Yogitoes Skidless

Yogiteos Collections at eFashionHouse.com

Yogitoes yoga supplies are the yoga supplies of choice for most of the people I know who practice yoga, and I too utilize Yogitoes yoga gear and I have nothing but good things to say about Yogitoes. I like to practice yoga in the comfort and privacy of my home, and I have a Yogitoes skidless mat that I really love because it is sturdy and just the right thickness, and I also like to use a Yogitoes yoga towel (I have several) and this yoga gear is really the best that I have ever tried. Yoga is an amazing way to cover all of your bases efficiently, and for top quality yoga supplies, I heartily recommend Yogitoes.

Source: http://www.rebeccashomeblog.com

YOGA CLOTHING - WHAT TO WEAR FOR YOGA?

By Mike Singh




THE YOGITOES COLLECTION AT EFASHIONHOUSE – YOUR YOGA STYLES

The right yoga clothes will make your exercises a lot more enjoyable. The practice of yoga is a combination of various body poses. The goal is to promote a healthy and fit body. The question still remains - what should I wear?

It would help, if you knowing what you shouldn’t wear. Don’t wear anything that will restrict bodily movements. The obvious items including jeans, dress shirts will not allow the body to relax and breathe freely. As simple as it is, make sure that you take the time to use the proper clothing. Here are some things to look for in good clothing choices for yoga:

Loose-fitting is good- Form fitting clothing restricts the blood flow inhibits the correct breathing techniques. You should be able to able to perform various yoga poses. Try yoga shorts, sweat clothes, leotards or yoga pants.

Sweat absorbent- Lastly, there are some clothing options that are excellent. For example, the materials that they are made of are able to absorb sweat and keep it away from the skin. Look for specific yoga clothing selections for these.

Comfortable- You should be comfortable wearing whatever you choose. Since the objective is to relax you should never be worried about what you look like.

Yoga shoes/socks?- In some studios you are allowed to wear yoga shoes/socks. You should inquire ahead of time to be better prepared.

Just make sure your clothes fit your personal style and you’ll be able to keep your mind on what you were there to do in the first place – Practice Yoga!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Singh

Graduation Gifts Most Likely to Succeed

Whether she's into Yoga or an obvious Fashionista, decide the award your girly grad deserves and say "congrats" with an authentic designer handbag for the Class of 2008. You know she really wants a designer purse this year! And, she's all grown up and wants something special.

Shopping Online SAVES YOU MONEY! No travel time or gas to buy! Shop from the comfort of home 24/7!

All the girls are carrying a new purse to their new job. Your little graduate dreams about a new designer handbag. There are many styles and designs to select in price ranges from under $100 to more than $500. It's up to you. Whatever you pick will be a hit. Some of our favorites are Tano bags, Melie Bianco handbags, Elaine Turner handbags, Pietro Alessandro handbags, Gucci Bags, Prada bags, Fendi bags and many more. And, they are all on Sale! See the coupon codes below and start saving on your graduation gifts for that special gal in your life.

Shop the Sale Section. Take an extra 10% off!

Use Coupon OFF10 at
http://www.efashionhouse.com/productlist_saleefh.html/sale/4

Shop Final Clearance. Deep discounts. Plus get an extra 20% off!

Use Coupon OFF20 at
http://www.efashionhouse.com/productlist_saleefh.html/clearance/4

PLUS...Free Shipping $200 Orders & NO Sales TAX Worlwide!

----------

Graduation is here! She wants a REAL Designer Handbag! Have fun shopping! Here's a series of Graduation Tid-Bits we found amusing and thought you might, too!

Bad Graduation Gift Ideas
by Andy

A Briefcase: Oh, thanks Uncle Frank. You getting me this briefcase ensures that I’m supposed to work the same 9-5 office job that you've worked for that last 25 years while complaining about it and cheating on my wife with my secretary. (Sorry Aunt Jane)

“Planet Earth” on DVD: Am I that hard to shop for? How long did it take you to pick this out at Wal-Mart? Do you think that all I do is get high and watch the Discovery Channel? Well guess what, I DO!

“Planet Earth” on VHS: What? There’s like 20 tapes. Get out of my sight Grandma.

Money: What am I supposed to do with this? It's only four dollars.

----------

All Sorts of Graduation Ideas
from My Expression

Graduation Party Ideas
The Traditions of Graduation Party -Traditions are the lifeblood of every college. Traditions connect the students to the past of the college while at the same time preparing them for the future. From the historic to the contemporary, traditions can express a spirit of unity and create a sense of community while providing for loads of fun.

Graduation Planning Checklist - Its Graduation time! You’re planning on hosting a graduation party and you want it to be unique and exciting. Planning any party can be overwhelming and many things can go wrong. So, to be on the safer side, you need to come up with a graduation planning checklist to keep things from bouncing out of control.

The Do’s and Don’ts in the Graduation Party - So, you’re graduating from high school or college and what better excuse to throw a party! Spring is that time of the year for graduation invitations, announcements and gifts. Etiquettes and manners form a very important part of our being social animals.

What To Wear on Your Graduation Day - For 12 (in some cases more) seemingly never-ending years, you obediently went through the schoolyard quarrels, your first boy-girl party, your first date, the Prom, and now finally what you’ve always been waiting for – your Graduation day! This time you’re going to be wearing an outfit that your parents will finally approve of – a gown and a cap ...

Decorating your Graduation Party - So, its graduation day and you’re all set to host a special theme party. Yes, theme parties are fun and a whole lot easier to decorate! Half the fun of hosting a graduation party is decorating the party. You can decorate your room, your lawn, you table, and even your guests! You can turn graduation caps upside down and fill them with balloons or flowers ...

Graduation Speeches Etiquette - The graduation ceremony confirms each student’s quest for knowledge. Traditionally, the ceremony will include a graduation speech that seeks to put each and every students hard work (in some cases, not so hard work) into the perspective of their future. Yes, most of us have heard one or more graduation speeches either as spectators or as graduates ourselves ...

Graduation Gift Ideas - The date is fixed, and the invitations and announcements have already been given out. So, the day has finally come for you students to cry and to cheer and to leave your school or college halls forever. Yes, graduation day is indeed one of the biggest days in everyone’s life. After years and years of hard work, your efforts have finally paid off. You’re happy but ...

Chance to Promote Your Business with Graduation Open House Invitations - Do you plan to host a graduation open house for yourself or one of your children? It may not seem like it could work, but you can actually promote your business when you have an open house. You can start the promotion with something as simple as mention that the open house is being hosted by your business. This will definitely ...

Graduation Announcement Tips, Wording, and Special Poems
Graduation Announcement Wording Tips - Graduation is an important time in life, and should be announced properly. Stationary with crayons and graduation caps on it is an appropriate means of announcing a child graduating from kindergarten. A photo announcement is a nice keepsake for loved ones who are being invited to the graduation ...

Graduation Announcements Wording Ideas - So, you’re graduating from high school or college and you’re busier than ever! Your last year of college is filled with thousands of events and activities that you have never even tried to attempt during your college years. From sending out resumes and applications to asking for letter of recommendation, you have loads ...

Do it yourself Graduation Announcements - A great substitute to printed graduation announcements are announcements that you print by yourself on your personal computer. Not only are these ‘Do-it-yourself’ graduation announcements a lot more economical, but they can also be equally colorful and creative. Start of by using plain white card stock or even plain white paper ...

Sending Graduation Announcements - So, its graduation day and its time to let everyone know that you are a proud graduate. Now that all those seemingly endless years of toil and hard work have finally paid off, it’s finally time to celebrate. First things first, start by sending out graduation invitations and announcements to all your near and dear ones. Most colleges and high schools ...

Graduation Invitations in General and the Etiquette
Graduation Party Invitations - Planning the Party - Everyone who has played a role in the life of the graduate should be sent an invitation to the graduation party. It is understood by most that tickets to commencement are limited, however an open house allows for everyone to congratulate the graduate. - Invitations - You can choose informal themes, such as a backyard ...

Graduation Invitations Etiquette - There is a very good reason why people call graduation ceremonies ‘commencement ceremonies’. This is because graduation does not mark the end; it marks the beginning. Graduation is the achievement of all goals, and rewarding the graduate for his or her hard work is a must. Graduation time is the time to invite friends and family together for an exclusive ...

Choosing Graduation Invitations Theme - Whether for you or a friend, Graduation day is one of the most joyous and welcomed occasions in any student’s life. It marks the end of your educational journey that can sometimes seem to be an endless and intolerable journey. Graduation is a once in a lifetime event, so give this event the honor and prestige that it truly deserves. The very first ...

The Traditions of Graduation Cap & Black Color in Your Invitations - When it comes to graduation invitations or stationary there are some traditions that are still observed by most people. In the majority of samples that you look at while shopping you will find that there are graduation caps in the majority of them. This is simply an obvious choice of décor since it is an invitation for a graduation ...

Graduation Invitations Theme
Casual Graduation Party Ideas - If you want to throw a wonderful party for that special high school or college graduate in your life, don’t assume you have to spend a fortune and put together some very elegant get together. After all, your graduate has already worked very hard to achieve this accomplishment and now just needs some time to relax and unwind. That’s why sometimes a more casual ...

Throwing a Cocktail Theme Graduation Party - Graduating from college is a major accomplishment and is definitely one of the best reasons to have a celebration. However, too many graduation parties are all the same. If you want to throw an amazing party, then you’ll want to take a creative approach with your graduation celebration. One idea is to celebrate with a cocktail theme ...

Throwing a Party for Valedictorians and Summa Cum Laude Graduates - Graduating from high school or college is a huge achievement, but if your student is graduating with honors then that achievement is even more deserving of a special celebration. No ordinary graduation is going to be sufficient. Background on Graduation Honors - If you’re not familiar with all of the “honors” terminology, then ...

Black, Red, and Green for Graduation Invitations - Graduations are one of those major milestones in life that deserve not only to be recognized but also to be celebrated. Whether the student in your life has just earned a high school diploma, a bachelor’s degree, or an even higher degree, you’ll want to find a way to show him or her just how proud you are of their hard work ...
Ideas for a Formal Graduation Party - When we think of graduation parties, sometimes we have the impression that all of them are just full of young people drinking too much and playing loud music. And sure some graduation parties would fit that description pretty well, but that isn’t your only option if you’re planning a celebration for a special student in your life ...

Feng Shui Graduation Party Ideas - Celebrating a graduation is a big deal. The family wants to show their pride at how well their student has succeeded. The student wants to know that he or she has done a good job by achieving this important life goal. When you’re planning something this special, then it only makes sense that you should take into consideration every possible way of ...

Creating Tassel as Embellishments For Your Invitations - If you want to create a graduation invitation that is sure to get the attention of those you invite you can do a lot of it yourself. It can be fun to add your own personal touch to it, even if you order the actual stationary and then create a tassel as an embellishment. Everyone associates a tassel with graduation, so this can be a fun addition! If you ...

Clip-Arts for Graduation Invitations - Do you want to add some fun and uniqueness to your graduation invitation but you aren’t sure what may or may not be appropriate? If so, you aren’t alone. The fact of the matter is that there are a lot of fun or original things that you can do; you simply need to infuse your own style into it and get creative. Anything that you can imagine can generally be created ...

Personalize Your Graduation Invitations with Special Inspirations - A graduation invitation can be just a graduation invite, but there are some great things that you can do to add your personal touch and make it interesting and even inspirational to those that you send them to. There is nothing better than sending out invites that have been infused with your own personal style, whatever that may be ...

Differentiating Masculine & Feminine Invitations Theme - Because both men and women graduate from high school as well as college there needs to be a way to differentiate between invitations that are more appropriate for men and those that are more appropriate for women. This is not to say that there aren’t invitations that are appropriate for both genders, but if you want something that ...

Seasonal Graduation Invitations
Show Your Patriotism with Patriotic Graduation Invitations Theme - Over the last couple years the patriotism in our country seems to have been renewed and this includes the young, the old, and everyone in between. If you are graduating from high school or college why not share your patriotism with others with a patriotic invitation theme? Why go drab when you can serve to inspire those that ...

Graduation Photo Christmas Cards - Are you graduating early? Many students that graduate early, graduate in the winter months, which is a great opportunity to do something different with your graduation invitation. You can not only send an invite to all those that you would like to attend your graduation ceremonies; you can send a Christmas greeting at the same time by enclosing a Christmas card with a photo ...

After The Graduation
Sending Graduation Thank You Cards - So, your graduation day has come and gone, the ceremonies were amazing, the graduation party was brilliant, and above all, the graduation gifts were super cool! The graduate is happy, the graduate’s guests are happy, everyone is happy. But, after the ceremony, party and gifts comes the most daunting part – sending out ...

Graduation Photo and your Scrapbooking Project - Honoring the graduate is one of the most important parts of the graduation ceremony. If you’ve organized your photo albums over the years, then everything should be up to date. But, if you are like most of us, then you’re family photos are probably piled up in boxes in the attic. Since you are going to be graduating pretty soon, now ...

Career Guide After Graduation - Transitioning out of college can be both, an exciting as well as a scary experience. There are newer and tougher challenges to face, unwritten laws to be followed, unexplored opportunities for progress – and humiliation – in every nook and cranny. While recent graduates and most other college students are preparing themselves to become experts ...

Reunion Graduate Party Planning - Once you graduate, you only get to see you friends every ten years at each reunion! So you want to have a fun reunion party this time and not a boring formal one? Planning for your reunion would mean coming up with a special plan or an idea for the party. From the decorations to the food and particularly the entertainment, your graduate reunion party ...

The MOST comfy headband you'll ever wear

Whether you are practicing Yoga or working in the garden, keeping your hair off your face and out of your eyes feels clear! Yogitoes makes an earth-friendly stretchy hair/headband called the hBAND. Under 3.00 each online.

YOGITOES yoga clothing hBAND head band hair band eco friendly cotton stretch designer yoga attire yoga clothes stone gray.Cotton lycra stretch head hair band. Designed to softly yet firmly hold back the hair. Wide design. Feels really great. Not tight feeling around your head at all. Smooth soft feel. You will adore this head band. Measures about 6 x 3 inches. Can be worn wide or folded to create a thinner head band. Available in four colors. Guaranteed authentic. Washable. Eco friendly product.

If you want to try the hBAND before purchasing every color made, just mention this add when placing your order for a new SKIDLESS yoga mat cover, and we'll include the hBAND free!

Yoga for Stress Management and Relaxation

Yogitoes Founder Susan Nichols

from About.com

Yoga has long been known to be a great antidote to stress. Yoga combines many popular stress-reducing techniques, including exercise and learning to control the breath, clear the mind, and relax the body. As Yoga becomes increasingly popular, more and more people are discovering the benefits this ancient practice brings to their stressful lives.

Exercise
Hatha Yoga is the physical practice of Yoga postures. There are many different types of hatha yoga: some are slow and more focused on stretching, others are fast and more of a workout. If you are looking to relieve stress, no one yoga style is superior, so pick one that meets your level of physical fitness and personality.

Any exercise will help relieve stress by keeping the body healthy and releasing endorphins, natural hormones that make you feel better. Yoga also relieves stress through stretching. When you are stressed, tension is stored in the body making you feel tight and often causing pain. The intense stretching of yoga releases tension from problem areas, including the hips and shoulders.

Breath Control
Pranayama, or breath work, is an important part of any yoga practice and one that translates well to life off the mat. At the very least, yoga increases your awareness of the breath as a tool for relaxing the body. Although breathing is an involuntary act (you have to keep doing it to stay alive), you can choose to regulate the breath. Just learning to take deep breaths and realizing that this can be a quick way to combat stressful situations is amazingly effective.

Clearing the Mind
Our minds are constantly active, racing from one thought to another, spinning possible scenarios for the future, dwelling on incidents from the past. All this mind work is tiring and stressful. Yoga offers several techniques for taming the monkey mind. One is breath work, as outlined above. Each breath is tied inextricably to the present moment; you are not breathing in the past or the future, but only right now. Focusing on each inhale and exhale to the exclusion of other thoughts is one way to clear the mind, It is also a basic meditation technique. In addition, the performance of yoga poses, or asanas, also acts as a form of meditation. The poses are so physical, and have to be done with such concentration, that all other thoughts and worries are put to the side, giving your brain a much-needed break.

Relaxation
Each Yoga sessions ends with five to ten minutes spent relaxing in corpse pose - savasana. While this enforced relaxation can be difficult at first, eventually it serves the purpose of a total release for both body and mind. Savasana transitions you back into the world feeling refreshed and equipped with the tools to combat stress in your daily life.

Source:
Smith C, Hancock H, Blake-Mortimer J, Eckert K. "A randomised comparative trial of yoga and relaxation to reduce stress and anxiety." Complement Ther Med. 2007 Jun;15(2):77-83. Epub 2006 Jun 21.

NEW MOON IN ARIES

from Yogitoes

This ARIES new moon, April 5, at 8:56 P.M. PDT, encourages us to take a leap of faith, reminding us that the more we hold on to the past, the harder it is to grasp what lies
in front of us.

In Ancient times, much ado was made about THIS new moon as it truly represents the first new moon of the astrological New Year (that being the Spring Equinox) and of Spring.....which absolutely is NEW BEGINNINGS!

The energy of an Aries New Moon is that of the sacred masculine, inviting courage, passion, boldness, and action!

NOW is the time to do your spring cleaning, get rid of that which is blocking your energy.....and truly take the time to plant seeds of your hearts desire...
What changes must be made?
What is calling you forward?
What seems a little scary...but you just can't get it out of your mind?

Be BOLD...
Be WITH your fear and take action anyway!
You will be rewarded for your acts of courage!

What is called for now is innovation rather that coercion, strategic action as opposed to impulsiveness, and stewardship instead of destruction!

Remember...."the test of courage comes when we are in the minority" (Raulph W. Sackman)

By practicing the following yoga pose this month, it will assist you in building courage, strength and clarity!

YOGA ASANA: Pincha Mayurasna (Peacock Feather Pose / Forearm Balance)
COLOR: SKIDLESS in RED (root chakra for grounding and abundance)

COLOR INTENTION - RED:
RED is the element of FIRE, which is important for all things living.

Without heat or fire, the world would have no motion or activity and be paralyzed with cold, not to mention dark, as there would be no sun.

The color RED stimulates the nerves, blood, and senses.

It activates circulation, exciting cerebro-spinal fluid and sympathetic nervous systems.

RED rays produce "AGNI" or "TAPAS" inside the body which vitalize and energize us, clearing congestion and mucus.

RED is a color that insinuates POWER, and yet is the color of the root chakra, which represents grounding and abundance.

Our intention in using the color RED can be to ignite the fire within, drawing the ego back into the self, and finding a place of grounded calmness within the blazing fire.

Pincha Mayurasana
(pin-cha my-your-AHS-anna)
pincha = feather
mayura = peacock
AKA Forearm Balance

Susan Nichols, Yogitoes Founder

STEP 1. DOLPHIN POSE

Start at the wall in Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Your fingertips should be touching the wall. Drop down onto your FOREARMS, so they are parallel to each other and shoulder width apart. (If you have a hard time keeping your elbows in, you can use a yogitoes ySTRAP... see below for info.) This may be enough for you. It if is, stay here and work Dolphin Pose, pressing the thoracic spine in, preparing for balance.


STEP 2. FOREARM BALANCE AT THE WALL

With your gaze between your hands, bend one leg and try kicking up, using the wall to balance. When you feel comfortable try kicking both legs up, pushing through the heels to straighten. Lift through your core and draw your shoulder blades toward one another, as you press downwards through your palms and forearms evenly. Focus on drawing your front ribs towards the hip points, reaching your tailbone toward your heels, and moving the navel to the spine.


STEP 3 PINCHA MAYURASANA

Pull one foot away from the wall at a time for full Pincha Mayurasana. Your head should be off of the floor; hang it from a spot between your shoulder blades and gaze ahead at a drishti point. (the yogitoes dot on your SKIDLESS can serve as your drishti here). Stay in the pose for 10 to 15 seconds. Gradually work your way up to 1 minute.

STEP 4 REST in child's pose for at least a minute. Always rest completely at the end of an active inversion practice, as you may become lightheaded.


MODIFICATIONS WITH YOGITOES PROPS...

to use the ySTRAP: measure from shoulder-head to sternum. Adjust accordingly, as this is your "shoulder width". Slip the strap over both arms so it is just above the elbows. Using the ySTRAP around your arms will prevent splaying of the elbows - allowing you to engage in your shoulder girdle more and helps provide a stable foundation for balancing.

INTENTION: Pincha Mayurasana, like the peacock is beautiful and fierce... As with many inversions, Pincha Mayurasana helps us to face our fears and regulate the mind. At the top of peacock feathers are what look like open eyes, reminding us to look within to find the strength and calmness necessary for this pose.

BENEFITS: This heat-building pose strengthens shoulders, back and upper arms, as well as reverses the blood flow to rejuvenate and cleanse the body. It may also reduce tension in the neck and shoulders, open the chest and work the abdominals.

CONTRAINDICATIONS/CAUTIONS: Be cautious with any neck, back, or shoulder injuries, or if you have high blood pressure or headaches. Always listen to your body, as it knows you best!

a butterfly story: One day, a caterpillar got very hungry. He ate and he ate and he ate and he couldn't understand why, but went right on ahead eating. Once he was nice and fat he began to spin a kind of shell around his body but still, he didn't know why. He was inside this strange, dark place for a very long time feeling confused and scared. Until, all at once he realized that there was no point in worrying. He should find patience and calmness as he sat there. Well, as soon as he stopped thinking, the cocoon began to split open and the light poured in and he saw that he had become a beautiful purple winged butterfly!


a flamingo story: A long time ago, flamingos stood on both legs and were very hungry all the time! The clever fish would see the shadow of two long skinny legs in the water and quickly swim away before the flamingo had time to catch them for dinner. One day a very smart flamingo saw a shadow of a tree and thought to himself, 'Well since shadows don't show color, maybe if I try standing on one leg, the fish won't see the bright pink and think that I am a tree. Then they won't swim away and i can have a nice big lunch!" Well, you can probably guess how right that smart bird was, since today flamingos have big bellies full of fish and always stand on one leg like trees.

a frog story: Once upon a time, a frog was hopping along when he fell into a pail of milk. The sides of the pail were too high and much too slippery for him to climb out. Frightened for his life he kicked and paddled for hours. Even when he was so tired he thought he would faint, he kept going. All of a sudden, he felt something harden under his feet. He had paddled so hard, he had turned the milk in to butter. Proud of himself for not giving up, he happily jumped out, washed the white butter off his little green body and continued on his way.


with BIG LOVE, OM LAUGHTER, AND DEEP GRATITUDE... Yogitoes

The Story of Yoga

Picture courtesy of TheSecretsofYoga.com

from Care1.com
Adapted from The Yoga Year, by Celia Toler

Between the 7th and 5th centuries B.C.E., the early texts of the Upanishads were composed. They are the last texts of the Vedas and are known as the Vedanta or Conclusion of the Vedas. The tone of these treatises and poems is philosophical and mystical, and there is no longer an interest in ritual sacrifice.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: While the Vedas were hymns to the outer world of creation, to nature and its forces, the Upanishads provide a transformation of thought, in which the Divine or transcending principle is searched for from within. The self-training for this is yoga.

The Upanishads, like the Vedas, were not written down to begin with, but memorized and handed down from teacher to pupil. The Sanskrit term Upanishad refers to sitting for instruction at the feet of a master, and the Sanskrit word guru means a spiritual teacher. This method of transferring knowledge by teaching yoga on a one-to-one basis has been employed up to the present day. However, increased communication and translation of the texts are no changing this approach.

The teaching of the Upanishads was concerned with the desire for release (moksha) from the round of births and deaths through reincarnation that had been accepted as a concept by the time of the Upanishads' conception. This release, the writings taught, was to be gained through meditation, yoga, and asceticism, which would unite the soul (atman) within with the absolute spirit (brahman) without.

The concept of karma, by which every action, good or bad, has a cause and therefore a reaction that is impossible to escape, was also accepted. Because of their reincarnation, it is believed, actions in our present lives determine our fate in lives that follow through the karmic memory in our higher consciousness. Desire is the cause of karma and, because of the desire to live in the ordinary world, the cycle of samsara, the endless chain of rebirth, cannot be escaped. Actions without desires for reward or attainment free the soul from the effects of karma.

The thoughts contained in the Upanishads, counteracting the ritualism of the Vedas, were enormously influential. By 500 B.C.E., religion and society were changing. Cities had begun to grown again, and a strong merchant class was upsetting the old orders of priest, warrior, trader, and serf. The Vedic-Aryans had taken over northern India, and the center of their culture was in the north-eastern delta of the Ganges.

An aggressive empire of the Maghada dynasty led a number of disaffected groups to follow their own paths of beliefs away from the increasingly rigid interpretation of the Brahmin priests. Breakaway sects of ascentics, mystics, and renuciants began to follow new teachers, such as Siddartha Gautoma (c.563 - 483 B.C.E.), the Buddha, and Vardhamana (c. 599-527 B.C.E.), who became the Mahavira and founded Jainism.

For Beginners: Anjali Mudra

By Shiva Rea

Anjali means "offering," and in India this mudra is often accompanied by the word "namaste."

If you have attended even one yoga class, it is a familiar gesture: the drawing together of one's palms at the heart. Your teacher may bring his or her hands together while saying "Namaste" at the beginning or end of a class. You may find his gesture within certain asanas—in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), before you begin Sun Salutations, or in balance poses such as Vrksasana (Tree Pose).

This sacred hand position, called anjali mudra (AHN-jah-lee MOO-dra), is found throughout Asia and has become synonymous with our images of the East, from the smiling face of the Dalai Lama peering over his fingertips to images of devotees before a Hindu or Buddhist altar.

In the West, we translate this gesture as a posture of prayer. Because we have grown up with this gesture as part of our culture, each of us probably has our own personal connection to this mudra—positive or negative. Some of us may find a subconscious resistance to bringing our hands together as if it were a sign of submission. However, the beauty of this gesture, which positions us right at the core of our being, is timeless and universal.

I know a 3-year-old who is delighted to greet people this way and an actor who prepares himself with this gesture before entering the stage. As we explore the significance and potential of this mudra, be open to your own experience and ways that this simple yet powerful hand position can be a practical tool in your practice and daily life. In Sanskrit, mudra means "seal" or "sign" and refers not only to sacred hand gestures but also whole body positions that elicit a certain inner state or symbolize a particular meaning.

Anjali mudra is but one of thousands of types of mudras that are used in Hindu rituals, classical dance, and yoga. Anjali itself means "offering," and in India this mudra is often accompanied by the word "namaste" (or "namaskar," depending on one's dialect). As the consummate Indian greeting, like a sacred hello, namaste is often translated as "I bow to the divinity within you from the divinity within me." This salutation is at the essence of the yogic practice of seeing the Divine within all of creation. Hence, this gesture is offered equally to temple deities, teachers, family, friends, strangers, and before sacred rivers and trees. Anjali mudra is used as a posture of composure, of returning to one's heart, whether you are greeting someone or saying goodbye, initiating or completing an action.

As you bring your hands together at your center, you are literally connecting the right and left hemispheres of your brain. This is the yogic process of unification, the yoking of our active and receptive natures. In the yogic view of the body, the energetic or spiritual heart is visualized as a lotus at the center of the chest. Anjali mudra nourishes this lotus heart with awareness, gently encouraging it to open as water and light do a flower.

Begin by coming into a comfortable sitting position like Sukhasana (Easy Pose). Lengthen your spine out of your pelvis and extend the back of your neck by dropping your chin slightly in. Now, with open palms, slowly draw your hands together at the center of your chest as if to gather all of your resources into your heart. Repeat that movement several times, contemplating your own metaphors for bringing the right and left side of yourself—masculine and feminine, logic and intuition, strength and tenderness—into wholeness.

Now, to reveal how potent the placement of your hands at your heart can be, try shifting your hands to one side or the other of your midline and pause there for a moment. Don't you feel slightly off kilter? Now shift back to center and notice how satisfying the center line is, like a magnet pulling you into your core. Gently touch your thumbs into your sternum (the bony plate at the center of the rib cage) as if you were ringing the bell to open the door to your heart. Broaden your shoulder blades to spread your chest open from the inside. Feel space under your armpits as you bring your elbows into alignment with your wrists. Stay here for some time and take in your experience. What initial shifts of consciousness do you experience? Is there a change in your mood?

Now imagine that you are beginning your yoga practice—or any activity in which you want to be centered and conscious of how your inner state will affect the outcome of your experience. Take anjali mudra again, but this time slightly part your palms as if to make a cup, so that your hands resemble the bud of a lotus flower. Depending on your spiritual orientation, you can metaphorically plant a seed prayer, affirmation, or quality such as "peace," "clarity," or "vitality" within your anjali mudra. Drop your chin towards your chest and awaken a sense of humility and awe with which to begin your practice, as if waiting to receive a blessing of good things to come. It is important that this anjali or offering be true to your Self as that will be the most effective and uplifting for you. Traditionally, yogis might visualize their ishta devata or personal connection to God within the shrine of their hands. For some people this may be a sacred mountain, for others, Jesus, Krishna, or the Mother Goddess. Align your mind (awareness), feeling (heart), and actions (body) within this gesture. When you feel your invocation is complete, draw your fingertips to the center of your forehead, ajna chakra, and pause there feeling the calming effect of your touch. Bring your hands back to your center to ground your intention within your heart.

From here you can begin your yoga asanas, meditation, or any activity from a place of connectedness. Notice how much easier it is to be present and joyous with whatever you are doing. Look for other times to integrate anjali mudra into your practice and life. Besides the beginning and end of your yoga sessions, anjali mudra can be used within the Sun Salutations and many other asanas as a way to come back to and maintain your center. When your hands come together overhead in Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) or in Tree Pose, this is still anjali mudra. Consciously connecting this upward movement of your hands through an invisible line of energy to your heart will help your posture and your inner attitude.

In daily life, this prayerful gesture can be used as a way of bridging inner and outer experience, when saying grace before meals, communicating our truth within a relationship, or as a means of cooling the fires of stress when feeling rushed or reactionary. Anjali mudra is an age-old means of helping human beings to remember the gift of life and to use it wisely.

Shiva Rea teaches flow (vinyasa) based yoga integrating alignment and intuition, strength and fluidity, meditation and wisdom in action at Sacred Movement in Santa Monica, California, and UCLA's World Arts and Cultures Program. She is the author of the home practice CD, Yoga Sanctuary (Sounds True), and leads workshops and adventure retreats worldwide. Visit Shiva at shivarea.com.

More proof yoga good for your heart

from Yoga Journal

According to Reuters, recent studies conducted in Sweden and India show that yoga can reverse biochemical changes associated with high blood pressure, obesity, and high blood sugar. Waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar, and triglycerides were significantly lower, and "good" HDL cholesterol levels were higher in the yoga group as compared to a control group, report researchers in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. Have you reversed a heart disease risk factor with yoga alone?

Pure Yoga coming to America

from Yoga Journal

Hong Kong-based Pure Yoga, in conjunction with Equinox fitness clubs, is planning on opening studios in the U.S., the first one in Manhattan, reports New York magazine: "The new club will be 'design and amenity driven,' which means the usual Equinox high-end gloss, five rooms simultaneously offering classes in different styles, and an emphasis on customer service, including the ability to book the exact floor space for your mat online." Has anyone had any previous experience with Pure Yoga?

Yoga Girl takes it to the streets of SF

from Yoga Journal

If you live in San Francisco, you may have seen or heard about Tamara Standard (aka Yoga Girl) teaching yoga on the tough streets of the Tenderloin and Mission districts in an effort to bring yoga to people who might not have the opportunity to explore it. “My purpose in the Tenderloin has been to be an initiator into experiencing a new level of consciousness. It’s a privilege and a honor to share this unity,” she explains. You can watch Tamara at www.yogagirlsf.com. Let us know about other people practicing unique forms of karma yoga, or selfless service.

Scandinavian-style spas envigorate, not pamper

Le Scandinave Spa in Collingwood, Ont., has three hot baths like this one and three cold baths — and winter guests are expected to plunge into both.

By Michele Peterson - SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

COLLINGWOOD, Ont. — Team fist-fighting, log jousting and snowball throwing. It’s puzzling why so many northern winter traditions seem to involve pain. So it should come as no surprise that painfully cold water is an important part of an authentic Nordic spa experience.

“Increasing your heart rate is invigorating,” explained Lee-Anne Thomsen as we stood overlooking the nearly 50 acres of ice-laden forest, outdoor baths and countryside. Although it would be easy to imagine this was Finland or Russia, we were actually at Le Scandinave Spa, where Thomsen is the guest services supervisor. The $6.5 million facility is two hours north of Toronto on the outskirts of the town of Collingwood, a growing hub for winter recreation on the southern shore of Georgian Bay.

Incorporated in 1858, the town was once an important center for railway and shipping traffic, and later shipbuilding. Many of the largest vessels sailing the Great Lakes were launched from Collingwood’s harbor, with steamers bound for Chicago and Milwaukee as well as Western Canada.

Today, it’s possible to see the architectural legacy of that proud marine history within the restored downtown district, recognized on theC a nadian Register of Historic Places. After a period of economic decline during the last century, the town reinvented itself to capitalize on its waterfront location and has evolved to become one of Ontario’s most popular four-season tourist centers.

Situated at the foothills of Blue Mountain, Ontario’s highest ski hill, the town is ideally positioned for outdoor winter adventure. Alpine skiing, snowboarding and tubing are popular options at nearby Village at Blue Mountain, an upscale Intrawest resort community also offering a range of cosmopolitan dining and entertainment for the apres ski crowd. Outdoor enthusiasts also enjoy snowshoeing through the area’s wilderness trails or hiking across southern Ontario’s longest suspension footbridge at the Scenic Caves, a spectacular natural cave and cliff formation atop the Niagara Escarpment.

The newest outdoor experience, the Nordic spa, has been designed to capitalize on the area’s natural beauty. Set amid a quiet forest, it is Canada’s second Le Scandinave Spa. Despite the word “spa” in the name, don’t expect pampering or coddling. “This is a serious detoxification experience,” explained Thomsen. At the heart of the spa’s philosophy is the belief that a sequence of hot, cold and relaxation periods provides health benefits unavailable by simply floating in a hot tub.

“We recommend spending 12-15 minutes in a hot bath, steam or sauna room to open the pores and rid the body of toxins,” explained Henderson. “That should be followed by a cold plunge or icy shower to rinse away impurities and improve circulation. Finally, there should be 15 minutes in a relaxation solarium.”

To deter guests who might be tempted to skip a step, a laminated map of the spa facility and outline of the suggested bathing sequence are provided at check-in. The largest outdoor Nordic bath in Canada, it offers more than 25,000 square feet of spa activity and boasts three hot baths (including a waterfall), a Norwegian-style indoor steam room, a Finnish sauna and three cold plunge pools (including an icy Nordic waterfall). Yoga and pilates classes are also available on a drop-in basis.

The experience is not for those in a hurry. The sequence, which should be repeated five times for optimal benefit, takes about 2z hours to complete. Swaddled in the plush white towel supplied upon check-in, I scurried across the heated stone walkway to the closest hot outdoor pool, the Mountain View Bath, to begin. As steam rose from the 102 degree sapphire blue waters, it cooled in the frigid air and misted my face like a refreshing Evian spray. Although my ears felt like popsicles, the warm water was so relaxing I was tempted to remain submerged for the rest of the day, gazing at the snow-clad Blue Mountains.

A squeal from a guest jumping into a plunge pool reminded me this was supposed to be therapeutic. Deciding to ease into the full-body cold water experience, I headed to the hot 99-degree waterfall. Sliding behind a steaming waterfall, I was soon out of sight and basking in my own secluded alcove. “Don’t forget to plunge,” shouted a nearby spa technician as he adjusted the cold baths.

Obligingly, I made an effort, admittedly more sparrow-in-a-puddle than a true plunge. Although 41 degrees may feel balmy when you’re out walking the dog, it feels positively polar when you’re clad in only a bathing suit and flip-flops. Fortunately, it was time for my massage appointment so I headed to the massage pavilion. Much like the Russian banya or Finnish communal bath where bathers beat each other with birch branches for exfoliation, the emphasis at Le Scandinave is on the therapeutic. You won’t find rose petals or aromatherapy treatments here.

“We are focused on what we do best,” spa co-owner Mylisa Henderson explained. This meant a no-nonsense Swedish massage for me. Before long, I was in a room fragrant with cedar, being pummelled, kneaded and manipulated by the capable hands of Andrea, one of the spa’s 28 registered massage therapists.

Afterward, it felt as though I’d been working out at the gym — minus the effort. I headed to the secluded Forest Hot Bath to unwind. Billowing waves of steam rolled across the water’s surface and disappeared into a forest of towering birch trees. With the aroma of wood smoke from a nearby fire pit, I could almost imagine a troika, the Russian horse-drawn sled, gliding by.

When the winter sun emerged from behind the clouds, I decided it was time to take the cold water plunge. The shock was surprisingly invigorating and I had to admit that the complete Nordic bath experience did chase away the wintertime blahs. Although a shot of vodka and a fur hat would have been nice.

If you go Le Scandinave Spa is located at 152 Grey Road, 21, Collingwood, Ont. All-day access to baths is ($42). Services such as a 60-minute Swedish massage ($112), Hot Stone or Thai-yoga ($160) include bath access and must be booked in advance. Guests must be 19 years or older.

The Importance of Self Care for Health and Stress Management

Take Care of Yourself: You Deserve It!
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com

Many of us have so many responsibilities in life that we forget to take care of ourselves. And while it’s hard to prioritize something like taking a bath when you have so many other priorities in life, self care is an important aspect of stress management. A massage, soak in the tub or other forms of pampering revitalize you inside and out. And taking time out to treat your body like the temple it is has other benefits:

Self Care and You Physical Health:
While self-pampering doesn’t always lead to major improvements in overall health the way healthy diet and exercise do, the relaxation you get from it can trigger the relaxation response, which can prevent chronic stress from damaging your health, so in a sense, self-care is good for you inside and out.

Self Care and Your Emotional Health:
Taking time out to care for yourself can remind you and others that you and your needs are important, too. Having a well-cared-for body can make you feel good about yourself and your life, and conveys to others that you value yourself. This can contribute to long-term feelings of wellbeing.

Self Care Makes You a Better Caretaker:
People who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves are at danger of deeper levels of unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings of resentment. Also, sometimes people who spend their time only taking care of others can be at risk for getting burned out on all the giving, which makes it more difficult to care for others or themselves. Taking time to care for yourself regularly can make you a better caretaker for others.

Taking a few hours for a spa experience and some much-deserved self care is also an effective way to manage stress for the following reasons:

A Break from Stress:
Taking a break amidst a tub of warm bubbles or under the warm hands of an experienced masseuse can help you feel like you’re escaping a stressful reality and taking a mental and emotional vacation. As I mentioned, it triggers the , and allows you to come back to the reality of your life feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Time Alone:
While different people have varying degrees of introversion and extroversion, having some time along is important for most people’s functioning. When you’re relaxing by yourself, it’s much easier to slip into a state of quiet meditation, enjoy some self-reflection, or let your problems work themselves out in the back of your mind, without taking all of your focused concentration.

Soothing Feelings:
Giving your body some special treatment is a natural way to relieve stress. Other than keeping your skin soft and your body in good repair, spa-related activities like massage and warm baths have been known to sooth even small colicky babies like nothing else. Such activities continue to be effective tools for relaxation as we get older, but we sometimes forget to utilize them.

Once you’ve decided it’s time to start nurturing yourself and your body with some spa treatments, be sure to block off some time where you won’t be interrupted. Then you can put on some soothing music, and try some or all of the following suggestions:

Take a Bath: Get out the bubbles, oils and scented soaps, and soak until you’re wrinkled.

Deep-Condition Your Hair: While you’re in the tub, put on a deep-conditioning treatment for your hair, and let it work as you relax.

Deep-Clean Your Pores: With a nice clay masque, you can draw impurities out of your skin and stress out of your system.

Care For Your Feet: After you soak your feet to soften calloused skin, use a pumice stone to slough off dead skin, and finish with a rich foot cream, and perhaps polish.

Nourish Your Skin: Rich, luxurious creams smell wonderful and feel smooth, especially if you exfoliate your skin in the tub before putting them on.

Tend to Your Nails: Correct the beating your nails probably take from your busy life (especially for those of you who bite your nails!) by filing and buffing. A coat of polish on can make you feel like a princess for days afterward. (This is probably more for my female readers.)

Get a Massage: This one can be especially nice. If your budget doesn’t allow for regular massages with a professional, see if you can trade with a friend or your spouse, or use an electronic massager.

In addition to pampering yourself, more substantial forms of self care involving healthy lifestyle choices are important, too. Consuming a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and being sure you get enough sleep are all important for long term health and stress management as well.

The Hatha yoga poses incorporated by Bikram.

from Yoga-Videos.com

These are done in order, from left to right, as in reading

Standing Deep Breathing
Half Moon Pose
Awkward Pose
Eagle Pose
Standing Head to Knee Pose
Standing Bow Pulling Pose
Balancing Stick Pose
Balancing Separate Leg Stretching Pose
Triangle Pose
Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose
Tree Pose
Toe Stand Pose
Dead Body Pose
Wind Removing Pose
Sit-Up
Cobra Pose
Locust Pose
Full Locust Pose
Bow Pose
Fixed Firm Pose
Half Tortoise Pose
Camel Pose
Rabbit Pose
Head to Knee / Stretching Pose
Spine Twisting Pose
Blowing in Firm Pose

Yoga Defined

from Wikipedia
Picture files from the Wikimedia Commons

Yoga is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. According to Gavin Flood, Academic Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies it has been defined as referring to "technologies or disciplines of asceticism and meditation which are thought to lead to spiritual experience and profound understanding or insight into the nature of existence." Yoga is also intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the other Indian religions.

Outside India, Yoga is mostly associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga or as a form of exercise, although it has influenced the entire Indian religions family and other spiritual practices throughout the world. Hindu texts discussing different aspects of yoga include the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita, and many others.

Major branches of Yoga include: Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga. Raja Yoga, established by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and known simply as Yoga in the context of Hindu philosophy, is one of the six orthodox (astika) schools of thought.

Etymology
The Sanskrit term yoga has a wide range of different meanings. It is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, "to control", "to yoke", or "to unite". Common meanings include "joining" or "uniting", and related ideas such as "union" and "conjunction". Another conceptual definition is that of "mode, manner, means" or "expedient, means in general".

Indus Valley seals

History of Yoga
A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization, showing a figure in meditation posture.Several seals discovered at Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1700 BC) sites depict figures in a yoga or meditation like posture. There is considerable evidence to support the idea that the images show "a form of ritual discipline, suggesting a precursor of yoga"[13] according to archaeologist Gregory Possehl. He points to sixteen other specific "yogi glyptics" in the corpus of Mature Harappan artifacts as pointing to Harappan devotion to "ritual discipline and concentration." These images show that the yoga pose "may have been used by deities and humans alike." Possehl suggests that yoga goes back to the Indus Valley Civilization.

The most widely known of these images was named the "Pashupati seal" by its discoverer, John Marshall, who believed that it represented a "proto-Shiva" figure. Many modern authorities discount the idea that this "Pashupati" (Lord of Animals, Sanskrit pasupati) represents a Shiva or Rudra figure. Gavin Flood also characterizes these views as "speculative", saying that it is not clear from the 'Pashupati' seal that the figure is seated in a yoga posture, or that the shape is intended to represent a human figure. Authorities who support the idea that the 'Pashupati' figure shows a figure in a yoga or meditation posture include Archaeologist Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, current Co-director of the Harappa Archaeological Research Project in Pakistan and Indologist Heinrich Zimmer.

In 2007, terracotta seals were discovered in the Cholistan Desert in Pakistan. Punjab University Archaeology Department Chairman Dr. Farzand Masih described one of the seals as similar to the previously discovered Mohenjodaro seals, with three pictographs on one side and a "yogi" on the other side.

Ascetic practices (tapas) are referenced in the Brahma (900 BCE and 500 BCE), early commentaries on the vedas. In the Upanishads, an early reference to meditation is made in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the earliest Upanishads (approx. 900 BCE). The main textual sources for the evolving concept of Yoga are the middle Upanishads, (ca. 400 BCE), the Mahabharata (5th c. BCE) including the Bhagavad Gita (ca. 200 BCE), and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (200 BCE-300 CE).

Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita ('Song of the Lord'), uses the term yoga extensively in a variety of senses. Of many possible meanings given to the term in the Gita, most emphasis is given to these three:

1. Karma yoga: The yoga of action
2. Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion
3. Jnana yoga: The yoga of knowledge

The influential commentator Madhusudana Sarasvati (b. circa 1490) divided the Gita's eighteen chapters into three sections, each of six chapters. According to his method of division the first six chapters deal with Karma yoga, the middle six deal with Bhakti yoga, and the last six deal with Jnana (knowledge). This interpretation has been adopted by some later commentators and rejected by others.

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

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

The sage Patanjali is regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are ascribed to Patanjali, who, may have been, as Max Müller explains, "the author or representative of the Yoga-philosophy without being necessarily the author of the Sutras." Indologist Axel Michaels is dismissive of claims that the work was written by Patanjali, characterizing it instead as a collection of fragments and traditions of texts stemming from the second or third century. Gavin Flood cites a wider period of uncertainty for the composition, between 100 BCE and 500 CE.

Patanjali's yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind. Patanjali defines the word "yoga" in his second sutra, which is the definitional sutra for his entire work:

This terse definition hinges on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms. I. K. Taimni translates it as "Yoga is the inhibitionof the modificationsof the mind ". Swami Vivekananda translates the sutra as "Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff (Citta) from taking various forms." Gavin Flood translates the sutra as "yoga is the cessation of mental fluctuations".

A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, DelhiPatanjali's writing also became the basis for a system referred to it as "Ashtanga Yoga" ("Eight-Limbed Yoga"). This eight-limbed concept derived from the 29th Sutra of the 2nd book became a feature of Raja yoga, and is a core characteristic of practically every Raja yoga variation taught today.The Eight Limbs of yoga practice are:

(1) Yama (The five "abstentions"): nonviolence, truth, non-covetousness, chastity, and abstain from attachment to possessions.
(2) Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerities, study, and surrender to god
(3) Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to seated positions used for meditation. Later, with the rise of Hatha yoga, asana came to refer to all the "postures"
(4) Pranayama ("Lengthening Prana"): Prana, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, "ayama", to lengthen or extend
(5) Pratyahara ("Abstraction"): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
(6) Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object
(7) Dhyana ("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation
(8) Samadhi ("Liberation"): merging consciousness with the object of meditation
They are sometimes divided into the lower and the upper four limbs, the lower ones being parallel to the lower limbs of Hatha Yoga, while the upper ones being specific for the Raja yoga. The upper three limbs practiced simultaneously constitute the Samyama.

It details every aspect of the meditative process, and the preparation for it. The book is available in as many as 40 English translations, both in-print and on-line.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Hatha Yoga is a particular system of Yoga described by Yogi Swatmarama, a yogic sage of the 15th century in India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Hatha Yoga is a development of — but also differs substantially from — the Raja Yoga of Patanjali, in that it focuses on shatkarma, the purification of the physical as leading to the purification of the mind (ha), and prana, or vital energy (tha). In contrast, the Raja Yoga posited by Patanjali begins with a purification of the mind (yamas) and spirit (niyamas), then comes to the body via asana (body postures) and pranayama (breath). Hatha yoga contains substantial tantric influence, and marks the first point at which chakras and kundalini were introduced into the yogic canon. Compared to the seated asanas of Patanjali's Raja yoga which were seen largely as a means of preparing for meditation, it also marks the development of asanas as full body 'postures' in the modern sense.

Hatha Yoga in its many modern variations is the style that most people actually associate with the word "Yoga" today. Because its emphasis is on the body through asana and pranayama practice, many western students are satisfied with the physical health and vitality it develops and are not interested in the other six limbs of the complete Hatha yoga teaching, or with the even older Raja Yoga tradition it is based on.

Yoga in other traditions
Yoga is intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the Indian religions.[53] The influence of Yoga is also visible in Buddhism, which is distinguished by its austerities, spiritual exercises, and trance states.

Yogacara Buddhism
Yogacara (Sanskrit: "Practice of Yoga [Union]"), also spelled yogachara, is a school of philosophy and psychology that developed in India during the 4th to 5th centuries. Yogacara received the name as it provided a yoga, a framework for engaging in the practices that lead to the path of the bodhisattva. The Yogacara sect teaches yoga in order to reach enlightenment.

Ch`an (Zen) Buddhism
Zen (the name of which derives from the Sanskrit "dhyana" via the Chinese "ch'an") is a form of Mahayana Buddhism. The Mahayana school of Buddhism is noted for its proximity with Yoga.[55] In the west, Zen is often set alongside Yoga; the two schools of meditation display obvious family resemblances. This phenomenon merits special attention since the Zen Buddhist school of meditation has some of its roots in yogic practices.[61] Certain essential elements of Yoga are important both for Buddhism in general and for Zen in particular.[3]

Tibetan Buddhism
Yoga is central to Tibetan Buddhism. In the Nyingma tradition, practitioners progress to increasingly profound levels of yoga, starting with Maha yoga, continuing to Anu yoga and ultimately undertaking the highest practice, Ati yoga. In the Sarma traditions, the Anuttara yoga class is equivalent. Other tantra yoga practices include a system of 108 bodily postures practiced with breath and heart rhythm. Timing in movement exercises is known as Trul khor or union of moon and sun (channel) prajna energies. The body postures of Tibetan ancient yogis are depicted on the walls of the Dalai Lama's summer temple of Lukhang.

Yoga and Tantra
Tantrism is a practice that is supposed to alter the relation of its practitioners to the ordinary social, religious, and logical reality in which they live. Through Tantric practice an individual perceives reality as maya, illusion, and the individual achieves liberation from it. This particular path to salvation among the several offered by Hinduism, links Tantrism to those practices of Indian religions, such as yoga, meditation, and social renunciation, which are based on temporary or permanent withdrawal from social relationships and modes. During tantric practices and studies, the student is instructed further in meditation technique, particularly chakra meditation. This is often in a limited form in comparison with the way this kind of meditation is known and used by Tantric practitioners and yogis elsewhere, but is more elaborate than the initiate's previous meditation. It is considered to be a kind of Kundalini Yoga for the purpose of moving the Goddess into the chakra located in the "heart," for meditation and worship.

Goal of Yoga
There are numerous opinions on what the goal of Yoga may be. Goals can range from improving health and fitness, to reaching Moksha. Within the monist schools of Advaita Vedanta and Shaivism this perfection takes the form of Moksha, which is a liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara) at which point there is a realisation of identity with the Supreme Brahman. For the dualistic bhakti schools of Vaishnavism, bhakti itself is the ultimate goal of the yoga process, wherein perfection culminates in an eternal relationship with Vishnu or one of his associated avatars such as Krishna or Rama.

Yogitoes®

from Yogitoes

I was practicing yoga and slipped on a sticky mat, the irony is, they become slippery when wet, Nichols says. It was one of those divine moments. I thought, why doesn't someone design a towel that could fit on your mat- to complete the mat. When I first launched yogitoes® I had two intentions, one that yogitoes supports ALL styles of yoga, and two, was applying the philosophy of community for marketing. yogitoes has grown organically from day one by word-of-mouth only. Bringing the community together-globally.

It's not a towel, it's not a mat, it's a SKIDLESS®,� Nichols explains. Like Kleenex or Levis, SKIDLESS® is a brand that defines itself by its name. The distinctive orange dot serves as the yogitoes® logo.

"Originally I created the dot as my drishti for practice. Then someone said, COOL logo, and I thought- OK, it will be our logo."

"yogitoes® is an orange company,� Nichols explains, Another shade of green. We practice consciousness and altruism in our daily thoughts, actions and company decisions. The world is in a powerful position, it's time to shift into a new paradigm of being, if we want to continue experiencing mother earth and the sacredness of humanity."

Whenever possible, orange practices include selling all products without packaging to minimize waste and utilizing recycled and/or sustainable materials such as soy or vegatable ink and organic dyes. Rather than mass printing hangtags and users guides, recycled tear-outs attached to the products direct the customer to yogitoes.com to view USERS GUIDE. One less catalogue or hang tag means one more tree and one more clean breath,� Nichols says.

In addition, a portion of yogitoes® proceeds goes to the yogitoes® fund, which contributes to programs such as the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, A Place Called Home, and the Ravi Shankar Foundation: which bring love and awareness to children around the world. yogitoes® also supports the Dr. Susan Love Foundation with a limited-edition PINK SKIDLESS; the company raised $15,000 for breast cancer research in 2005 and plans to eclipse that figure in 2006.

yogitoes® continues to expand, with new products, including their patent-pending ECODOT, ySTRAP, mSEAT, along with environmentally-friendly blankets, bolsters, yoga mats and accessories, as well as a children's line.

"By standing in our light, speaking from our love, moving with our grace, together, we can shift the world to a peaceful sacred place.


humanity can bear no less"... yogitoes

Yoga Poses & Yoga Exercises

from YogaWiz

In Sanskrit, the word “pose” is “asana” (pronounced as “ah-sah-nah”).

Each asana helps you become more aware of your body, mind, and environment. While beginning your yoga exercises, experiment with the poses, moving in and out as you feel comfortable. If you approach the poses with playful curiosity, feeling of frustration and competitiveness will not enter your mind. While practicing your yoga exercises, make sure that you don’t feel any discomfort or pain.

Yoga Poses and breathing
Breathing is an essential part of practicing yoga exercises. You should never hold your breathe during a pose. Also make sure that your breath is never forced or strained. Labored breathing is sign that you you’re working too hard and should come out of the pose slightly. When one starts practicing yoga, one can hold for three full breaths through most yoga poses. If you feel comfortable in the pose, hold for longer, if uncomfortable, you should come out of the pose immediately.

Types of Yoga Poses
Seated poses – Seated poses are useful for practicing breathing exercises and relaxation or meditation techniques. Seated poses are also often used as a warm up or as a starting point for other poses. Performing seated poses can help improve your posture and open your hips.

Standing poses – Standing poses are often used as warm up or as a starting point for other poses. Standing poses are beneficial for strengthening your legs, opening your hips and improving your sense of balance.

Inversions – Inversions are excellent poses to perform to improve your blood circulation, quiet your mind and improve your overall health. Inversions are also believed to reverse the ageing process and reduce the effect of the gravity on your body.

Relaxation and restorative poses – It is important to take time to perform relaxation or restorative poses at the end of each yoga practice. You can use this time to relax your body and mind and allow energy released by the poses in your practice to move freely throughout your body.

Counter poses – A counter pose is a pose that stretches your spine in the opposite direction from a previous pose or returns your spine to a neutral position.

Twists – You can perform twists to stretch and strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, increase the flexibility of your spine and improve your circulation. Twists improve the functioning of your internal organs by providing them with a fresh supply of blood as you twist and release your body.

Balancing poses – Balancing poses are great for improving your balance and coordination as well as developing your ability to remain grounded in a pose.

Forward bends – Forward bends stretch the entire back of your body, especially your hamstrings. Forward bends are also often used to release tension, calm your mind and soothe your nervous system. Similar to back bends, forward bends help keep your spine strong and supple.

Back bends – Back bends are among the most challenging poses in yoga. Bending backward helps strength your back and keep your spine strong and supple. Back bends also open the front of your body, especially your chest.

Yogitoes Yoga Spa Beauty Health Wellness Peace Love

Welcome to a our newest Google Blog all about peaceful things you can own, do, think and use. We'll gather information about the Blog's topics post them here for you to read and share. We'd enjoy hearing from you, too. If you have something to say or add to the Blog, please contact us or post a comment.

Comments are moderated, and a Google Account is needed to post. Please keep posts relevant to the article or subject. Our intention is to allow information to flow, create a blog without boundaries by using empowering words to move forward in a peaceful, calming dialogue.

Visit, read, shop, write, think, feel and do! We hope to hear from you soon.