Pranayama
Absolute Health With Yoga
Absolute Health With Yoga By Priya Singh From the moment we begin to exist, our mind and body is absorbing sights, sounds, touch impressions, and emotions. Every single stimulus is recorded in our brain, cells and tissues on a cellular level. This concept of mind and body is widely discussed, but do we actually fully understand it? Do we understand the enormity of the emotional and physical toll life takes on us? Our environment, every stress and every positive/negative emotion essentially affects us to a level that changes our very being, body and inherent spirit. the body is not separate from the mind & spirit In times past, Asian cultures made esoteric practices a part of their daily life, wherein these practices included prayer, and means to strengthen and cleanse physically and me...
Think Yourself Healthy & Happy
Think Yourself Healthy & Happy We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” While this certainly has some truth in it, an even deeper level of examination reveals that we are what we think. For thousands of years the great Yogis and Vaidyas (Ayurvedic physicians) have observed the nature of the mind-body relationship. What they analyzed, understood, and taught was the direct, undeniable, interconnected matrix of our thought process creating either health or dis-ease. Fast forward approximately 5000 years to today…here we are in a fast-paced, technologically-driven, goal-oriented, productivity-based society; striving to get ahead, make more money, look younger and feel more relaxed. Stress has an impact on our well being, on our nervous system, blood pressure, and every sy...
The Social Media Detox – Yoga & Ayurveda Principles
The Social Media Detox By now, we are all aware that social media has a tremendous impact on our culture and the world-at-large. Social media has offered the wonderful opportunity for people to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances. However, at the same time, has social media given us a false sense of connection? According to Cornell University professor, Steven Strogatz, social media sites can make it more difficult for us to distinguish between meaningful relationships we foster in the real world, and the numerous casual relationships formed through social media. By focusing so much of our time and energy on these somewhat less meaningful relationships, our most important connection, he fears, will weaken. “What’s on your mind?”, asks FB. We live in a world overrun ...
Nasya – The Pathway To Our Inner Pharmacy
Nasya – The Pathway To Our Inner Pharmacy Breathing is so natural yet we hardly ever think about it. Interestingly, seventy percent of waste is eliminated through the lungs just by breathing. In his book, Breathing: The Master Key To Self-Healing, Dr. Andrew Weil comments on the importance of breathing on our overall health. He states, “improper breathing is a common cause of ill health. If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be to simply learn how to breath correctly. There’s no single more powerful or more simple daily practice to further your health and well-being than breathwork.” “The nose is the door to consciousness and the pathway to our inner pharmacy.” – Dr. Vasant Lad, Ayurvedic Physician Similarly, Ayurveda, explains that “p...
The Ayurveda Guide For Winter Season
The Ayurveda Guide For Winter Season Winter is a time when nature’s energy withdraws back unto herself as nature’s many expressions begin to slow down. According to Ayurveda, a person is a miniature reflection of nature and winter represents a time for much needed restoration. Every season has certain attributes which may cause aggravation and imbalances of doshas. For example, winter is generally considered a “kapha season”. Therefore, colds and other kapha conditions [i.e. congestion] are more common as the heavy, cold, and cohesive qualities of kapha are predominant. However, a balanced lifestyle in accordance to seasonal changes helps to create the needed elements in order to maintain health and well-being for the body and mind. Winter Tips – How To Stay Balanced & Healthy Du...
Purifying The Mind With Pratyahara ~ A Yoga & Ayurvedic Approach
The conscious withdrawal of the senses or pratyahara is thought to help purify the mind Just as a healthy body can resist toxins, a healthy mind can ward off the negative sensory influences around it. In today’s modern times, most people suffer from sensory overload from television, cell phones, radio, computers, newspapers, magazines and books. Society functions on stimulation through the senses. When we watch violent acts on TV etc. we are absorbing that into our system/mind and each impression has an impact on our mind, positive or negative. If one is easily disturbed by the noises and turmoil in their daily lives, then you may need to practice withdrawing your senses in order to help avoid paying too much attention to these disturbances. Indriya-pratyahara, or control of the senses, i...