...oining. By doing yoga we are joining together the various facets of a human being. We are made up of body, mind and spirit. By doing yoga we join these three parts together to form an integrated human being. The actual pose or asana part of yoga is only a method by which we can integrate the human being. In essence, yoga means to attain a sense of balance, focus and improved breathing. If we all did a structured breathing exercise which would improve lung capacity and increase circulation, then that woul...more

Hatha yoga - The yoga Of Movement

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Hatha yoga can be described as the yoga, which brings about the union of opposing forces. This is inherent in the name of this branch of yoga, since "ha" means sun and "tha" means moon. It is the form of yoga best known in the West and is very suitable for persons who are physically oriented. One of the nice things about yoga is that there are six main kinds, each suited to a different temperament. In addition to Hatha yoga, there is Raja yoga, the yoga of meditation, ...more

Raja yoga Gaining Complete Control of Mind for Deep Meditation

...le, and therefore the goal of any yoga, unattainable.

Moreover in The yoga sutras of patanjali, "Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah," or, "The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga! Raja Yoga shows how to achieve this.

8 Principles of Raja Yoga

Raja yoga is also known as Ashtanga (8 limbed) yoga which refers to the eight principles which are:

Yama; or the code of conduct that is, self-restraint

Niyama; religious observances - commitments to practice, study and devotion

Asana: integration of mind and body through physical activity

Pranayama: regulation of breath leading to integration of mind and body

Pratyahara: abstraction of the senses, withdrawal of the senses of perception from their objects

Dharana; concentration, one-pointedness of mind

Dhyana: meditation (quiet and non-sensual activity that leads to samadhi)

Samadhi; the quiet state of blissful awareness, superconscious state

It must be remarked that although called eig...more

yoga Benefits - Part I

...ther the gross material (annamaya), physical (pranamaya), mental (manomaya), intellectual (vijnanamaya) and spiritual (anandamaya) levels, within our being.

In case, you are still unconvinced about the benefits of yoga, why not read some yoga books, including yoga books on meditation and spirituality. There are even online yoga books and audiotapes, one can listen to while driving or running errands. Once you are convinced of the benefits of practising Yoga, the next step before beginning to practise it is to equip yourself with some yoga accessories, such as, a yoga mat, yoga strap and yoga block. Go Yoga!more