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There are many different types of yoga and each has its own traits and benefits. By picking up the fundamental on each and every type of yoga, you can determine what is suitable for you.

Hatha Yoga is one of the most widespread and it a divine practice that concentrates on the physical aspects to derive mental, emotional and physical health. It goes back to the fifteenth century and founded by Yogi Swatmarama, a wise teacher. Hatha yoga is called “hatha vidya” with “ha” means the sun and “tha” implies the moon and together they are the “nadis” or the flow of energy in the body and must work to achieve “dhyana” a feature of meditation.

The full notion of the ancient hatha yoga is a divine path that encompasses moral and ethics, exercises, breathe control and meditation. Hatha yoga practices that are taken up by western practitioners largely concentrate on poses. Both hatha and raja yoga concentrate on the physical aspects and are collectively known as astanga yoga.

The key difference is that raja yoga concentrate on “asanas” or poses to prepare the body for extended meditation.

On the other hand, Hatha yoga creates harmony in the mind and body through exercises, breathe control as well as relaxing the mind by relaxing and meditating. Adopting different poses can ease or prevent health troubles from constipation to cancer.

Raja yoga is known as king of yoga and is also referring to as “Classical yoga” or “Astanga yoga”. It is a practice that has to do with the stimulus and harmony of the mind from yoga poses. Raja yoga is also able to manage your feelings in addition to getting your bodies into raja yoga postures. In Indian civilization, the mind lords over the body hence raja.

Astanga, known as eight limbed yoga and is the eight objectives of raja yoga to become a raja yoga master: “Yama” is the application and observance of being moral. “Niyama” is staying true to your own spirituality. The practice in India is believed to be abiding by religious traditions and festivals.

“Asana” is subjecting your body to the various poses to achieve relaxation and increase flexibility. “Pranayama” is keeping to a correct breathing technique by not constantly thinking about the past, as it results in superficial breath. “Prana”, generally refers to “life force” in Hindu. “Pratayahara” is through forming your own strength of will and mind without subjecting to outside influence.

“Dharana” is observing of meditation, “Dhyana” is to maintain self detachment. This is by far the most difficult objective of raja yoga to clarify. An absolute ideal is to be free of any emotional or materials attachment to be one and harmonize with the God and the Universe even depriving yourself of food, oxygen and sleep. Once your body attains flexibility, it will align with your needs and desires. “Samadhi”, this is the highest state, to be one with God, the Nirvana state of raja yoga.

While Ivengar focus on the right alignment and shape of the body and cling to it for extended period of time instead of changing poses like ashtanga yoga. Props are also requiring in ivengar yoga to achieve alignment.

One of the most widespread types of yoga is the bikram yoga and it is practiced in forty degree Celsius and forty percent humidity. It was founded by Bikram Choudhury and main philosophy is to achieve better breathing and body suppleness as well as circulation in the body. The increased temperature will induce the blood to flow.

Bikram yoga has 26 postures and two detailed breathe control. Bikram yoga is taught by trained and licensed practitioners in order to provide a safe environment for those taking it up. This type of yoga will make you suppler with a better body circulation, an ability to manage breathing together with many other benefits.

Besides the few major types of yoga that are mentioned above, other forms of yoga exist but to start off with yoga, it is best to be acquainted with one of these major types. Having a rough idea of all these major types, you can proceed to find out about other forms of yoga. For beginners, astanga yoga is the most ideal as all other different features can be picked up from there.

YOGA FOR HEALTHY LIFE

YOGA is a science. Like all other sciences it is based on observation and experiment. This method of observation and experiment is regarded in the west as a distinctly modern innovation, but as a matter of fact it was adopted in India in very ancient times by the “RISHIS”, or seers of truth. Through the process of close observation and constant experimentation, they discovered the fine forces of nature, as also the laws that govern our physical, mental and spiritual well being. The truths thus gained through their own experiences and investigation, they wrote down in Upanishads, preached in public and expounded to their pupils.

“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE” it is the famous quotation and meaningful quotation..

Yoga helps us to not only prevent from the diseases; it also helps us to cure some of the common diseases.

Yoga is the only branch that has exercises to make us fit in a physical, Physiological, and psychological manner.

ESSENTIAL OF YOGA PRACTICES:

In order to derive the full benefits of yoga it is necessary to understand the following requirements and principles related to its practice.

TIME:

Though the morning time, before breakfast, is regarded best for practicing yoga. One can do it also in the evening or at any other time provided the stomach is empty and not heavy with food.

The individual should select a time which is convenient for his daily routine and should try to do yoga at the same time everyday. A practice for atleast 5 to 6 days in a week should be enough to show improvement.

PLACE:

Practice yoga on the floor. Avoid chowki (Or Bed). Use a carpet, rug, blanket, or mat on the floor. The place of practices should be neat, clean and well ventilated.

SILENCE:

One should maintain silence while doing yoga. Any conversation, mental activity and even listening to music should be avoided.

REST:

Two types of Rest:

1.Short Rest

2.Long Rest

Short Rest:

The short rest should be for about six to eight seconds only. This is taken between two rounds of asana, or between one and the other asana. The Shorter restis completed by breathing twice at the completion of one round of a posture

Long Rest:

Long Rest comes at the end of all the asanas, pranayamas and other kriyas which one does at a stretch. The general principle is to devote one fourth of the actual practicing time for this rest. For e.g. : If one has done yoga for 20 minutes , the rest at the end should be for 5 minutes

DRESS:

There should be minimum clothes on the body while doing yoga. Male practitioners can wear half pants or pyjamas along with an underwear. Ladies can wear saree, slacks or stretch pants with blouse. In winter, light woolen clothes may be used while doing yoga.

BATH:

It depends on the convenient and personal choice of the practitioners to bath either before or after the practice. For taking a hot bath after yoga practice one must wait for about 15 minutes

METHOD OF PRACTICES:

In order to obtain the fullest benefit of yoga, one must practice in a proper way. Since yoga is the scientific systems it requires to be done in a specified manner. What is more important here to mention is that though every one cannot practice all the postures which perfection, they can certainly follow the method of doing them without any difficulty. Therefore the advice is;do yoga according to the limits of your body. Do it only as much as you can. You need not be perfect in form. If you cannot do the full form, do half it or even less

FEMALE PROBLEMS:

Female practitioners should avoid the yoga practice during menstrual period and during advance stage (After 4 month) of pregnancy. Pregnant women may practice yoga under proper care and instruction of a yoga experts.

HOW MUCH YOGA? :

Yoga can practised for a longer time in the winter season than in summer . Maximum times devoted for actually practicing yoga should not exceeed 45 minutes in a single day of winter. In summer maximum time for actual practice should be 30 minutes.

DIET:

Foods have been divided into 3 categories

1.RAJASIK

2.TAMASIK

3.SATTVIK

First 2 categories is not suitable for yoga practitioners. Third one, SATTVIK, is highly recommended for the yoga practitioners,

QUALITY OF FOOD:

Eat not more than 85 % of your capacity. In other words always keep some space left in your stomach after dinner.

WATER:

Yoga practitioners should drink about 5 lbs (10 to 12 glasses) of water everyday. Water should be not taken at the time of eating, but after half an hour of eating..

Before starting yoga practice we should know the above the factors then only our yoga practices will be meaningful and beneficial one.

YOGA AND HEALTH BENEFITS:

1. PADMA ASANA

2. PASHCHIMOTTAN ASANA

3. MATSYA ASANA

4. ARDHA MATYENDRA ASANA

5. HALA ASANA

6. BHUJANGA ASANA

7. DHANUR ASANA

8. SHALABHA ASANA

9. SARVANGA ASANA

10. PAWAN MUKTA ASANA

11. TARA ASANA

12. VRIKSHA ASANA

13. SURYANAMASKAR ASANA

14. SHAVA ASANA

HEALTH BENEFITS: (PREVENT FROM THE DISEASES)

PHYSICAL:

1. MUSCULAR STRENGTH

2. FLEXIBILITY

3. POSTURE IMPROVEMENT

PHYSIOLOGICAL:

1. NEURO MUSCULAR CO-ORDINATING

2. CARDIO RESPIRATORY EFFIENCY INCREASES

3. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM BENEFITS

4. EXCREATORY FUNCTION IMPROVES

5. IMMUNITY INCREASES

6. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM NORMALISES

PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS

1. SELF ACCEPTANCE AND SELF REALISATION

2. SELF CONFIDENCE

3. FREE FROM ANXIETIES ,STRENGTH AND TENSION

4. PEACEFUL MIND

5. SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT

YOGA CURE FOR COMMON DISEASES:

In the Medical system on external agent (medicine) does the corrective work, in the yogic system this external agent is not needed at all .It is the patient himself whose personal understanding, practice and care cure his diseases in the yogic system

In certain cases, the medicine provided them immediate relief, but not a lasting cure. On the other hand, a great number of such patients achieved permanent cure through thereaptic yoga within in a period of two or four months .This has specially been so in case of diabetes, arthritis, asthma, gastro intestinal disorders, nervous tension and various other cases.

YOGA HELPS US TO LEAD A HEALTHY LIFE