One of the many subsets of the 5000 year old system used to increase the well being of the mind, body and spirit, is known as Hatha Yoga.

In Hatha Yoga participants combine a series of stretching exercises referred to as asanas, specialized breathing techniques and mental concentration. In fact, the famous Lotus position is one of the many asanas used in Hatha Yoga.

The goal of the using Hatha Yoga, and most certainly the other forms of Yoga as well, is to fuse and blend the human spirit with the spirit of the Universe. In so doing the person practicing Yoga increases their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health along the way. It is the practice of living as one with the surrounding environment and the world as a whole.

One of the main focuses of Hatha Yoga, unlike some of the other subsets of Yoga, is that Hatha Yoga is predominately practiced to prepare the body so that the spirit can accomplish its mission. What many people don’t understand is that when there is an unhealthy and unfit body, it is very difficult for the spirit to accomplish its tasks. Therefore in Hatha Yoga the goal is to encourage the body to move toward a level of health and well-being which will then act as a launching pad for the spirit to move onto its work.

The word asanas literally means “comfortable or stable positions”. There are multiple asanas and they are practiced with two objectives in mind. One is to condition the body to enable it to hold a particular asana for an extended period of time. When the body is in this resting form the mind is able to move into a meditative state allowing the spirit to also move along its path. The second reason that asanas are used is to bring about increased physical well being, mental alertness and spiritual health. The asanas open the body up to receive, release or otherwise balance the energy inside with that of the outside Universe.

Rachel Dayer runs and operates http://www.mustask.com, a health related portal.

In most forms of Yoga there are three components to the practice; breathing, concentration and physical poses also known as asanas. The two poses below are the most common asanas used in Western Yoga practice today.

Padma-Asana: Probably the most famous and well-known pose; the Padma-asana is referred to as the Lotus Position. The root of the words to this pose mean to “bend”, and “snake”. Think of it as the maneuvering of the body into a position that requires the flexibility and smoothness of a snake.

To practice this pose, sit down and place the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh. The soles of the feet should be facing towards the sky. Next, the palms of the hands are also turned toward the sky and placed on the corresponding thigh. It is a difficult pose to retain for long periods of time if the body is not properly conditioned. It is therefore paramount to begin with short periods and work into a longer time frame.

Sirsha-Asana: The Headstand Pose. The benefits of the notorious head stand pose are to increase the physical and mental health of the person practicing it. The pose encourages balance and stability on the physical level and mental acuity on the intellectual level. Additionally, it improves blood flow throughout the body and helps to decrease tension and stress in the lower limbs.

To practice this pose, begin in a kneeling position. Lean forward to place the arms, from hands to elbows, flat on the floor, and interlock the fingers of both hands. The head should be placed between the hands, flat on the floor. Push up from the kneeling position on the tips of the toes keeping head on the floor. Slowly bring the legs into an extended, upright hand stand position, keeping the entire body aligned, straight and balanced. Special breathing techniques are also employed during this pose which enhances the overall effect of the asana.

Rachel Dayer runs and operates http://www.mustask.com, a health related portal.

Continuing the Paths of Yoga, I’m delivering to you the practical side of this mysticism that thousands of people around the world use to achieve spiritual growth, and body purification. According to yoga experts, its early practice reduces the risk of developing most of the common illnesses. And according to Yogis, masters of Yoga, its exercises can deepen your meditation.

Practicing physical yoga is not difficult, and it can be done by anybody including babies, children, teens, and adults; one just needs to perform different asanas which are defined as bodily poses. In a great scale, there are dozens of easy positions that students must learn, and there are others quite singular that need a little touch of flexibility. Also, there are a kind of prescribed asanas for each specific body constitution, so that students reduce all risk of injures.

The most popular styles of yoga are Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga, but there’re other styles of Yoga taught and practiced today.

Below is a short guide of the most common disciplines derived from Hindu Yogis. Remember, first thing to do is to ask for your physician’s advice before getting involved into any exercise activity.

Hatha Yoga:

Hatha yoga is basically the type of yoga that requires asceticism, physical and breathing techniques to reach a certain pure and spiritual level. If it’s your first time hearing the word “asceticism”, don’t worry because it is a state of abstinent, a condition we all can achieve in life. Now, the goal of Hatha Yoga is to condition the body in a way that any perfomer can reach in meditation.

Vinyasa Yoga:

Vinyasa is exactly a breath-synchronized movement in yoga which means that all poses or asanas will flow from one to another and being coordinated with breathing for a transformative and balancing effect. According to its series of postures called Sun Salutation, this style of yoga tends to be more dynamic making it popular also by its balance on awareness and alignment, as for strength and flexibility.

Ashtanga Yoga:

Ashtanga, which means “8 limbs” in Sanskrit, is a rhythmically fast, intense set of yoga practice always performed in the same order.Ashtanga Yoga is physically demanding and it is meant for people seeking body strength, flexibility and workout including challenging series of postures with Ujjayi Breathing and vinyasas. In yoga terminology, this is called “flow”.

This process leads to an intense internal heat and a prolific sweat that purifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.

Iyengar Yoga:

Iyengar Yoga focuses on alignment. In yoga, alignment describes the correct way in which the body should be stationed in order to obtain the maximum benefits of the pose. Iyengar Yoga works like this: Performers hold a posture for a longer time than the other Yogas, and repeat it several times. Its practice builds strong legs, and improves circulation, coordination and balance.

It is this discipline that pioneered the use of “Props” such as yoga blankets, cushions, belts, and benches used to bring the body into alignment and to provide support and diminish the risk of injures.

Kundalini Yoga:

This type of yoga uses a system of meditative techniques and movements related to the concept of intensified life-energy-pranotthana-. Typically, Kundalini Yoga teachers use fast-paced and repetitive movements often coordinated with in-calls and response chanting.

The emphasis in Kundalini is on the breath in conjunction with physical movements which also gives special consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system due to the freeing of energy in the lower body and allowing it to move upwards.

Bikram Yoga:

Known as “Hot Yoga”, this discipline is designed for a sequence of 26 asana yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises that are performed in a heated room between 95 – 100 degrees Fahrenheit (35 – 40 degrees Celsius).

As I have seen, this type of yoga demands the repetition and holding of each posture for a certain time accompanied by the “breath of fire” to warm and stretch muscles whilst oxygenating each organ an fiber for a healthy temple (body).

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The great sage Patanjali in his work Yogasutra codified all yogic knowledge and practices which prevailed in ancient India in the form of aphorisms. He defined Yoga in a simple way as – controlling of thoughts arising in the mind(I.2). The nature or work of mind is to think or desire always. As waves are generated along the seashore, so thoughts are generated in the mind incessantly. In order to fulfill these desires man acts relentlessly. When thoughts are controlled or prevented, the outwardly moving mind turns inwards. The sphere of the activities of mind contracts and mind comes to the center. At the center of mind lies the true self or soul(atman).

True self or soul is the source of life and consciousness in all living beings. In fact soul, life and consciousness are one and the same and constitute the only truth in the whole universe. The Upanishads which contain the spiritual cream of Indian Philosophy, describe that soul(atman) is Brahman, the ultimate Reality. World is not different from being, being is not different from Atman and Atman is not different from Brahman.

When thoughts in the mind are controlled, Yogasutra describes – the the seer rests in his true self(I.3). When all thoughts cease to exist, mind becomes pure conscious. As water is purified through filtration, so mind is purified by controlling thoughts. The pure conscious mind is the true self of a being. So through the practice of Yoga one regains one’s true self and nothing else.

Everything has a true self or true nature. The nature of sugar is to give sweetness, the nature of water is to give coolness and the nature of fire is to give heat. When a piece of gold is purified bu burning, it does not change over to any other thing, but becomes pure gold. Only a pure gold is appreciated and is more valuable. Similarly when the mind attains purity, it does not change over to any other thing or merge with something. When mind is pure conscious, it is pure bliss. The real nature of a being is its blissful state. In order to achieve this blissful state people of all religions wander here and there in search of God.

Religious people concieve of a God who is a divine being residing in heaven. This concept and imagination is only the reflection of true self. Heaven is the heart of a being and God is the true self. It is the true self or soul that impells an individual to seek for God. After long searches here and there, one returns to one’s true self and realises Gog within.

So the aim of Yoga is to realise this true self or God. Such a God is only real and existent. He gives life and consciousness to all beings. All worlds, all beings and all souls are one and the same. This is the ultimate Truth or Reality.

The author Premansu Chand is an Indian who practices Patanjali Yoga in its purest form. He has published his first book “Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way” recently. More information relating to spiritualism and yoga can be received from this book.

Many people feel that there is a limited amount of abundance, wealth, or chances to succeed in life. Furthermore, there is a solid belief that if one person succeeds, another must fail.

This might be true, in some cases, such as in a small company or school, where opportunity is limited by management. However, the world is a big place, and there are opportunities created from ideas that help people, and no one gets hurt in the process.

Below are two examples of success that have not taken anything away from anyone:

Danny Thomas: With his promise, prayers, and vision, for St. Jude’s Hospital, he received the help of friends in the Arab-American community to build a fantastic charity. Some of us also believe he received divine help – I know, I do.

There is much more to this story, but what did this hospital or charity take away from anyone? Aren’t the children who recover from cancer living proof that this idea, and prosperity, is for the pure benefit of mankind? There is no one who is hurt by this, and Marlo Thomas has picked up where her father left off.

Yoga teachers: Many unfulfilled members of the workforce have left their jobs to teach the benefits of Yoga to the masses. They teach their students to enjoy life, deal with stress, breathe properly, improve their posture, become aware of their bodies, and many more benefits.

Most Yoga teachers believe that all of the great Yoga jobs are in health clubs, ashrams, and Yoga studios. Not so, in my book “How to Grow Your Own Successful Yoga Business,” I mention 16 ways to start up with little or no overhead.

Within the first chapter, there are Yoga teaching opportunities that currently exist with little, or no, competition. Yoga teachers who have taken this advice have become successful and prosperous.

Do these jobs take food away from anyone? When someone starts a business, do they take food away from another competitor? If you believe your competition is your problem, it will be. This is limited thinking, and you have to learn to think “outside the box,” in order to be successful in life.

Don’t waste time on bad thoughts. You can easily co-exist in harmony with them, become friends, and learn from them. There is enough opportunity for everyone. This should be your mantra: Observe your competition, learn from their mistakes, and when possible, copy their success.

This is why you need to take a mandatory vacation and get fresh ideas. This is why you should take a notebook with you. I still prefer the “old fashioned,” spiral bound notebook, with a pen in hand.

Everyone has a niche, make sure you cultivate yours, and develop your own identity, in life. Always remember, the sky is the limit, and you are only restrained by your own thoughts.

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? – for Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html