Yoga Blog For Fitness and Disease Free Life

Utthitha Parsvakonasana - Yoga For Legs

2010-02-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

Utthitha Parsvakonasana is a basic yoga pose which should be practiced along with Utthitha Trikonasana to build up stamina and strength required for later poses. This can also be practiced to build up leg strength for people who are weak people. After practicing for few weeks you would be able to see noticeable difference in your leg strength and the shape.

Utthitha means extended. Parsva means flanks and Kona means angle. The body is stretch in the flanks while creating angle hence it is named so.

Steps to Practice Utthitha Parsvakonasana

Stand on the mat with the feet around 4 feet apart and arms extended sideways.

Turn the right foot outside so that is it perpendicular to the body. Turn the left floor to adjust the body position accordingly.

Stay in this position for few breath counts.

With exhalation bend the right leg so that thigh is perpendicular to the ground. Take care that the knee should be in line with the ankle.

Take two breaths and place the right hand on the ground making sure that the armpit touches the right knee.

Extend the left arm over the head and look up.

Now push the upper chest higher so that so that there is stretching in the skin of the back.

This is the final position. Stay in this position for as long as you are comfortable with normal breathing.

Come out of the pose with inhalation and repeat the sequence on the other side.
Gradually increase the time in this pose.

Benefits of Utthitha Parsvakonasana

Increased strength in ankles, thighs and overall legs.

Stamina increases a lot.

Chest Opens up, Good for introvert people.

Upper Back Strength increases.

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My Yoga Goal For 2010

Advertise For Free on Headfirst Yoga

2010-02-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Let me make a confession. I got this idea from an article I read on Problogger short while ago. I offer to run free advertisements for your a month on my blog. I plan to start the advertisement in March.

Who is Eligible?
This offer is valid to anyone who runs a blog or website on fitness and health or any other health related resorts or yoga studios. Basically anyone offering any health care especially alternative medicine system is welcome. In case you are interested please write to me on nilendu.bhattacharya@gmail.com with the subject Free Advertisement. In case your website does not fall in this category but you still feel you may be eligible you are welcome to write to me.

What Information I Need From You?

Description of your Website in a paragraph or two.

How people are benefited from your product or website?

Why you think you should be chosen

So hurry up and grab your spot. Once I go through the responses I will require the advertisements. I will decide on the size depending on the response. Looking forward to your mails.

5 Great Reasons to Start a Yoga Course

2010-02-06T00:56:00.000-08:00

I am into the sixth week of the 32 week course which I have started as a part of my Yoga goal for this year and till now it is going on quite well. I am doing this course at home as per the sequences prescribed by Shri BKS Iyengar. Starting this course has been an eye opener for me.

Till now I used to practice as per what I read and what I wanted to experiment and improve at that point of time. For example for some point of time I used to concentrate more on forward bends and then for some period of time I used to go for leg strength poses. Though I would make progress on those poses, but as a whole I was not making great progress.

This year I was thinking on what should be my Yoga goal and it is then that I decided to go for the 32 week course. Though I am still into the initial phase of the course I can already see the benefits of committing to a course and would highly recommend everybody to join a course.

What comprises a Yoga Course
Usually a Yoga course would be combination of various poses. A course of Yoga is composed of a sequence of poses which need to be practiced one after another. In some of the courses the sequences are altered and some poses are inserted or removed based on the level the participant reaches. The sequence goes on becoming tougher as the course advances till it reaches a particular level.

In some other courses the sequences remains the same during the entire course, though the participant is expected to improve on the poses with practice like in Bikram Yoga. Each course has a different objective and you should ask the instructor about the course in details before you start. Whichever course you take, it is guaranteed to benefit you.

Here are 5 great reasons to start a Yoga Course

Gain Rapid Health Gains
When you start the course the benefits would be visible with in a week and it will increase rapidly. The courses are usually designed to include various elements of Yoga including yoga poses, breathing exercises and relaxation.

The practice is done in a relaxed manner in most of the courses, and it will make you physically stronger, increase your immune system and stress free. If you have any physical ailments you will make rapid progress towards overcoming those. Be sure to tell your instructor about your illness so that some poses can be avoided which can cause complications.

Make Faster Progress
When you practice without any tangible goals you will not make any substantial progress. When you have a goal you would make more progress in 3 months compared to what you can struggle to make in a year. I have seen this happen to myself also. Although I have been practicing many of the poses in this course for years, including the same poses in this course has helped me make more progress the poses within this short time.

Increase Focus and Motivation
There a lot of times when you will not feel like practicing, and we look for motivation. When you join a course it proved the right motivation to practice. Most of the times you will look forward to the practice. For those who practice at home, a course gives you focus to stick to a particular sequence and the practice is more organized. This will ensure faster progress.

Practicing in Correct Sequences
Practicing in a correct sequence is very important and more beneficial. When correct sequence s followed the organs and muscles which are used in one pose are relaxed in the next pose. This increases the progress and benefits compared to when you do it in incorrect sequence and reduces the chances of injury.

Expands Your Horizon
You get a broader view of the practice instead of a localized experience. The mind, brain and the body experiences a different experience when we practice an organized sequence. This will increase your awareness of the body and mind and help you understand the relation between body and mind. When we have that awareness we can deal with stresses of life in a better way and take more intelligent approach to solve them.

My Current Schedule
I would like to share my practice sequence with you for the sixth week. My current schedule is mixture of Poses which increase Strength, stamina, flexibility, and relaxation of primarily the lower region of the body.

This sequence is same for fifth, sixth and the the seventh weeks, which means this routine is same for three weeks. The reason of keeping 3 weeks for the sequence is to provide enough time for developing strength and perfection in the pose. Though three weeks is not sufficient enough time to build perfection, it gives a good start. While practicing, you should strive to reach as much near to perfection as is possible by you. It will take time but that should not be used as an excuse of not progressing.

At present I am following the routine mentioned below. It is divided into two sets. The first set comprises of eight standing poses and the second set comprises of six remaining poses. I practice first set for two rounds and the second set for one round.

Set 1 - Two Rounds
Tadasana (Tree Pose)
Utthitha Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
Utthitha Parsvakonasana
Virbhadra Asana I (Warrior Pose I)
Virbhadra Asana II (Warrior Pose II)
Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
Parsva Uttanasana (Sideways Facing Forward Bend)
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)

Set 2 - One Round
Urdhava Prasarita Padasana (Upward Extended Feet Pose)
Navasana (Boat Pose)
Ardh Navasana (Half Boat Pose)
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand Pose)
Halasana (Plough Pose)
Ujjyai Pranayama in Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

I will write in more details regarding the way I practice in the coming posts and the various techniques which can help in the practice. This week was challenging and fun. I am looking forward to the seventh week's practice and would be sharing the details of my experience once I am through that.

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My Yoga Goal For 2010
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Throat Breathing For Relaxation

2010-02-01T18:47:00.000-08:00

When we practice the different poses of yoga sometimes we give more importance the poses and less to the relaxation after the practice. Relaxation is equally important part of yoga practice. Relaxing properly will ensure that the tiredness is minimum, mind becomes stable and we can feel the affect of the poses on the various body parts on a deeper level.

After the practice of Asanas there are various ways to relax like Shavasana or deep breathing while the body is loose. Throat breathing is another technique which is an easy way to relax and remove tiredness. This is basically a variation of Ujjayi Pranayama and relaxes all mind and the body. In Ujjayi Pranayama the awareness is more on the throat. The air we breathe passes through the throat to the lungs but we are usually not aware of this phenomena. This Pranayama aims to bring the awareness to this region and helps in relaxation.

The steps for this relaxation technique is very simple and anyone can practice this. This can be practiced in both sitting and lying position. If you do it for some time the experience which you will have is similar to what we have just before we go to deep sleep.

Steps to Practice Throat Breathing

Lie down on the mat in Shavasana and adjust the body so that it is in its most relaxed state. You can also sit in a meditative pose like Padmasana or Vajrasana and make sure that the spine is straight.

Close your eyes and start breathing and make slight effort to ensure that the air touches the top of the throat while passing. Try to observe the noise of air touching the throat. The noises will be different while inhaling and exhaling. While inhaling it will like "sa" and while exhaling it will be like "pa".

The sound should not be too loud but you should be able to hear that.

Do it slowly and with deep breathing.

Do this for 5 minutes and then come out slowly from the pose after being still for some time.

As a variation it is also practice with tip of the tongue touching the upper floor of the mouth. This is known as Kechari Mudra.

Benefits
This pranayama will relax you completely and drain out the tiredness and nervous tension in all the muscles of the body.

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Build Determination and Strength with Uttitha Trikon Asana (Triangle Pose)

2010-01-28T07:44:00.000-08:00

Uttitha Trikon Asana (The extended triangle pose) is one of the basic poses in Yoga. During this pose we create angles at three different places in the body. This pose increases the flexibility, determination and strength which is useful in all spheres of life.

I have already written on Uttitha Trikon Asana and it benefits earlier. You can read that post here. Though it is a basic pose, it is one of the must poses when you want to start practicing yoga. It develops physical strength, in the legs, lower back and improves the flexibility which is required as we go on to the next poses. Usually the practice starts with this pose for the beginners.

I love this pose and practice this every day. At present I am practicing the 32 week course which is my yoga goal for 2010. Today I finished the 5th week of the course. In the 32 week course also Uttitha Trikon Asana is one of the core poses and practicing this along with few other key poses ensures that remaining poses becomes easier.

All the standing poses require strength and stamina especially in the legs. Trikon Asana increases the leg strength and therefore its mastery is important for progress in the practice.

Change in Awareness Utitha Trikon Asana
When you start the practice of Utitha Trikon Asana depending on the level of leg flexibility you have, different muscle areas of your legs would get affected. Initially you would find it difficult to touch the hands to the floor. At that time major stretch would be on the lower hamstring near the knees.

Later those muscles will loosen up and you would be able to go down a little bit more and be able to touch the fingers to the floor. When you make some progress in the pose, the area of the muscle group on which you work will increase. With some more practice gradually you would be able to touch the palms to the ground. Now the entire hamstring and the ankles are affected and strengthened.

Initially your concentration would be mainly on the legs but with regular practice you would be able to concentrate on other areas also like the back and the proper arms alignment and the neck position. This is a clear sign of the progress you are making. Gradually you would be able to concentrate on the minor aspects of the pose and achieve more mastery in this pose.

Relating Life Experience with Uttitha Trikon Asana
During my practice, I start with Uttitha Trikon Asana and then practice the other poses in the sequence. Then again repeat the sequence and during the second round, all the poses come easier and I am able to go deeper into the poses. When we start the practice the body may not be loose and warmed up, and it is difficult to bend down fully. At that time you would need more determination and effort to start. Once you are willing to do that, you would be able to make more progress in the pose as well as the subsequent poses.

Similarly in life also more many tasks it is difficult in the beginning, but once that barrier is crossed it is easier and smother for the rest of the steps. Also, when we face similar hurdle next time we are able to face that challenge more easily and with more confidence. Practice of Uttitha Trikon Asana is a perfect example of this philosophy.

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My Yoga Goal For 2010

My Yoga Goal For 2010

2010-01-25T19:12:00.001-08:00

I have been thinking about what should be my Yoga goal for this year since the past few weeks. I had thought of few alternative courses but was not able to decide. Yesterday I finally closed down on this and I want to share that with you all.

This year my goal is to complete Basic course of Yoga Poses as prescribed by BKS Iyengar. It starts with around 7 to 8 poses in the first week and goes on to finish with around 50 poses. There needs to be a push or a pull which can drive the practice. Usually most people are driven by external push for most work.

Purpose of Writing Down my Goal

Regular and dedicated practice of Yoga is very difficult. There are days when due to certain circumstances of sheer laziness it is difficult to practice. Writing down your goals is a excellent way to ensure that we stay on the course of our desired actions. I experience it when I wrote in my blog about completing 21 Sets of Surya Namaskar for 30 days late last year. The results pleased me a lot and more than that I felt that even on days I did not feel like practicing the power of written commitment pulled me towards the practice.

Similarly I feel that this time announcing this on the blog will help me to reach the goal and at the same time act a guide for my Yoga practice this year.

Another aspect of announcing this is for me practice of yoga is now a important part of my life. All the posts which I write, I try to include my personal experiences also, and that can come only from practice. This goal will provide me hundreds of ideas which I can convey to other and lot of people will benefit from this.

More details of my Yoga Goal for 2010

I follow quite a few schools of Yoga. For this year I want to follow Iyengar methodology. I have been thinking of doing this around 2 years now, but lack of commitment or self belief to this routine has been the reason that I never did this. I feel I have the courage now to attempt this.

I follow the "Light on Yoga" book from Iyengar. It is very comprehensive and contains huge list of poses. At the end of the book there is a prescribed course for practice. I am going to take up the beginner's course for this year. That is a minimum of 32 weeks course. Of course I will allow myself to finish that by the year end. At present I am in the 5th week and there are 12 poses and one pranayama. By the time I reach the 30th Week it will reach 50 poses in the session. One I complete the 30th week, the practice will divide the poses in three parts to be practice on three days and then repeated again. Realistically I feel I will need more than 32 weeks and for me if I am able to finish the course by year end that would be great achievement.

The benefits of this goal
Let me confess something. Though I quite practice regularly (Around 4 to 5 times a week) still my body is not strong enough to do this at this moment. I still have fat layer around my waist though it has reduced considerably after the 30 day Surya Namaskar practice I did as an experiment.

My aim is not to concentrate on fat reduction specifically, because if it was so, I would have continue to practice Surya Namaskar for 2 more months and I am sure would have lost the required amount of fat. My aim is to explore yoga more thoroughly and while doing my regular practice the body would automatically reduce fat from the wrong places. I cannot do that if I practice Surya Namaskar alone as that will take major chunk of my yoga time. I also want to explore to what height I can reach. This will be difficult journey and I look forward to this.

Another thing which will be good are the twisting poses like the matyendra asana where there is a spinal twist. Presently I rarely practice these poses. At the end of the course I will be doing all the types of poses like forward and backward bend, twists, sitting and standing pose etc. This will enhance my knowledge by many folds.

I plan to update my blog with my progress and experiences from time to time on this blog.

This will be hugely challenging year for me and I am also not sure whether I will be able to complete this. But there is no harm in trying and I am sure I will come out a better person. I am excited about this venture and particularly so after announcing this on this blog. This will make my commitment stronger than before.

Those who already are at the next level would be smiling at me, because it is a small step which I am about to take, but for me it is going to be a giant leap.

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Utthitha Parsvakonasana - Yoga For Legs

6 Simple Shoulder Exercises for Stiff and Frozen Shoulders

2010-01-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

Stiff shoulders can be a real problem. It can be problem in lot of day to day activity from wearing a shirt to driving for work. Stiff shoulder problem can be caused due to many reasons like some injury or sitting continuously in office jobs. There are many nerves which pass through the shoulders to the brain via the neck. If the shoulders are stiff you will be exhausted very soon with little work. It can also lead to prolonged visits to the doctor.

Shoulders stiffness can be cured with some simple exercises. These should not take more than 10 minutes. If you do these exercise thrice a week your chances of shoulder problems will be greatly reduced. If you are already facing shoulder problems then you can do these exercises everyday.

All these poses are done while sitting in a comfortable position.

Fist Clenching
Extend your arms in front with palms facing down. Arms should be parallel to the shoulders. With Exhalation clench the fists tightly and with inhalation open your fingers. Do this 10 times..

Wrist Rotation
Close your fist and rotate the wrists clockwise 10 times and anti clockwise 10 times slowly and with awareness on the wrist. This will increase the wrist flexibility and strength.

Arms extension - Front
Extend your arms in the front with arms parallel to the shoulders. Face the palms up and touch the shoulders with finger with exhalation. With inhalation extend them again. Do this 10 times with the awareness on the shoulders.

Arms Extension - Sideways
Extend the arms sideways. With inhalation touch the shoulders and with exhalation extend them outwards. Practice this 10 times.

Shoulder Rotation
Touch the fingers to the shoulders and rotate the shoulders. Try to touch the elbows with each other. Do this in both directions for 10 times.

Shoulder Pulling
With inhalation extend the arms up. Hold the left wrist with the right hand and pull the left arms behind the head. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds with normal breathing. Repeat the same for the other arms. You can do this for 3 times on each side.

These simple exercise will increase the blood circulation in the shoulder region, increase the shoulder strength and remove the joint stiffness.

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Baddhakona Asana (The Restrained Angle Pose)

2010-01-22T04:25:00.000-08:00

Baddhakona Asana (The Restrained Angle Pose) which is a sitting triangular pose forming a triangular base at the bottom of the body. Baddha means restricted in movement in Sanskrit. In this pose legs are restrained due to the lock which gives its name. Triangle is formed with the buttock and the two knees. This pose helps you to bring your awareness to the groin area thus benefiting the organs in that region.

This pose is a type of forward bend thus it helps you in being introvert and has a calming effect on the mind.

Steps to Practice Baddhakona Asana

Sit on the floor with both the feet joined together and hands clasping the feet. Try to bring the feet as much near to the body as possible. Try to keep the spine straight. Press the thighs with the elbows. This will increase the strength of the lower back.

After few seconds, with exhalation bend forward and try to create an arch with the back while the hands are still holding the feet. Make sure that feet are not moving away from the body. In the beginning you can do it with the back attached to a wall so that body can remain at one place.

Stay in this position for few seconds and then again with exhalation bend forward and make sure that the head touches the ground. If that is not possible then try to bring it as much near the ground as possible.

This is the final position. Now stay in this pose for 1 to 3 minutes with normal breathing.

With inhalation come to the position as in point two. Breath 3 times deeply and then come back to the initial position.

Note

Beginners may put a big pillow and rest the head on that.

To make rapid progress in this pose, this should be done with other forward bending poses like Janu Shirshasana, Paschimottan Asana or Upavishta Kona Asana. You can practice the above poses then come to this pose and then repeat the cycle. Practicing in this manner will help you to make good progress in these forward bending poses very quickly.

Make sure that you follow with a backward bend pose as there is lot of strain on the lower back and practicing the backward bend will ease the strain on the lower back.

The initial position mentioned in step one where forward bending is not involved this can also be done after meals. Those who cannot bend can only do the first pose. A simpler variation of this pose can be done before going to the bed. This will provide some of the benefits of Baddha Konasana. Lie down on the bed and join the feet with each other and bring them as much closer to the groin as possible. After practicing for few minutes you can straighten the legs and go to sleep.

Benefits of Baddhakona Asana

This pose effects the groin area, therefore there is a rush of blood in that region. This pose is used as a therapeutic pose for curing impotency and hydrocele and hernia.

As is the case in forward bends, this pose calms down the mind and senses. Therefore this pose also helps in gaining sexual control for those with excessive sexual desires. If you practice this pose for around 5 minutes or more the mind will calm down considerably it is good for thinking process.

This pose also has an excellent effect on infections of the urinary system for both men and women.

Women with menstrual problem will benefit with this pose.

If pregnant ladies practice for pose for few months into the pregnancy it helps in having very less labor pain.

Knees become more flexible and it helps in attaining the Padmasana (Lotus Pose) more easily.

Caution : If you are suffering from back or knee pain should avoid this pose.

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Dizzness Cure with Yoga

2010-01-19T06:06:00.001-08:00

Most people suffer from dizziness at some point of time. It can happen to us anywhere and anytime when we are awake. We can usually ignore this problem as it is supposed to be a minor problem if it happens once in a while and some rest can put us back on track. If it occurs frequently it is important to take is seriously and look for remedies. If dizziness attack is during travel or while we are moving on the road of on the stairs it can lead to serious accidents.

Reasons for Dizziness
Dizziness may occur due to many reasons like stress, tumor in the brain, improper blood circulation in the brain, Cervical Spondylosys, Stress on the eyes due to long hours on the computer or watching TV till late nights, high or low blood pressure, too tight clothes, claustrophobic conditions, infection in the ears, weakness due to diarrhea, Fasting etc.

Some other causes are addictions to alcohol, traveling on hilly roads, rides, sun stroke etc. Those who are nervous by nature also suffer frequently from Dizziness. Following exercises are effective for most of the above conditions.

Some Yogic exercises for Dizziness

Neck Movements
All the nerves to the brain passes through the neck and relaxing the neck will calm down the nerves and the brain.
Sit straight and move with awareness very slowly rotate the neck towards left. Start with chin touching the throat and rotate the neck tilting towards the shoulders then moving it back, then moving it right and finally coming back to starting position. Do it 5 to 7 times and then do it on the opposite side. Do it twice a day and concentrate on the muscles on the back of the neck.

Shoulder Movements
Touch the hands to the shoulders and rotate the elbows slowly. Inhale while elbows are moving upwards and exhale while elbows are coming down. Do it 10 times. Now rotate it on the opposite direction.

Shashank Asana (Rabit Pose) - This pose calms down the mind and apart from helping in dizziness is good for all diseases of the brain like epilepsy and anger. Staying in it for 3 to 5 minutes will slow down the breathing.

Apart from the above, these are also very useful.

Palming of the Eyes -> Rub the hands vigorously and then place them on your eyes gently.
Nadi Shodhan Pranayama -> This pranayama will calm you down in a very short while though.
Shavasana -> This pose helps you to relax and calm down and at the same time get sufficient rest.

Follow the above for few days for 2 times a day and you will soon see that dizziness will not trouble you any more.

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Triyak Bhujanga Asana (Twisted Cobra Pose)

2010-01-15T09:22:00.000-08:00

Lot of time when we see a yogi practicing, it become difficult to conceive how we can practice those difficult poses. This can be discouraging lot of times and stop people from taking up yoga practice. The truth is there are several yoga poses which are quite easy to practice yet provide powerful benefits. Even simple yoga poses are good way to improve physical condition and calm down the mind.

Triyak Bhujangasana (Twisted Cobra Pose) which is a variation of the Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) is a simple pose which proves that yoga does not have to be complicated. The benefits of this pose consists of proving a back stretch and assisting in the peristaltic movement thus helping in cases of constipation.

Steps to Practice Triyak Bhujanga Asana

Lie on the abdomen and place the hands beside the shoulders on the floor. Feet should be around one feet apart with toes tucked under.

While inhaling raise the upper body with the help of the arms and look up.
With exhalation slowly turn the head and upper body to the right and look over the right shoulder towards the left heel.

Stay in this position for some time and the awareness should be on the back area of the left side.

With inhalation bring back the head to the center again.

Now repeat the pose on the left side.

After 2 to 3 repetitions on both the sides bring back the body to starting position with exhalation

Caution
Do not practice this pose in case of severe back pain and hernia.

Benefits of Triyak Bhujanga Asana

In this pose the back muscles are pulled, especially the muscles which are on the outer edges of the back. Usually these muscles are not exercised much and this pose make them stronger and flexible. This also help in back pains.

Increases flexibility of the spine.

Increases the arm strength.

Helps in constipation.

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EBook - "Lower Back Pain Cure With Yoga"

2010-01-13T23:19:00.000-08:00

I have published a ebook on Back Pain Cure with Yoga on the new year eve of 2010. It is titled "Lower Back Pain Cure With Yoga". I am putting up the embedded book with I have uploaded on http://www.docstoc.com/docs/22230255/Lower-Back-Pain-Cure-With-Yoga

In case you want to download this book then click "Full Screen" on the top right of the header and then select "Download" on the top corner. Please share this ebook with any one you know may benefit and get relief in Back Pain trouble.

Lower Back Pain Cure With Yoga -

10000000 Students Practice Surya Namaskar in India

2010-01-12T22:12:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda who is most famous spiritual revolutionaries of India. He advocated that it is youth should have strong bodies then only they can care for self, needy and the nation.

On his birth Anniversary Government of Madhya Pradesh which is a state in central India decided that all schools should tell the students to practice Surya Namaskar. officially 10 million students participated though the actual figures may be less due to over night rains in several places in the state which left the grounds wet. Even if we consider that 5 the students participated then also it is impressive figure.

I was very happy to read this news and thought of sharing this with you. This will definitely give boost to Yoga in the youth and students and is a great way to build a strong and healthy nation.

Yoga Tip - Rejuvenate and Improve Concentration with Nadi Shodhan

2010-01-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Concentration and stress are related to each other. When you are stressed out you can concentrate on any task. Reducing stress improves the concentration and increases you decision making capacity in day to day tasks. Using a simple Pranayama you get double benefit of reducing the stress and improving the concentration plus other benefits.

Here is how you can improve your concentration with this variation Nadi Shodhan Pranayama. This technique is very simple and here is how you do it and most important part is the practice as usual.

Sit in a quite place and concentrate on the breathing. Start imagining that you are inhaling and exhaling from alternate nostrils.

Here are the steps.

Imagine that the inhalation is from the left nostril.

Imagine exhaling from right nostril.

Now again imagine that you are now inhaling from right nostril.

Finally exhale from the left nostril.

This is one round. Do this for 12 rounds.

Initially it will be difficult but with practice you will see that you will have more controls on both the nostrils. Imagination is very important initially and only concentrate on one nostril at a time even if you are aware that other nostril is being used. Gradually you will gain total control on the nostrils and you will be able to breathe from the respective nostrils at will.

Benefits

Rejuvenates and oxygenates the nervous system

Improves concentration and control on the breathing.

You can meditate easily

Balances the energy flow on both the sides of the body and makes you more stable mentally and therefore increases your decision making capacity.

Reduces stress.

Beneficial in high blood pressure

3 Simple Routines To Make You Fitter in 2010

2010-01-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

Maintaining your health is the basis of all the other activities in life. If you are not healthy you would not be able to enjoy what life has to offer us. Many of us have the excuse that we do not have the time. The routine I am suggesting is a quick routine which should take less than an hour. This is a good way to maintain minimum fitness if you do not exercise regularly (Or none at all) or unable practice yoga. I would suggest you practice these three short routines which help you to become healthier.

Start the day with these activities and finish it off as the first thing in the morning. Within a few days you would be able to see the difference in how you feel. So here is the list.

Water Therapy
Starting the day with Water Therapy is very beneficial and I cannot over emphasize this. I have written a post on how to do it earlier. You can follow that. I would suggest mix around two spoons each of Amla and Aloe Vera juices to the slightly warm water. Start with 1 liters and increase to 1.5 liters. This will kill constipation, help you lose weight and detoxify the body and in turn increase the clarity of mind.

Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations)
Practice 16 rounds of Surya Namaskar. It will be complete exercise for the entire body including muscles, ligaments, nervous system and glands. Start this 10 minutes after finishing the water therapy. You will sweat and it should not take more than 15 minutes if you do it slowly. Take rest in Shavasana (Corpse pose) for 5 minutes.

Pranayama Practice for 10 Minutes
Practice yogic breathings for 10 minutes. Practice Kapalbhati for 5 minutes and Nadi Shodhan for 5 minutes each. This will help your to relax you, oxygenate the entire nervous system and soothe them. To lean about these find the links below.

So here is the break down of the activities. As you can see you can finish it in less than an hour.
Water Therapy - Warm the water and have it in 10 minutes.
Relax for 10 minutes.
Practice Sun Salutation for 15 minutes
Shavasana - 5 minutes
Pranayama - 10 minutes

Benefits

Water Therapy - Detoxification of the body which will help you get rid of many diseases.

Sun Salutations - Control and lose extra weight.

Sun Salutations - Glands are activated, joints lubricated due to Sun Salutations. Lot of positive energy and confidence

Pranayama - Soothes the nervous System and controls stress and high blood pressure. Oxygen levels will increase.

Reduce Your Waist Size With Triyak Tadasana (Swinging Palm Tree Pose)

2010-01-07T04:09:00.000-08:00

Triyak Tadasana is one of the simple yet effective postures which will help you in keeping fighting the flab and provide relief from constipation. In this pose the body resembles as if a palm tree is swinging due to wind, hence its name. This pose is extension of Tadasana (Palm Tree Pose) and has similar effects to that pose plus additional benefits due to the way it is practiced.

This pose can be practiced for increasing the agility, increasing the height and also as a warm up pose for other difficult poses. Practicing this pose will also increase the focus and awareness can be easily be brought to the the sides of the body. usually when we do some exercise of practice some pose we work on muscles which are either on front or the back of the body and ignore the outer sides of the body. The sides of the body including the arms, area below the armpit, outer sides of the abdomen and right down to the legs are stretched.

Steps to Practice Triyak Tadasana?

Stand with feet around 2 to 3 feet apart.

With inhalation take the hands above your head and lock them.

Make sure that the locked palms face upwards.

Now with exhalation stretch to your right. Try to bend as much as possible towards your waist and try to make the arms parallel to the ground.

Adjust the left chest and try to bring it upwards as much as possible. This will give a slight twist to the upper and the lower back regions.

Stay for around 10 breaths and with inhalation come back to original position.

when you are in the pose make sure that the weight is equally distributed in both the legs and not only on the side where you are bending

Now repeat the same towards the left side.

Repeat the entire steps for 5 times on both sides.

With exhalation bring the hands down.

Benefits of Triyak Tadasana

It stretches the sides of the waist and reduces the fat from them. This happens especially during the Shankh Prakshalan(Yogic cleansing Technique) when it is done after drinking luke warm water.

The entire back and its nerves are massaged. The spinal cord is stretched which increases the blood flow in the region.

Intestine is stretched and improves the peristaltic movement and helps in cleaning the intestine and helps in relieving constipation.

Improves the body balance and keeps you mentally alert.

Taking Care of your Liver with Yoga

2010-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Do you feel lethargic and feel that your energy levels are not up to the mark? Do you suffer from loss of hunger or find it difficult to digest the food you eat? One of the reasons behind that could be you Liver is not working properly.

Liver is one of the most important parts of the body and it is located in the abdomen region on the right side. Liver plays an important role in digestion of the food which we eat. Liver produces bile which helps in dissolving the fatty acids.

If food is not digested properly then the body becomes lethargic and that is mainly because mind becomes lethargic. You may have noticed that just after a wholesome meal you will feel sleepy or lethargic where as when you eat lightly you will have more mental energy and due to that the physical energy also increases.

Similarly when food does not gets digested properly that results in lethargy in mind and body. Lethargy is the enemy of action. Any progress we make is direct result of the energy and the actions which we take. Therefore it is very important to ensue the health of our Liver.

Another aspect important from spiritual and yogic perspective which may not be clearly understood is food which we take indirectly influences the mind. We are what our mind is. Taking the right food ensures calmer mind and peaceful personality.

Apart from digestion Liver plays several other important roles like :

It stores the iron reserves you need, as well as a lot of vitamins and other minerals.

It detoxifies your body from the poisonous chemicals including alcohol, medicines and intoxicating substances which enters your body either through food, air or skin. If Liver does not function properly these toxic ingredients could kill you or make you seriously ill.

In case of injuries Liver where bleeding is involved clotting stops the bleeding. The clotting compounds are created by your Liver.

The sugar level in your blood is maintained at a healthy level by your Lever.

It manufactures proteins which are helpful in body growth.

Here are some poses for improving the Liver Health.

Janu Shirshanasa

Adhomukh Svanasana

Sarvangasana

Bhujangasana

Shalbhasana

Various Standing Poses as these increase the blood flow.

There are various Acupressure points also which can help in Liver diseases. Even if you do not have any major Liver problem, pressing these points for 2 to 3 points everyday will ensure that Liver remains healthy.

In the post Treating Abdomen Pain With Acupressure I had written about points which extremely useful for curing abdomen pain. Specific to Lever follow the point 1 to 4 and press those points.

Related Posts
Timing of recurring Pain can provide clues to disease Healing Links Between Yoga Asanas and Acupressure
How to Detoxify using Water Therapy

E-Book on Lower Back Pain Published

2009-12-31T11:30:00.000-08:00

Are you suffering from back pain or do you know someone who needs help on lower back pain? I am happy to announce that I published my first ebook "Cure Lower Back Pain with Yoga".

How this book's idea appeared?
This started last year when I got queries from few friends who wanted to know yoga poses which could help in back pain. I also got quite a few queries from various people if there are any yoga remedies for back pain.

In summer of 2009 I myself suffered from back pain. Although I knew about these poses but I did not apply themselves seriously before the problem. I then started practicing the poses and got cured.

After I recovered, I started thinking about writing this ebook so that others could also benefit from my knowledge. This book compiles lot of posts I have written earlier. This way all the back pain related information is now bunched together. I have uploaded the book at two places and here are the links.

On Scribd :
Cure Lower Back Pain with Yoga

On Skydrive :
Cure Lower Back Pain with Yoga

Please share it with anyone you know is suffering from lower back pain. I am sure you would like the book and hope that it is useful to maximum number of people.

Ashtanga Namaskar

2009-12-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

Ashtanga Namaskar is a posture which sixth pose in Surya Namaskar sequence and it is done once in each round. Ashtanga mean eight parts of the body in Sanskrit and in this pose eight parts of the body are supposed to be touching the ground.

Steps to Practice Ashtanga Namaskar

If you are practicing this in Surya Namaskar sequence then start from Parvat Asana (Mountain Pose) else you can start this by lying on the abdomen on the mat.

Make sure that the hands are near the chest. The knees and the feet should touch the ground. Make sure that the elbows are parallel to each other.

Now touch the chest and the chin to the ground. Look forward. These are the eight body parts which should be touching the ground.

When you practice this pose as a part of Surya Namaskar, it is done while holding the breath also known as Kumbhak. Otherwise you can perform normal breathing.

Stay in this pose for few seconds and then move on to next pose with inhalation or come out of this pose slowly if done in isolation.

Benefits of Ashtanga Namaskar

This pose results in stronger core, and arms.

Helps in digestion problems

Beneficial in arthritis of arms

Parvat Asana - Mountain Pose

2009-12-24T19:41:00.000-08:00

In Parvat Asana or the Mountain Pose body looks like a mountain therefore it is named so. This pose is also know as Adhomukh Svanasana (Downward facing dog which is the more popular name). I have an earlier posted on .Adhomukh Svanasana. That post is on practicing it in isolation where as this post is more on how to practice it in Surya Namaskar sequence. Some text also call it as Sumeru Asana. Sumeru is name of a mountain. It is one of the asana where the head is lower than the heart and therefore provide some benefits of upside down asanas like Sarvangasana or Sirshasana to those who cannot practice them due to various reasons.

This pose looks easy to practice but most people find it difficult to touch their heels to ground in this pose since their calf muscles and the ankle joints are stiff. Practicing this pose will make these flexible.

Steps to Practice Parvat Asana

When you practice this pose in Surya Namaskar, you come to this pose either from Ashwasanchalan Asana or from Bhujanga Asana (Cobra Pose). You need to come to this pose with exhalation since body is opening up.

When you are on all the four limbs, make sure that the heels are touching the floor.

Touch your sternum(bone near the throat) with the chin and look at the stomach.

Try to move the shoulders out, as this will allow your neck to go inside more.

Pull your stomach and try to pull your hips higher.

Stay in this pose for some time and then with inhalation come out of it. When it is practice as part of Surya Namaskar, it is practiced between 2 and 5 seconds depending on the speed at which you are practicing.

Benefits of Parvat Asana

Leg and arm muscles become stronger.

Nerves are stretches and relaxes and removes stiffness.

Those having Varicose veins problem get relief.

If chin is touched to the throat Thyroid problems are get cured.

Menstrual problems are solved for women.

Shoulders become stronger and removes stiffness in that region.

Ashwasanchalan Asana(Equastrian pose)

2009-12-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

Ashwasanchalan Asana (Equastrian pose) is the fourth pose in the Surya Namaskar practice of twelve poses. It is done immediately after the Pada hastasana. It involves stretching the groin area and the back.

How to Practice Ashwasanchalan Asana?

The starting position of this pose is Pada Hastasana.

The hands should be touching the ground near the feet.

With exhalation move the right leg backwards after it is straight touch right the knee and feet to the ground.

Now lean your upper body forwards and bring your head up.

Try to extend your neck as much as possible. Try to bring the groin area forward.

Stay in this pose for some time with normal breathing and come out with exhalation.

When not practicing with Surya Namaskar, repeat the pose with left leg.

When this pose is practiced with Surya Namaskar usually this pose is maintained for a second or two during fast practice and upto 5 seconds for slow practice.

Benefit of Ashwasanchalan Pose

Relaxes the back muscles, therefore helpful in upper back stiffness and pain.

Makes the thighs and calf shapely and stronger

Stretches the pelvic region.

Increases concentration as balance is required.

Opens up blocked Sinuses.

Historical Story about Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

2009-12-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

This is a story I found in a Hindi book on Ayurveda written by Pandit Ramnarayan Sharma, who is founder of Baidyanath which is a Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing company. Here is goes the story which is in the words of King of an Aundh, Rao Shrinivas Pant (1868-1951). Aundh was a kingdom in British ruled India and now a days also known as Lucknow which is capital of Indian state Uttar Pradesh(UP). He was also known as "Raja Bhavan Rao Shrinivas 'Bala Sahib', Pant Pratinidhi of Aundh".

Here goes the story in King's own words.

"In my youth I learnt wrestling from famous wrestler Imamudin of Punjab. Apart from Wrestling I also used to practice Situps and other Indian exercises. As per the old tradition of wrestling I used to eat heavy and fatty food which resulted in my weight getting increased a lot.

In 1898 I learnt about the great body builder Sando. I immediately got the books related to Sando's exercise regimen and practiced the exercises regularly and as per the guidelines for 10 years. The chest size did not change but the abdomen and hips fat reduced somewhat.

Later, on advice of my dear friend Shri Raja Gangadhar Rao alias Bala Sahab Ptwardhan and example I started practicing Surya Namaskar as per the proper procedure. I started this from 1908 and practiced regularly. As a result of that practice, I lost weight and the body became lighter. The abdomen reduced by 14 inches, and Chest is still 43 inches. I have become cheerful and energetic and got back the agility of my youth. Best part is I am free from diseases and not suffered from any fever for last 25 years. Not only this I have not even suffered from cold and cough which according to doctors is a common disease for everyone.

The proof of wonderful immunity I have is that despite get the vaccination for plague 4 times I never felt the fever or any body aches which are associated with vaccination.

Today with the experience of my 25 years I can say with authority that Surya Namaskar is the best exercise amongst all exercises. It is the best way to have healthy body and mind and helps to concentrate and have patience in times of negative situations. Therefore I can say that Surya Namaskar is the best exercise."

Related Posts
Surya Namaskar - Day 30 of 30 day Practice
Sun Salutation - Day 26 of 30 Day Practice
Importance of Proper Breathing in Yoga and Day 21 of Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar - Day 30 of 30 day Practice

2009-12-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

Today was the last day of my 30 day practice of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and it is good to finish my goal. It has been a great journey for me and I am happy to have finished what I set out to do 30 days ago.

Today I finished the 21 sets in around 11 minutes. When I started this experiment 30 days ago it took me around 18 minutes and I was doing it in three sets. Now I am able to practice the entire 21 sets in one go and did not feel it was too tired. I am able to practice few other poses comfortably and that does not seems difficult for me.

I have lost around 8 pounds of weight in these 30 days and overall energy levels is really great though I was expecting the opposite. Which is really good. The body feel lighter and agile. The thinking pattern is very clear and I am more confident about myself and what I can achieve. I think personally for me more than the physical aspect I feel that the increased energy and confidence are major benefits.

I will like to recommend Surya Namaskar practice to all of you based on my experience and hope that more people include this in their routine.

People with obesity problem should practice Surya Namaskar regularly and it will definitely help them to lose weight in a healthy way and the effects will be long lasting compared to various shortcuts in the market. Usually obese people are weak in terms of both physical and mental strength and Surya Namaskar will help them in both these conditions.

I plan to write about the poses which consists Surya Namaskar. i have already posted articles on three of them and rest will follow soon. I will also be posting few posts on Surya Namaskar which will provide more insight and person experience on Surya Namaskar.

My next plan and challenge will be to finish 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar for a week and I will undertake that in neat future.

Related Posts
Sun Salutation - Day 26 of 30 Day Practice
Importance of Proper Breathing in Yoga and Day 21 of Surya Namaskar
Day 15 of 30 Day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) Practice
Day 13 of 30 Day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) Practice
Topsy Turvy Day 10 of 30 Days Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutation) Practice

Two Announcements

2009-12-18T19:41:00.000-08:00

E-Book on How to get rid of back pain

At present I am really excited about my upcoming E-Book on Back pain. I plan to release it in early January. Once the book is ready I would be making it available for download.

That book will try to compile information from various posts I have written for Back pain plus add some new perspective.

Share you experiences
I would like to hear from you about your Yoga experiences. It may contain information on ...
1. What and who inspired you or how you started?
2. What is your experience or how do you feel when you practice Yoga?
3. Do you have plans to go to the next level and if yes what are they?
4. Any particular style of yoga you follow and where do you learn and practice?
5. Would like like to have more information on certain topic on this blog?

I will be great to hear from you about your experiences. You can email your experiences to me at nilendu.bhattacharya@gmail.com This will also help me when I know more about the perspective of other Yoga practitioners or new comers.

Sun Salutation - Day 26 of 30 Day Practice

2009-12-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

Today was the 26th Day of the 30 day practice and only 4 days are remaining. Now I am practice the entire 21 sets in one go and there is not much tiredness and it seems that the body is quite strong enough to take the entire 21 sets and stamina has also increased. It is really pleasing feeling for me. At present I am doing slowly and take a break of 5-10 seconds after 4 sets. Present style is to be more of awareness style where I try to focus as much as possible on the breathing. Now in next few days my aim would be to see how much faster I can do to test the stamina and without the small break also. When the speed increases it will be more of a exercise and less concentration will be possible on the breathing. But I would like to see how it goes and what is the capacity of my lungs to tolerate that. This will test my vital capacity.

Gains Till Now
Following are the major physical gains.

The most significant strength and the shape up have been in the legs and the chest. The shoulders are also in a healthier shape. I have some fat deposit on the abdomen and though it has reduced my I had expected more.

As mentioned above, the stamina has increased a lot.

Overall body flexibility is much more now.

Back Strength has improved significantly.

Importance of Proper Breathing in Yoga and Day 21 of Surya Namaskar

2009-12-10T22:53:00.001-08:00

Today was the 21st day of my 30 day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) practice. Which means that I am on to my last 10 days of my practice. Now I am only doing two batches with the first one of 14 sets and the second batch of 7 sets. I think I am now ready to shift the practice to even higher intensity and finish all in a single set and I plan to try that tomorrow. Earlier I planned to gradually increase the sets in the first batch but today when I finished 14 sets I did not feel any lack of stamina and I feel I could have continued for few more sets. I am writing this post after few hours of the practice and feel no tiredness. This means that the legs and the arms are strong enough after 20 days of practice and I can try to push myself for continuous 21 sets.

Since I increased number of sets I am doing together I have slowed down a bit, but plan to pick up pace again in a few days. My plan is also to finish the 21 sets with in as much less time as possible while taking care that my breathing is proper.

Importance of Proper Breathing in Yoga Practice

In Surya Namaskar, proper breathing is very important. In all the twelve sequences while moving into them it is important to understand that the transition should be done either with inhalation or with exhalation. Also remember that you should breathe with the movement and not before or after the movement. Also inhale and exhale slowly so that it lasts from beginning to end of the movement. For example while moving from the Pranam Asana to Hast Utthanasana (Raised Hands Pose) start inhaling when you start and when you reach the final position the inhalation should be complete. Similarly, start exhalation in the the Hast Uttanasana when moving to Hast Padasana (Hands to feet pose) and make sure that the exhalation in complete when you reach the final javascript:void(0)position. As a general rule remember that while moving forward you will exhale and while moving back you will inhale. Also you breathing will be opposite to what you do when you move into the pose.

Some books will say that you should not breathe in the final position, and that needs to be done when you stay in the pose for a few seconds. When you stay longer in a pose, you should do normal breathing while in the pose. While in pose for some time your breathing is very fast. Try to slow it down, by your breathe and also notice which organ in your body is causing it to become faster.

When you do this properly and with awareness that entire body is being oxygenated, you will experience that the tiredness is comparatively very less. When you breathe in this manner, capacity of your lungs will also increase which will increase the stamina. Longer breathing also helps in keeping the heart rate in control, and keeps the mind calm, whereas shorter breathing increases the disturbance of mind.

The muscles which are being used during the pose will get more oxygen and therefore less toxins will be accumulated which will prevent the pain in the muscles. Proper breathing will also allow you to practice for a longer time without feeling tired and therefore provide more benefit. With practice of longer breathing you will see that Pranayama (Yogic Breathing Technique) come easily to you as your lungs are ready for the stress.

Once you practice the poses with proper breathing you will notice that it is not that difficult while the benefits are many. Start observing your breathing pattern and make sure that you make the right adjustments so that you can reap all the benefits which your practice should provide you.

Related Posts
Day 15 of 30 Day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) Practice
Surya Namaskar
Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Hands Pose) - Improve Back and Shoulder Strength