...Yoga is an ancient tradition from the Eastern world, and these oldest practitioners tended to look at yoga as a tree with six branches. What all six have in common are the asanas (the physical positions and movements), Pranayama (the structured breathing or breath control), meditation and a strong moral code.

1. Hatha Yoga

In Indian, "ha" means sun and "tha" means moon. Hatha yoga refers to these twin energy channels in the body. Its goal is to prepare the body for the more pure state of meditation to come in the 2nd branch. Hatha yoga was brought to us by an Indian yogi attempting to purify the body to make it fit for higher meditation. Western yoga is almost completely the hatha yoga branch, and Westerners find mental and physical comfort in the first branch alone.

2. Raja Yoga

Raja and hatha Yoga are highly interrelated. Raja means "royal" in Indian, and in the royal tradition, this branch of yoga has eight included branches as follows:

- niyama - self discipline - asana - positions - pranayama - breath control - pratyahara - sensory deprivation - dharana - meditation - samadhi - ecstasy

Raja yoga is oft...more

How to Get a Yoga trainer license

...e are far too many yoga training camps and correspondence programs out there that only teach their students a small portion of what it takes to start, run, and grow a successful yoga practice and as for me, if I ever decide to pursue being a full-fledged yoga teacher the whole process of obtaining a yoga trainer license for me has got to be...well: ON POINT!!!

I mean I know enough from research, practice and study to teach the essentials of Yoga, but we all know that probably won't cut it in the broader sense of the world.

None...more

Yoga: Truth about Your Health

...ly stable mind they will gain wisdom and eventually lead to freeing the soul.

But a student of yoga never forgets that health starts with the physical body. Health of the physical body is not something you would want to bargain for nor can it achieved in the form of taking medicine or health supplements. It can be earned only through effort and sweat. If a plant or a tree is healthy then the fruits yielded by it are in abundance. Likewise, if a person is healthy then great things can be achieved by him.

Practicing yogasana (various yoga postures) for achieving physical health is just the beginning, when a person is performing a simple yoga posture they will experience various levels of quest. They are, external quest tones the physical self, internal quest helps a person attain clarity of mind and gain wisdom, while i...more

How to Borrow from Yoga for Weight Loss

... familiar with burpies (the calisthenics exercise), they do derive their origin from the Sun Salutations.

Here are some of their benefits: -They alleviate disorders of the skin and waist.

-Flexibility increases and breathing is corrected, moreover, they mildly exercise the legs and arms, thus increasing the circulation.

-They are the best way to burn calories and reduce weight and are often recommended for obesity and depression.

-They are an effective way of loosening up, stretching and massaging all joints and internal organs of the body.

-They stimulate and balance all the systems of the body including the endocrine, circulatory, reproductive and digestive system.

Technique:

1. stand straight with the palms together as in a prayer position.

2. Inhale and stretch the arms above the head.

3. Exhale and bend forward while touching the toes.

4. inhale and stretch the right leg away from the body in a big backward step and kee...more