The Language of Yoga: Tantra

One thing’s for sure about tantra: Its history is as complicated as its philosophy. Though there’s a lot of beauty to it, the tradition has picked up some not-so-positive connotations along the way. Many people equate “sex” or “weird sexual practice” with the word. But, says Coby Kozlowski, a teacher at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Life, but this isn’t totally accurate, as there are lots of different philosophies within the tradition. “The word itself has a vast history and can be thought of in many ways,” she says. “So often when we hear the word tantra, we think ‘sex.’ But tantra is a much more diverse and rich part of the evolution of yoga and is both a school of thought and body of practices. Within each school of thought there are diverse belief systems and today it stands as a path for many spiritual seekers.”

The word tantra itself is translated as to weave, or loom, since the root “‘tan’ means to ‘stretch or expand,’” says Kozlowski. The suffix “tra” generally translates as tool or instrument, making tantra an instrument by which to weave. “We are given the gift of embodiment, and have the opportunity to dance with all that life has to offer and weave into the infinite tapestry—a constant and never ending loom, which is always expanding into more.”

So why do we think of tantra as being so much about sex? Danny Arguetty, also a Kripalu teacher and student of Douglas Brooks, points out that tantra incorporates many different philosophies which diverged into three separate approaches over time. One of the arms became increasingly sexual in nature, but tantra as a whole got stuck with this connotation. “The Tantra involves a vast array of thoughts, philosophies, and schools which are often thought of as representing either a right handed, left handed, or centric approach,” says Arguetty. “The left handed practices used sexual practices of varying degrees – from benign to sadistic – and are the reason the Tantra still has negative associations in India.”

But the associations just deepened as tantra moved to the U.S. “As yoga migrated to the West,” he says, “small groups of practitioners discovered the approach of left handed schools in turning sexual intercourse into a practice of raising energy, honoring pleasure by delaying and then having a more powerful orgasm, and feeling the dance of the feminine and masculine energies (Shiva and Shakti). With the help of these teachings and the Kama Sutras, neotantra (sometimes called California Tantra) was born, popularized, and created the association of Tantra as sexual practices. While many other Tantric schools do not deny physical intimacy as a conduit for rich exploration, they are also invested in infusing passion, increased energy, and pleasure into broader facets of life.”

So that’s how it got its sexual and, in some circles, its negative connotations. But as both teachers point out, there’s a much richer way to think about tantra and incorporate the idea into our lives. Kozlowski says, “if you keep the more original definition in mind, tantra is about building upon and integrating past experience – good and bad – into the self. Tantra Yoga then becomes an opportunity to surf the different flavors of life such as grief, sadness, sorrow, passion, lightness, peace and recognize that tantra is not about escaping or disassociating from life but rather a rich relationship with all the different flavors that life has to offer.”

How often have terrible situations in life – a job loss, a divorce, or some other form of rejection – later turned out to be turning points for something better? Keeping in mind the fact that the really painful things that happen to us are often, eventually, ways of inviting in better things is important. Of course, sometimes a bad situation is just a bad situation, and not always a door to something great. But even these times can be opportunities to learn to at least sit with the lousy stuff, and know that it too shall pass – and we’ll be the better for it. Oftentimes it seems like it’s the kindest, most soulful, and most giving people who have been through the most difficult situations in their lives. And that seems to be more than just coincidence.

“Each moment becomes an opportunity to find a deeper and more intimate connection and an opportunity to delve into the intelligence and luminosity around us and in us,” says Kozlowski. “Rather than trying to reach a peak experience of enlightenment, we can both weave and bind to this moment and feel the evolutionary impulse of desire that expands us into the more.”
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What has been your experience with tantra, in any of its forms? Please comment below :::::

The Language of Yoga: Jai Ma

You may have heard the term “Jai Ma” at some point in your practice, either used in mantra, or perhaps just “jai” alone more casually. It’s a lovely and simple phrase that calls to mind the creative forces in the universe – and more specifically, our acknowledgement and gratitude to them. Even more interesting, it calls to mind the feminine forces, which not only give birth to new things, but can also effect change in the old ones.

“’Jai’ is the modern north Indian pronunciation of the Sanskrit ‘jaya,’” says William Mahony, PhD, Charles A. Dana Professor of Religion and Chair of the Religion Department at Davidson College, “the latter meaning: victory to, hail, praise to, or admiration/adoration/respect for. ‘Ma’ is a word for ‘mother’ and in this context refers to the universal Goddess … powerful, protective, creative, effective. So, ‘jai ma’ could be translated as ‘great gratitude to the divine Mother. May her power be victorious over all obstacles.’”

The maternal or female energy is one of the earliest objects of contemplation and worship. ‘Ma’ itself refers to the universal creative force that’s represented in the powerful feminine deity Shakti. Says Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, PT, “The Divine Mother represents Shakti, or cosmic energy. I would use this phrase to say, in effect: ‘May the Divine rule in the form of the energy and love of the Mother, and may that energy bring us all good things.’

Shakti is the counterpart of Shiva, who represents the masculine, “destructive” force in the universe, and who ultimately makes room for the creation of new things. Shakti, on the other hand, is that creative (feminine) power that fills the void with new energy and matter, and is a key agent of change. So, says Lasater, the phrase “Jai ma is another way of saluting the Divine Feminine in our world. We need it!”
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The Language of Yoga: Ujjayi

Learning how to breathe isn’t just a neat little thing you can do when you do yoga – it’s a central, and, some would say, nonnegotiable part of the practice. Pranayama, the art and science of controlling the breath, is an integral part of the Eight Limbs: Getting your body into the right state through breathing is the threshold to the next goals – focusing attention and calming the mind. Regulating your breathing has a measurable effect on the nervous system, so whether you’re a yogi or not, learning how to breathe differently can be life-changing. And a specific kind of breathing, known as ujjayi breath, is a very effective way to home into that calming, regulating part of the nervous system.

“Ujjayi is also called Ocean Sounding Breath,” says DevarshiSteven Hartman, Dean of the Pranotthan School of Yoga and the former head of Kripalu’s School of Yoga. “But the difficulty is with the simplicity. True enlightenment lies in the continual practice of this breath alone.”

The key, he says, is to layer ujjayi on top of dirgha breath, which itself breaks down into three separate phases. “Dirgha breath is learning to articulate the full range of expression of your inhale and exhale with consciousness,” says Hartman. “With dirgha breath, one breathes first into the lower abdomen, belly, then fills the middle (the ribs), then up to the top (the chest and clavicles). When exhaling, one empties from the top down – chest, ribs, then belly. Inhale belly, ribs, and chest. Exhale chest, ribs, and belly. Learning how to fully articulate the lung’s capacity helps to break open habitual patterning in the breath, restoring consciousness to resisted emotion and experience.”

Once you have dirgha breath down, you can bring in ujjayi. “By slightly constricting the glottis (the back of the throat) one creates a smaller passageway for the breath which results in a sound like the ocean, or the beginning of a snore. Some call this the Darth Vader Breath.” As Jason Crandell says, what you want to do in ujjayi breath is reduce the aperture of the throat to get slow, smooth, regulated breath. Imagine that you’re trying to fog an imaginary mirror in front of you – it will be audible and intentional, but not labored.

Hartman says that part of the value in this type of breath is that it may stimulate the vagus nerve, which among many basic bodily functions, is also linked to mood. “Recent studies have been focusing on the importance of vagal tone and happiness. The parasympathetic nervous system is soothed, natural endorphins (antidepressants) are released, the fright/flight response reduces, mental activity calms, the heart rate slows, digestion is aided, and much more – all from dirgha-ujjayi breath.”

Deliberate breathing not only calms the nervous system in a physical way, but since it gives us something to focus our attention on, it also calms the mind in another way.The “monkey mind” phenomenon that many of us experience every day happens when the mind is unfocused and allowed to spin in multiple directions. But focusing attention on the breath (or on anything, for that matter) can reign in the wandering mind. “Practicing dirgha ujjayi breath results in becoming more present in your life,” says Hartman. “It establishes the ability to be in charge of directing your attention on what you choose, deliberately calming the common chatter of the mind at will. This ability begins to break existing thought patterns that are indoctrinated, unhelpful and unconscious. Witness consciousness (Vijnana Maya Kosha) is re-established and you become free to choose where and what you wish to place your attention on… Clearly being able to deliberately direct your attention is a foundational skill for obtaining a sense of well-being, happiness and self-improvement.”

Again, ujjayi breath can be integrated into your practice whether you’re doing asana or a stiller form of meditation. And the great thing about it is that you can take it with you outside the home, at work, sitting in the park, or even in a coffee shop. (If you’re self-conscious, you can do it a little more quietly, but for the most part, ujjayi is quieter than you think, and passersby aren’t likely to take notice.)

“Throughout the scriptures,” says Hartman, “the authors explain clearly that yoga asana without deliberate breath is not yoga at all; merely gymnastics. Deliberate and conscious breath, dirgha ujjayi, ignites the whole being into presence, integration, and ultimately the true knowing of the experience of bliss…beyond words.”

He says to try ujjayi breath wherever you are, and as often as you can. “Just begin,” he says. “That’s the assignment.” He suggests making it a key part of your practice now and in the future, whether you’re doing asana, a sitting meditation, or just taking in the view of your cityscape or landscape. “That’s yoga – union,” he says. “Yoga is not yoga without ujjayi breath. Begin.”
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The Language of Yoga: Sadhana

Sadhana is often translated as “spiritual practice” or “discipline leading to a goal.” Most people are on board with the idea that it takes some work and repetition to get to any kind of goal. But what’s really interesting about sadhana is that while it has a large element of discipline, it’s also wonderfully vague, which underlines the fact that there’s any number of practices that can get you to that goal. Larissa Hall Carlson, who teaches at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, says that “Essentially, sadhana means simply to accomplish something. It is discipline leading to a goal, or dedication to an aim. The word stems from root sadh, ‘to bring about.’”

So sadhana is as simple as that: it’s any practice that can foster change. It’s encouraging, then, that sadhana can be just about anything that works for you. Carlson, says that now, “a contemporary sadhana generally includes asana, pranayama, meditation, reading of wise words and scriptures, and perhaps time for reflection, or contemplation. [Sadhana] is a precious time of self-care, contemplation, mindfulness, spiritual study, and even devotion.”

Once upon a time, a dedicated yogi would have included a medley of these practices every day, spanning several hours of the day. But today many people prefer to focus on one or maybe two types of practice: Asana, meditation, mantra, running, walking, praying, journaling, or even volunteering – any of these endeavors could be a sadhana, depending on what speaks to you, and what works for you. It’s also important to keep in mind that your practice doesn’t have to be hours a day; many people just do what they can – an hour a day or even ten minutes a day – and that can certainly be enough to have an effect on your brain and body over time.

And this gets to the other part of part of sadhana – the strong element of discipline that’s associated it. This isn’t surprising, though, since most any aspect of yoga (and lots of other realms of life) involves discipline. Even if you’re just doing ten minutes of meditation every day, it’s the repetition – the habit of coming back to something again and again – that’s the key. This works whether you’re trying to change your behavior, develop new ways of thinking, or even get to samadhi. Most of us have experienced the fact that practices are more effective when you do them regularly than when you do them sporadically, and this is what sadhana gets at.

Carlson also makes the good point that sadhana is very much related to the niyama, tapas, which reminds us that we have to “burn” away the bad habits to make way for the good stuff. “Discipline is connected to the niyama tapas, which actually means ‘heat.’ Tapas is connected to the internal heat and mental fire generated from regular personal yoga practice and the discipline required to maintain that commitment.” It’s powering through the unpleasant parts of a practice that can give us the energy and the space to embrace the changes we want to make.

Arriving at a goal doesn’t happen overnight, and it can take a lot of practice to generate that change. But the good news is that we can choose the practice – as long as we come to it again and again, those repetitions will eventually pay off. “Just like an elite athlete who trains dedicatedly and consistently to get to the Olympics,” says Carlson, “a yogi uses tapas and many other eight-limbed tools to attain samadhi.” Making sure your practice, whatever it may be, has that mental/spiritual element to it (i.e., that it’s not just physical for the sake of being physical) is important. You may find that the discipline of your practice, over time, can lead to just the kind of freedom you always wanted.
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The Language of Yoga: Bandhas

The term “bandha” in yoga has several different meanings, some more philosophical and others more literal. The word itself translates as “bind,” “bond” or “bondage,” which can obviously signify a lot of different things, positive and negative, mental and physical. Nikki Villela, of Kula Yoga in New York City, says that “the more literal translation of bandha is bondage or lock. However, at Kula we like to refer to them as valves, as they regulate the flow of pranic energy as a switch would control the flow of electric current.” Sometimes called the “yogic locks,” bandhas are different ways of locking or contracting the body, and are said to direct the flow of energy, or prevent it from escaping. Other connotations of the word have more to do with the human condition, and yoga’s powerful capacity to help us understand and navigate it.

There are three main bandahs: Jalandhara, Uddiyana, and Mula. “Jalandhara means a netting or mesh,” says Villela. “When employing Jalandhara bandha the chin drops towards the notch between the collar bones as the side waist of the neck pulls back.” The chin can rest gently on the sternum, if possible, as the sternum reaches up towards it. Jalandhara bandha is generally done along with breathing practices, and, says Villela, is thought to regulate blood flow and energy from the constriction of the structures and vessels of the neck.

Uddiyana, known as the abdominal lock, actually translates as “flying up,” says Villela, and is thought to help energy rise upwards. “When employing uddiyana bandha, the navel draws towards the spine and the abdominal organs are lifted towards the heart (and away from the pull and effect of gravity).” Uddiyana bandha is done after exhaling, and while doing a “mock inhalation” – that is, you open your rib cage as if you were inhaling while the abdominal muscles are drawn strongly towards the spine. This bandha is also said to increase “gastric fire,” and help digestion.

The last bandha is the Mula bandha, known as the “root bandha.” Says Villela, “This bandha corresponds to working the pelvic floor. It can be helpful to think of the pelvic floor as a second diaphragm or a parachute that contracts and lift up.” Mula bandha is thought to redirect the flow of energy upwards towards the heart, and prevent energy from leaking out through the base of the spine or pelvic floor. ”Awareness of mula bandha helps to organize the organic body and give it support from the bottom up, much like working the feet helps to organize the entire body above them,” says Villela.

Maha Bandha, or “the great bandha,” is when all three bandhas are done together, begun one at a time and then released in the same order. “For me personally,” says Vilella, “I like to think of the bandhas as a way to assist in one of the yogi’s primary goals: how to channel and then conserve energy. How do we work more intelligently so that less effort is exuded and less energy is lost? How can we conserve energy? How can we get our energy, which is said to lie dormant at the base of the spine, to percolate so that we can channel it and use it more efficiently? The bandhas.”

As mentioned, bandha also has other meanings. Its translation as “bondage” can also refer to our original state – the state of “unenlightenment,” which yoga seeks to help us undo. In other words, the “bondage” refers to our own spiritual ignorance or unknowingness, and it’s yoga that helps us peel back the layers to reveal a more enlightened self.

Another meaning from classical yoga is that it signifies the “correlation” or bridge/bond between our two selves, the ego self (the finite) and the transcendental self (the infinite). In this way, it is related to the term samyoga, which suggests that this “correlation” between the two selves is actually the root of all suffering, or dukkha. Through study and practice, it’s possible to break the “bond” – so in some ways, bandha is not only the source of suffering, but it’s also the key to enlightenment.

Finally, as Patanjali says in the Yoga Sutras, the sixth limb of yoga, dharana (concentration), is about bandha of another kind. With dharana, the goal is to focus on something visual (e.g., a flower) or auditory (a mantra). Since the mind naturally wanders from the object of attention, the task is to bring our attention back to the object, again and again. So here, bandha represents the bond that forms (after a lot of practice!) between the mind and its object of focus.

So, bandha can have a lot of different connotations. In yoga class, it typically refers to the more advanced practice of the yogic locks. Philosophically, it has different meanings, which, in various ways, all conjure up the larger aims of yoga: To break down the bonds that hold us back, to connect with things outside ourselves, and to move from a limited form of awareness to a more encompassing one. Removing the bonds that limit us and creating new ones within and outside ourselves is, after all, what yoga is all about.
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The Language of Yoga: Kirtan

Even if you’re not completely familiar with kirtan – the “yoga music” genre that’s often devotional in nature – you’ve probably heard it in passing, perhaps at a yoga studio or online. Though chanting and mantra go back a few thousand years, kirtan itself is a little more modern, dating only back to the 15th century or so. It was originally a way of expressing devotion to the deities, and even today it can have this element. But it doesn’t have to. Some people, like Dave Stringer, a well-known kirtan singer, use it for other purposes: Mainly, as a powerful (and beautiful) way to bring people together, to transform consciousness, and to access that feeling of universal awareness that yoga itself can bring about. In this way, says Stringer, it’s more about a psychological and neurological transformation than a religious one.

Stringer points out that that kirtan was largely an invention of the Bhaktis, “a joyously rebellious movement, that took the music out of the temples and into the streets. They felt that if yoga is all about accessing a space of unitary consciousness, then there’s no meaningful distinction to be made between sacred and profane, or between temple and street.” So they made up simple songs and dances to convey to everyday folks what yoga was all about, or what another state of consciousness might feel like. “Music can be the fastest way to get there,” says Stringer. “It’s giving people the experience of what the state is – you get a taste of it, and that sticks with you. It’s way more efficient than lectures on yoga philosophy. Even for moment, if you slip the bounds of your limited sense of self, through music, dance…. that always remains.”

So kirtan was a tool to give everyman a taste of yoga, which otherwise would have been reserved for the upper castes. It only made its way over to the west in the last century, and it’s just been in the last 50 years or so that it’s really gained momentum. Today it’s fairly popular in the U.S., and different styles of kirtan that would have never intermingled, says Stringer, are doing just that. And fusing other styles of music with kirtan has made it even richer and more engaging.

Kirtan is a call-and-response style of mantra chanting, which makes it even more audience-participatory than other styles of music, says Stringer. He adds that what amazes him about the experience is how “consciousness-transformative” it can be. “We’re not doing it only to feel good, but to connect with others and enter into an experience of timeless, ecstatic awareness. Kirtan always involves the audience’s response – even though music always engages the audience, the audience in kirtan is always really part of the music. It blurs the separation between audience and performer.”

It also blurs the separation between audience member and audience member. The pieces usually start slowly and steadily, and gain speed and energy over time – they can be fairly long, and the build-up is part of the key to its effect. By the end, you can feel completely connected not only to the music, but even more to the people around you, which again gets to that experience of unitary consciousness.

Stringer says that another part of what asana and kirtan have in common is that they “both involve awareness of breath. With asana and kirtan we’re getting everyone to breathe together in unison. And we’re modifying the breath. You can feel the effects on the mind and nervous system. When you slow your breathing down, you begin to affect your autonomic nervous system – the parasympathetic system calms the body down.” In other words, the music can cue those same body systems that asana and pranayama do – they turn off the stress response and turn on the relaxation response. But, as the music builds in speed, it also incites a kind of energy, “giving the chanter an experience of a kind of weightlessness, completely relaxed and at the same time totally present and aware,” says Stringer.

The other part of kirtan, like yoga, is more cognitive. By concentrating on something – here music, rather than an object or the breath – you’re shifting your attention from the chatter that’s typically looping in your mind (at least for many of us) to something else. Taking your awareness out of your self and toward something other is perhaps the most essential part of yoga.

“One essential thing that yoga philosophy is saying,” says Stringer, “is that you and the world exist in state of interconnection. The more you inquire about the nature of things, the more the distinctions break down. The practices of yoga are designed not only to have you examine that, but to give you the experience of the breaking down.” And that’s exactly what one can experience in a live kirtan concert. “With kirtan we’re trying to lead people to the experience of it. It’s not even necessary to be completely immersed in it. Even a partial experience can have tremendous therapeutic value.”

As lots of people have said before, whatever works for you – asana, mantra, meditation, pranayama – do it. For most people, it will be a combination of practices, just as it’s been for thousands of years.

“The yogic texts talk about the experience of being Pure Awareness – not being bound by the body,” says Stringer. “It’s actually the illusory aspect of the world that things are separate. But when you experience yoga, you realize that the connection is what’s real, and the separateness is what is unreal. Kirtan, asana, and meditation are all practices designed to heighten awareness and deepen compassion. “They all affect the mind, the brain, and our emotional and nervous systems – and they were all developed long before we knew anything about neuroscience.”

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The Language of Yoga: Duhkha

The beautiful part of the term “duhkha” is that, like many other yogic concepts, it’s so universal. We still think and talk about it today because most of us feel it every day, just as people experienced it a few millennia ago. Although duhkha is often translated as “suffering,” the question of whether that’s the best translation is up for grabs. “The word duhkha has various shades of meaning such as suffering, pain, sorrow, trouble, difficulty, imperfection, impermanence, and emptiness,” “All yogis understand that duhkha is a problem, and yoga traditions throughout history have described practices that liberate disciplined people from duhkha.”

Goldstein points out that the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, the first one being that duhkha is just a fundamental part of life. “The Buddha broke it down into three categories: 1) ordinary physical and mental suffering such as sickness or not getting what you want; 2) suffering produced by change such as chasing after happiness even as it is fleeting; 3) suffering produced by the ever-changing conditioned states of an ‘individual’ or ‘I whose permanent essence does not exist.” So duhkha covers the gamut from literal, physical suffering to abstract, existential suffering – in other words, the plight of being human.

But this definition of duhkha-as-suffering still isn’t complete. And the derivation of the word speaks to that: “The etymology of duhkha reveals its meaning in a different way,” says Braverman. ‘”Duḥ’ (bad) + ‘kha’ (axle-hole) means ‘having a bad axle-hole. Having a chariot with a bad axle-hole (nowadays a car with a flat tire) is suffering.”

That’s definitely partly true, but duhkha might be thought of more simply as a “bad fit”. “Duhkha is almost always translated as suffering and something to avoid,” she says. “But it’s more like uneasiness, or discomfort. Duhkha is not something that we can really get rid of, it’s something that resides within us, always. Even when you’re happy, it can still be there.” So the idea that finding happiness is like climbing a mountain is erroneous, she says – sure, there are things we can do, like yoga, meditation, or going to talk therapy, that help us learn to sit with the basic unease of being human. But it’s more a matter of managing duhkha than getting away from it. In other words, “there are things we do can make it weigh more or less,” says Wen.

Wen points out that the flipside of duhkha is “sukha,” which means pleasure or ease – or more accurately, a “good axle-hole,” or a “good fit.” To illustrate the duhkha-sukha relationship, she recalls a time after she first started doing yoga when she was so taken with it that she practiced for six hours a day. In fact, she was so into it that when she “had” to go home for Thanksgiving one year, she was annoyed at having to stop her practice for those few days. “I was pissy,” she says, “because I thought it was duhkha to be with my family and stop my practice.” But it later turned out to be her last Thanksgiving with her mother, who passed away before the next Thanksgiving; it was then that Wen realized her perspective was what was the problem. “That Thanksgiving could have been sukah,” she says, “but I didn’t see it that way at the time. The suffering was all in my mind.”

So sometimes the suffering just comes from the ennui and the strangeness of being human. Sometimes the suffering is “realer,” and comes from painful life experiences, like the loss of a loved one or an illness.  But even in these cases, the goal is to learn how to sit with it, or even better, detach from it so that you can see it for what it is. Knowing that the “suffering” or the unease of simply existing is a part of life – and that the truly bad times will pass – is one of the major goals of yoga.

And sometimes you just have to laugh. “When we say that life is suffering we sound like really unhappy yogis,” says Wen. “But it’s a part of life. But if I accept that life will change – not might change, but will change, then it gets a little easier. Sweetness and sorrow are like two sides of a coin. You can’t stay in sorrow always, just like you can’t stay in sweetness always. It’s like the quote by Aubrey Menen,” Wen adds. “’There are three things which are real. God, human folly, and laughter. Since the first two pass our comprehension, we must do what we can with the third.’”
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The Language of Yoga: Satsanga

Satsanga may not be one of the most common Sanskrit words you hear, but it will come up from time to time, especially if you hang out around institutes and ashrams. It comes from the root “sat,” which means “truth” (also see Satya, one of the Yamas), and “sanga,” which means “coming together.” So the term itself is often translated as “truth seekers coming together,” says Devarshi Steven Hartman, who lived and taught at Kripalu Ashram for many years, and now has his own school of yoga. “Satsanga typically happens in the evening, with family and friends, whether it’s chanting (kirtan), chanting prayers, or listening to someone give a talk. It’s all about gathering together with like-minded people.”

Devarshi says that what amazes him is how affecting and educating the experience of being in a group of others on the same path can be, whether it’s a formal satsanga or just a group of close friends sitting around engaged in conversation. “Kripalu himself said that the single best thing you can do for spiritual growth is to surround yourself with like-minded people… That makes me go, ‘wow, the single best?” That’s pretty big, given all the many, many ways there are to cultivate oneself within the umbrella of yoga – so the fact that it’s thought to be the most effective one speaks to its effectiveness.

And this makes sense for a couple of reasons. One is that we have a really hard time seeing ourselves honestly – both our attributes and our faults – so it often takes another person, or better yet, a group of people to do that. “Kripalu said that the key to our hearts in lies in the heart of another,” says Devarshi. “One element of this is that we really can’t see ourselves – our inward experience is very different from the outside. We don’t see our gifts or our foibles so clearly. It really requires others to see this. It takes another person – or going larger, a community of people – to call us out when we’re off base.”

The other part of the ‘satsanga effect’ is that the people we surround ourselves with have a strong influence on us, psychologically and emotionally. You can probably feel that when you spend time with energetic, loving people, they bring those same qualities out in you. The opposite is also true – it’s way too easy to pick up negativity from others. And when we spend time with people who are a little more knowledgeable than us in whatever arena – business, romantic life, spiritual growth – we start to internalize it.

“When we surround ourselves with someone who has mastered something – a posture, a pranayama, a meditation technique, a loving way to listen and communicate – it rubs off on us. We get entrained by those around us. You become a different person if you hang out in a bar versus satsanga with people studying and practicing to be their best selves. It’s sort of like ‘you are what you eat’ – you become like who you hang out with.”

And if you really want to take it even deeper, Devarshi says he often encourages his students to gather in small groups and – aloud – express gratitude or pray. “I’ve found it’s one of the most intimate things we can do,” he says. “So when I leave workshops, I’ll put people into groups of three or more…have them go out into the night and pray out loud. What’s amazing is that people’s voices actually change when they do this – they speak from a different place. When it comes down to it, we all want the same things in life. It takes courage and vulnerability to do this with other people… This is what satsanga is: it’s coming together in the presence of truth.”

If you’re lucky enough to be able to attend satsanga, see how it affects you (and please share your experience below). And if you can’t attend one, surround your self with your closest friends on a regular basis, and maybe take a few minutes and make a point of expressing your hopes, fears, and gratitudes – and see if it doesn’t change your mood and your energy quite palpably.

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The Language of Yoga: Karma

Karma may be one of the most colloquialized expressions from the yogic tradition, and unfortunately it’s also one of the most misunderstood. It originally comes from the Sanskrit word “karman,” whose root “kri” means simply “to do” – no morality or ethics implied. In fact, Karma itself is usually just translated as “to act.” But we tend to think of it as having more significant undertones, with god or fate in there as a mediator between action and consequence. And this is actually not so close to the original meaning, which is much more straightforward.

Karma is just about what happens in the world after we take action of any kind – and the fact that our actions do have consequences, though we may not always be aware of what they are. “It’s nothing more than the connection between action and consequence,” she says. “That is always neutral. It’s our perceptions and judgments that label ‘good and bad.’” Some have pointed out that it’s really just as basic as Newton’s third law of motion (“for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”). And if we can get on board with this simplicity, we’ll understand the essence of Karma pretty well.

The problem is that we’re not always aware of how our actions will affect others, so there’s always some element of unknowing – and this can give way to the feeling that there must be another force at play. “We can’t really shape karma because we can never know the consequences of our actions,” says Showkeir, “which may be why people want to chalk it up to ‘the universe.’ However, we can be mindful about the actions we take.”

In other words, it’s about keeping intention, rather than consequence, in mind as we decide on our actions. There’s no guarantee, of course, but we can hope that decisions that come from a place of kindness will – in most cases – end in positive results. Showkeir agrees that for her, “the challenge is to try not to get too hung up on the potential consequences. If I act with the assumption/expectation that if I do X, we’ll get Y positive result, I am setting myself up for disappointment. The thing that drives my actions is my intention, and that is where the focus belongs. It is a fine distinction, but in my mind, an essential one.”

Acting from a place of intention frees you up to make better decisions, because you’re not overwhelmed – or worse, paralyzed – by all the potential outcomes. In those cases, like Showkeir says, your brain sort of shuts down because it’s impossible to predict the future. But acting with the assumption that good intentions usually lead to good outcomes is a lot more logical and a lot more liberating. “We can recognize that we are responsible for the consequences of our actions,” says Showkeir. “And that will lead to more peace.”

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The Language of Yoga: Kriya

If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, you may have discovered that you feel incredibly clear and grounded directly after class. You’ve probably also noticed that the hard part is transferring that clarity back to real life. That’s the common challenge of yoga, but it’s also the exactly the point of it: To apply what you learn in the practice to every corner of your life. And this is where the concept of kriya comes in. The word itself means “action,” and it overlaps in many ways with the concept of karma. But the practice of kriya-yoga is much larger, and it’s actually a way of putting yoga into action in our lives. “It’s really where the rubber meets the road,”

There are three elements to kriya-yoga: Tapas, Svadhyaya, and Isvara Pranidhana. You might recognize these concepts as part of the second limb of yoga, the niyamas, which are outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. “In Book II of the Sutras, Patanjali is giving us this way of practicing yoga in life,” says Heyman, “while you’re actually living.” Because the three elements are so essential and therapeutic, they’re worth talking about again in this context.

Tapas is generally translated as burning. But it’s really about the discipline of a practice like asana or meditation, which gets us into a state where change can happen. The idea is that with the discipline, we’re forced to work through the source of unhappiness or pain – and it’s “burned” away though the practice. “Tapas is about accepting pain,” says Heyman. “That it’s something we can learn from, instead of just avoid. In Western yoga, we tend to just skip over that. But one reason that kriya-yoga is so important is that it gives meaning to pain. People who have a lot of pain often feel victimized – that’s a very weakened position to be in. To no longer be the victim is completely empowering. Patanjali is saying that pain is for your growth – not in a masochistic way – but that it’s a path to self-realization, and to greater peace. That the pain is actually showing you the direction you need to go in order to grow.”

So that’s tapas, which is a necessary part of working through pain – but it’s not all there is to it. The second element of kriya-yoga, svadhyaya, is about reflecting and introspecting into the nature of your unhappiness. For example, says Heyman, “You have to ask, why is this painful to my mind? What does it mean about the way my mind works and about my attachments?” Heyman points out that most psychological pain exists because we get attached to a thing – an opinion, our own reputation, or even to a person – and identify with it so strongly that when it’s threatened, it hurts. “We feel pain because the ego doesn’t want to be challenged. Often we go to addiction to avoid the pain. But yoga is all about trying to move beyond the ego – so pain is kind of like a gift in that it shows us where the ego is attached.” Of course, it’s not easy to see pain as a gift; it takes a lot of practice to view it that way, and then a lot of chutzpah to introspect enough to understand it. Sometimes you can do it alone, and sometimes you’ll need others to help you work through it – a circle of friends, fellow yogis, or even a psychologist.

Finally, the third element, isvara pranidhanam, is about surrendering to something beyond our own minds. We often think of it as giving in to, or being awed by, an outside thing – like god, the universe, or nature. But, as Heyman points out, “It’s letting go of the mind to something greater – but it’s not necessarily outside yourself. It can be inside yourself, too. After all, in yoga our essence is divine, and it’s all about connecting to the truth within. Like Patanjali says, ‘Once you quiet the mind, the true self abides in its own nature.’” Though it might be the ultimate goal to surrender to that within, it’s often easier to find that overwhelming experience of isvara pranidhanam while gazing out at the ocean, or up at a starry sky.

So these are the tenets of kriya-yoga. Putting them into action is one way to put yoga into action off the mat. But as Heyman points out, carrying out these three practices is not as simple as it sounds. “Of course, it’s not easy – am I making it sound like it’s easy? Sorry! It’s not. It takes a supportive community, a lot of practice.” He leaves on an interesting note, mentioning what his teacher, Swami Satchidananda, once said to him. “’Life is a lot like holding a hot pot in your bare hands…. It hurts! Yoga is realizing that you can let go of the pot.’ We’re holding on so hard to our ideas about ourselves, and holding on to the pain. But when we can learn to let go, even though letting go isn’t so easy, it gets better.”

Acidity & Ayurvedic Management of Hyperacidity :

Acidity is related to heartburn and gas formation in stomach. In acidity, acid reflux or Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), or more commonly known as 'Urdhvag Amalpitta' in ayurveda, there is a movement of gastric juices ( acid in nature) from the stomach into the lower part of esophagus.
Ayurveda considerds it to be caused by the aggarvation of Pitta dosha. When Kapha is associated with this aggarvated Pitta, the Acid starts climbing the oesophagus. This is exactly the hyperacidity for most of us and is translated widely as- Heartburn, Acid Reflux, Acid Brash etc.

Causes of Hyperacidity:
Excess production of acids in stomach is termed as the hyperacidity. There are varieties of reasons which cause excess acid production. The most important among these are:

• Excessive use of the oily and spicy foods
• Anxiety, depression and anger
• Irregular eating habits.
• Consumption of Maida products in large quantity.
• To use leafy vegetables in excess
• Sleeping just after taking meal.
• Drinking of excessive water
• ) To not to sleep in night, long working hours.
• Excessive intake of the caffeine and nicotine products.
• Constipation
• Carbonated drinks
• Foods which are rich in fats, such as chocolates cause acidity or acid reflux diseases.
• Excessive intake of alcohol, smoking, keeping stomach empty for long time, skipping breakfast causes acidity.
• Other causes of acidity or heartburn are pregnancy, aging, obesity, and bad eating habit, like eating junk foods.

Common Symptoms of Hyperacidity:

• Pain in upper abdomen immediately following a large or spicy meal
• Nausea, vomiting, and loss of desire to eat which may persist for 1-2 days
• Heartburn or sour belching
• A sense of abdominal distension or 'bloating'
• Flatulence (burping, belching)
• Blood vomitting or blood in stool may occer in severe cases
• If gastritis persists there may be eventual development of anemia

Diet recommendation for hyperacidity:
What to eat and how much to eat is an important factor in controlling acidity. The following tips should be followed:

• The diet should consist of milk with sugar, and a little old rice.
• Other recommended substances are: barley, wheat, rice (at least one year old), cucumber, bitter gourd, green banana, pumpkin, pomegranate, and cow's milk.
• Eat dinner two to three hours before sleeping time as it keeps you healthy.
• Fibers are necessary in the diet as they help in the digestion.
• Take the balanced diet, don't shift to the totally bland spice-less foods.
• Eat small meals more often as it helps in digestion.

Avoid following things in diet:
Foods that are rich in oils and fats. These foods are difficult to digest, so they may make the stomach release more acids.

• Eating fried, fatty, junk foods, and excessive chocolates.
• Eating Red meat. eat only occasionally, if at all.
• Too much intake of tea and coffee may cause hyperacidity. This is also true for other addictions such as smoking and alcohol Consuming sour foods as they already have acidic contents. Acidic foods to avoid are pickles, curds, tamarinds, vinegar, etc. Drinking water after taking the meal.
• Eating the next meal, until the prior meal hasn't digested properly.
• Consuming Maida / Backery Products.
• Taking the frozen foods and chilled drinks.

Lifestyle Changes in Hyperacidity:
Many factors are responsible for good and balanced digestion. Here are some tips to improve your digestion

• Food must be fresh and prefer food grown locally, or at least seasonally
• Food should be prepared with a caring and loving attitude.
• Food must be eaten with attention and awareness. Our sense of taste ignites the digestive fire before food ever reaches the stomach.
• Being distracted with books, driving, computers, and phones during a meal negates any hope of a balanced digestive process.
• Eating is best done during Pitta period, between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M.; this is when the enzymes are the strongest and digestion will be the most effective. Eating at other times will eventually compromise the body’s ability to digest and assimilate nutrition and give energy over a long period.
• Don't work till late in night. Lesser sleep may worsen your condition. It is better to rest at home than to hospitalize?
• Avoid sleeping just after taking the meal, whether it is a lunch or a dinner.
• Walk for at least 15 minutes both in morning and evening.
• Don't allow anger to excite your neurons and also be ware of anxiety also don't mess up unnecessarily with your feelings

Home Remedies for Hyperacidity:

1] For an instant relief from the high acid take tender coconut (Cocus nucifera) water. A dose of 100 to 500 ml should be taken twice/day. This is the best quick releiveing home remedy for the Heartburn alias Acid reflux.
2] Take the powder of Amalaki (Emblica officinalis) in a dose of 3 to 6 g should be taken with100 to 250 ml water twice/day. Amalaki is one of the best pacifier for the Pitta as well as the Kapha Dosha and also a rich source of Vitamin C- to heal the bruised stomach and esophagous due to the high production of the Acid in stomach.
3] To get relief from the high reflux of the acid mix gruel of rice corn, raw sugar, and honey in equal quantity. A dose of 100 to 200 g should be taken twice/day. This will full the stomach and the mucoidal layer on will protect the Stomach and esophagus for longer times and will keep the heartburn and acid reflux, away.
4] Take powdere of Haritaki and Bhringraja (Eclipta alba) in equal quantity. A dose of 3 to 6 g should be taken with 12 g of jaggery and warm water twice/day- this will help you to get rid of the basic causes behind the Acid Reflux and Heartburn. Bhringraj is a herb of choice to get rid if the liver problems and all kind of digestive upsets.
5] Instead of Tea or Coffee prepare a decoction from the equal parts of stem of Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), fruit of Neem, leaf of snakeguard, and Triphala. A dose of 14 to 28 ml should be taken twice/day. Take it only after cooling down to the room temperature. If you dont find the taste of above one, try this second option - prepare a decoction of equal parts of dried ginger, fruit of coriander, and leaf of snakeguard. A dose of 14 to 28 ml should be taken twice/day, keep in mind if you are mixing sugar- dont boil the sugar.
6] Drink coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) tea, it is nice when your Acid reflux or heartburn is caused by the indigestion or overloading of the stomach in a late night party.
7] Mixing two teaspoonfuls of ghee in a glassful of milk and taking this once a day acts as a liner inside the gut and will heal all the destruction caused by the high flow of Pitta. There are various home remedies and ayurvedic treatments for acidity control; it is good to go for such treatments as they are safe and effective. Avoid chemical/medicinal acidity treatments as it creates a bundle of other health problems.
8] Take two tablespoon honey with two tablespoon natural cidar vinegar before meal
9] Mint juice or mint capsules containing peppermint oil are also a good herbal remedy for treating acidity. It is recommended to be taken after meal, it reduces gas formation. This is one of the useful home remedies for acidity.
10] Fruits that will help you in getting relief from acidity are cucumber, watermelon, papaya, and banana.

Treatment for Hyperacidity:
Using ayurvedic medicines that can suppress acid formation is very effective in treating acidity. Herbs useful in Hyperacidity are -
1] Amla - One of the Ayurvedic herbs recommended for the treatment of acid reflux is amla, which is used for a variety of digestive problems. Amla can be taken with warm milk or eaten with vegetables to help settle the stomach.
2] Coriander -The culinary herb and spice coriander is also an effective treatment for acidity. Ayrurvedic practitioners also recommend taking 1 tbsp. coriander juice with 4 oz. butter milk to reduce acidity in the stomach.
3] Mint -The mint family consists of peppermint, spearmint and basil, or tulsi; their natural oils can relieve heartburn and concomitant symptoms. For the treatment of acid reflux, Ayurvedic practitioners often prescribe Tulsi or Holy basil to reduce acid production and lessen the tendency for reflux and heartburn. Chewing on a few fresh leaves of tulsi relieves the burning pain of reflux. These herbs can be used both fresh and dried.
4] Licorice -Ayurvedic medicine uses licorice root. Making an herbal tea provides relief from burning pain and other symptoms of acid reflux.

Various Ayurvedic medicines effective in treating acidity are:
Kamadudha Ras (with pearls) is a drug of choice for hyperacidity in the dose of 1 tablet thrice daily.
Avipattikar churna can be taken with water before your daily meal. It is good for your bowel movement and is effective in heartburn treatment or acidity.
Narikel lavann is also a good remedy to cure hyperacidity.
Sukumara Ghrita is a specific treatment and is administered in doses of one to two teaspoonfuls mixed with a cup of milk and given first thing in the morning.It may lead to some impairment of the digestive powers of the patient in the beginning, but he recovers the power of digestion after some days.
Dhaatri lauha (calyx of iron mixed with the juice of amla) may be taken in one teaspoonful dose twice a day. In acidity, iron absorption is impaired and this will be corrected with this medicine.
In severe cases, Ayurvedic physicians may prescribe Swarna parpatee, Suvarna Soota sekhara ras etc. If needed, these medicines may be taken under medical supervision.

Exercise for Hyperacidity:
Exercise helps in controlling acidity Morning walk are good for your health and keeps the acidity disease under control. Take a walk of about two kilometres early in the morning.

Yoga for Hyperacidity:
Yogic exercises and meditation keeps your overall internal system (like digestive system, nervous system) and external system in good condition. Depression, anxiety worsens the acidity disease so try to live a stress-free life for healthy and happy living. Some of the useful yoga postures are -
Surya namaskar, Sarvangasan, Bhujangasan,Naukasan,Paschimottanasan,Vajrasan,Bhastrika Pranayam,Sitali Ptanayam and Sitkari Pranayam

Breast Enhancements - Different Ways to Increase Your Breast Size

Most women would like to change the size and the shape of their breasts. And while the cosmetic changes are easy to achieve and reverse, if needed, breast augmentation surgery is not for everyone.

Surgical breast augmentation is a substantial investment of time and money, it has a lot of health consequences and the results can never be fully predictable. All together, these factors can make breast augmentation a last resort for those who want to change the size and shape of their breasts. There are several alternatives that women can try to improve the shape of their breasts before resorting to surgery. These breast enhancement techniques range from breast enhancement creams and pills to easy breast enhancement exercises that tone all of your upper body.

Breast Enhancement Pills
Breast enhancement pills usually offer a combination of several herbal ingredients. Most often, the formula includes fenugreek, saw palmetto, Mexican wild yam, fennel, Dong Quai, damiana, and blessed thistle.
The herbal components of breast enhancement pills start a reaction similar to those that occur during puberty, when women’s breast tissue starts to grow. These herbs deliver plant estrogen, which stimulates the growth of the delicate breast tissue from inside by causing hormonal changes. Plant estrogen, as scary and medicinal as it sounds, is a natural product derived from plants and is quite mild.
It may take time to achieve the desired results with breast enhancement pills. Women with small to medium cup size when taking breast enhancement pills usually achieve their optimum results within two months. Some women continue to take breast enhancement pills on an ongoing basis because they notice other positive changes in health.
Herbal remedies, including breast enhancement pills, have many advantages over surgical breast augmentation, due to lower costs, less health risks and fewer side effects.

 Breast Enhancement Creams and Lotions
This type of breast enhancement is not the most effective when used on its own. When combined with pills and exercises, breast enhancement creams can yield substantial breast size increase.
Breast enhancement creams act in pretty much the same way that the breast enhancement pills do. Typically breast enhancement cream contains a mix of herbs along with mild chemicals that stimulate the growth of fat cells in the breast without growing fat cells on other parts of the body. Breast enhancement creams have other cosmetic effects, as they make the breasts firmer and more smooth, enhancing the total look and feel of the breasts.

Breast Enhancement Exercises:
Breast enhancement exercises are perhaps the cheapest and most natural method for promoting breast growth although they require a dedicated approach to make them work.
The most popular breast enhancement exercise is a push-up. Here’s the right way to do push-ups:
1) Lie facing down on your stomach on a flat surface
2) Bend your knees and cross your ankles.
3) Now start bending your elbows while keeping your palms in line with your shoulders.
4) Remaining balanced on your palms and elbows raise your body - keeping your ankles crossed. This way, you don't raise too much weight. Don't straighten your elbows when raising the body - it may cause damage to your joints.
5) Slowly lower your entire body, but don't lie down. You should decrease the angle only until your arms become in line with the floor.
You should try to repeat push-ups ten times, gradually increasing the repetitions as you get stronger.

Breast enhancement exercises, like any form of exercise, should be performed in sportswear, on a comfortable flat surface. If done without caution, these exercises can strain the muscles, so speak to your doctor first if you have any concerns. Don't push yourself too hard, and stop immediately if you feel unwell, be it pain or tension. Performing these breast enhancement exercises daily, or at least two to three times a week should help you achieve more round "perky" breasts. Plus, it has the added benefit of strengthening your back muscles to help improve your posture, too.

Following an exercise regime that includes push-ups you can also use breast enhancement creams and pills. When all the breast enhancement techniques are used in conjunction with each other, you can achieve optimal results.

What is Really Causing Your Back Pain

Many people complain about back pain on a daily basis. They bend and twist, attempting to fix the pain, or they blame other things that they cannot control, when really they probably already know the real cause. Many people already know what is causing their daily back pain, but think they are unable or they are unwilling to fix it.
The truth is that no one should have to live with back pain every day. Many of the causes of back pain can be easily reversed and prevented to help people live pain-free every day. These simple fixes leave no excuse for people to complain about their back pain ever again, and can allow people to start living the life that they always wanted. Here are some of the issue that might really be causing your back pain.
Staying still
Many people think that when they experience back pain, they should stay in bed and let it heal. This may be true for some extreme cases of back pain from a physical trauma, but normal every day back pain might be better treated with some movement. Those who are suffering from back pain should engage in some light activity to make their muscles relax and keep the mobility in their spine.
A chronic issue
There are a lot of people who have chronic back issues that they simply live with on a daily basis. The causes of this type of pain can vary, but many people suffer from things like herniated disks and spinal stenosis. Those who have chronic back pain should find out what spinal stenosis treatment is and learn some methods for preventing the issue from returning. This simple fix can help even those who have been suffering from severe back pain for years finally live a pain free life.

Accessory choices

Many women wear high heels on their feet and heavy bags on their shoulders daily. This may seem like a necessity to many women, but these fashion choices could be causing them back pain and other health issues. Every woman’s heels should be under 2 inches if she spends much of the day standing or walking and her handbag should be under 10 pounds at all times to prevent back issues from happening.

Too much time at the office

Most people today spend their days sitting at a desk for 8 hours, and then sitting in a car to get home to sit on a couch. All of this sitting can cause back pain and soreness that might seem unbearable to some. Not everyone can have a job that allows them not to sit at a desk all day, so those who do work at desks should try to get up at least once an hour to move around and stretch. This simple little break can help anyone reduce the amount of back pain they experience every day.

Lack of core strength

The core muscles, more specifically the abdominal muscles and back muscles that encase the spine, are essential for supporting the spine. If these muscles are weak, a person can experience a lot of back pain and soreness on a regular basis. Everyone should incorporate some core exercises into their regular fitness routine to see an improvement in their daily back pain.

Daily stress

It may seem silly to some, but stress can actually cause people physical pain if left untreated. Many people hold tension in their back, so those who are very tense or stressed out will often experience some form of back pain. Everyone should have some way to relieve stress every day, whether that is a 10 minute walk or an hour of meditation, each person will have something that will help them relieve stress and live better each and every day.

~Santosh D'souza

Top 5 Ways To Be Fit And Active

Everyone wants to be fit and active, to be free from lethargy and safely maintain a healthy lifestyle. Nowadays, more than gym people prefer to have physical activities and fun, dancing, indoor games to stay motivated and energized. It makes the body flexible and enables in staying fit and fine. No matter how much exercise we do, but also need to live a scheduled live to take care of our health. There are some simplest ways which are kept in mind and can be opted to be fit and active. This article will introduce you to those top 5 ways simple ways to be fit and active.

Top 5 Ways to Be Fit and Active:

1. Get enough sleep:
Health professionals recommend at least eight hours of sleep. Within these eight hours of “unconsciousness” the body is given a chance to repair itself from the activities of the day, and allow the individual to be well relaxed to take on the tasks of another.
2. Healthy food:
It is imperative that one take the necessary steps toward the consumption of a balanced meal on a daily basis. Meals high in protein, vitamins and minerals can do the body a lot of good and have been recommended by fitness experts as well as medical practitioners, for the maintenance of healthy lifestyles. Persons should also ensure that they consume significant amounts of water daily, and reduce the proportion of sugar that is introduced into the diet.

3. Exercise:
Exercising is another way to improve fitness levels. It should be noted however that these should be done in moderation so as to not overwork one’s muscles to the point of devastation. Exercise in itself does not have to be an expensive process, nor does it have to be mundane and the rewards will undoubtedly be endless.
4. Watch less television:
Watching television in itself is not a bad thing. However, when one chooses to watch television to the extent that you remain in a single position for an extended period of time, this may prove deleterious. With this in mind, persons should seek to do simple chores such as sweeping the home, washing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom and so forth to keep the muscles active. By extension, excessive amounts of time spent around the computer can produce the same harmful effects so be careful of how your time is spent and seek as much opportunities as possible to simply get active.
5. Say no to smoking:
Smoking has the tendency to be addictive and as such should be avoided at all cost. This will lead to healthy lung function and overall improved fitness levels.
In concluding, it should be noted that there are many ways one can keep fit and healthy and five of these have been listed above for ease of reference. It is hoped that you will find at least one that suits your lifestyle and stick to it. Should you choose to change your eating habits, be sure to include countless amounts of fruits and vegetables coupled with lean meat and or fish which will see improvements in your overall energy levels. Additionally, be sure to reduce your sugar intake for greater efficiency and do extensive exercises to ward off fatigue and the feelings that accompany lethargy. If you are a smoker, now is the best time to quit. You can be sure your lungs will be truly grateful to you and you will experience the benefits of that gratitude. If you are a UK resident, you can get your NI card before 16 years of age. In order to get it, you must possess documents related to birth certificate, identity card, driving license, etc.

By Santosh D'souza

Cultivate Compassion

Why is it that we feel so compassionate sometimes and then other times we have no feeling at all? Why does compassion sometimes feel arbitrary? Can we cultivate a life in which compassion is a fundamental, permanent, on-going condition that we live in? Studies show that yoga can, indeed, help keep us in the space of compassion from moment to moment.

This week’s featured classes will cultivate compassion in our lives.

• Find Compassion, Insight & Ease with Stephanie Snyder: This special class is a combo of somatic movement and vinyasa flow. The first 30 minutes are restorative and nurturing floor work and then the last 30 minutes are well rounded vinyasa flow including Urdvha Danurasana. The somatic movement will inform your vinyasa with compassion, insight and ease.
• Cultivate Compassion with Tiffany Cruikshank: A meditation on compassion by the Dali Lama, one of my personal favorites. This is one you will want to repeat, possibly daily. Especially helpful if you are struggling with someone and having trouble making peace with them and just a great overall practice for cultivating compassion in your life.
• Compassion with Tara Judelle: Focusing on the heart, the lungs, and the shoulder girdle to give space for the heart (the seat of the mind) to open. This classes eases you into backbends to facilitate the attitude of compassion.
• Four Steps of Self-Compassion with Sally Kempton: Sally helps us to invoke the experience of self-compassion through four steps, and then leads us in a meditation on living AS compassion.
• Universal Compassion with David Harshada Wagner: Send your loving kindness, well wishes and light to all beings.
• The Warrior Within with Steven Espinosa: Cultivating your inner warrior by finding a balance between strength and sensitivity, courage and compassion, power and grace. Gentle warm up leading up to a strong Standing Pose series focusing on Virabhadrasana (warrior) 1, 2 and 3. Also includes a breakdown of Warrior 3 starting at the wall and then without the wall. Continues with Virasana (hero), Hip Openers (eye of the needle) and Supta Padagustasana (hamstring stretch). Concludes with Back Bends in Setu Banda Sarvangasana (bridge) and/or Urdhva Danurasana (upward facing bow) and Supine Spinal Twists.

3 Mental Mistakes That Derail Your Fitness Goals.

Every action and behavior we take in life begins with a thought. This includes those that are subconscious as well. Even words can affect what we do, depending on the context they were stated. The more emotions you have behind anything you say tend to create that same level of behavior afterwards.
know that I’ve said things with such emotion that at times I’ve regretted saying them. Emotions are a cornerstone in all we do. Since we’re not robots, we’re driven emotionally.

In getting fit many tend to knock themselves down. It may be because they expect too much too soon. They may even believe that being perfect is the only way. Hence…


The first mental mistake is that of perfectionism.
I know of people who won’t workout falsely believing that they have to be perfect before they can go to a gym or anywhere else to workout. Many obese people feel so bad and embarrassed about themselves that they won’t get out and get fit. Even top athletes fall into this falsity of thinking. Sure, it’s okay to strive to be the best you that you can be. Being perfect can never exist. Not for you and not for me. Not for anybody. On the other hand, striving for excellence is different. That is where you should bring your focus to.
By the way, a bad self-image, low self-esteem and fear of failure can be related to perfectionism.

The second mental mistake is that of false beliefs.
Too many people falsely believe that they’re not able to workout. They may believe that they are big-boned and it’s the reason why they are heavy. Guess what? There is no such thing as being big-boned. Whether you’re skinny or fat at the same height, your bones are going to be the same size. The difference is the size of one’s wrist (as an example) has to do with the amount of fat surrounding it, not the bone size.

There are so many false beliefs permeating the minds of people regarding fitness that it’s become crazy. Mostly, it’s the false beliefs you have of yourself that is important. Just because your parents and/or siblings are fat, doesn’t mean you’re going to be. It’s all about living the kind of lifestyle that leads you to true health and fitness. Don’t let your false beliefs sabotage your fitness efforts.


The third mental mistake is the of procrastination to inaction (inertia).
Many people will procrastinate from time-to-time. This is a given. It’s only when it leads to inertia (like a couch potato) will is hinder you on a regular basis and lead to increasing obesity and related health issues. Many people, after awhile, will get comfortable in not moving. I’ll forget when a lady told me that she drives her car to a neighbor’s house just two doors down from her house. She told me that it’s too far for her to walk. I was thinking, “Is she for real?” That is one example of someone stuck in inertia.


Things you can do to overcome each of these mental mistakes…
Associate with others who can help get you going in fitness. They can also be a support system as well.
Make a plan and set small goals towards the bigger goals. That’s if you’re goal-oriented. It’s not necessary to do so if you decide to live each day in physical movement and healthy eating. For others, goals can help develop habits of a fit life. Start from there and then simply move towards health and fitness as an everyday part of your life. Soon it will become the best habit you ever established.
Have a powerful “reason why” you want to get fit. Keep that at the forefront as a personal motivator to keep you going.
Keep a journal and write down the mental issues you may have. Look for the triggers that create your negative behaviors. From there, either change each negative trigger or get rid of it.
Read and learn everything you can about health and fitness. Then take action on one thing at a time of what you learned. Practice it over and over. After you learn it, teach it. The more you teach, the more it will become ingrained into your subconscious mind.
I hope each of these tips can help you get on the road to health and fitness. Ultimately it is up to you to do just that. Believe in yourself and JUST DO IT!

Papaya Health Benefits: Ayurveda Papaya Recommendations

Do you cherish the fruit of Papaya? Ayurveda recommends the fruit of Papaya owing to its varied benefits. Papaya or ‘Papita’ as locally called has the Sanskrit name‘Erandkarkati’. The Latin name of papaya is Carica papaya.The tall trees of the fruit grow 10 to 25 feet that bear large oval shaped fruit, which is green in the raw state and yellow when ripe. The raw papaya contains milk like substance. As for the medicinal purposes, the fruit, milk, seeds and also the leaves come to use.
 Papaya Properties
The papaya is light, intense and rough by nature and hot in potency. The taste is bitter and pungent, while the after taste is bitter. Chemically, the fruit contains a yellow colored gum resin, sugars, glycosides, acids primarily citric acid and a digestive enzyme called ‘Papain’. This enzyme has a unique property to digest proteins and fats. All the more, there is an abundance of vitamins viz. vitamin A, vitamin B complex and vitamin C. Some minerals like sodium and potassium supplement the composition.

 Papaya Health Benefits

• Balancing Doshas: The fruit of Papaya is a destroyer of the Vata and Kapha doshas (air and phlegm body humors). This is in accordance to the special properties it sustains. All the more, in the ripe state, papaya also tends to combat an aggravation in the Pitta dosha or the fire body humor.
• Natural Tonic: Papaya is a natural source of a number of vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes. You need to make it a regular supplement to your daily diet and feel the energy boost. Not only this, the fruit could benefit by increasing the blood pressure as well as the blood sugar levels. This is highly suggestive for those suffering from the symptoms of fatigue, lack of vigor and occasional loss of sleep.
• Digestive Aid: The fruit of papaya contains some digestive enzymes that benefit by easy absorption and assimilation of food. Not only do these enzymes stimulate the liver for proper functioning, but also cause an overall improvement in the digestion and as a result provide an increase in the health and vitality.
• Diuretic: Papaya diet is advisable in the urinary disorders in which there is a decrease in the normal flow of urine.  
• For Women Maladies: In case of excessive pain during menstruation or an irregular or decreased flow during the cycle, papaya again comes to use. According to Ayurvedic texts, a powder prepared by pounding the seeds of the fruit is to be taken along with warm water in a dose of half to one gram. Also, the lactating mothers need to supplement the fruit in their daily diet regimen. This could result into a better production of milk.
• Local Application: The milk from a raw papaya is a holder of anti-infective and anti-toxic properties. In case of tonsillitis, the same can be put onto the inflamed tonsils like throat paint. For mouth and tongue ulcers, try applying the milk on the sores for relief.
• Remedy for Joint Pains: The seeds and leaves of papaya are believed to be helpful in decreasing pain and swelling. In case of joint pains, the leaves are to be warmed and applied as a hot fomentation onto the affected joints or the seeds can be crushed and mixed into mustard oil for local massage.

3 Ways Yoga Benefits Your Brain

We’ve long known that yoga offers a host of physical benefits, including increased flexibility, a healthier weight, and possibly even stronger bones. But many yogis also practice for the less visual effects of the exercise. Yoga holds the power to transform our minds as much as it does our bodies. Here, some of the mental benefits of yoga.

Yoga may help those with bipolar disorder.
New research published in The Journal of Psychiatric Practice suggests that yoga could help people manage bipolar disorder. The survey asked a group of more than 100 people with the mental disorder, who also practice yoga, to rank how the practice affects their lives. Many deemed it beneficial to mental health, and one in five called yoga “life-changing.” While it’s important to emphasize that this was a self-reported survey, it’s possible that the sense of Zen yogis tout could do a lot of good for those living with bipolar disorder.


1. It’s a serious stress-buster.
Those with bipolar disorder aren’t the only ones who can reap the benefits of yoga. The Mayo Clinic boasts yoga’s power to fight stress and improve moods for all. And the practice can offer a moment to escape from our busy lives. Research shows that mindfulness-based stress reduction, like that at yoga’s core, can help lower anxiety and stress. In a study at the University of California, Los Angeles, participants who practiced yoga for just 12 minutes every day for eight weeks showed a decrease in their immune systems’ inflammation response. When we’re overstressed, our bodies lose the ability to regulate our inflammatory response, which can lead to a long list of health problems, including a greater risk of depression. By lowering our stress levels, we can also lower the risk of depression.

2. Yoga boosts brainpower.
Not only do poses like downward dogs relax and de-stress, but they may actually increase brain function. A short, 20-minute session of Hatha yoga might improve focus and information retention, according to the University of Illinois. So the next time your head’s feeling foggy, consider ditching the energy drink and opting for some time on the mat instead.

3. It can increase happiness.
Ever notice how strong, centered and happy you feel after a yoga session? It turns out it’s not all in your head. Research shows that the simple act of living in the moment boosts moods. On average, we spend almost half of our time planning ahead or contemplating the past, and staying in the present is often easier said than done. But yoga helps us focus on the present by providing both physical and mental exercises. That’s why yoga instructors often encourage reflection and living in the moment during class, rather than simply running through the poses. Yoga’s mental aspect brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “blissing out.”

Regulate & Boost Your Immune System

It’s that time of year again. Cold and flu season. While everyone is bound to suffer from the occasional cold, the practicing yogi is less likely to catch one and their recovery time is a lot quicker. Why? Yoga can help strengthen your immune system, making you less susceptible to those crummy colds. They say that the best treatment is prevention, so make sure you give a little extra love to your practice during this busy time of year.

This week’s featured classes will help regulate and boost the immune system, keeping it strong and healthy.

• Yin for the Immune System with Felicia Tomasko: This deep work with a yin practice is designed to support the functioning of the immune system and awaken the inner intelligence of the body. According to Ayurveda, the immune system serves as the body’s intelligence, and this deep practice serves to awaken it.Our focus here is improving the circulation of the lymphatic system, an integral part of the immune system, through forward folds, twists, and supported backbends.
• Immune System 101 with Jo Tastula: A brief overview of what it is and how it works AND some super easy and effective exercises that you can do ANYWHERE to help boost your immune system. Learn body tapping for skin stimulation, swinging arms kidney massage, lymphatic drainage sun salutations and positive thinking hip openers. I hope this class motivates you to a new level of health!
• Ashtanga for the Immune System with Jodi Blumstein: This is a traditional full primary series class where Jodi is emphasizing and explaining the many many ways that the practice positively impacts the immune system. Focus is placed on explanation of how the postures affect the circulatory, endocrine, respiratory and nervous systems.
• Immune System Booster with Kia Miller: When you are feeling down or depleted this is the practice for you! This meditation stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and the right hemisphere of the brain to adjust, balance and help remove inner conflict. Think of it as advanced immune therapy! Use it to promote heath and wellness and combat any dis-ease of the body. Practice regularly for maximum benefits. Enjoy!
• Immunity for Fall with Dice lida-Klein: This class is focused on ridding the body of toxins and impurities via deep twists, a good amount of folds and a nice dose of inversions through handstands. We venture through postures like twisted lunge (knee up and down), twisted half moon pose, twisted triangle and ardha matsyendrasana. For folds we incorporate seated fold, standing fold, seated wide legged fold and standing wide legged fold. We finish with a supine sequence from the floor. Enjoy my fellow yogis and stay healthy this fall/winter!
• Enhance Your Immune Function with Elena Brower: A quiet hourlong exploration of various postures to enhance your immune function. Address and approach the glands that control your hormones, which enhances organ function. Sometimes with specificity and more often with a simple reference and some much-needed healing silence, this practice offers a little science and lots of time for listening.

Yoga for Low Back Pain

Did you know that low back pain is one of the most common health complaints? Almost everyone will have some kind of low back pain in their lifetime. If you’re suffering from low back pain, you’ve come to the right place! This week’s featured classes will strengthen the sacral area and legs so we feel greater movement and relief in the low back.

• Low Back Stabilization with Annie Carpenter: Practice this quick and effective sequence regularly to protect your low back and sacrum. Balance your flexibility with support; your stiff areas with release. Can be used alone or before another flowing sequence. Prop suggested: A blanket.
• Strong Primary Series to Protect the Lower Back with Jodi Blumstein: Today we are doing the full primary series and utilizing the Full vinyasa for the first half, or through navasana. Additionally, we are adding in a few extra exercises to help us to build our bandhas and make an emphasis on protecting the lower back.
• Loosen the Low Back with Felicia Tomasko: The low back is the center of our body, the place from which we feel support. This slow, sweet practice helps us to feel our sense of of suppleness, flexibility, and stability in the low back, hips, pelvis and legs. We’ll be using a block and a strap for this practice of long holds alternating with undulating, repetitive postures that loosen up the low back. Sometimes we wonder if we’re just entertaining ourselves or if we’re diving into a spiritual practice. How do we know? If we taste that sweet nectar of peace. In this practice, we’re tasting the sweet nectar of peace.
• Yoga for Lower Back Pain with Kathryn Budig: Muscular low back tightness can sometimes be helped through alternate strategies. By focusing lower in the kinetic chain (hips and hamstrings) we make more space for the low back to relax. This gentle class focuses on easygoing hip and hamstring opening that leads up to standing Uttitha Hasta Padangustasana. Props needed: Strap and 2 blocks.
• Low Back Relief with Tias Little: This class focuses on the sacrum and low back. It is designed to help strengthen the sacral area and legs and to feel greater movement and relief in the low back and pelvic region. Props will be used to make the poses more accessible. Props Needed: Two blocks, a bolster, a strap, a blanket and a chair.
• Core & Back Strengthening with Kia Miller: Practice key strengthening poses for the back and front body. Dynamic movements followed by short holds gradually build intelligence in your body and invite calmness to your mind. This is a great practice to support good lower back health.

Yoga for a Sound Sleep

Have you ever had such a harried, stressful day that unwinding and getting a truly restful night’s sleep is a challenge? You’re not alone! We live in such a fast-paced environment where our senses are constantly being stimulated that sometimes we just can’t stop the wheels from turning. The good news is that yoga can help us slow down, re-center, and prepare for a night of sleep that is restorative and transformative. Imagine a world in which we’re all sleeping better – that’s a world we’d like to create with you!

This week’s featured classes will help you make the transition from your busy day to a restful evening.

Prep for Deep Sleep with Rod Stryker: This sequence will slow you down, calm your nervous system, and unwind tension – the perfect preparation for deep and sound sleep. Whether you sleep well or not, this practice will benefit you by helping to center you and lead you to glorious grounding, calm, and ease. Prop Suggested: Strap
Back to Sleep with David Harshada Wagner: A soothing, restful meditation to help people when they can’t get to sleep or have woken up in the middle of the night.
Evening Sleep Prep Flow with Tiffany Cruikshank: Unwind with a flow that will get you moving right away and then ease off into stillness. We’ll meet the restlessness of the mind with movement and then slowly ease in so the mind settles and prepares for a deep restful sleep.
Let Go & Let Sleep with Jo Tastula: This class offers loving support for insomniacs. Grab a your pillow or blanket if you have one and enjoy this dreamy guided practice of letting go. Very simple spinal rolls while seated on the floor or on a chair, abdominal breathing, spinal twist and full guided savasana. Let go and let sleep!
Insomnia Practice with Elena Brower: If you’re still awake, treat yourself to this sequence of forward bends, plow pose and shoulderstand. With a combination of strong alignment and quiet rest, return your system to homeostasis and get thee to sleep.
Calm Your Nervous System for Sound Sleep with Felicia Tomasko: Get ready for a sound sleep with this Ayurvedically-themed practice that focuses on calming the nervous system and reducing the vata dosha that may be in excess or out of balance. We use circular motions of the joints, including the shoulders, chest and hips to release pent-up tension in the joints before a supported forward fold, bridge moving the breath and ending with legs up the wall to calm the nervous system.