As unconventional as it sounds it is slowly making serious inroads into the mainstream fitness industry because of a wide range of health benefits it brings to its practitioners. Just imagine practicing yoga in a pool of water. What do you think the differences will be? Firstly and most importantly it reduces the risk of conventional yoga related fatigue and injuries. By practicing yoga postures in water which serves as an environment acting as a perfect shock absorbers not allowing any extra pressure to trickle down to out joints and muscles. Secondly, it allows people suffering from osteoporosis and arthritis to reap the benefits of yoga without the risk of further degeneration. Water Yoga is becoming very popular among the elderly and the overweight sections of the society. By controlling the movements and postures in water these people can attain much needed strength and lose the stubborn fat respectively. Unlike yoga done on the mat and floor, Water Yoga is a boon for pregnant women, who can do it without any risk of harm to the baby and themselves. But one needs to take care that Water Yoga needs to be performed with certain precautions which are as follows:

1. Session length: an average water yoga lesion should last for about 45-55 minutes.
2. Water temperature: too hot or too cold water is not conducive for Water Yoga. Temperatures should vary between 82-86 degrees.
3. Water Type: the water in the yoga pool should be free from chlorine and at a later stage can be saturated with extra minerals and even oxygen to promote absorption of the same.
4. Non swimmers: Non swimmers can also do water yoga under specialized supervision and to begin with, in shallow pools
5. Weekly dose of original yoga: we suggest you to do conventional floor yoga at least once a week to continue understanding and reaping the true benefits of Water Yoga as well.

But there is an ancient weapon that can help us demolish the walls dividing us all. This weapon is not of mass destruction but what we at www.comfortinstylemag.com call “The weapon of mass construction” and that is YOGA. It is only recently that yoga has entered into the personal spaces of our balconies and bedrooms, which is rather deflating to see because by bringing yoga to our personal spaces we are unable to reap the benefits of the many adjunct advantages that come associated with it. Since its inception Yoga has been a group activity promoting a spirit of togetherness. By performing yoga in a group, you too can inculcate certain values which are the moorings for a balanced future. It not only teaches you physical and mental balance but infuses in you a spirit of respect and ability to understand people around you. But most importantly by helping each other attain the perfect balance by being a part of the same space you not only influence others but also become more receptive towards seeking and receiving help from others, making you a socially more responsible person. Whether it is a complex series Asanas or a plain simple breathing exercise, by doing it together in a rhythm you learn to follow a pattern becoming harmonious people in this rhythm lost world.

Being fed by each others’ energies you can learn the essentials of team spirit thus becoming more confident individuals ready to accept new challenges everyday and working together with people to overcome them. This may sound too ambitious to a lot of people who would say “dear friend, life doesn’t run that way”. But our answer to them is “dear friends, take care of the small things, and the big ones will fall into place.”So we urge you all to take some time off of your busy schedules and take yoga out of your bedrooms to a more social plane in order to understand and absorb the true essence of the art.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source 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

Photo credits: Matt J. Olsen (www.flickr.com)

A perfect amalgamation of the age old practice of yoga, which was born inIndiaand the modern miracle developed by the German Joseph Pilates, Yogilates is a rage among the new age fitness freaks. Despite being criticized by the so called purist groups who believe in the sanctity of the two different forms of exercise Yogilates is fast emerging as the first choice fitness mantra. Now, what makes this a revolution and how is it different from Yoga and Pilates individually? Do not worry. The vast amount of data on the internet can be rather confusing. We bring it to you in a simple step by step point form. Here it goes:-

1. Yogilates comprises of the essential elements of yoga and Pilates, as the name suggest.
2. Using the posture techniques from the Yogi school and the muscle building techniques from the Pilates school it blends the two very similar activities together.
3. It borrows the aim of strengthening the core of the body i.e. the spine, abs, pelvic muscles and those of lower back without bulking them up.
4. It promotes muscle strength without compromising on the flexibility of the body, which it promotes through various yogic practices.
5. Since yoga does not pay much attention to specific muscle groups, yogilates uses various elements from Pilates to concentrate on specific muscle groups.
6. Most importantly , what allows this perfect fusion are the basic principles on which the two activities are grounded i.e. those of breathing and concentration
7. Both Pilates and yoga believe in the power of the mind to affect changes in and on the body.

Now most of you must be thinking that why did we talk about water fire and wind. Well that is because Yoga is not just an isolated entity which can come of great use without deep understanding the other pieces of the vast jigsaw puzzle.

After glancing through the basic historical context of Yoga in our previous article “Understanding yoga: Part 1” where we gave our readers a gist of the ancient texts -Sanskrit. Now it is the time to shift our attention to the second set of pointers to focus on. Imagine this set of articles as a tree, the first one being the understanding of the roots. We are gradually moving up towards the trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Keeping this analogy in mind Yoga assumes the role of the fruit which ripens if the tree is healthy.

So to begin, it becomes very critical to understand the 4 basic elements that yoga and the entire process of union is loosely arrayed around. According to Hindu mythology and its texts, the dynamics of the earth, humans and in fact the entire universe are controlled by 4 basic elements of nature namely:

*before you begin reading the list of elements we request you to try and remember the terms in their original language for better understanding. (p.s.: it is always fun to show off a couple of words from an ancient language)

1.  1. Vaayu (air): this element is generally associated with motion and dynamics. The gusts of wind help us cool down but more importantly we live because air gives us the most important aspect of our existence i.e. oxygen. The masters believed that air and wind controlled and influenced the movements of our body. From the movement of the diaphragm to the twitching of the muscles everything is said to be controlled by “ Vaayu”
2.  2. Agni (fire): now, as an element we associate fire with destruction but forget to understand that fire is the source of all life. The sun keeps us warm, our body functions at a specific temperature. Even in destruction, there is a hidden aspect of construction or rather creation. The best example is the forest fire which burns the forest only to pave way for new life that hibernates below the surface. Heat is essential for all bodily functions from digestion to excretion
3. Jal (water): needless to say one can survive without food for 3 weeks but without water one cannot last for more than three days. If you wish to know more about the magic of water you can read our article on the same titled “Simply water”. For the record our body is 70% water.
4. Prithvi (earth): all the matter in this world is constituted from this element called earth. Modern science believes that everything in this world is made up of carbon. Ancient gurus just had a different name. We arise from this earth and end up in it too. Our hair, skin and nails are all composed of this element.

These were the 4 basic elements that the entire world is centered around but there is another element which is generally not mentioned while discussing the aforementioned components as it is not as tangible as the others. Space is the supreme part as all the above mentioned elements come together to find union in space.

Keep in mind, that yoga cannot be fully understood with a petty and typical “weight loss” or “I want to remain fit” motive. The process of exploration includes many stages, one of which is the comprehension of all important parts. The ancient masters believed that the elements discussed in the article are not just around but inside of us and understanding our relationship with the outer world was not as important as understanding our relationship with ourselves. In the coming articles we will give you secret one line mantras to explore the sweetest part of Yoga.  Come back for more!

Yoga mantra: TO BEGIN KNOW YOURSELF FROM WITHIN!!!

Read “Understanding Yoga: Part 1”

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source 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

Photo  credits: PaddyMurphy ( www.flickr.com)

Today we all know that our brain sends signals all across our bodies helping to keep things running smoothly. Everything is governed in this world by active, passive or incipient energy.  From a dormant seed lying buried in its wintry bed that later becomes a towering spectacle to the severed tail of a lizard that flickers even after separation everything in this world possesses energy. The best example of a receptacle of various forms of energies is the Human body. We possess different forms of energies stored at different places in our bodies. The Indian Vedas (a set of 4 books dealing with everything human, from music to breathing to even effectively invoking and appeasing gods) term these energy centers as “CHAKRAS”. For those who do not understand the language of the Vedas, Chakras in the easiest terms could refer to the Channels or centers through which energy is dissipated and absorbed in our bodies. Every chakra is very critically positioned as it handles a set of extremely important functions in the body. Following is a list of Chakras in the body from bottom to top:

Muladhara — Base or Root Chakra (last bone in spinal cord)
Swadhisthana — Sacral Chakra (ovaries/prostate)
Manipura — Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area)
Anahata — Heart Chakra (heart area)
Vishuddha — Throat Chakra (throat and neck area)
Ajna — Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye)
Sahasrara — Crown Chakra (Top of the head; ‘Soft spot’ of a newborn)

On one hand conventional science does not consider these chakras as a part of its empirical framework and on the other doesn’t define the force that guides our emotional and spiritual sides into the world of stress and serenity. All the chakras are represented by a lotus flower with increasing number of petals in ascending order signifying the frequency at which the respective chakra functions. Hinduism’s deep rooted faith in yoga and its adjunct practices lead to the development of a theory that postulates that the human body is a microcosm of the universe and possesses two forms of energies namely Shiva i.e. the masculine and Shakti i.e. the feminine lying dormant at two different centers of the body. The ultimate goal of all Hindus is to attain or rather try and attain a unity or harmony between the two aforementioned energies. Therefore many yogic practices try and unlock the potential energy in the Shakti or “Kundalini” which lies in the last bone of the spine to move up across all the Chakras creating harmony on its way to achieving complete oneness and harmony with Shiva. The Chakras are a very sensitive and can lose balance at the least amount of stress that one endures. With modern day lifestyles wreaking havoc on our lives we seem to have no time to keep ourselves stress free. It is not possible to find solace either mentally or physically. What therefore becomes important to understand is that every Chakra works at a certain frequency or vibration rate. All clogged Chakras can be restores to full working potential by being a little vigilant. Following are some ways to open up blocked chakras thus promoting free flow of good energy in ones body:

1. Controlled breathing

2. Color therapy

3. Yoga

4. Reiki

5. Music therapy (read our article “The magic of Music“)

6. Aromatherapy

7. Reflexology 

1. Where did yoga come from?
2. What is the meaning of the word yoga?
3. Which is the text that deals with the earliest elements of yoga?
4. Which language is the text written in?
5. How old do you think is yoga as a practice?

~Terri Guillemets

If there is one word that has become an important part of the modern day dictionary, it is “option”. The 21^st century offers to us an unending list of choices. These options whether in the areas of business, sports or even something as trivial as social networking have evolved with scintillating pace over the last decade due to creative pioneers in every field. One of those fields that have been revamped by the very pioneers aforementioned is yoga.

With facebook replacing football, our priorities and affiliations have changed over the last decade. We see many young people fighting the same old battle of survival. What have changed are the magnitude and the rules of the game. Unlike our grandparents we do not have the time to sit and introspect and try and foresee life plans for the next ten years. Today’s life is a receptacle of extremes which can be seen from the fat salary packages to the even fatter hospital bills. What we have learnt is the art of managing these extremes by finding the calmer waters of yoga and meditation.

“YOGA” or “YOG” is not just an ancient Indian practice confined to the jungles of ancient India but one of the most cosmopolitan forms of workout routines which can be seen in the plush lanes of Manhattan. Contrary to popular interpretations yoga is not just a practice of body postures known as “asana” but an ideology in itself, which strives towards helping a person attain total mental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Ancient Indian gurus commonly known as “yogis” (someone who knows a lot about yoga) considered man’s journey to eternal bliss a 3 fold process. They believed that happiness had a hierarchy too with mental being at the apex followed by emotional and physical. This comes as revelation for those people who till now believed that “Yoga” or “yog” was just a physically oriented practice. But despite it spreading like wildfire to almost each and every country in the world within a very short period of time, it has started to lose its sheen. The reason for the same can be seen in the words of many young people practicing it. They often snub it as “boring”. And yes, sitting in front of an instructor badgering you with multiple instructions on how to do “surya namaskar” (greeting the sun), the right way can be physically rejuvenating but sometimes mentally tiresome. This is how a new wave of yoga called “HIP- HOP” yoga has been developed over the last 5 or 6 years. It contains all the quintessential elements of yoga as a whole but with a modern twist. This form has done away with the concept of silent absorption of instructions. On the contrary by giving yoga and its students a rhythmic structure to follow HIP-HOP yoga has eliminated the word “boring” from the yogic dictionary.

With live DJs replacing accompanying the wise old yogi to class at a nightclub at 1 Leicester square in London, HIP- HOP yoga has revolutionized the concept of yoga as a whole. Unlike its elder brother which attracted middle aged and elderly men and women, the registers of a HIP-HOP yoga center are filled with the names of young and enthusiastic dancers who leave the streets and give their talent a more definite shape. By associating a set of peppy beats with the existing values of yoga, the efficiency of the process increases. But when these two forms are combined their calorie busting powers also unite to give us some shocking results, a glimpse of which can be seen in the table below:

TYPE OF EXERCISE:                      CALORIES BURNT (PER H)

YOGA (AVG OF ALL FORMS)                         496

HIP-HOP (AVG OF ALL FORMS)                   450

HIP-HOP YOGA                                                   623

Thus this new age hybrid yoga, with a twist of modern hip-hop and the benefits of flexibility, strength, focus, expression and most importantly inner balance is nothing less than a dream car with the speed of Ferrari and the strength of an old school American muscle car. It burns calories and increases flexibility with an added element called “FUN”.

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source 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

Photo credits: aquababe on flickr.

Unfortunately unlike the author of ‘Eat Pray Love’,  many of us can’t afford to traipse across the world to Italy, India and Bali to find ourselves, so we have to look a little closer to home. Here’s a look at some Yoga Retreats around the world for wherever you may be:

Kailasam Yoga Centre in Kerala, India -”Located in the beautiful village of Kovalam, in Kerela, South India, you never have to leave the resort premises to get the yoga holiday of your dreams. designated strictly for finding inner-strength, beauty and tranquility. British-born Diana draws on her Indian and European background to teach the classical Sivananda-style of Hatha yoga. There are 2 sessions each day, and while the morning sessions are more physical – touching on asanas (posture) and flexibility – the afternoon classes are designed to be more meditative. As a Kerala physician, Diana’s partner Mohan specializes in Ayurvedic massage treatment; which is a popular option for detoxification and to learn about South India’s ancient techniques and unique approach to healing. ” – Yoga Insight

Amrit Yoga Institute in Florida, United States- “Located in Salt Springs, Florida, this center is set in the tranquil beauty of the Ocala National Forest and run by run by Yogi Amrit Desai. Yogi Desai offers weekend, week long, and special one-day yoga retreats and events scheduled throughout the year based upon the Amrit Method® of Kripalu yoga, which has it’s primary focus on the mental, meditational side of yoga but also includes physical asana practice. His retreats range in price from about $295 for a weekend to $950 for almost a week. Some single classes or seminars are even offered for free. Accommodations are available on site and included in most packages, which also include meals.” Source

Clermont La Grausse, France - “Study with the highly experienced resident yoga teacher Dagmar at Domaine de la Grausse high in the French Pyrenées. The estate features an 18th century château with extensive grounds, two large yoga studios and accommodation in two newly-renovated traditional stone barns, fully-equipped for self-catering. With yoga classes morning and evening, there is ample time in the middle of the day to visit the waterfalls and cave paintings of the Ariège valley, take a barge on the underground Labouiche River, and explore the medieval strongholds of the Cathars.” Source

Gaia Retreat & Spa, Australia -”A stay at the Gaia Retreat and Spa in Byron Bay, Australia, feels like home away from home among a utopian panorama of hills and valleys for as far as the eye can see. Whether your intention may be to lose weight, detoxify, de-stress or get fit, or maybe you just need peace and serenity to regain balance and ground you in your own space and time. Gaia provides everything you require to help you on your path. Emphasis is on the cleansing of the mind, body and soul. Sessions occur twice a day and guests at Gaia are strongly encouraged to participate as frequently as possible for optimal results. Morning sessions are based on the Vinyasa style of yoga; while afternoon sessions concentrate more on core strengthening and meditation. Personal instruction and one-on-one attention guarantees a stress-free yoga experience, appropriate for enthusiasts of all ages and levels.” Yoga Insight

Pura Vida Retreat and Spa in Costa Rica – “Pura Vida, meaning “pure life,” is 100% committed to wellness. The most popular program is its Mind-Body-Spirit sessions, which incorporate many aspects of what is offered into one peaceful, but invigorating week. You can choose to do as much or as little as you’d like, while taking full advantage of the resort right in the midst of Costa Rica’s beauty. Yoga is a central component of Pura Vida and the facility and world-class instructors are without comparison. All levels are welcome and nurtured with the objective to improve quality of life and leave the guest feeling rested and re-energized. A large selection of yoga styles are offered such as Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini and Vinyasa.” Yoga Insight

COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali – “This residential health retreat promises total commitment to your improved wellbeing. Como Shambhala uses a holistic approach, offering guests new challenges designed to inspire a lifetime devoted to better health. Retreats, led by Visiting Masters, are specialist weeks focusing on subjects such as Yoga or Pilates. Usually they involve five hours of practice daily over a five-day period. They also include Learning Seminars and appropriate therapies.” Source

NaBalam Hotel in Mexico – “The NaBalam Hotel, on Isla Mujeres, in Mexico is a host to more than 20 yoga events throughout the year. It has become one of the most popular resort choices for nurturing the body and soul. This yoga-lovers’ sanctuary, caters to everyone from the beginner to the well-practiced expert. NaBalam’s yoga programs are a combination of mentally invigorating techniques, mixed with the bonus of beautiful and detoxifying surroundings.” Source

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Bahamas - “If you really want to get away from it all and recharge your Pranic (energetic) batteries, and are serious about your yoga, then what better place to do so than on a bonafide paradise island in the Bahamas? Nassau’s Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat follows a specific pattern. You’ll rise at 6 a.m., meditate through dawn, chant until tea time and do two hours of hatha yoga before breaking for your 10 a.m. vegetarian meal. The afternoon follows a similar pattern with a session of karma yoga, where you’ll help with ashram duties (known to non-yogis as chores). Nonetheless, this is all offset by the retreat’s island paradise, complete with crystal blue waters, white sands and swaying palm trees.” Source

*Photo credits:  photos by Sami Taipale and michelledwagner on flickr

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source 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

Yoga meets the needs of a person looking for a low-impact, body toning fitness exercise that improves balance and flexibility along with, the tranquility, relaxation and balance of mind, body and spirit. Yoga will definitely help you stay fit, be more energetic, happier and peaceful in your overall life. If you’re looking for a dynamic workout sans the spirituality, then Pilates is just the thing for you. With core focus on strengthening muscles, improving posture, stabilizing and lengthening the spine, Pilates is an overall vigorous workout and fitness routine.

However to get the best of both worlds you can always combine the two with the new modern blend of the two known as “PiYo”. Pilates Yoga gives you the best of both practices – the stretch from yoga, the strength from pilates, the breathing techniques from yoga with the cardio workout from pilates and finally the relaxing tranquility from yoga meditation together forms a well rounded fitness regime unlike anything else. You can really have it all!

The two practices although different in principle, have some similarities as  creator Joseph Pilates, was somewhat influenced by the ancient yoga practice. However, his techniques adopted the purely physical aspect of yoga and the postures and exercises he developed are centered around the abdominal muscles, lower back and buttocks referred to as ‘The Powerhouse’. Pilates teaches six principles – concentration, control, centering, breathing, flow and precision. They are aimed at optimizing a full body workout without putting strain on the body itself, with the help of specialized equipment.  Whereas on the other hand, yoga aims at uniting the mind, the body and the spirit through a philosophical and spiritual focus. The physical aspect of yoga, i.e the poses, stretches and  postures are only one of the 8 parts of yoga. Combining the two is a good way of getting more out of both practices.

PiYo classes are conducted in one of two ways:

• By starting the session with pilates exercises to warm up the muscles and strengthening the core in preparation for a yoga asana practice followed by a relaxing meditation session; or
• By incorporating the pilates principles for a workout in the form of modified yoga asanas and sequences. For example, scooping the abdomen inward and out before settling into Paschimottanasana, or Seated Forward Bend.

The combination of the two practices is truly a match made in heaven, as they both compliment each other perfectly. The blend of pilates and yoga is well rounded and helps bring about a balance of body, mind and spirit which most other practices can’t achieve on their own. So, if you haven’t already your local yoga studio or gym for Pilates Yoga classes, sometimes called Piyo or Pi-yo.

*Photo credits: photos by myyogaonline, FitnessOrlando on flickr

Cy-Yo classes entail a one hour holistic cardio workout which combines the elements of yoga and cycling. It was first introduced by a fitness instructor – Curt Dalton. The ultimate aim of this fusion yoga is to focus all aspects of our being to achieve optimal physical and spiritual results. It is a known fact that cycling is an effective way to lose weight and burn calories really fast.  And it’s combination of yoga breathing and visualization techniques help with directing life force energy through the body optimally.

A class begins with 10 minutes of  yoga for energizing the muscles, warming joints and opening up the energy centers. This is followed by 40 minutes of an indoor cycling class which involves visualization techniques and breathing patterns so participants are clued in to find their stress zones. The aim of this part of exercise is to release negative energy, detoxify your body and increase higher energy fields. A class usually ends with another 10 minute yoga session and meditation to calm the body, relax and refocus the mind.  Overall, you treat your muscles right -  with a warm up before spinning and stretching afterwards.

Music is one of the significant elements of Cy-Yo classes. It is designed to speed up the heart rate and help to pedal against your negative energy replacing it with positive energy. As compared to the soothing music found in traditional yoga classes, here you will find more upbeat and energetic tempos. Typically the most popular choice are different Celtic music tunes.

Cy-Yo is a great way to increase flexibility, physical fitness and mental wellness. It is a combination of  the cleansing and static strength of yoga and the cardiovascular workout of spinning. Yoga fans  experience a harder work out to burn fat  while cyclists learn new ways of warming up and cooling down  using their mind along with attuning themselves to the energy flow within them. Cy-Yo is recommended for intermediate yoga practitioners as it is considered to be one of more advanced yoga styles which takes a certain amount of balance. It is should also be avoided by those who are trying to treat an injury through yoga.

*Image credits: photo by adifansnet on flickr