Month: December 2018
Hatha yoga flowered in the West in the late sixties and early seventies when several prominent yoga masters traveled to America. They traveled the length and breadth of the country, introducing a new generation to an ancient practice. It didnt take long for their students to recognize the benefits of yoga and it continued to grow in popularity. Today, yoga is a household word.
There was no such thing as yoga apparel in those early days until entrepreneurial students started a cottage industry. Back then, the only pattern they had to work from was their pajamas. Pajamas were an interesting choice, since the word comes from a Hindi word that means leg garment, though pajamas were never actually worn by yogis in India, who traditionally wore nothing but a loincloth, if that.
Loose fitting, cool cotton pajamas provided a pattern, but in order for the pajama style pant to be functional as yoga apparel, some changes had to be made. Thicker drawstrings and heavier elastic replaced thin waistbands and heavier cloth was used instead of the flimsy cotton and synthetics used in the manufacture of sleepwear. The frequent choice of unbleached cotton reflected the growing trend towards natural, organic foods, as did the use of natural, earth-toned dyes.
Yoga pants were so comfortable that people wanted to wear them everywhere. Pockets were added and the market for them grew beyond the yoga community. Some of those small one sewing machine companies grew into larger boutique manufacturing companies. In an effort to compete in an ever-growing market, they refined their designs and the materials they used. Today, yoga apparel has become so popular that even fashion labels like Victorias Secret carry a range of yoga pants and tops.
The serious student of hatha yoga puts functionality ahead of fashion when they choose their yoga pants. Whether its one of the natural and synthetic blends like cotton/lycra or the natural fibers like hemp and organic cotton, theres never a problem finding yoga pants that are functional and look good, as well. Yoga pants that impede or restrict movement in any way are not really yoga pants theyre a fashion statement. When youre stretching into the standing tree pose (vrilshasana), you dont want to have to stop to adjust your pant leg and when youre lying on the floor, stretching your legs behind your head into the plow position (halasana), you dont want to feel like you have to hitch up the back of your pants. Yoga pants should move as fluidly and flexibly as the body of the practitioner and stay put around the waist.
With typical Western ingenuity, yoga was embraced and adapted to suit its new home, but basically it remains the same. There was little if any improvement needed to be made to the ancient art of hatha yoga. All that was needed was for us to create a range of apparel that suited the modern age. It may be a humble contribution to yoga, but its a welcome one, because yogas benefits are too numerous to be kept to the select few who prefer a loincloth to a pair of yoga pants!
Having the right shakti yoga wear may not seem like a big deal, but it can actually help you perform poses easier and enjoy what you are doing more. You need to be able to bend and twist with ease when you perform various yoga positions.
What Not to Wear
Getting the full benefits from yoga depends on your ability to successfully perform the positions. If you dont have the right shakti yoga wear, that could be difficult to do, but just as importantly, you should know what not to wear. Thus, wearing clothes that restrict your body movements are a no-no and so your yoga wear cannot include wearing jeans, and also dress shirts that will only constrain your movements and also not let you breathe in a free manner. So, take a few minutes and really think about your yoga wear. Make sure you wear clothing that is loose fitting and unrestrictive.
Since you will need to perform a number of different yoga poses, you would do well to consider yoga shorts as well as perspiration clothes and even leotards or yoga pants as appropriate shakti yoga wear. Youll also want to make sure your shakti yoga wear is made of absorbent fibers that wont clump and stick to your skin.
Choosing comfortable shakti yoga wear is more important than choosing something fashionable. You want to be able to relax, and you wont be able to do that if you are worrying about how you look. You may want to consider wearing yoga shoes or socks, especially if you attend a yoga class.
When you are choosing your shakti yoga wear there really isnt much difference between womens and mens clothes (other than the cuts/contours of the pants). The only time you would need a specific kind of yoga gear is if you were going to perform Prana Yoga. This form of yoga requires you wear lightweight clothes, especially pants, preferably made of nylon or spandex.
Youll still need shakti yoga wear that absorbs moisture, so go for a cotton/stretch blend. It will allow you to move the way you need for Prana Yoga, its light weight, and it will soak up that perspiration!
It has become fashionable to do yoga. She was attracted to adults, children and even pregnant women. At the same time, the obstetricians attitude to yoga for pregnant women is very cautious. Many doctors are appealing to the fact that the Eastern women (mostly Indian), yoga – a traditional, centuries-old practice that is specific to a given culture, lifestyle and worldview. Specialists in yoga poses, in turn, argue that European women yoga can bring many benefits and positive emotions during any period of life, and even during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
The main purpose of a person who practices yoga – to achieve complete peace and harmony of life, self-reliance, inner freedom. An integral part of yoga is the general improvement of the body.
Yoga is “working” is not the case, such as aerobics or fitness classes. Then the whole work is directed inward, the acceleration of metabolic processes. Due to breathing exercises, twisting, bending, and deflections during the execution of the asanas is a direct effect on internal organs. Each asana affects specific organ system. In addition, during the yoga classes are born positive emotions: there is an internal self-reliance, peace, and which remains after school. The impact of yoga on the body lasts all day. The difference lies in the fact that during aerobic classes and training on simulators built up the muscles, and during yoga, they are extended. Yoga makes the body more slender, thin and fit, completely changes the shape, “extend” it.
With the help of yoga a woman can overcome many of the unpleasant characteristic of pregnancy: morning sickness, back pain, legs, etc. There are even postures, aimed at eliminating the threat of termination of pregnancy. Expectant mother can use the same posture, which performed before pregnancy, but there are some asanas that are practiced during the pregnancy itself. In general, yoga for pregnant womens health is soft, smooth and accuracy.
According to the traditions of yoga, children can be seriously engaged in no earlier than 14 years. At this age, is the awareness of yoga, you have a child knowingly takes part in the exercises. He is not distracted, he likes to do. Although there are exceptions to the age rules. I watched the video, filmed in the Indian schools of yoga; kids get up there the wonders of yoga. There is a so-called baby-yoga, which also does not apply to classical yoga is done only once. It is very beneficial to the kids health, removes the “after-clips” if they have a place to be. This half-hour lesson, which is held every 2 weeks after birth and only the experts – proven by people working in this field for over 10 years. For my son, we invited a person who practices yoga for 25 years. After the baby yoga, he showed us how to do dynamic exercises with the baby, bathe him. Poses that a child receives during the sessions – absolutely unbelievable. Baby yoga is not removed and do not explain to parents their children were doing it yourself – so it is a dangerous process in the hands of the layman.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are more than just memory loss. They are conditions that can erode a person’s quality of life, independence, and interpersonal relationships. Some medications can slow the process of Alzheimer’s, but once it sets in, it is not reversible. Some forms of dementia can be temporary due to vitamin deficiency or vascular conditions, but most dementia is also irreversible.
Only 25% of these cases are genetic. The rest are preventable.
According to the Mayo Clinic and the International Journal of Clinical Practice, exercise has more impact on aging and Alzheimer’s disease than any other lifestyle factor. Exercising five days out of seven reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by 35%. If two of those workouts involve strength training, it reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by half once you are over 65. Don’t wait, though. Obesity in midlife makes you 3 times more likely to have Alzheimer’s.
Hot yoga is ideal for Alzheimer’s prevention because it combines strength with flexibility and stress reduction. Limberness improves balance and reduces risk of head injuries. Flexibility makes your body more resilient as you age and reduces your risk for overall injury, thereby insuring that you can keep up healthy exercise habits later in life.
Chronic stress quadruples the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Dr. Vincent Fortanesce of USC points out that the stress hormone cortisol stunts nerve cell growth and connection, accelerating cognitive decline, premature aging, depression, and diabetes. (Diabetes, by the way, makes you twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s). Yoga reduces stress, thereby reducing your cortisol production. It also helps your sleep patterns. Sleep deprivation, according to memory experts Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Gary Small, can really hurt your brain and central nervous system.
Other tips for Alzheimer’s prevention: eat a brain-healthy diet minimizing processed foods and refined starches, focusing instead on fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, Omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamins. Keep your brain active by learning new things, playing with puzzles and riddles. Avoid toxins like cigarettes, because smoking increases your risk by 79%. For more information, visit Helpguide or The Alzheimer’s Association.
Nikki M. Deasy
TriBalance Yoga Center
This is the latest article in our yoga central series and today we will be looking at a pose known as Legs up the wall Pose or deep lake pose. We will look at how to properly carry out the pose, the benefits you can get from it and anything that you need to consider before beginning. Please read the entire article before trying the pose.
How to Carry Out the Pose
We have put together instructions on how to carry out the pose correctly however there are also a number of modifications that can be done to make the pose easier as well as deeper. These modifications will be found lower in the article.
1. Begin the pose by placing two folded blankets on top of each other about a foot from a wall. If you dont have any blankets you can use a couple of pillows.
2. Sit sideways on the blankets and swing your legs around so that they are up the wall and lie back over the blankets. You should position yourself so that your sit bones are over the edge of the blanket and your sacrum is fully supported.
3. Ensure your legs are straight and use an eye mask to increase the relaxation. Position your arms straight out from the shoulders and close your eyes.
4. Bring your attention to your breathing, particularly in your stomach and use this pose to bring about a deep feeling of relaxation in your stomach. Allow your stomach to sink into the back body and allow your back to relax completely into the blankets.
5. Remain in this position for 2 to 3 minutes continuing to focus on your breathing. To come out of the pose slide the blankets out from under your back and roll on to your side to come up into a seated position.
Tips and Precautions
If you feel discomfort in your lower back when carrying out this pose, move your body back so that your sit bones are fully supported by the blankets. If you still feel discomfort then remove one blanket.
If you have difficulty straightening your legs then move the blankets further away from the wall until you can straighten your legs. You legs may also get tired doing this pose so you can reduce the difficulty by bending your legs, bringing the soles of your feet together and sliding your legs down the wall. You can do this if your legs get tired part way through or if you have difficulties and discomfort keeping your legs straight.
Benefits and Focus
There are a large number of benefits to this pose and many of them are the same as those experienced with more complicated inverted poses. The main areas of focus are the abdomen and lower back with the aim of bringing about a deep feeling of relaxation. This feeling of relaxation can help with various different conditions including stress, anxiety and insomnia. It can also help with relieving stress and tension in your upper back which can be beneficial for conditions like headaches. This is mainly due to the fact that headaches can be caused by tension in the upper back. This can be a great pose to practise before going to bed and can really encourage a deep a restful nights sleep.