Discover Yoga and Meditation Benefits
One common perception about yoga is that you can practise it by simply doing the series of physical exercises and yoga positions. There is indeed a refined system of yoga positions to be followed, but it is important to realise that holistic yoga is much more than just physical exercise if you really wish to maximise the benefits of yoga. In yoga, your immediate objective is to gain control of the body and the mind. By controlling the body through yogic exercises, you eventually learn to control your mind. Unless you can control body and mind, you will not reap the real benefits of yoga and meditation. The ultimate objective of yoga meditation, is to achieve the union of body, mind, and spirit...
Inspiration from Paramhansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda was of tremendous inspiration in my early spiritual seeking. It was my good fortune that one of my first spiritual books was "Autobiography of a Yogi". This book is rightly regarded as a spiritual classic and has inspired many across the world to pursue a spiritual life based on the ancient lofty Vedic ideals. The book is a treasure trove of illumined saints and sages, it manages to convey profound spiritual truths whilst also being most enjoyable to read. More than anything the most powerful effect the book had was to impart a real spiritual vibration from each page. Intuitively I felt that the writing embodied a genuine spiritual consciousness. It was quite different to the...
The Elephant As a Part of Hindu Culture
There is no doubt and western historians accept the fact the Hindu civilization is perhaps the oldest in the world. It predates by almost 4500 years the Christian era, which really starts with the birth of Christ. Equally accepted is the fact that the elephant is closely interwoven in Hindu ethos and culture. The elephant has been used as an instrument of war and also as a herald for temple worship. This fascination of the Hindu with the elephant has to be understood in the context of one of the prominent Hindu Gods Ganesh having a trunk as a nose. In addition the abundance of the elephant during all periods of history to the present day is also a factor that has made the elephant a distinct part of...
The Therapeutic and Spiritual Secrets of Yoga Gurus
We knew previously about Yoga history, and ancient yogis and Yoga founders. We also knew Swami Vivekanada, who spread Yoga in the U.S.Another one and the most popular was Swami Paramashansa Yogananda, who had founded the Self Realization Fellowship. He wrote a Yogi autobiography. In addition to Krishnamurti; who traveled a lot and spread Jnana Yoga, and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who spread Transcendental Meditation(TM) in the 60's. He was the most popular of them all as he was associated with the Beatles. - Himalyan Swami Sivananda modified the five principles of Yoga: - Pranayama (proper breathing) - Savasana (proper relaxation) - Dhyana (positive thinking and meditation) - Asanas (proper exercise...
Yoga Gurus - Recognizing the True Ones
Yoga gurus or yoga teachers, as they are frequently called in the Western world are difficult to find. Yoga has great potential for saleability, all over the world. Therefore, many times it is seen that people with just simple knowledge start acting as yoga gurus. Many so-called yoga gurus take undue advantage of keen inclination of the people for learning yoga. They do more harm than good in the process. Hence, it is extremely important to recognize true gurus or yoga teachers and eliminate the false ones. Some yoga teachers have great credentials and impressive degrees. Even then, learning from them may not be fruitful. Just knowledge of yoga is not sufficient. A person also has to be a good human...
Yoga and Meditation - Eliminating Fear
What is Fear? Fear is a disorder. As one observes fear, one can see how it causes disorder. The whole psychological state becomes tense and insecure. One wishes to escape, but the fear always remains. Most human beings are afraid. We are in constant fear of not fulfilling or not becoming. We have fear in relationships. There's employment related fear. There's fear of darkness and fear of death. The very act of living can breed fear.There's fear of the past, the present and the future. Our causes of fear are numerous. Why have human beings not applied their intelligence to become free of fear? Certainly no outside agency has ever solved this problem of fear. No religious or political group has ever...
The Main Principles of the Hindu Religion.
Rejection, detachment and sacrifice happen to be the three main means to run away from the harmful effects of karma. According to Isa Upanishad, to the very first stanza, every one that exists in this planet is for Lord’s habitation and every single thing that is in motion here is element of a worldwide movement. This statement of truth is complemented by the inference that as the planet isn’t our belonging we are not considered to want things that do not belong to people. The correct mode to live, take pleasure in the articles of life is optional in the following verse that individual should desire to live almost hundred years. There doesn’t exist any other mode by which providence would not...
Yoga and Meditation - How Can You Prevent Stress at Work?
In these difficult times, it's getting harder and harder to cope with on the job challenges. The stress we take with us to the job, and the stress we get when we're at the workplace from employers, managers and workers are all on the rise. We all feel it! The question is, "What are you to do about it and how can Yoga and Meditation help?" This troubled economy has everyone feeling off balance. Layoffs, and budget cuts, have resulted in increased fear and uncertainty regarding job security. So you have the fear of layoff, increased demands, increased overtime due to staff reductions, and pressure to perform to meet rising expectations. This all leads to increased stress and anxiety. You can use Yoga...