...Yoga has it beginnings in ancient India but this discipline has invaded the whole world due to the benefits it offers to people who take up yoga. A survey shows that there are more than sixteen million people who practice yoga in the united states alone.

There are various types of yoga and each type has its own methods and purposes. One type of yoga is the Hatha Yoga which literally means sun and moon, coming from two Sanskrit words Ha which means sun and Tha which means moon.

Hatha Yoga, which was first introduced in the 15th century by Yogi Swatmarama, was meant to help yoga practitioners start off with purifying their bodies before proceeding to a higher level of meditation. It is said that Hatha Yoga is similar to Raja Yoga which follows the principle of yama which refers to moral self discipline or control. However, there are sectors who believe that Hatha Yoga has its origins as early as the 10th century.

American yoga followers usually practice the Hatha Yoga to improve their physical and mental health. Most of the Western practitioners of the Hatha Yoga focus on the asanas or yoga poses and exercises but it is really a unified yoga discipline veering not only on the physical but also in Pranayama which consists of breathing and meditation techniques.

Both Hatha Yoga and Raja Yogi are known as Ashtanga Yoga because it follows the eight l...more

Asana - Yoga Poses Or Something Else? Find Out!

...FIRM AND PLEASANT CORPORAL TECHNIQUE

Asana is any position that is firm and pleasant (sthira sukham asanam). This is the broad and laconic definition from the Yga Stra, chapter II, 46. According to this definition, the number of asanas is infinite.

Another definition, this one attributed to Shiva, confirms that of Ptajali: there are as many asanas as there are human beings on the face of the Earth.

Others, however, limit the number of asanas to 84,000, of which 840 are the most important and, of these, only 84 are considered fundamental. In the current book, we present 2,000 asanas. It is the largest compilation yet achieved in ...more

The Yoga Way to Health and Well Being

...ing or driving home after a long day. A short routine for those of you spending hours staring at a computer screen is to take a few moments every day to glance at a distant object. This allows your eyes a moments rest from glare and a change of focus. Look left and right, up and down at least 5 times, blink at least 8 times to moisten your eyes and if it is at all possible, rest your elbows on a comfortable surface and close your eyes whilst covering them with the palm of your hands. If you can incorporate this with or without some breathing exercises, you will already be on the way to a healthier and possibly more focused lifestyle.

Baby steps everyone ... no one expects you to transform overnight.

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asanas To Help You Out From Your Backache

...s of yoga is the idea about well-being in this fast and overly paced life. It gives a therapeutic feeling once you are through with it. It makes you aware about your body and needs of stretching and stress free makes it very important for everyone to give it a try at least once.

Some common poses which can be tried by you to break-free from the backache. The very common and very easy asana is the Shav asana (also known...more

Yoga Position Pictures Online