3 Extra Benefits Of Yoga Retreats Apart From The Exercises

One of the best things about yoga is going for a yoga retreat. You get a change of scenery as you continue with your daily routine, which makes it more relaxing. These retreats are normally planned for in areas with breathe-taking views, away from noise and lots of fresh air, making it even better for your health. As you know, yoga has its health benefits, but these retreats are not only for yoga. Take a look at these benefits of going for such a retreat.

• Meet new people

Most yoga instructors invite clients who can make time for such an event. Therefore, this means you might bump into new faces at the retreat! This is a great place to create new friendships; healthy ones. Everyone there has the same goal, which is to maintain a peaceful mind and healthy body inside and out. Therefore, there is a very little chance of meeting odd characters there. Take advantage of the various activities the retreat has planned to meet as many new people as you can, you never know; you could create a friendship that could end up being long-term!

• Pick up healthy habits

Your retreat will blow your taste buds away! With three healthy meals a day, which you most probably only see on TV, your body is bound to feel a change too! In addition, all this is catered for, unlike home where you have to get the recipes, shop for groceries that you cannot even spell their names, prepare them and the worst part of it all cleaning up after messing the whole kitchen! It is all done for you. Apart from eating healthy, you can pick up other healthy habits such as positive talk, sharing experiences, counseling etc.

• Learn more about yoga from a whole different angle

Normally, yoga classes are done in open rooms. For better results, yoga instructors advise people who do it at home, to practice it outside. This could be on your lawn, by the pool or at the balcony; the whole idea is to get that fresh air into your system and enjoy the routine in a safe and quiet environment. Therefore, you should take advantage of your yoga retreat to grow your skills as you discover the new places. Bond with your instructor and learn new skills since they will offer more than one class a day; your body will start showing positive results in a matter of days!

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Yoga at Your Desk

Yoga at Your Desk

How long have you been sitting there staring at that computer? How does your back feel? Not too good? Getting tired? Stiff from sitting?

Practicing yoga at your desk will revive and re-energize you. If you allow your brain to take a break, and allow your breath to rejuvenate your body ~ you will come back more focused and more productive.

Take a break - close your eyes and let your breath travel around your body a little. Like a virus scan, scan your body and allow your breath to erase some tension. Breathe into tight spots and then visualize those spots releasing as you exhale. You will feel even better if you break away every hour or two and stretch some muscles.

In our society stress at work is a prevalent reason for hospital visits. Back pain, headaches and other stress related ailments are popular medical visit complaints. Take some time for yourself, for your health, and breathe a little.

You can reboot your body like you reboot a stuck computer. Pause a minute~ and allow your brain to rest, let your muscles release some of the tension and stress. Try this...

Close your eyes, sit all the way back in your chair, straighten up through your spine, and let your head hang down towards your chest. Now roll your right ear up over your right shoulder and relax the muscles in the left side of your neck and the top of the left shoulder. (Avoid forcing or pushing your head to the side - just let it hang out there.) Breathe. Gently roll your head back down towards your chest and then roll the left ear up near the left shoulder. Breathe.

Repeat as needs to loosen up those neck and shoulder muscles. To complete the exercise, gently roll your head forward again and then lift it straight up and open your eyes. Feel any better? We store tons of tension in the neck and shoulder area ~ every now and then let it go.....

Sit up straight and to the front part of your chair (please use one without wheels or make sure it is secure - I don't want you to go rolling around unexpectedly). Keep your feet planted on the floor. Try rolling your spine forward and back to let the muscles stretch, massage the inner organs and let the blood flow through your spine.

As you inhale, bring your head back and arch your spine (shoulders move backward) so that your belly rounds out in front. Then as you exhale, bring your shoulders forward and exaggerate the spine curve out to the back. So when you inhale your shoulders go back and you stretch the front side of your body, and when you exhale the shoulders come forward and you stretch the back. When you exhale bring your belly button in towards your spine to help you release all the air out of your lungs. Your lower back moves too; tilt your tailbone back on the inhale and then tuck it under on the exhale. Attach your breath to the movement to get the most out of the pose.

Moving the spine around allows the vertebrae to re-lubricate, the muscles to stretch a bit, and the inner organs a gentle massage. Attaching your breath to your movement gives your brain a rest from the rat-race and promotes a mind-body connection.

The breathing helps to remove toxins from the lungs when you exhale and invigorates the muscles when you inhale. When you inhale think about filling your lungs with air. Let the ribs move out to the sides and fill your belly with air just like a balloon. When you exhale let it all out, and let the tension leave your body at the same time.

Yoga can be used to alleviate stress, to rejuvenate the body and even to bring focus back into a foggy, tired brain.

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(30-min) Sitting Too Much? Stretch with Smita Vyas - Certified Corporate Yoga Teacher

Coping Strategies - Yoga For Menopause Relief

Yoga is not a 'remedy' for menopause - not least because menopause represents a stage of life, rather than an illness. A woman's experience during menopause is completely individual, and yoga is not specific like the drugs of modern medicine. There is no one set series of postures that thus make up a 'remedy' for the symptoms of perimenopause.

Yoga is, instead, an adaptive discipline that can support the body through the myriad of biological changes it is making. Importantly, it can also support our minds and emotions, and allow us to come to a perspective on the inner processes that are happening. Many perimenopausal women have found both the physical and less tangible benefits of yoga helpful at this time.

If you haven't done any yoga before, it would be best to go to a class to learn. No DVD or book can quite replace watching a teacher demonstrate a posture, taking you through the different breathing practices, and offering insight into how your body is coping with the poses. It also helps to have a practical grounding like this if you're reading yoga books, where they will present a number of different poses and variations. Learning yoga first by practicing it in class, gives you the experience to adapt what you read in books to your own needs.

There are some general points about asanas (poses), however. Back bends can be great for improving one's mood and lifting energy levels, and forward bends are good for anxiety and stress.

There are a huge number of forward and back bends in yoga however! And different asanas require different preparatory poses, and what are called counter postures. Counter postures are an important follow-up to doing certain asanas. They can help prevent injury, just as the preparatory postures do.

There is somewhat contradictory advice given to women going through menopause who want to practice yoga. Many books encourage gentle, nurturing poses - restorative poses. But some female yoga teachers who used yoga for themselves when going through menopause found that an over-reliance on restorative postures made some menopausal symptoms worse. This included mood swings and weight gain. They found that sometimes, more activity was better.

Given that quite active physical exercise had been found to help with menopause, this observation is no real surprise. Ultimately, it depends on what is going on for each woman, and this can vary over time anyway. If you're feeling really tired all the time, restorative poses may be best for that period. However, if you've got more energy, there are a number of other asanas that can really help.

For example, inversion yoga poses can be great for the hormonal systems of the body. Inversions include headstand, shoulder stand, standing forward bends, and others. With inversion poses, especially shoulder stand and headstand, it's important to do the preparatory and counter postures. And if you have a particularly tense neck, it may be better to do a standing forward bend than downward dog (and certainly not shoulder stand or headstand), as the angle of the shoulders, combined with the weight on them, can cause tension in the neck.

Other good postures for menopause can be the standing postures - including triangle pose, half moon, and the extended side angle pose. These open up the front of the body, and the hips - which can be an area of stiffness for many women anyway!

Whatever poses you incorporate into your daily life during menopause, remember to be flexible. The needs of our bodies change, areas of stiffness change, symptoms change. Learning to respond to this, like the challenges that life can send our way, is the best way to tailor a practice to suit your needs.

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Yoga Magic- Part II | Goodbye To Hot Flashes, Headaches And Anxiety

A Look At The Benefits Of Yoga For Skeletal Health

The skeletal system is the basis of everything in the human body. If people have a problem with their skeletons, it is going to cause them tremendous amounts of pain. Skeletal problems can also ruin the mobility of people who suffer from them, leaving them bedridden. Luckily, many skeletal health problems can be avoided if people take steps to prevent them. One of the best ways to keep the skeletal system healthy is to practice yoga. Here is a look at the benefits of yoga for skeletal health.

1. Gets the Synovial Fluid Flowing

Synovial fluid is a liquid that helps to lubricate the bones as they move. When there is not enough synovial fluid circulating around the skeletal system, every move a person makes can be sheer agony. In order to prevent this, doing yoga is a great way to promote the production and circulation of synovial fluid. Regular yoga practice will increase the production of this fluid, but it also helps the fluid to move freely between various parts of the body. This allows people who practice yoga to move their bones and flex their joints easily and without pain.

2. Takes Stress off of the Joints

When it comes to health problems in the skeletal system, one of the most vulnerable parts of the system is the joints. The joints are much more susceptible to injury and wearing out than the bones are, and joint pain can make life miserable. Preventing this joint pain is another reason why practicing yoga is so good for skeletal health. This is because holding yoga poses helps to strengthen the muscles and ligaments that support the joints. When people do yoga on a regular basis, they will quickly build up enough strength in these muscle and ligaments to lessen the load on the joints. This will help to preserve them and to keep them free from injury.

3. Helps to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

The obesity crisis in the modern world is truly terrifying. One of the worst things about this obesity crisis is the devastating effects being overweight can have on a person's health. Among other problems caused by obesity, the health of the skeletal system can suffer greatly. The human body is simply not designed to bear the weight loads that people who are obese are forcing it to carry. For this reason, yoga can be a real help for people who want to preserve their skeletal health. Yoga is one of the best things to do for people who want to lose weight, and it is a great way to maintain weight loss as well. Anyone who wants to stay trim and keep their bones free from excessive weight will benefit from practicing yoga daily.

People are born with one skeleton, and it is irreplaceable. It is the responsibility of every individual to do everything possible to maintain the health of their skeletal system. In order to keep the bones and joints functioning properly, regular exercise is a must. There is no better form of exercise for the skeleton than yoga. Practicing yoga on a daily basis will do wonders for the health of the bones. Anyone who wants to live a long life with great mobility will enjoy the benefits of doing yoga for skeletal heath.

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Jivamukti Yoga Magic Ten

Yoga for Low Back Pain?

If you suffer from lower back pain, you may feel that the pain is simply a part of aging.

However, this isn't true. If you look after your body you'll likely be able to enjoy a long and active life.

You don't have to deal with back pain every time that you do a little yard work or rearrange your furniture. You may have read about using natural back pain remedies to heal your back. Sometimes these natural cures include exercise, like yoga. The practice of yoga has many moves that can be beneficial in preventing and relieving lower back pain.

Common advice given to people suffering from back pain is that the abdominal and back muscles simply need to be strengthened. Although this is likely true, you should not forget that these muscles also need to be lengthened. Additionally, exercise and stretching should not only focus on the muscles in the center of the back and middle of the stomach, but also on the muscles on the sides of the trunk as well. Yoga will not only strengthen all of these muscles, but lengthen them too. These stronger, longer muscles will protect the back from injury.

More importantly Yoga is good for back pain because it corrects muscle imbalances in the body. If you have exercised the abdominal muscles but neglected the back muscles, poor posture and weak muscles will result. This poor posture will put stress on your body and set you up for repeated back injuries.

If you are susceptible to back injuries, you may be tempted to work only on the abdominal and back muscles. Although it is good to be strong in the core muscles of the body, weak leg muscles and pelvic muscles can also contribute to poor posture, causing stress on the pelvis and lower back.

To effectively strengthen the body, it should be treated as a single unit, with all muscles being equally exercised and stretched. If one regularly practices a yoga routine, muscle imbalances can be corrected. The poses will lengthen the muscles and bring the entire body into correct alignment. The back will begin to develop a normal, healthy lumbar curve. A yoga routine will work all of the muscles of the body, keeping one or two sets of muscles from ruining the alignment of the whole body.

Before you begin using yoga for your back pain, you should keep in mind a few things. First, if you have problems with your lumbar disks, you need to exercise caution with poses that include forward bends, especially those that include twisting along with the bends. These moves can aggravate the damage to your lumbar disks and should be avoided until you have progressed beyond the starting phase. The second thing to remember is that you should pay close attention at all times to your body when exercising. Even during the transitions, you need to keep proper form and focus on how your muscles feel. Never push beyond the level at which you are comfortable to avoid hurting yourself. Third, you need to remember that some poses take consistent work to achieve. You may need to patiently work your way up to more difficult positions. Never try to rush your progress.

If you are currently experiencing pain from a recent back injury, you should not attempt to improve your strength, flexibility or technique in yoga. You should go very slowly and gently and use the yoga moves to work the soreness out of the muscles.

You do not have to accept regular pain in the lower back as an inescapable part of aging. You can get out of bed every morning moving easily. By practicing yoga regularly, the muscles of your back and your entire body can be long, strong and healthy.

Practicing yoga is not necessarily the fabled fountain of youth. However, the flexibility and strength that yoga can bring to your body can make it seem so.

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There is nothing you cannot do | Tao Porchon-Lynch | TEDxColumbiaSIPA

The Various Benefits Of Yoga For The Body, Mind And Soul

Yoga has been practiced in India for 6000 years. And, while it has its origins in Eastern culture, it has hit the Western world by storm.

Today, more than 19 million Americans practice yoga, and millions more do across the world. It is also a multi-billion dollar per industry.

Those who do yoga report various reason for engaging in this unique fitness routine, some of which include: 

• Build strength
• Agility
• General fitness
• Flexibility
• Peace and contentment
• Reduction of stress
• and much more

If you see yogis (persons who practice and teach yoga), you can see how well-developed their bodies are. They don't necessarily bulk up, but you can tell that they have strength and endurance.

Main Benefits Of Yoga

Since the movements and poses in yoga are deliberate and yet slow, they do not strain muscles. Instead, the movements allow for better blood circulation, better stretching of muscles and it helps strengthen the joints.

Endurance, or the ability to bear pain for prolonged periods of time is also increased with consistent practice of yoga.

As the body gains strength, so it also gains endurance. As the mind is able to control its reactions to stresses, so it learns to modify its perception of pain.

What most people do not realize is that yoga is not just an exercise regimen or a workout but the slow and deep breathing is meditative. It allows the person to quiet their mind as they quiet their body by concentrating on breathing slowly and deeply. The first thing you'll notice is that the slow and deep breaths cleanse and remove the clutter from your mind. You'll also notice that if you feel agitated, the slow deep breathing of yoga calms you down.

The effect of yoga is cumulative. This means that if you consistently practice yoga even outside of your scheduled yoga classes, the good effects on your mind and your body increase the longer you practice yoga. For instance, when slow and deep breathing becomes a habit, you can see how it helps you relax even in the most tense and intense moments of your work day.

The cumulative effect is that your body learns to avoid stress reactions. Stress reactions are the body's way of preparing us to fight or to flee situations which are perceived to be dangerous and threatening.

This helps you when a barking dog chases you while you are jogging. However, when the stress reaction is prolonged or recurrent as when your body prepares to rush to meet deadlines all day, every day or prepares to "fight" with people who make life difficult for you, you are living with stress. Stress becomes a way of life and it overworks the heart and causes a lot of wear and tear in our organs.

Stress which is chronic or prolonged alters the chemistry in the brain, too. It makes you irritable and it affects your concentration and focus. It increases your vulnerability to diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease. Yoga, because it helps you relax and neutralize stress, also helps you avoid these lifestyle diseases, as well.

Yoga's meditative component increases your self-awareness. This means that you become more aware of how you feel and what you are thinking. This makes it easier for you to self-evaluate, reflect and modify your emotional responses to everyday stresses and adversities.

When you learn to modify your emotional responses, you also learn to put things in perspective. You'll find yourself resisting anxious and depressing thoughts. The slow deep breathing which increases blood flow to the brain also helps to lift mood. You become more positive in your outlook.

Since yoga keeps the mind clear, it becomes possible to process information faster and to absorb them more readily. It does not make you smarter by increasing your IQ, but you learn to focus and make decisions more readily. You learn to use your faculties more purposively.

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Pranayama: Extend Your Life by Extending Your Breath | Jim Kambeitz | TEDxBismarck

Yoga for Every BODY

We all want to feel loved, open, free and peaceful. We all desire to let go of the ideals and expectations of the "world" and be simply still. What if you had permission to be anything your heart wanted you to be? What if there was no right or wrong way of doing yoga poses, just simply YOUR way. The way that feels good for your body, mind and spirit. That is yoga to me.

There's a smorgasbord of yoga labels all around us. Each having its own fancy term or cool yoga gear. It's a bummer to see yoga magazines or videos with the same types of bodies representing yoga. This sends a message to the world that yoga is about looking a specific way. Instead of getting lost in the confusion, I chose to start really looking at my responsibility in this. Most of my clients share with me that they don't feel comfortable going to a yoga studio. One, they don't look like a yogi, two they might not do the poses "perfectly", and finally, they don't know where to even start. So many labels to choose from, so little time!

This is a very common experience with the people I teach or know. It is extremely challenging to go to a studio and relax when immediately you have to get your legs in lotus position. How uncomfortable is that? Yikes. Or you are so busy doing power yoga that you forgot to breathe or relax, feeling sore as you walk out the studio. Since I have experienced both being uncomfortable as a student and teacher I feel it is my duty to spread some of my truth around.

There is no label or box to fit yoga in. When I first began teaching yoga, I felt as if I had to "be" a certain way. Speak in a particular soft tone, and know all the right terminology. I've realized it's the total opposite. The more authentic I am, which means, giving myself permission to be Jenny, giggling, hugging, singing, sharing, being as transparent as possible, gives the student permission to choose to do the same.

Yes, poses are a part of yoga, and they do wonders for your body! But yoga is not about the poses or how long we can balance. The body listens when its given an opportunity to connect with your true self, and not edit what comes out.

Releasing the need to force your body into poses that hurt and allow yourself to explore what DOES feel good. To make your yoga practice, like life, all about you.

Instead of wishing for the world to change their box on what yoga should be, I decided to create and be the difference. Teach yoga from my heart, and allow it to guide each class. Whenever I share with my students that it's perfect to be exactly the way they are, my eyes well up. It feels good to share what I have yearned for in a yoga class.

If you feel uncomfortable going to a yoga studio, you are not alone. Listen to your heart, and listen to what your body is sharing with you. Start investigating and asking around for guidance on what form works for you. You are worth it. Give yourself permission to BE yourself no matter what. That is yoga.

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The Science Of Yoga

Ayurveda and Yoga, Ancient Sister Sciences

Ayurveda and yoga are sister Vedic sciences that have been united for thousands of years for the sake of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda deals more with the health of the body, while yoga deals with purifying the mind and consciousness, but in reality they complement and embrace each other.

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original masters of all Vedic sciences. They understood that good health is a great asset on the path toward Self-realization. If the body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice. Anyone who has practiced meditation for any length of time would agree to how difficult it can be to sit still for long periods of time without feeling discomfort and fatigue. Both yoga and Ayurveda are mutually supportive and offer many ways to prevent and heal various disorders as well as to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

Besides sharing a philosophical foundation, both systems have many similarities in relation to attitude, nutrition, diet, hygiene, exercise, cleansing practices, as well as spiritual practices. Traditionally, a student of yoga would first live close to and serve the guru for many years, during which time he would learn healthy habits. The basic Ayurvedic principles for health and longevity were past on in the lineage in oral form to serve as a foundation for a life of sadhana (spiritual practice).

Nowadays, the teachings of yoga are easily available to all, and whether prepared or not we can leap headlong into its practice. This has its blessings, in the sense that more people can be turned on to the teachings, although much is often lost without the parampara, or close guidance at the feet of an accomplished master. With this in mind, modern yoga practitioners would most certainly benefit from a basic knowledge of Ayurveda to help establish a healthy daily routine and adjust their practice according to the constitution, dosha imbalance, season, and so on, to prevent disease and promote longevity.

First, let's take a look at the similarities between yoga and Ayurveda:

* Both are ancient Vedic teachings. Yoga originates in the Yajur Veda, while Ayurveda originates in the Atharva Veda and Rig Veda.

* Both recognize that keeping the body healthy is vital for fulfilling the four aims of life: Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and Moksha (liberation).

* Both recognize that the balance of doshas (humors), dhatus (tissues), and malas (waste products) is essential for maintaining good health.

* Both share virtually the same metaphysical anatomy and physiology, which consists of 72,000 nadis (subtle channels), 7 main chakras (energy centers), 5 bodily sheaths, and the Kundalini Shakti (energy).

* Both advocate the use of diet, herbs, asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra, astrology, prayer, puja, and rituals for healing the entire being.

* Both encourage physical health as a good foundation for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

* Both share the same view on psychology. Ayurveda embraces all six of the main schools of philosophy including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Vedanta (a non-dual philosophical and spiritual path). They both understand that the attachment to the body-mind complex is the root cause of all suffering and that the ultimate state of health is experienced when we abide in our true nature, which is total peace, regardless of the state of the physical body.

* Both use cleansing methods for the body, all of which encourage the removal of waste products and toxins through their natural routes of elimination. Ayurveda has panchakarma (five cleansing actions) and yoga uses Shat Karma (six purification measures).

Ayurvedic approach to asana practice

The use of asana, pranayama, and meditation for healing is known as Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy and has been used for thousands of years by Ayurvedic and yogic adepts. In Yoga Chikitsa, a group of yogic exercises are chosen that will best support the individual and are practiced daily. This can be done over an extended period of time in conjunction with an Ayurvedic regime and herbal and dietary therapies. Yoga Chikitsa also plays an integral role in the Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation process known as panchakarma.

For a well balanced personal yoga practice, it is important to take into consideration the individual's body structure, prakruti (original constitution), and vikruti (present constitutional imbalance). The following are general recommendations according to the predominant dosha.

Vata predominant individuals should remember to focus on calming, grounding, stillness, strengthening, and balancing while doing their practice.

Precautions for vata:

* Vinyasa or flow styles of yoga tend to move too quickly from one pose to the next and can aggravate the hyper-mobile quality of vata over time. Flow sequences can be made to be more vata pacifying if they are not excessively long, the length of time poses are held is extended, and transitions are done slowly and consciously.

* Those with lower back problems may find that bending the knees in standing forward bends can prevent discomfort.

* Back bends should be done slowly, carefully and within one's own limits.

Pitta individuals should maintain a calm, cool, and relaxed intention while doing asanas. Pitta types may benefit from trying to cultivate an attitude of forgiveness, and of surrendering or offering the fruits of their practice to the divine of to those in need of positive healing energy. Because asana practice tends to generate heat in the body, it is best to do them at cooling times of the day, such as dawn or dusk. Also, it is useful to place some emphasis on poses that help to release excess heat from the body, such as poses that compress the solar plexus and poses that open the chest like.

Kapha types tend to be sedentary and often dislike vigorous exercise. For this reason, their practice should be energetic, warming, lightening, and stimulating, providing they are physically capable. Vinyasa or flow style yoga is good for kapha because it is dynamic and moves quickly from one pose to the next, it induces sweating and gets the heart pumping.

Yoga poses that address specific doshic problems can be easily added to an Ayurvedic regime and integrated into an existing yoga routine, or they can be organized as a small session with the help of an Ayurvedic clinician who knows each individual case well and can help set up a well balanced program according to the needs of each client.

Ayurveda also offers Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy, for specific doshic disorders. It is advised to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner for an individualized regime.

Ayurvedic Approach to Pranayama (breathing techniques).

The ultimate goal of pranayama is to calm the mind and prepare it for meditation. It also has a therapeutic effect on the physical body as well. It is not essential to do a pranayama practice according to dosha, but knowing its effects on the body is a valuable tool for management of the doshas. Below is a general list of pranayama and bandha exercises according to dosha.

Vata: Nadi Shodhana, Kapala Bhati, Agnisara Dhauti, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Pitta: Sheetali or Sitkari, Nadi shodhana.

Kapha: Bastrika, Agnisara Dhauti, Kapala Bhati, Ashvini Mudra (contracting and releasing Mula Bandha), Ashvini Mudra, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Furthermore, the Four Purifications taught in our workshops is an ancient method from the Ashtanga Yoga for purifying the gross and subtle body in order to prepare it for more advanced practices. They are tridoshic and safe for everyone, providing they are performed correctly.

Meditation According to Dosha.

These spiritual paths and their meditation techniques can be practiced by anyone, regardless of their prakruti. This list is only intended to give an idea on how dosha can support or influence one's spiritual practice. Many traditions of yoga blend various aspects of the paths listed here.

* Vata: Kriya Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga and other structured techniques help to keep vata stabilized and focused.

* Pitta: Jnana Yoga and Vedanta are good for pitta types because they often have sharp intellects and have a keen interest in self-study (Atma-vichara).

* Kapha: Bhakti yoga is natural for kapha types because they are often loving and devotional by nature.

Ayurvedic and Yogic Diet.

Ayurveda is more concerned with food being constitutionally balanced, while Yoga promotes a diet that is sattwic (light and pure). A combination of both aspects is the best choice for a yogi or anyone wanting to make real progress on a spiritual path.

Ayurvedic diet:

* According to dosha.

* Primarily vegetarian (meat is used as medicine, mainly for extreme deficiencies).

* Primarily cooked (raw food in moderation, especially for vata types).

* Containing six tastes.

Yogic diet:

* Sattwic vegetarian diet.

* Easy to digest.

* Simple meals (to limit desire).

* Both cooked and raw.

* Foods recommended in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika consist of rejuvenating substances such as wheat, whole grain, white basmati, corn, raw milk, raw sugar, butter, ghee, honey, dried ginger, mung beans, pure water, vegetables.

* Fruits, roots and nuts.

* Avoiding excessive hot, sour, salty, fermented, and fried foods.

* Avoiding tamasic (dulling) foods like meat, onions, garlic and mushrooms as a regular part of the daily diet.

Cleansing in Yoga and Ayurveda.

Ayurveda and Yoga both emphasize cleansing of the body for health and support of spiritual practices. Their methods are similar and work by expelling excess dosha and ama, or toxins, using the body's natural routes of elimination.

The yogic method is known in the Ashtanga tradition as Shat Karma, or six cleansing measures. These are:

1. Neti (nasal cleansing):

Jala neti (salt water flushing of the sinuses).

Sutra neti (nasal cleaning with string).

2. Dhauti (washing the GI tract).

Teeth, tongue, eyes, ears and forehead.

Agnisara Dhauti.

Vamana Dhauti (vomiting salt water).

Vastra Dhauti (washing with a cloth).

Varisara Dhauti (washing with water for purgation).

3. Basti (enema).

4. Trataka (forehead wash, gazing into a candle flame).

5. Nauli (intestinal washing, abdominal rolling).

6. Kapala Bhati (skull shining).

The Ayurvedic method for cleansing and rejuvenation is known as panchakarma (pancha karma), or five cleansing actions. This program is usually done for a week or two, but can also be done for longer periods depending on the case. The five actions of this method are:

1. Basti (Enema).

2. Nasya (Nasal application of herbs and herbal oils).

3. Vamana (Therapeutic vomiting).

4. Virechana (Purgation).

5. Rakta Moksha (Blood letting).

It is obvious that Ayurveda and yoga not only complement each other. Both sciences actually embrace each other as they share similarities and fundamental principles on many levels. Ayurveda and yoga should go hand in hand if we want to achieve optimal health, peace, and longevity.

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Yoga for Weight Loss - The TRUTH for Yoga Beginners

Challenges of Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is one of the most complex of the Yogic disciplines with frequent challenges to those who wish to master it. Fortunately, the benefits more than outweigh any difficulties the practice presents.

The most obvious difficulty lies in simply falling asleep. The ideal conditions for a successful Nidra session are exactly the same as those for entering a deep, peaceful sleep. In the beginning, students will likely just fall into a deep state of rest, and this must be accepted. Given time and persistence, the desired state will occur.

Another challenge is in properly identifying a state of Nidra and differentiating it from other states. The state of Yoga Nidra is beyond words to the point that using a negative definition and explaining what it is not may prove the easiest way to communicate an idea of what the state is like.

Yoga Nidra is not lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is valuable as a practice in its own right, but it's not Nidra. Meditation also is not Yoga Nidra, though meditation is certainly essential for preparing the mind for entering such a state.

Nidra is not simply an alpha state in the brain and it is not tied to any sound or music in particular. Recordings claiming to give listeners a 'monk mind' in as little as a month or a few weeks should be disregarded entirely, whether their claims are tied to Yoga Nidra specifically or not. Most worthwhile things in this life require some effort, and deeper states of consciousness are no exception.

Yoga Nidra is challenging and frustrating to beginners because practitioners cannot be guaranteed that their efforts will result in achieving the Yogic state of Nidra. In this way, the pursuit of Nidra becomes a powerful spiritual practice in and of itself, because it cultivates a state of nonattachment. Either Yoga Nidra will happen, or it won't. The student should not be attached to either outcome.

Unless one is a Yoga teacher, or a meditation expert, Nidra may require a teacher more than other forms of yoga, and finding a teacher familiar with and proficient in true Yoga Nidra may prove difficult. A teacher helps students by giving instruction and using triggers such as bells or gongs to promote a Yogic state of Nidra within his or her students. Since one typically practices Nidra in Savasana (Corpse Pose), it is easier to be guided by the sound of your teacher's voice or an audio recording; reading is not possible with the eyes closed.

Yoga Nidra is an advanced practice that is well worth pursuing, but it is also worth noting that though Nidra is different, it's not necessarily better than other practices such as meditation or hatha yoga. Yoga Nidra, meditation, and hatha yoga work well together to promote inner change in practitioners, but no one practice is specifically better than another. These different paths all lead to the same truth.

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Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight? It Helped This College Student Lose 80 Lbs!

Modified Yoga Gives Relief for Depression and Anxiety

I have been teaching yoga for twenty-two years. I got into yoga at that time, because I was suicidal, not just depressed. During that time period, my state of mind, was so down, that I began to daydream constantly, on how to kill myself. My friend dragged me to my first yoga class, and insisted, that yoga would help with my emotions. I resisted by saying, "How can yoga help with your emotions?" I had done other exercises, and other fitness classes. I was a runner, I played volley ball, basketball, tennis, and I did all sorts of fitness work outs. I threw myself into weights, crunches, and sit ups. I was plagued with worry, guilt, rage, insomnia, depression, and sorrow. Nothing had helped my state of mind, until yoga. Yoga truly saved my life. Now twenty-two years later; I'm dedicated yoga teacher, with a passion to motivate, those who are; depressed or suicidal; and I urge them to come, to experience, the yoga difference.

From the very first class that I tried, yoga was hard for me. The poses weren't that difficult to follow, but my hamstrings, hips and back muscles were super tight, and the stretching was painful for me. The breathing was contrary to breathing in working out, where you breathe out, through your mouth, to maintain the power of the work out. In yoga, by comparison, you breathe continuously through your nose. You take deep breaths in, that expand out your belly, and sometimes, you hold the breath for several seconds. I was determined to figure yoga out.

The movements were slow and thoughtful. The repetitions of the movement felt monotonous. Yoga worked on your strength, and you had to hold poses, such as downward dog, or plank pose, or an inversion pose, for several looonnngggg moments.

Why does modified yoga work to relieve depression and anxiety? I feel that it's a combination of elements. First, modified is an easier yoga class, than a regular beginner's class. I personal share myself, and I encourage clients to do exactly what each can do in my class. There is an acceptance, and spirituality that is present in a restorative or modified yoga class. The space in itself is a very calming, and not intimidating.

Yoga teaches you to fully dwell in the present moment. To do the poses well, requires focus, strength, balance, and a willingness to complete the pose. If your mind wanders, you may wobble off-balance, and fall. Plain and simple. The slow breathing, brings in more oxygen which then clears out your organs, such as the liver, which contains negative emotion, such as grief, and anger. The breathing and the poses, are specifically done which clears the stomach of gases, and stimulates blood flow. The inverted poses, bring a blood flow to your brain, which stimulates, and revitalizes your brain, your skin, your lungs, and assists in altering your mood. The poses; open your torso and hips, which cause your heart to be open. When you change your physiology, from your fallback position, of closed, tight, and a seemingly guarded position, to a more open position, your body starts to trick your mind. Oh if I'm standing like this, I must not be depressed. If my chest is up, and my arms are out, maybe I'm happy, at least not sad.

In the present moment, if you really stay there, during the yoga pose, you realize that there is nothing from your life, which is happening right now. You are perfectly fine. If you snap your fingers; that snap is how quick, a present moment, zooms by. There is nothing worrisome, or that needs your immediate attention, no distracting voices, in your head, that tell you are worthless. It's just you being mindful and doing a moderate, focused, yoga pose.

Another element in a modified yoga class, that helps give relief for depression, is meditation. In almost every one of my yoga classes I put in meditation. Meditation, if practiced, helps clients stay in the present moment, and also allows them to sense, that they are loved, cared for, and there is a safe place within. There are many different types of meditation including color meditation, question and answer meditation, open-eyed meditation etc.

At first, yoga takes a lot of focus and discipline. Modified yoga is a discipline but it's easier than a regular strenuous mat class. You practice the poses, and the breathing, and you practice NOT beating yourself up, and allowing yourself to accept, that you are not perfect. When you develop in yoga, your confidence also develops. Sometime down the road, you realize, it was not too long ago, that you could not do, some of the strength and conditioning, poses of yoga, and now you can. Earlier, you may not have had much luck, with balance, and now, you stand on one foot for 1 minute or more.

The really important thing about a modified yoga class, since it's not as difficult as power yoga, is that everybody, or almost everybody can do some form of modified yoga. I have modified mat and modified chair. You experience acceptance, and not rejection which makes you feel better about yourself. Self-acceptance is a very important element to clearing depression and anxiety.

Self-acceptance allows you to acknowledge that you are not perfect, and therefore, you don't have to DO everything perfect. You don't have to claim responsibility for others happiness, or their choices, that lead them to the unsatisfied place, of their lives. So, if right now, you are struggling, with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, get help. Some counseling can really help, and go to a restorative or modified yoga class. Not a yoga class, where everyone is super competitive, or the teacher pushes you, beyond your limit. You have to go to a class, that you feel acceptance, honor and respect, and that you are truly encouraged, to do, only what you can do, and whatever ability, or flexibility you come with, you are encouraged. That class will be a transformational class for you! If you give it a chance, a modified yoga class along with, that positive yoga teacher, will be able to assist you, in clearing depression and anxiety.

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Yoga and its connection to mental health | Nikolai Blinow | TEDxSalveReginaU

Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 5 - Karma Sanyasa Yoga

Will not the worldly pleasures lead one to true happiness?

Let us say you have a big bowl of ice cream in front of us and you can eat as much as we want. That's possible only if your taste buds are working, if you are in a pleasant mood to enjoy, you have some time to enjoy, you're in a nice place and you are not diabetic.

If you're near a crowded railway station or in rainy flooded area or at a cremation ground then you wouldn't even think of having it, for you won't find the pleasure..

Your health, place, time, mood, senses, mind and situations are constantly changing. When all goes well, then you enjoy eating that ice cream. Any one variable is altered then you won't enjoy it.

If everything is in alignment and you enjoy the ice cream then after the second, third or fourth you want to stop it. It is no more an enjoyment, on the contrary you will develop a dislike to it. That sense of pleasure does not long.

After a month, that taste and enjoyment is in your mind, the senses bring that experience back and you want to eat it again. This creates a dependency, craving, attachment, fear of loss, greed and anger when obstructed.

We are surrounded by many such glamorous things and none of them can give us everlasting happiness.

There is a distinct difference between pleasure and happiness. Pleasure is temporary, you strive for it to get and you lose it after the goal is achieved whereas happiness is permanent and it is just the 'being' that you are. In short, when the mind of a person is freed from pursuing all kinds of external pleasures, true happiness reveals itself from within ending all sorrows. Such a person is a happy person.

What are the two levels of renunciation of action?

The preparatory level of renunciation is called karma yoga. It is basically living to fulfil all your priorities with the two fundamental attitudes of:

a) Ishwara arpanam-offering all actions to God, as a custodian of Lord's world

b) Prasada buddhi-accepting all results as prasada, gift from God.

The highest level of renunciation is beyond karma yoga and karma sanyasa yoga, jnana yoga where the renunciation of the doership (ahamkara, ego) is offered in the fire of knowledge. Once the doership is gone, there is no enjoyer-ship as well. This is the Realization of the Self, non-doer, akarta in every physical body.

This would be the pursuit of the truth. The truth, as it is revealed in the sastras, is to understand that you are the awareness, not limited by time and space.

What's the right attitude while performing actions and receiving their results according to Gita?

Performing duties for a common cause with full commitment and a selfless attitude as an offering to Lord is called (Isvara arpana buddhi). This attitude does not cause any anxiety in the process or agitation about the results of the action. The performer is joyous and peaceful during the course of work, accepts the results of the actions, whatever it may be, as a gift from Lord with an equanimous attitude, (prasada buddhi).

People have likes and dislikes, they like to do certain things and choose not to do certain things. They like certain outcomes and they don't like certain outcomes but performing duties without likes and dislikes is the first step, that is called karma yoga. Simply doing what is supposed to be done without expecting anything return is duty.

The universal nature remind us of this attitude all around us. The trees that give fruits and shade, plants that give flowers with fragrance, the bushes that give vegetables, the water that flows in the rivers, the rain that supports the fields & cultivation, the sun that supports the entire life itself expects nothing in return. When we follow this attitude it brings us inner peace and equanimity in the way we look at life and its existence.

Please explain the two preparatory paths specified in Gita, chapter 5

The two paths are: Karma Yoga and Karma Sanyasa Yoga

When we want to go from point A to point B, we can take any path, either by road, train, bus or plane depending on the distance and when to reach by. If the destination is within one city, then there are multiple streets, lanes, avenues, short cuts, bypasses that one can take. People take whichever is comfortable to them.

Similarly, the two paths, karma yoga and karma sanyasa yoga, both caters to certain personalities of people. Both yogas (way of lifestyle) are to purify the mind to make it ready for the next step.

People who are more rajasic (personality or with tendencies to be active, driven, moving, goal oriented, recognition) are more interested in the worldly desires to achieve, accomplish, serve, for which karma yoga is the best.

They dedicate their effort and time to perform selfless actions for the common good and feel satisfied at the end of the day by doing their duty and accepting results, inner gratification.

There are other people who are not interested in worldly desires and have strong spiritual inclination. They are more sattvic (balance, harmony, goodness, purity, universalizing, holistic, constructive, creative, building, positive attitude, luminous, serenity, being-ness, peaceful) by nature, have overcome their likes & dislikes from within, to a large extent, have a higher degree of detachment to everything around and are ready for external renunciation. For them karma sanyasa yoga is a better fit. Both of these lead to a common goal which is jnana yoga leading to Self knowledge. By the way every individual has all three gunas or personalities at varied proportion.

In a normal life when we say 'sanyasa' it implies the fourth stage of asrama, meaning it is a lifestyle. The individual has excluded everything that distracts one from the pursuit of truth, Self knowledge.

When actions/duties are performed for the common good, selflessly without expecting anything in return as a worship to Lord (arpana, offering ) and accepting the results as it comes (prasada, gift) is karma yoga. This purifies the mind of all negativities and leads one to the path of knowledge.

Both 'karma yoga and 'karma sanyasa yoga' seem to be opposite because the former is isolated whereas the latter is within the community. But both karma yoga and karma sanyasa can lead a person to Self knowledge. One is NOT superior to the other but they are customized to individuals based on their tendencies. In Sanskrit it's called 'gunas'.

An individual from any of the four asrama (brahmachari, gruhastha, vanaprastha, sanyasa) can reach the goal of Self knowledge and both these paths leads to purification of mind, giving up likes & dislikes for Self realization.

Sri Krishna recommends karma yoga as the initial step to most individuals instead of Karma Sannyasa Yoga, which is a slippery slope. Karma yoga alone is emphasized again and again to reiterate the importance of it.

How does karma yoga act as a bridge between the doer self and the non-doer self?

In the normal course of life, when a person says, 'I did this, I accomplished that, I achieved this,' the individual is referring to one's physical body and mind, to which one is firmly identified. For such a person, the thought that he is NOT the doer could be drastic and inconceivable.

Therefore Sri Krishna suggests that all of us perform all our actions as karma yoga, meaning selflessly for the common good with full dedication. In karma yoga, likes and dislikes are eliminated, both in choosing what to do or what not to do (everything is done as a duty) and accepting the results of actions as they come to us. This automatically over a period of time, depending on the state or purity of mind, transforms into the surrendering attitude and a sense of being a custodian, understanding that the performer is not the doer or the enjoyer, moving on the path to Self realization. Thus, karma yoga is the bridge between the doer self and the non doer Self.

What's the highest renunciation?

The highest renunciation is 'Mukta karma sannyasa yoga'. This is not to be construed as the renunciation of action itself or the sanyasa lifestyle. This is an attitude, where the results of the actions are renunciated.

One who performs actions with an attitude that he is not doer or the enjoyer of the results of all action is equanimous and unperturbed with any & all situations. When an individual performs with this attitude, as an instrument in the hands of Lord, removes all pride, selfishness, likes and dislikes, is ready to realize the non doer Self.

Committed, persistent, continuous practice of both karma yoga and karma sanyasa yoga alone can take an individual to the enquiry stage (with equanimity) called jnana yoga, the next step in the spiritual ladder.

What are wrong reasons for choosing the path of the karma sanyasa?

Sanyasa is a fourth asramam, a way of life. Once an individual chooses this path there is no reverse gear. One should be sure of his personality to be in this path. This is difficult than performing karma yoga. Sri Krishna recommends karma yoga for many of us, which is easier than sanyasa yoga.

When people choose the path of karma sanyasa yoga, when they think they are ready, they may be physically withdrawn from the worldly desires but it is possible that their mind is not ready. This path could lead some, to mithyachara, where one lives a sanyasa lifestyle externally but has desires in his mind, a hypocritical behavior.

It is best for an individual to start with karma yoga and proceed on to karma sanyasa yoga. Karma yoga automatically leads to sanyasa attitude, over a period of time. That would be like a ripened fruits falling of the tree automatically when it is ready, very similar to the way we outgrow our toys and interests at different stages of life.

Some choose sanysa to escape from the worldly duties, others to run away from the loans & commitments, some have developed hatred towards situations, failures in their life, others due to the disappointment in their relationships.

These individuals are not ready for karma sanyasa yoga and cannot proceed in spiritual life just because they chose the path of sanyasa or simply dress like one. They may physically appear as a sanyasi but mentally their mind is not still.

We face situations based on our own karma from the previous births. One needs a clear mind to grasp the janana (Self Knowledge), which is the next step.

Who is a realized person?

The reflected images also appear to be broken in a broken mirror but a clear mirror reflects AS IS. So is the mind of a realized person, a clear mirror. He is ever equanimous without likes and dislikes. He is 'Brahma nishtan', meaning he is steadfast with a strong conviction that 'everything is ONE'.

Verse 5.19 speaks of 'Nirdosha brahma' A realized person, 'Sthitha Prajan', sees only Brahman everywhere and in everything. His vision is clear and he does not see any flaw in anything. He is realized soul (Brahma Nishtan), fully engrossed, immersed in a plane that he is Atman and everything around is an expression of atman, nothing else. He does not see differences, has conquered his senses.

He has fully realized that all actions are, of prakriti (including his body & mind) and are performed by the Lord through the tool, that he calls himself, He is completely devoid of karthruthvam (doership) and bhogthruthvam (enjoyership).

To him every being is ONE, from ants, to elephants to humans, classified by human for transactional life. Such a Realized master truly rules over the world.

We have seen over and over again all over the world that there were rulers and conquerors. What did they conquer? another piece of land, domination and exercise of control over the people, their authority over others but for how long? ~ Hiranyakashipu, to Alexander, to Hitler to today's regime everything that is conquered as their accomplishments, achievements, position, power and authority made them nothing but slaves to those only to be buried and be a history.

Whereas a realized master, who identifies with the Self, the operator of the Universe, is the conqueror of all, for he knows he is not the doer but only a tool in the hands of Lord. That's the symbolism of Sri Krishna holding a flute representing we are all empty hollow tubes and his music alone flows through all of us. The flute cannot think that it is playing the music and a realized master is one who realizes the flute, the music and the player are one and the same. A Realized master has a holistic view of life.

Holistic vision is seeing the bigger picture. Helicopter view. You get a much bigger view from a helicopter compared to the one from the ground.

Whereas scientists, educationists, politicians all think from their perspective, their vision is partial and limited within their field. They are unable to see from outside the box.

A realized master identifies and abides by the supreme Truth/Self, that supports everything in this body, mind and universe. He sees ONE and nothing else. For him everything is the expression of ONE. When there is no second, there is no fear, anger, jealousy, comparison or competition. He is fully convinced, abides in the firm conviction that there is nothing second to that ONE. He understands that BMI are the tools and has a holistic vision of both problem and the solution. He thinks, talks and abides in that plane at all times.

A realized master is able to see the oneness in all bodies. For him, the male, female, child, adult, robber, priest, cat, elephant is all one. He is beyond his sense identification and sees only ONE in everything including himself. He realizes the mahavakya.

" Pragyanam brahma",

" Aham Brahmasmi",

"Tat tvam asi",

" Ayamatma Brahman".

Chapter 4 verse 24 of explains how he sees the performer, clarified butter, the spatula, the fire and the act of consumption of the butter all as Brahman. (A realized individual is beyond gender, there is not word to describe in English).

Explain in detail the action-less nature of the Self. What then is the source of action?

Humans often identify ourselves with the body & mind by saying, " I ate or I slept or I am resting, I ran a marathon" etc., this is mainly due to the ignorance of not knowing who 'I am'.

If you say, 'This is my hand, My leg is hurting or I am resting', then stop to ask whose hand is this? Whose leg is hurting and who is at rest?

We are so caught up in this worldly whirlpool that we don't stop to ask such questions. We run a monotonous lifestyle, repeating the same thing over and over again completely caught up in this cycle of birth & death.

The very fact that we are born with this human body is to use the intellect, which is available only to humans. We are a bundle of body, mind and intellect directed by the presence of the Self, (Atman) whose power illuminates these three. Without the presence of that atman, these three are inert and the whole 'this thing' is nothing but a corpse.

The atman that is ever present is also omnipresent, is a witness to the entire cosmos including the activities of mind, body & intellect.

All actions (karma) is of prakriti, everything in this universe including body and mind has to always act due to the three gunas, sattvic, rajasic or tamasic state throughout their existence. They just cannot be without action.

Whereas akarma is of purusha, the atman in each body, a witness and its reflection on the intellect animates the body & mind.

Purusha here refers to Nirguna Brahman (indescribable) while Prakriti is to maya.

Gita gives the example of a moving train when the passenger sees the trees appear to be moving while in reality the train is moving. Atman is compared to the tree & the train to the body & mind. This is seeing karma in Akarma (action in inaction)

The sun and the moon, which are stationary appears to be moving. This is also an example of seeing the karma in a akarma.

We tend to say that the body and mind are resting though in fact the activities are happening all the time. They move around with all three gunas. Even when they seem to be at rest, they are still functioning (karmic) and they cannot be without action. This is seeing the akarma in the karma (Inaction in action), just like a ship in a far of distance seems stationary when it is really moving.

When we walk, run or jog, I say, 'I walked, ran or jogged' this is because of my identification with body. Whatever this body & mind were doing does not affect the atman. Atman did not perform anything. This is seeing the akarma in karma.

During the mahabharata war, Sri Krishna is riding the chariot for Arjuna, and presents Gita when Arjuna refuses to fight. Here though Arjuna refuses to perform his duty as a warrior, he is still in action, agitated. We can see karma in akarma.

But Sri Krishna, riding the chariot, advising and appears to be karmic when in reality He is calm & composed, a state of akarmic for he is not affected by the results of his discourse whether Arjuna listens to him or not.

A realized master may appear to be active in the transactional world but he is not perturbed from within. He is in peace from within, for he knows he is only the witness of everything. A realized master's, (brahma nishtan) perspective is atman alone IS, an actionless witness.

How would you explain what meditation is?

Meditation is not just sitting alone and shut all thoughts. People when they sit for meditation and try to empty the mind end up with a headache. It is not about keeping the mind empty. Mind is prakriti and is bound to be active at all times due to the three gunas and our world experiences.

The past experiences, the relationships, achievements, possessions, the future plans, tasks on hand, what if's and worries will all be in the mind. Mind is nothing but a flow of thoughts and one cannot stop this. Meditation is not suppressing thoughts.

On the contrary, we should be able to control our senses, keep them at bay, so all the five senses do not go out to the worldly affairs preventing one to sit quietly in a place. With senses down, without any distraction, we should start observing the flow of thoughts. Once we observe, we will see that the thought also stops. Next focus on the breath. The breath and the mind are connected. That's why when one is angry or afraid, the heartbeat is not stable. Once the breath is calm and in a rhythm, focus on the Self that animates this body and mind. Intellect is convinced with knowledge that the observer is different from the observed, so intellect is also silent, without a doubt or question. In all other sadanas either the body or the mind or both are involved. At this point, where both mind and body are inactive, we glide into meditation.

Self/Atman is not an object to be perceived and is beyond our senses. You are the Self, activating the whole universe and the goal of meditation is moksha, liberation with no return. It is a state of BEING, complete peace, a sense of awareness.

For ex: You're either awake or asleep. If you're trying to sleep then you are not asleep, you don't practice to sleep. similarly either you're meditating, (you're one with the Self) or you're not. There is no between. You cannot practice meditation, just like you cannot practice 'to sleep'.

What recommendation is appropriate for today's population? What can we do to realize the Self in us?

Every individual whether you're a parent of a 15 yr old or 50 year old, or otherwise, try to remain as a drop of water on a lotus leaf or the lotus leaf untouched by water.

How to remain untouched like a lotus leaf in water? This is possible only by doing all actions in the karma yoga attitude. We should do your duty without likes or dislikes, without expecting any appreciation, recognition or results that we want or like. Do it selflessly as an offering to the Lord and accept the result as a gift, prasadam. That's the symbolism of prasadams in the temple. All pleasures are illusion, addictive, with a beginning and end.

During this process there is no anxiety and there is no agitation. Everything happens the way they are supposed to be. Next, we should perform all actions with the thought that we are NOT the doer and that everything is done through us. When we operate as tools through which everything is getting done, then there is no attachment. We are the servant of the master, it's not the hierarchy but a service attitude. We don't own anything.

This reminds me of the quote by kahlil Gibran, 'Children are not born to you but born through you.'

We own nothing in this universe. We are here like trees, plants, bushes and animals to serve and realize that we are part of the universe. We have gained this human body with intellect to be able to pursue to the higher level of spiritual plane, Self awareness, Self realization.

Only humans are given the intellect to be able to analyze, synthesize, and to make decisions, to be able to discriminate the real from unreal and realize that we are not the body, mind or intellect (BMI) but the 'atman' that activates them.

We face challenges only when we have the 'I' and 'myness' attitude. That's an ajnani, ignorant person. We think we are this BMI, resulting in comparison, competition, fear, anger, jealousy, confusion and chaos. As human, with this body as a vehicle, we have this fantastic opportunity to realize the Truth.

When we lean on the supreme Lord and do all actions in this spirit instead of being dependent on the worldly desires, we remain unperturbed and we learn to observe ourselves as a witness of all activities, including body and mind. We learn to live in the world but do not become worldly. We can be a part of it, yet apart from it. This is just 'to be'.

Such a Realized BEING still performs all actions without any attachment or dependency whatsoever, nothing binds such a person. Such a BEING is like a lotus leaf that rises in the water, grows in the water and stays in the water, but water can never wet it, is part of the world, yet apart from it.

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