Yoga Health and Fitness Notes

The art of yoga is a rather tough subject to discuss today. Globalization seems to have a devastating impact on this ancient concept. To facilitate people’s understanding, the mysteries of yoga and all its intricacies have been simplified into the modern day version of yoga practice.

Western civilization may find its contents to be mystical and complex, thus finds it hard to understand. To be on the safe side, it is good to gain a thorough understanding of a particular subject before you begin to speak of it from an expert’s viewpoint. Yoga is mainly perceived as a physical activity in the western part of the world. The rich philosophies behind yoga practice have been reduced into a simple form of art that focuses merely on achieving inner balance and peace.

It originates from the Hindu religion and it is actually a part of the Hindu philosophy. Any Indian would assure you that it is a spiritual experience that is manifested through a series of complicated physical practice. Viewing yoga as a physical activity is definitely a mistake. Most westerners are aware of the strange symbols associated with yoga practice, but often they are misunderstood.

This discipline is practiced as a popular sport. Additionally, people who desire inner tranquility would often find this practice to be beneficial. The allure of yoga as an effective way to gain inner peace and balance has beckoned many to embrace this activity as well.

The so called experts in this industry have been quick to use these promises and people have been fascinated. There is plenty of evidence to show that yoga has been wrongly implemented in the West. Different groups practicing yoga have its own cultural structure and these influences are responsible for those fatal errors detected in the practice of this ancient art.

The western busy lifestyles certainly do not provide much space to contemplate on this philosophy. While meditation is an integral part of the practice, the westerners with their ever busy lifestyles certainly do not posses time for such luxuries. Westerners have different goals and priorities, and the insatiable desire to accumulate massive amounts of wealth certainly has no place in the system of values among the Hindus. True wisdom, as defined by the parameters of the Hindu religion would be an impossible feat to achieve when this paradigm is adopted.

It takes patience and time to experience a successful meditative session. This is what the westerners lack. The west seems cursed with the obsession to pursue the goal of building better lives in the form of lavish lifestyles and not in the philosophical way.

Here, yoga as been practiced by those who desire to look good and stay in style. There is a lot of information going out promoting yoga as a form of sports. In fact you can grab any of those and start practicing yoga anywhere you want to. During the early years of yoga practice in the US, a lot of yoga “gurus” have emerged, claiming to be experts of this discipline. Yet they gradually dwindled into what they actually are, merely fake gurus and yet they still have real support from their disciples. Obedient disciples of this distorted form of yoga have become agents of growth of this unhealthy philosophy.

Tags: yoga, yoga poses

There is no question that a Pilates workout is one of the most effective low-impact exercise programs in existence.

Minor Muscle Groups

While aerobic exercise and traditional weight lifting exercises all the major muscle groups, Pilates workouts the smaller muscles that support the large ones. By moving your body with a very tiny, centered reach of motion using Pilates equipment as basic as a mat, your Pilates instructor will take you through a course of movements that will leave your muscles feeling good and sore for a day or two after.

A mat is the starting piece of equipment your Pilates studio should be furnished with. Using the mat, you can do a dozen or so awesome Pilates movements that will keep your muscles taut and shapely.

The Reformer - The Body Aligner

Joe Pilates designed the first Pilates Reformer. Pilates fans enjoy this Pilates equipment because it “reforms” or corrects, the body’s alignment. The Reformer is a reason Pilates exercisers swear by the long, lean look and feel that Pilates provides them. The Reformer combines a strength training workout that builds muscle mass, with a cardio workout, which is great for weight loss.

Pilates DVDs

One different way to make sure you get a total workout is to use a novel piece of Pilates equipment — an exercise DVD. Let a professional Pilates instructor, like Denise Austin, Ana Caban, Maggie Rhoades or Gaiam lead you through a world class workout that will leave you feeling lean and stretched tall. A DVD is a great starting point, if you are a beginner to Pilates and don’t have any fancy Pilates equipment. DVDs range in complexity from beginning mat workouts and workouts for people that are not flexible to Reformer advanced workouts that combine yoga and Pilates to give you the added benefits of both disciplines.

Stott Pilates Toning Ball

If you enjoy Stott Pilates, get a super powered workout with a toning ball that is weighted. Add to the intensity of your workout and feel your core turn into a toned mass of hard muscle. The Stott Pilates Toning Ball DVD includes an amazing 88 minute video. If you can get through this video, you will achieve maximum toning results in a minimal amount of time.

Spine Corrector Barrel For Pilates Equipment

If you have room for this item in you home Pilates studio, you will be astonished at the way it makes you feel. People with back problems will like the spine corrector barrel because it lifts out and stretches the individual vertebrae of the spine.

Now you should see that there are many different choices of Pilates Equipment for your household use. Find the right equipment for your available space and you will be on your way to a long, lean toned body.

Tags: yoga, yoga poses

What is this whole idea of ‘altering consciousness’ that everyone is talking about? Is it becoming psychic, clairvoyant, or meditating until we levitate? Is it increasing our memory or improving our sleep? Is it a higher IQ and better test stores? Or is it just perhaps the ability to meet our loved ones upsets with a calm demeanor, instead of a snarl and a growl. As I think about it, I wonder if it is all of this and more. perhaps altering consciousness is simply shifting our entire way of thinking, acting, and being in the world so that it works better.

And I will admit, all of this sounds very new-agey and far out, and in many ways it is.

And as I speak about ways to alter consciousness you may begin to think of manifestation, and the movie called the Secret. You may be reminded of Echart Tolle and THE POWER OF NOW or A NEW EARTH. You may think of Yoga, meditation, Buddha and karma. You may recall a life-changing course you once took called The Landmark Forum. You may think of the deepest tenets of Christianity and other world religions. Quotes may come to mind- such as “There but for The Grace of God Go I” and “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ”

And as we think further about altering consciousness there may come a realization There is nothing new or different here.

As a race, humans have desired to alter their consciousness for eons now. And we’ve had some great ideas. We’ve had the idea of living in peace and harmony with others. We’ve thought it would be great to have tolerance for others, good judgment, and a love for all. We’ve longed to help people instead of hurt them. We have actually contemplated what it would be like if all beings lived their lives in joy, happiness, and with a high level of life fulfillment. We’ve pondered a world where everyone on the planet was fed, clothed, and educated.

No, the idea is not a new one. So then what is new here? Obviously there is something that makes the concept of altering consciousness hit our world, and rock it like an atom bomb. Here’s what I believe. I believe that lots of people are dropping the bomb of possibility for a new new world order right on top of our heads. And we, for the first time ever, are actually able to see what it is. Masses of us now believe that we may be able to alter our lives and the world, by altering our consciousness. And this is a totally new phenomenon. Now we don’t say it’s definite. We don’t say it will be easy. But many of us do say “This could happen.” And that’s big, and it’s brand spankin’ new.

And if we don’t kill ourselves off first, we might just actualize this possibility.

I’m an optimist at heart and choose to believe we will. So as these articles progress, I will speak more about various ways to alter consciousness in the direction I believe humanity is longing to go. Some are time honored, tried and true practices that take some work. Others, such as brain entrainment, are new on the evolutionary scale, and relatively easy to employ. Stay tuned as we explore all of these practices in more depth. And as the yogis say, Namaste.

Tags: fitness, pilates