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Yoga is an ancient practice that brings union or harmony in mind, body and soul. Most of the people think yoga is all about that complicated asana that makes you flexible but it is more like a spiritual practice that going to improve your whole persona in the terms of physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. In yoga, there are many hand gestures or mudras done while doing pranayama and meditation that guides the energy flows to the various parts of the brain. These mudras stimulate different

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Flexibility is one of the key benefits of practicing yoga. As we age our body starts losing its flexibility and improper posture, stress and sedentary lifestyle added more to it. If you are someone who is looking to increase your flexibility then you don’t have to look further apart from the yoga. Gaining flexibility has a huge benefit as it improves joint health, provides a greater range of movement and prevents back pain and other bodies ache. Although there is a huge misconception about yoga

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Easy Relaxation--Respiration

The practice of respiration is taken for granted by us.The process of respiration can be converted by us into a relaxation practice.


Be aware of the breathing process.Cool air going in through the nostrils during inhalation and warm air being eliminated through the nostrils during exhalation.

 

Now become aware of the oxygen and prana being inhaled by the lungs during inhalation and be aware of the carbon dioxide and toxins being eliminated during exhalation.Concentrate on this process.


Now become a

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Easy Relaxation-Breath Visualisation

People who wish to relax but find it hard will be able to do this simple practice.Keep spine straight.Visualise the breath going in and out of the left nostril.Follow it and count the breath.Now visualise the breath going in and out of the right nostril.Follow it and count the breath.This simple practice balances your breathing in both nostrils.It is relaxing and can be done by anyone,anywhere.
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Easy Relaxation--Breath Awareness

In order to relax the first practice to be done is Breath Awareness.1.Become aware of your breath.Breathe in and out comfortably without strain.No effort is to be made.Be aware of the breath flowing in and out of the nostrils.With each inhalation be aware of the prana and oxygen in each breath.Be aware of the exhalation with toxins and carbon-dioxide.2.This simple practice done for 10 minutes will relax and calm you.If you can count your breath and practice 54 rounds it is even better.The reason
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Chidakasha Dharana --practice for children

Chidkasha Dharana is a great practice to teach children to think creatively.They are very receptive to instructions which they will enjoy following.1.Ask them to close their eyes and gaze at the space in front.The chidakasha explanation must be kept as simple as possible.2.Tell them to visualise different colours and let them play with the colours.3.Now ask them to think of any other object or creature.4.Ask them to gaze at it and then go back to the colours.5.Now after ten minutes, ask them to
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Anger as a result of meditataion

OM

I had an interesting question today, so I thought I'd share the answer:

Ques: twice after meditation I found myself very angry and Itried to express it in a safe way but did bite my husband's head off. Any thoughts on the matter. (from Judy in New Zealand)

S.S. ans:
Yes, I do have very definite thoughts on the matter.Anger seems to be a VERY common reaction to meditation. People are usually confused by it, as you expect medtation to make you more peaceful and hence, less angry.
Meditation works t
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Relationships and Cooperation between Chakras

OM

I'm working on a chapter for my book that looks at how the chakras inter-relate and work with each other. Actually, the independent actions and particular characteristics of the various chakras can only be separated intellectually. The function of each chakra intricately blends with the workings of the others.

Tounderstanding the working of each chakra, it is important for you to see the bigger picture. In addition to taking in energy and acting as a transmitter for your thoughts and feelings,
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Santosha - Contentment

OM


I find that people often misunderstand the yoga principle of santosha (contentment), believing that it means giving up their will to change. I get students who say, “I don’t want to be content, because if I am content then I won’t get anywhere in my job. I need to want something. I've got to be on the cutting edge in my profession”. They don’t understand that santosha is not inertness. Rather, santosha means being content right now, even as you are changing your life.


If you are a yoga teacher,

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Tools for meditation: Mandala-Yantra

Mystical diagrams, stylized geometric projections of the world


Mandala: circular symbolic representations of both universal and personal forces; they do not always represent a deity.Instead, they are symbolic compositions of energy patterns that are more powerful than pictures.

Mandalas are tools that draw energy from outer world and direct it to the inner. According to Carl Jung,they represent the unconscious self.

Tibetan Buddhist monks create mandala sand paintings in times of stress, danger and

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Yantras and Mandalas

OM

I'm just getting ready for my talk on Friday at the College of Psychic Studies in South Kensington. The topic "Yantras, visual tools that help you to enhance your meditation practice.

Yantras help you to transform your patterns of mind intohabits of thought that will bring about the results that you desire. You can use yantras to bring about deep healing. They are active energy systems that can assist you in deflecting negative energies and maintaining internal harmony.

Yantras are best underst
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Mudras (continued)

Mudras are hand positions that seal the psychic energies into specific channels. They are powerful spiritual tools that can enable you to receive and transmit energy more efficiently. Mudras aid you in the purification of your physical, mental and psychic bodies. Perhaps the best known mudra is “Namaskar” , which symbolises "I salute the divinity within you".

In Indian philosophy, your body is viewed as being made up of five elements, with each of your five fingers representing one element:

Thumb:

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Tools for Meditation: mudras

Your body is a subtle and powerful antenna that is continually receiving energy and also transmitting it. Mantra, mudra and mandala are three types of powerful spiritual tools that assist you in purifying your physical, mental and psychic bodies.

With regular practice, these methods sharpen and expand your spiritual wisdom. They help you to restore balance within the microcosm and bring it into harmony with the macrocosm. They support your meditation practice and aid you in finding inner peace.

  • Ma
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OM - I've just found some notes that I made seveal years ago, listening to a talk by Swami Chidanandaji - which made me think of the benefits of ashram life:

The purpose of an Ashram is not to stimulate you or to provide enjoyment for your senses - although you may enjoy the scenery and the people you meet. An ashram is a place to spend time and return home feeling refreshed. It was established to offer an oasis of peace to real spiritual aspirants who have realised that there is really somethin

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Thinking about Ishwara-pranidhana

OM


Recently, I've been working with the principle of "ishwara-pranidhana". The last of Patanjali's niyamas is usually translated as "self-surrender" or "surrender to the Lord". This is a hard one for many modern yogis, many of whom don't seem to be inclined to surrender to anyone or any teaching.


You may feel that you do not relate to the concept of "God" — or that you do not really know who or what God is — or even whether God really exists. You may (understandably) be loath to commit to doing th

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