Prenatal Yoga Poses to Ease Your Pregnancy and Help Childbirth

Yoga Poses For A Mommy-To-Be

We’ve seen in our previous posts “The Health Benefits of Yoga” and “Yoga for Kids” how Yoga can be beneficial for people of all ages and going through different aspects of life. Similarly, yoga is great for expectant mothers to ease any pregnancy discomforts like lower back ache, improves circulation and helps women to keep limber and work those muscles that are otherwise hard to exercise when pregnant. The breathing exercises in yoga also come in handy when faced with the physical demands of labor and help stay calm during the process.

It is however, important to discuss with your yoga teacher your pregnancy so they can better guide you about the type of yoga best practiced by you.  Usually in the first trimester  low impact forms of exercise and poses are taught to you, not causing any strain to the abdomen region. Women who experience morning sickness in this trimester may be advised to just take it easy and skip out any yoga till the sickness passes, which is usually by the second trimester. The second trimester is the best time to start prenatal yoga as your belly would have just begun to grow, but not big enough to hamper your ability to move freely. It will also make you more physically comfortable in the months to come when the belly grows. In the third trimester, you may not be as flexible as you’d like and movement becomes a lot more cumbersome, but a good time for some easy hip opening poses that will assist when the birthing time comes.

Here are some easy prenatal yoga poses for even beginners to practice in their second and thrid trimesters  (with the guidance of a yoga practitioner)-

Virabhadrasana (Warrior II Pose)

• Starting with your legs wides apart arms stretched out, turn your right foot to the right, keeping your hips and arm facing straight ahead.
• Start bending the right knee till your thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Keeping the shoulders directly inline with the hips, look over your right hand, reaching out with the fingertips of both hands.
• Repeat on the left side.

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

• From the Warrior II position, streghten out the bent knee.
• Stretch  your right hand and reach down onto your shin, ankle or use a block if it’s more comfortable, placing it outside the right foot.
• Keep the knees straight, thighs pulled up reach up towards the ceiling with your left hand making sure both shoulders are in line with each other.
• Open up your chest as you look towards your extended hand.
• Repeat on the other side.

Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)

• From the trainagle pose (trikonasana), bend the right knee and bring the left leg closer.
• Then straightening your right knee again bring up your left leg straight by pushing it off the floor.
• The left leg should be parallel to the ground and the hips facing forward.
• Open up your chest and look up towards your left hand.
• Repeat on the other side.

Other good poses during pregnancy include Vrksasana (Tree pose). adho mukha svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog), Cat – Cow Stretch and baddha konasana (Cobbler’s or Tailor’s pose).

*Photo Credits: photos by lululemon athletica, massdistraction, YoGeek Mami, tarnalberry on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Engaging The Heart, Mind and Body Of Young Ones Through Yoga

Yoga For Kids

We’ve all heard of the benefits of Yoga for adults, for people with back problems, high blood pressure, respiratory problems, cancer patients in recovery and moms to be, but did you know that children who are thought yoga at a young age reap a host of benefits too?

Just like for adults, Yoga helps kids find balance in their lives, enabling them to cope with situations better. It’s a great tool for channeling  kids energy and teaches them to be more relaxed and calm. Yoga for kids promotes the philosophy that active bodies support healthy, active minds. It also develop better body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination early on which they will carry with them through life. Plus, one of best influences that yoga has on children is it teaches them to handle stress and conflicts as well as to deal with emotions in a positive manner.

Yoga has also been shown to help children with ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, anxiety and other behavior disorders. Yoga poses that instill calm, confidence and balance help them channel their impulses that crave a stimulus. Yoga is thought to kids through visualization of the poses, like for example in the mountain pose with their feet firmly on the ground and heads raised to the sky, they imagine themselves strong as a mountain or in the tree pose imaging themselves tall, trying to reach the sky with their branches. This helps kids build focus, release physical and emotional energy and improve physical fitness. Relaxation is another aspect of yoga beneficial for children to relieve stress. How much stress can a child have to relieve you may ask? But, believe it or not quite a bit. Many kids go through their parents separation or divorce, the pressure of school work, competition and even just fitting in socially can cause quite a bit of stress. Yoga breathing exercises help them stay centered and calmer through these difficult situations and times.

Yoga sessions for children include lot of storytelling and mental imagery to develop the imagination. Social emotional games played during yoga classes help as counseling tools to develop trust, compassion, communication, teamwork and leadership skills. As yoga teaches us through it’s practices to activate the present by coming to a stillness, kids tend to open up a lot more when they achieve this stillness. It is then the best time for them to open up their hearts and cultivate their own compassion and sensitivity to emotions, for us parents it is to learn about the inherent goodness in our children, to cultivate, nurture, protect and develop that goodness.

For this and more, Yoga is a great way for engaging the heart, mind and body of young ones!

*Photo credits: Photos by Axel Bührmann, Scott Ableman on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

2010- A New Year…A New Chapter- How to Start it Right

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
…………………….. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

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Every New Year brings with it, a new beginning fresh with hope and promise for the future. Just as when we were children, each school year was a chance to start all over, the New Year brings the same opportunity to All. A chance at making your own future, better and brighter!

The age old tradition of making New Year’s resolutions is testament to the hope New Year’s brings of change. “Out with the Old and In with the New” is the mantra we chant…but do we practice? We all start of New years full of enthusiasm and excitement, when the fireworks die down and the celebrations fade all we’re are left with are the blank pages of a year to come and an opportunity to fill it. Just like any book, the first Chapter is what engages us to keep reading and the start of our year is what sets the tone for the rest of the year. So, why not start off the new year right with a positive boast that’ll give your life direction? Don’t know where to begin?

Here’s a few practical and not ‘easier said than done’ steps to staring off the New Year with the right kind of ‘BANG!’

• Reflect. This step is crucial to identify what your looking for in the new year. Reflect on the past year to see what went well for you, so you can continue that and the area you need to work on to change or simply improve. Look at all aspects of your life from your love life, career, family life, health to financial standing, social life and so on to truly see what change you’d like to bring for the new year.
• Let go. Say goodbye to anything negative you’ve been holding in the past year. Grudges, bad feelings, unresolved issues and negativity needs to make way for the good. Forgive those who have wronged you or let go and move forward.
• Goals. A little planning goes a long way especially when it comes to life. Many may disagree and say Life constantly changes and it’s best to take it as it comes. But, the happiest people are the ones who direct their life in the direction they want. Take charge of your own life instead of drifting through it without that sense of accomplishment. Decide what will make You happy in each aspect of your life and work towards it!
• Chapter-by-Chapter. Don’t make resolutions for the whole Year all at once. Work at it chapter-by-chapter, maybe month-by-month or week by week whatever works best for you. Try setting a few goals to achieve or to focus on for a month. If you do good, continue at it while taking on something new. It can be anything from eating healthier and taking up Yoga to starting a budget or volunteering to help out at an old folks home weekly. Whatever you choose, the point is not only to accomplish them, but also to keep at it.
• Live. Lastly, in the rush of things, don’t forget to Live, Laugh and Enjoy Life! Enjoy and appreciate the people in your life, the simple things that make you smile and moments that make it worth it!

Here’s Wishing you A Happy New Year and a Better, Brighter and Fuller Future!
~ From everyone at Comfort In Style Magazine and Yogacara

* Photo credits: Photos by zzilch, Optical illusion, robotography on flickr

The Importance of Meditation in Yoga and Our Lives

Yoga Meditation: The Key to Reducing Stress, Relaxation and Self-realization

Odds, are you already know about the calming and relaxing effects of meditation, but there’s so much more to yoga meditation than just sitting in silence. Meditation or Dhyana is one of The 8 Steps/Limbs of Yoga. In fact most of the other steps including Asanas (Yoga postures and exercises), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses) and Dharana (concentration) assist in strengthening and preparing the body & mind for meditation which in turn brings harmony to the mind, the body and the spirit leading to Samadhi or Enlightenment. The true practice of Yoga as a path to enlightenment puts a lot of importance to Meditation.

What Is Meditation?
The mention of meditation even in this modern day and age conjures up images of white bearded men, sitting upon a rock high up in the mountains, humming “om”/ “aum”. This misconception of meditation is only for spiritual folk is what has kept us from reaping it’s umpteen benefits.

Meditation is anything that brings us to the present and keeps us there. It is a deep connection with time and a heightened awareness of yourself in conjunction with everything around you. In the rush of things it’s easy to get overloaded and miss out on the most important part of life – the joy it can bring. We need to slow down and dig deep to find those sweet moments of inner calm and clarity. Meditation is just that. Through slowing down and controlling the mind, Meditation increases consciousness of not just our surroundings and what’s happening around us but more importantly it creates an awareness of our inner selves.

‘You do not need to leave your room.
Remain sitting at your table and listen.
Do not even listen, simply wait.
Do not even wait, be quiet, still and solitary.
The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked.
It has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.’
~ Franz Kafka

The Principles of Meditation

• Focus – In order to focus on the present, it’s important to learn how to concentrate. This can be achieved by focusing on an object or a word or even your breathing.
• Quieting the mind- Remaining focused on a single object or thought can be hard.  The mind will wonder and you’ll be distracted from your object of concentration with other thoughts. Meditation however, teaches you  not to suppress these but let them pass returning your attention to the object of focus. With time and practice the mind learns to tune out these distractions and the sole focus remains on the object.
• Control- In meditation you can tap into the flow of Prana (life force) through breathing to increase, decrease or focus your energy.
• Senses- Meditation involves control of all your senses of sight, sound, smell and feel to bring you to  the NOW.

While simple practice of meditation may not be the answer to all life’s questions, it is efficient and effective technique that helps us control our mind and relax our bodies. It provides the simplicity like stopping to smell and appreciate the flowers in an otherwise crowded and busy place called life. If practiced regularly and adopted as a lifestyle meditation can lead to deeper self-knowledge, heightened consciousness of people and creatures around us and Spiritual fulfillment.

*Photo credits: Photos by h.koppdelaney, Gurumustuk Singh, myyogaonline, richardmasoner on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, comfort clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Surya Namaskar: The 12 Step Sun Salutation Yoga Sequence

A Well Rounded Yoga Exercise Sequence

Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutation is a 12 step sequence of Hatha Yoga Asanas often performed as a warm up exercise before a Yoga session. Each of the 12 poses performed in a rhythmic sequence brings a different vertebral movement to the spinal column. The positions are tuned to the inhalation or exhalation of each breath and improves circulation, stretches the body making it limber and also strengthens it. A full round of Surya namaskara consists of two sets of the twelve poses starting alternating with starting the starting leg through the series. In some sessions, 12 Surya Namaskaras are performed at one practice. However, if you’re new to Yoga and just starting the practice for the first time, it is generally started with 3 to 6 Namaskaras per day and gradually increased to 12 Namaskaras.

Here’s a Step by Step on How to do Surya Namaskar: all you need is a Yoga Mat and you are good to go:

Step 1: Pranamasana (prayer pose)- Stand erect with your chest out, feet together, knees pulled up and thighs tight like in Tadasana. Bring your hands forward, in front of your chest as if in prayer, elbows straight and not drooping.

Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana (raised arms pose)- On inhale, stretch your arms up over your head, palms still together. Then arching back as far as you can go, stretch with your arms apart for next pose.

Step 3: Uttanasana (standing forward bend pose)- While exhaling, swing down from the hips keeping your upper body and torso straight.Without bending the knees place your hands on either sides of your feet flat on the mat, head as close to your knees as possible.

Step 4: Aekpaadprasarnaasana (equestrian pose)- Inhale bring the right foot to the back of the mat on the toes like a lunge. Using your finger tips for support and the left leg at a right angle start bending the extended leg at the knee towards the floor and look up.

Step 5: Dandasana (plank pose) - Retain your breath and extend your left leg back on your toes side by side your right without moving the position of your hands and leg at all. Palms flat on the mat, keep your spine straight and elbows locked. Do not let your head or hips drop. It should look like you are about to do a push up.

Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with 8 limbs pose)- Exhale, bending your elbows towards your body and going down as low as you can at the shoulders while keeping the rest of your body perfectly stiff exactly like a push up. Once down near the floor, bend and drop your knees, chest and forehead to the ground lightly touching in that order. Your hips and pelvic should still be raised. Eight points should be touching the floor in this step- forehead, chest, and two palms, both knees and both feet.

Step 7: Bhujangasana (cobra pose)- Inhale, while swinging your body forwards, straightening your arms, stretching your shoulders upwards and lowering your hips down to the ground. Lift your chest upward and arch your back and look up towards the ceiling.

Step 8: Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose)- Exhale and without moving your hands and feet, tuck your toes and raise your hips and backside up. Elongate the spine and straighten the knees, spreading the fingers evenly push down from your forearms and try to put your heels down to the ground pushing back the thighs. Let your head hang and try lowering your shoulder blades to broaden the collarbone.

Step 9: Aekpaadprasarnaasana (equestrian pose) - Lunge forward while inhaling and bring your right leg in between your hands repeating the position in Step: 4

Step 10: Uttanasana (standing forward bend pose)- On exhale, bring the left foot forward next to the right and forward bend into Uttanasana (Step:3).

Step 11: Hasta Uttanasana (raised arms pose)- Straighten the back and raise your arms above your head, palms joined and repeat Step:2

Step 12: Pranamasana (prayer pose)- Lower your hands in down to your chest as in Step:1.

* Photo credits: Photos by Joseph RENGER on Wikimedia commons & tarnalberry on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, comfort clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

5 Yoga Asanas (Poses) For a Toned Stomach

Yoga for your Abs

Most people will tell you their problem areas when it comes to fat is their stomach or abs. If asked about the one area they wished to improve their body, they would like nothing more than to have a flat tummy or better still abs of steel (aka a six pack). Exercises targeted at toning and building abdominal muscles, usually take a long time to show results and require you to perform the same move repeatedly to achieve that lean middle. Abs exercises like abdominal crunches or sit-ups may strengthen the front of your abs, but they do little for the rest of your body. In fact, they can actually lead to a flattening of the lumbar curve, creating a weakened spinal structure. The cost of being a six-pack junkie can be quite high considering your flexibility and freedom of movement is in jeopardy with the wrong exercises.

Instead of obsessing about fat on our tummies and aiming for rock hard bellies, we’d do better to focus on strengthening our torso which is key support to our lumbar spine. Considered it’s the core of our body support, the abdominal muscles assist breathing. They also hold and protect the organs of digestion in our body and are crucial for body alignment. Through Yoga Poses and breathing exercises you can develop the perfect balance of abdominal strength, get a toned stomach over time and best of all will help find your center, which improves balance.

Here are 5 Yoga poses to Strengthen and Tone (but not tense) your Abs:

Navasana (Boat Pose)

• Start from a seated position with your legs together stretched out straight in front of you, knees pulled up, thighs tight and toes pointed up towards the ceiling .
• Keeping your your feet together slowly bring your legs straight up to a 45 degree angle while inhaling without bending your knees.
• Without letting the spine collapse, but leaning back naturally as your legs are raised, your body should take a “V” shape.
• Raise your arms stretched out in front of you till shoulder level.
• Balance the entire weight of your body the sit bones. Hold the pose for a count of 8 and then slowly release your arms and legs down while exhaling.
• Beginner Tip: For a half boat pose bend your knees with the calves parallel the the floor.

Trikonasna (Triangle Pose)

• Start with your legs 4 feet apart. Heel and toes inline. Both arms raised to shoulder level, palms facing down.
• Now tun your right foot to the right, keeping your hips facing straight (put your hands on your hips and straighten them if needed).  Make sure your knees are pulled up straight and thighs are tight to deepen your hip crease.
• Palm upwards, raise your right hand above your head touching your ear while keeping your left hand in line with your shoulder and start stretching down with your right hand towards your right foot, while exhaling.
• Reach down to your shin, ankle or onto the floor inside or outside the right foot, whichever is comfortable for you.
• Ensure your shoulders are in line with each other, as you open your chest and look up toward your left hand fingertips.
• Repeat on the left side.
• Beginner Tip: If you cannot reach the floor without bending the knees, use a yoga block on the floor to rest your hand.

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

• Start by sitting on your heels with your knees close together and your calves parallel with each other.
• Come up onto your knees. Use a blanket under your knees for padding if you would like.
• Keeping your hands on your hips start looking up all the while stretching your torso and leaning back, opening your chest.
• Slowly release your hands one hand at a time and grasp your heels.
• Pull your hips forward, arching your back so that they are inline with your knees and not falling behind.
• Drop your head backward, opening your throat. You should feel your chest and abdomen muscles stretching and keep the weight on your arms.
• Beginner Tip: use blocks on either side of your heels if you can’t reach.

Bitilasana – Marjaryasana (Cat – Cow Stretch)

• Start on all fours, with your spine straight keeping the neck, shoulders and hips in line.
• While inhaling, curl your toes under the heels and starting from your tailbone to the neck gradually drop your belly and look up towards the ceiling. This is known as Bitilasana or Cat pose
• Hold the pose for 5 seconds.
• On the exhale, release your the tops of your feet to the floor. Drop your head and round the spine.
• Look at your navel and hold for 5 second. This is Marjaryasana or the cow pose.
• Repeat the Cat – Cow Stretch on each inhale and exhale for 5-10 breaths and then return to neutral straight spine position.
• These poses performed in succession at the start of a yoga session  like a rhythmic sequence increases spinal flexibility and abdominal strength.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)- Plank Pose

• From a position of all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees in line with your hips. Curl your toes under and lift your backside towards the ceiling.
• Elongate the spine and straighten the knees, spreading the fingers evenly and pushing down from your forearms.
• Let your head hand and try lowering your shoulder blades and broaden the collarbone.
• Pay attention to stretching the thighs and arms but using the abdominal muscles to keep the weight off them look towards your feet making this a resting pose.
• Try lowering your heels to the floor as much as you can.
• From the downward facing dog, lower your torso until your shoulders are inline with your wrists and your body is in a straight line.
• Lift your head in line with the spine and without letting the chest sink push back with the heels. The weight of your body comes on your arms. This is the Plank pose
• Move back and forth between the downward facing dog and plank pose without changing the distance between your feet and hands to strengthen the spine and abdominal muscles.

*Photo Credits: photos by D Sharon Pruitt (Pink Sherbet Photography), myyogaonline, apolaine, tarnalberry on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, comfort clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

A Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Props

The Use of Props in Yoga

It’s your first yoga class and you’re dressed in the perfect yoga apparel- a trendy yoga inspired t-shirt and comfortable stretchy workout pants. Dressed to stretch, you’re ready to start! While the rest of the class effortlessly bends down to the first asana (yoga pose) of the day, but the easy looking posture proves a lot harder than it seems and you discover that you are about as flexible as a carrot stick. No matter how hard you try it’s hard to get yoga posture perfect the first, second or even third time around. That’s where yoga props come handy..

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Yoga gear and yoga props like – a yoga mat, yoga strap, yoga blocks, yoga wedges or yoga bolsters are not fluff pieces or even a crutch to real yoga. Yoga Guru B.K.S. Iyengar first noticed that due to everyone’s unique body many yoga students weren’t achieving proper body alignment in each posture of Hatha Yoga. He acknowledged the physical limitations people had differed from person to person and one may find certain yoga poses easier than others. A new form of yoga was started by him with the use of certain props to provide the necessary boost to get the body into the right position, making poses more accessible to everyone. Props allow you to completely surrender to the pose and help better your body’s alignment so that you can hold the position longer. It also builds strength and allows yoga students to get a feel of the correct alignment so they can memorize it and attempt to try it without the prop. Contrary to popular belief, props are not only for beginners, but can be used by yoga students of all levels of experience to better their yoga form.

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Here’s a guide to some yoga gear and accessories that will help you get the most from your yoga exercises:

Yoga Mat: Most people know about and recognize yoga mat when they see one. An essential piece of yoga gear, yoga mats also known as sticky mats are the perfect surface for practicing yoga poses as it keeps your feet, hands and elbows from slipping. They also provides some padding for shock absorbency and enough to keep your knees and elbows protected from getting bruised on hard surfaces.

Yoga Blocks: These are essentially lightweight bricks made of materials like foam, cork, wood or even bamboo that can support an adults entire body weight. The foam blocks compress slightly when pressed making them preferable as they are comfortable in poses for which a hard block might otherwise dig in. Yoga blocks enable people to reach poses using the various heights of the block (usually 9 inches long by 6 inches wide or 3/4 inches high), they offer stability and help with posture. Using blocks under your hands or arms for certain poses lifts you higher off the ground, allowing you to execute the posture correctly without your hands touching the ground.

Yoga straps/ Yoga belts: One of the most useful props for beginners yoga straps are simple cloth, cotton or nylon straps with a clasp or buckle that loops the strap securely like a belt. Ranging in length from 6 to 9 feet, they are the most versatile yoga prop and can be used in a variety of ways and for a number of poses. Yoga straps or belts supply extra support, make stretching easier and help with proper alignment. A strap can be used as a connection from one hand to another or between a foot and hand to increase flexibility in order to reach and hold the pose that requires a little extra length.

Yoga bolsters: These are cylindrical, rectangular or round shaped firm cushions to provide support for postures. Especially used for meditation, rest and prenatal yoga postures bolsters provide effective support for difficult positions placed under the belly, back, hamstrings or chest.

Using props in yoga is a smart way of learning the correct postures and poses. They are not only beginners tools of yoga but can help anyone on those less limber days without compromising form or technique. So what are you waiting for? Get some yoga props for practice and perfect that form!

*Photo Credits: photos by apolaine, hint of plum, rachel a. k. on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

The Health Benefits of Yoga

Lead a Healthier Lifestyle by Practicing Yoga Daily

Everyone knows physical benefits of regularly practicing yoga, the increase in flexibility, improvement in muscle tone and strength as well as overall better posture. But, this 5,000 year old practice  is more than just a trendy workout as it has been called. Its millions of followers are enjoying a host of health benefits. The balance Yoga brings the mind, body and spirit through body poses, controlled breathing and more importantly meditation is associated with a number of health benefits which are medically and scientifically recognized the world over.

Here’s a look at some of the Health Benefits associated with Yoga:

Circulation
Through the practice of yoga poses along with breathing exercises, Yoga improves blood circulation. By improving circulation, nutrients and oxygen are better transported throughout your body resulting in healthier organs, skin and brain.

Respiratory System
Like the circulatory system, a lower respiratory rate indicates that the lungs are working more efficiently. Yoga helps decrease the respiratory rate through a combination of controlled breathing exercises and better fitness. By learning how to control breathing during exercise, it maximizes the absorption of oxygen-rich air for your body which in turn helps reduce respiratory related health problems like asthma, bronchitis and clear the nasal passage and sinuses.

Relieves Stress
Stress is an increasing health issue nowadays. Stress causes your muscles to tense, the heart beat faster, a change in breathing patterns and the secretion of more hormones that increasing blood sugar levels as well as raising blood pressure. The concentration required during yoga practice tends to focus your attention on the matter at hand, thereby reducing the emphasis you may have been putting on the stress in your life. Consistent yoga practice decreases blood pressure through better circulation and oxygenation of the body.

Heart Disease
Several trials have found that yoga can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, resting heart rates and help slow the progression of atherosclerosis—all risk factors for heart disease. A combination of lowering heart rate and improving oxygenation to the body, both these benefits of yoga help in reducing the risk of heart diseases.

Cancer
Research has shown that patients fighting or recovering from cancer who do yoga benefit from a number of advantages. The results of a study in which women with metastatic breast cancer, attended eight weekly yoga sessions and the doctors found that the women had much less pain and felt more energetic and relaxed than others who hadn’t done any yoga. Cancer patients who practice yoga are said to gain strength, raise red blood cells, experience less nausea during chemotherapy and have a better overall well-being.

Back Pain and Arthritis
Yoga involves doing yoga poses in a slow, deliberate manner. It helps reduce spinal compression and improves the overall body alignment which reduce back pain. However, if the poses are incorrectly practiced it can make back pain worse. During a pose gentle pressure exerted on the joints which is an excellent form of exercise to relieve arthritis symptoms. Yoga physically helps loosen all the bodies muscles and therapeutic to the joints.

Menopause
Studies have shown that women who took yoga classes which use props to support the postures, reported a 30 percent decrease in hot flashes, one of the side effects of menopause. Women who took Yoga classes for longer plus reported less physical and sexual discomfort as well as reduced stress and anxiety.

Apart from these health benefits that yoga has shown to help, there are other emotional perks to be gained from a consistent yoga practice as yoga aims at achieving a balance between ones body and mind. Yoga elevates overall mood and well being of a person and is said to help battle depression and anxiety. It is also said to improve concentration, memory and through meditation techniques makes a person more calm and composed with a positive outlook on life.

*Photo credits: Photos by Mahesh Khanna, pikimota, Andreas D., Dave77459 on flickr

For  special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Master The Art of Giving This Holiday Season

The True Spirit of the Holidays lies in Giving.

The holiday season is once again upon us, bringing  lots of  joy, highlighted by the fellowship of our family and friends and the spirit of generosity. But, in today’s world it’s easy to lose the true spirit of the season, often masked in material things. So much of the true essence of both Thanksgiving and Christmas is lost these days that we’ve changed even the greetings to “Happy Turkey Day” and “Merry X’mas”. Underneath all the shiny new toys, luxurious gifts, brand new clothes, holiday decorations and decedent food we’ve forgotten the real way of celebrating the days that were marked special for a reason. We’ve stopped celebrating from the bottom of our hearts.

This holiday season presents a wonderful opportunity for us to move deeper into the loving nature of our own higher consciousness. It’s time to be the change we want to see in the World and there’s no better way to start than by GIVING.

There is an art of giving that we must learn. It’s more than putting a few coins in a cup and walking away. It’s not just giving a part of what we have in surplus. It’s more than the smug satisfaction that someone saw us donate to a cause or giving with the hope to get something in return. This type of giving is not a sign of a big heart. The art of giving goes a little further.

The real spirit of generosity and giving lies in giving not material riches or even what we have, but in giving of ourselves in entirety and more. More? you may ask. Yes. In giving another your love, attention or time, confidence or hope, compliment or good wish, you will receive much more of the same in return. If by giving you feel lighter and happier, it’s a sign of giving from abundance. When you truly give with the right intentions, the more you give the more you should feel you have gained. You should feel pleasure in the act of giving itself.

Winston Chruchill rightly said: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

A great form of holiday giving is to see the goodness in another and to recognize, acknowledge and reflect this goodness back to another. In the spirit of  the holidays this year, overcome the material giving and embrace the spirit of the light rising with the dawning of a loving consciousness that is truly unlimited. Unlimited in Giving. Unlimited with Love.

* Photo credits: photo by juliecampbell on flickr