoid muscles (front shoulder), Triceps muscles (rear upper arm). Due to the lines of gravity and force generation, the bicep muscles and tendons typically are not be heavily loaded in Yoga.
However, when recovering from tendonitis in the biceps, you should avoid vigorous motions and heating of the arms and elbows. Even though the biceps may not be overloaded directly, the heat and motion in the elbow joint can worsen the tendon inflammation. Also, unmindful extension (straightening) of the elbow can over-expand the tendon when it is not ready to be stretched.
So, can you do Yoga with bicep tendonitis? Absolutely. But you should not perform flows and poses that directly load or deeply extend the arms/elbows: for example- Chaturanga and Pushup style poses, Upward Facing Dog, Downward Facing Dog, Side Plank, Plank on the elbows, Yoga Mudra arm variations, Dancing and Balancing Cat pose, Crow pose and other arm balances.
Take this time during recovery to explore lower body Yoga postures or enjoy more restorative style practices. This is also a great time to deepen your meditation and pranayama (breath exercises) practices. If you require more physicality to maintain body weight and to control calorie expenditure, then enjoy some brisk walking in addition to your Yoga practice. Again, any non-Yoga exercise programs should not heavily involve the biceps and vigorous motions of the elbow joint.
Embrace patience during your recovery from tendonitis. Seek out proper advise from trained therapists to aid in the renewal and conditioning of your biceps. Address what was the cause of the tendonitis so you may modify activities and behavior patterns to prevent the injury from returning. Utilize this time to venture into other areas of your Yoga practice finding connection with aspects you may have drifted away from or require greater attention.
Popularity: 55% [?]
Yoga Readings-The Unsatisfied Self
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 by MyYogaOnline
Imagine taking a piece of gold and melting it into different forms of jewelry, such as earrings, a ring, a bracelet or a necklace. You show the jewelry to person A, asking him what he sees and he says, “I see earrings, a ring, a bracelet and a necklace.” You show them to person B, asking him what he sees and he says “I see gold.”
Person A represents the small self that sees forms and identifies with them. Person B represents the observer who sees the essence beyond forms. After all, the ring as a form is temporary, as it can be melted to become an earring, a pendant, etc. As for the gold, its essence remains unchanged, no matter what form it takes.
Like gold, the essence of existence manifests itself in infinite forms, and your existence is one of those . Your existence as body/mind is limited, because it represents only a segment of your entire actual existence. If you are a woman, you are not a man, and if you are a human being, you are not a tree. If you are old, you are not young.
If you identify with your form you will always be lacking. You will miss the essential part of you which manifests in all the other forms that exist. You are the ocean, you are the mountains, you are the galaxies, you are she, and you are he.
As a result of feeling separated from everything that you perceive is ‘not you’, the small self is in a perpetual state of lacking.
The small self, as a ’separate piece of existence’ can never feel complete, and constantly demands to complete its’ state of lacking, expressed through endless desires. “Now I feel complete.” is often a statement of a self that has temporarily satisfied its’ sense of lack through relationships, possessions, career, consumption, entertainment, etc. It can feel ‘complete’ for a time, and then the desires return.
Only when we shift from the small self to the higher self, immersing back into oneness, can we let go of all of our definitions (I am woman/man, success/failure, beautiful/ugly). This is when the sense of separation and lacking ceases, and with it the sense of not being complete. In this state, all desires vanish and internal peace ascends within.
This is an excerpt from the book “The Enigma of Self-Realization” by shakti mhi. Reprint permission of this excerpt has been obtained and copying of this text must be acquired by shakti mhi.
Popularity: 41% [?]
Greening Your Winter Heating Part 2
Thursday, January 24th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
1. Hot water: Water heating is the third largest energy expense in an average home, typically accounting for about 13% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient water heater.
2. Insulate your home : While many new homes are already well insulated, older ones are probably due for a repackaging. Your home’s insulation hot spots are:
• The attic, including the attic door, or hatch cover.
• Under floors, above unheated spaces, around walls in a heated basement or unventilated crawl space, and on the edges of slabs-on-grade.
• Exterior walls, when constructing a new house or remodeling or re-siding your old one.
Before you decide to go about doing it yourself, get a quote from a local contractor to see if that makes sense, or cents. The cost of the insulation material alone might be roughly the same as having someone do the entire job for you. If you’re planning on some serious insulating, make sure to check out Don Vandervort’s HomeTips.
3. Upgrade your furnace: Installing a new furnace can READ MORE….
Popularity: 55% [?]
Padma Classical Hatha Yoga Video Class
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 by MyYogaOnline
My Yoga Online presents Padma Classical Yoga. The theme of this Yoga class is Ocean. Flowing with breath and flowing with the physical, enjoy classical Hatha Yoga postures that bring grounding connection and rejuvenation.
Popularity: 53% [?]
Yoga Book Review - Green Yoga
Friday, January 18th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
Green Yoga, written by Georg & Brenda Feuerstein, offers a direct and engaging approach to how Yoga and the practice of awareness can help bring greater attention and care to the global issues we face today. Their writings present the clear concerns regarding the present threat to the biosphere and the future of humanity. Green Yoga addresses methods and efforts required by all to avert further catastrophic damage to the environment.
Click to learn more about ordering a copy of Green Yoga
“My heart was bleeding when reading Green Yoga. I pray that everyone will read this book and start to serve Mother Earth, so that she may survive. I hope that at least Yoga practitioners, who have faith in the evolution of humankind, make it their mission to bring about the necessary transformation.”—B. K. S. Iyengar
“This is one of those books that the mind does not want to read. Georg and Brenda pose the punch-you-in-the-gut question ‘How realistic is it to expect to attain individual serenity in a troubled sociocultural and natural environment?’ Then they go on to explain how we do this through a process they call ‘“sattvification,’ which is a purifying that involves mindfulness and activism in relation to both the mind and the world. This book is a powerhouse. It is essential reading for Yogis and Yoginis who want to be part of the solution rather than a blind part of the problem. It is a challenge to act—Karma Yoga—not just sit on your butt in meditation.”—Dandi Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
Popularity: 45% [?]
Ask a Yoga Expert - The Order of Yoga Poses
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
Q: Could you explain me about the Asanas logic order?
A: The basic purpose of the asanas is to create energetic balance and space in the body so the body is more comfortable to meditate. This greater ease in meditating aids in deeper connection to the Inner Self.
So the important concept is “balance”. As you can see in any flow, there is a systematic process of moving the spine/body in one plane (ie Forward Bend) and then counter-posing in the opposite direction (Back Bend). If one twists right, eventually one needs to twist left. Again, a process of maintaining balanced energy and space throughout.
There are some asanas that have traditional countering poses (again to emphasize the natural balancing of body and energy). For example:
*Shoulderstand pose (forward bend) followed by Fish pose (back arch)
*Upward Facing Dog (back arch) followed by Downward Facing Dog (forward bend)
Another concept of ordering asanas is more of an exercise science principle in that the muscles and joints respond better when they are warm. Therefore, many flows begin with specific asanas that generate heat without deep stretching. Once the warmth is established, flows typically integrate more expanding poses. Once the physical expansion is complete, the practice tends to “cool down” physically and mentally with lighter poses and then relaxation.
There are some “schools” of Yoga that have a set series of poses. These established series/approaches have a specific purpose in targeting key joints, muscles, organs, and energy centers in a specific order. Some examples:
*Ashtanga Yoga and the Primary Series
*Bikram’s Yoga
Many people enjoy practicing to a set order of asanas as this provides a guideline for progression. Some also find that with a set order, they can focus more internally on finer details and energies versus having to re-establish themselves with new poses and flows.
However, many people like myself enjoy the freedom of exploring different poses and orders in each practice. The variety of poses and combinations is endless and can bring a refreshing quality to each practice. But with this style of practice, attention should be maintained on balancing the poses properly with countering the planes of the body as well as incorporating poses that involve all muscle groups and joints.
Overall, your body and disposition will eventually settle into a preferred style of practice (set order or open order). You will find with regular practice that your body will intuitively “want” to go from one specific pose to the next as these combinations energetically will suit you the best. Listen to this “intuition”, to how the body asks for a certain arrangement of poses and to the natural internal desire to balance the planes of the body.
Popularity: 66% [?]
Ask a Yoga Expert - Meditating with Music
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 by Kreg Weiss
Q: I’d like to know if it’s possible to meditate with music for relaxation.
A: Meditation can be performed in a variety of methods. Some meditation practitioners prefer to practice with no external stimulation, therefore no music. However, some practitioners actually use music as tools for focus. These tools can include mantras (repetition of sounds or words).
If music helps you draw into the present and into a deeper internal state of calm, then I would say it is okay to do meditation and relaxation with music. I recommend that you choose music that is repetitive in nature to create a “trance state”. The music should not have sudden sounds or changes in “levels” of composition – a smooth, non-disturbing flow. Overall, the music should not pull you out of the inner observance, but enhance it instead.
Often general ambient music with vocals is not ideal. If you do use music with vocals, choose a specific piece with chants/mantras. The mantras are actually designed to have energetic resonance and create internal connection.
Popularity: 58% [?]
Sleeping Green
Thursday, January 10th, 2008 by Michelle Trantina
Get a better nights sleep knowing that your efforts are greening the world. Many adults sleep at least six hours per day. People rarely stop to think about the environmental hazards lurking in the majority of bedrooms. This green tip examines ways to green your bed and your sleeping conditions.
The Bed Frame
· What is your bed frame made from?
· The chemicals that bind the fibres of pressed wood products together outgas urea-formaldehyde (contributes to poor indoor air quality)
· A green bet is solid wood, especially if that wood is sustainably harvested
1 Canwood Furniture is a BC company that manufactures furniture made from sustainably harvested wood (Sears and The Brick carry their products)
The Finish
o Conventional paints and wood finishes typically contain petrochemicals, solvents, preservatives, and heavy metals.
o It is best to use environmentally-friendly READ MORE….
Popularity: 75% [?]
Yoga Video of Navasana Posture - Boat Pose
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 by MyYogaOnline
Jesse Enright discusses form and function of Yoga Posture Navasana (Boat Pose). An exercpt from the Power Yoga therapy video brought to you by My Yoga Online.
View details, benefits, and contrindications of Boat Pose (Navasana)
Popularity: 61% [?]
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