Tag Archives: yoga meditation poses

What can you hope to achieve with yoga meditation?

Posted on by
Reply

So, you've decided to sign up for a regular yoga class, and now you're wondering what your instructor has in store for you on day one. While it's easier to wrap your mind around practicing yoga stretches and poses, you might be a little confused about getting into yoga meditation exercises. Here are three things that frequent yoga meditation poses can help you achieve in your everyday life.

Eight hours of sleep
It can seem like there are never enough hours in the day to get things done, which makes getting a good night's sleep even more important. If you've been struggling to snooze for a solid eight hours each night, you'll be happy to know that meditation can assist in better sleep habits. This is because regular meditation can help you reduce stress levels and deal with distressing thoughts in a constructive way, giving you peace of mind to rest at night.

Reduced stress
As mentioned above, meditation is great for working past feelings of stress and anxiety that may accompany work, school or your domestic life. By adopting a personal mantra and practicing deep breathing exercises, you may find that you're more relaxed and ready to take on the day after even a 10-minute meditation session.

Personal retreat
Sometimes you just need to get away from the world for a brief time, and yoga meditation is the perfect way to do this. Once you have the basic principles down to meditate successfully, you can take the occasional break to meditate in your workplace or even head to a peaceful outdoor location where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings.

Related items

Beginners guide to yoga meditation

Posted on by
Reply

If you're interested in getting involved with a yoga class, you're probably aware of the various poses and stretches involved. However, did you know that a large part of this exercise is centered around yoga meditation? Here are a few beginners tips to familiarize yourself with this practice.

Lotus position

Out of the many yoga meditation poses, the lotus pose is perhaps the most recognizable and traditional. According to ABC News, this is a great place to start your breathing and mind-clearing exercises. Simply cross your legs in a comfortable position, sit with your back straight and relax.

Point of focus

In order to clear your mind of disruptive thoughts, HelpGuide.org recommends giving yourself a point of focus. This can be a central idea, image, feeling or word that helps you stay calm and relaxed. Simply focus on this thought and repeat it throughout your meditation session.

Listen to your breathing

In addition to a point of focus, practicing deep, controlled breathing exercises is another important component of yoga meditation. According to MindBodyGreen.com, listen to the sound of your breathing and concentrate on the rising and falling motion of your chest to get yourself into a rhythm.

Related items

For people with psoriasis, yoga meditation supplies include moisturizer, oils

Posted on by
Reply

August is Psoriasis Awareness Month, meaning it's a time to learn more about this common and painful skin-and-joint condition – as well as find out about ways that yoga meditation supplies can soothe psoriatic skin.

Psoriasis is an inherited disorder in which the body's immune system overreacts to irritants, causing the skin to grow very fast. What results are thick, scaly, flaking or red patches of epidermis. Sometimes, this autoimmune disorder also affects the joints, causing aches or even full-blown arthritis.

If you have psoriasis, here are some yoga meditation supplies that may help soothe your skin:

- Moisturizer. Before and after a yoga session, apply moisturizer liberally to affected skin. This will keep it plump and prevent cracking and redness. Also, remember to engage in yoga meditation poses that don't overstretch the skin.

- Body oils. These products can also loosen up the skin before a yoga class. Also, try bath oils at night, which help repair irritated areas.

- Water. Drinking plenty of water during yoga helps the skin replenish its moisture levels.

- Sunblock. While a little sun exposure is considered good for psoriatic skin, too much can cause flare-ups. So, when doing yoga outdoors, use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

Related items

InterContinental Hotels will offer yoga meditation retreats, of a sort

Posted on by
1

If you're tired of racking up tons of frequent flier miles only to have to blow them at lackluster inns or motels, there may soon be a new, holistic option out there for you. According to the Financial Times, InterContinental Hotels will soon be offering rooms that are essentially individualized yoga meditation retreats for one!

These accommodations will be available in 2013, when the chain's first EVEN Hotel is completed. The news source noted that each room will be furnished with exercise balls, chin-up bars, yoga mats and wellness supplies – perfect for doing your yoga meditation poses while on the road.

Richard Solomons, the CEO of the hotel corporation, noted that while a few of the typical temptations – like the minibar – will not be available, "[there is] not going to be some guy in a tracksuit at reception demanding you go for a run each morning."

Instead, the hotel chain will be dedicated to helping travelers attend to their physical health. To that end, each room will be large enough to accommodate yoga routines, meals will be healthy and organic, and receptionists will be able to provide nutrition tips at a moment's notice.

Not bad for all you yoga lovers out there!

Related items

Loose-fitting pants are a vital part of yoga meditation supplies

Posted on by
1

Sure, you need to wear a certain style of pants into a job interview, at work or in church, but is there any other situation in which a special style of slacks is helpful? There sure is. In holistic mind-body classes, loose-fitting workout pants are an indispensable addition to anyone's yoga meditation supplies.

Just how essential are they? According to the Essex-Middle River Patch, a mini-firestorm of Twitter posts recently followed the suggestion that students at Eastern Technical High School might not be able to wear yoga pants to school.

However, they evidently have not been banned. Instead, the school has merely decided to limit the snugness of such clothing.

"Don't believe everything you read on Twitter," principal Tom Evans told the news source. "We have concerns about tight and form-fitting pants, but yoga pants are allowed at Eastern Tech. It was all just a big misunderstanding."

Of course, there's another good reason that yoga pants should be loose and nonrestrictive: When doing yoga meditation poses, clingy, synthetic clothes can limit a person's comfort and range of motion.

And perhaps more importantly, loose, natural-fiber pants and a long-sleeved top are the best uniform for any yoga enthusiast who wants to maintain a steady body temperature.

Related items

Goalkeeper chalks up 11 straight wins to yoga meditation techniques

Posted on by
Reply

Getting 11 straight wins is no easy task for any professional soccer team, but Celtic Football Club has done just that. In a win streak that began in November, the group has shut down 10 other clubs (one of them twice!), and goalie Fraser Forster gives most of the credit to his exercise regimen, which is based on yoga meditation poses.

"I think the lads who have done it have really felt the benefits from it," he said of yoga, quoted by the Mirror. "Yoga has really caught on in recent years, especially goalkeeping-wise."

He mentioned Brad Friedel as a case in point. At 40 years of age, Friedel – who played more than 80 games as the goaltender for the U.S. National Men's Soccer Team – is well known for his regular use of yoga meditation techniques.

And he's not alone. According to the Yoga Journal, the regimen is quite common among American soccer players. Leslie Osborne, a midfielder for the U.S. National Women's Team, told the source that she was addicted to yoga after a single session.

"I went once, and that was it," she said, quoted by the news source. "Every session, I learned to mentally overcome challenges that I didn't think I could."

Related items

Try these yoga meditation poses if you’re feeling under the weather

Posted on by
Reply

Are you feeling chilly, achy, sneezy, stuffed up, feverish or generally under the weather? If so, you may be suffering from a cold, an infection or a 24-hour bug. Whatever your ailment, it may help to try some yoga meditation poses, especially with flu season just around the corner.

How can yoga help me when I'm sick?

Remember: yoga and meditation do not treat a cold or fever directly. Instead, holistic health regimens can help your body feel better by reducing symptoms and easing discomfort. Once in a more relaxed state, your immune system may feel recharged and ready to fight off pathogens.

Getting started

You may wonder what yoga meditation supplies you'll need in order to help you relax on your sick day. Fortunately, the accoutrement you'll need is minimal.

Start by putting on a loose, long-sleeved shirt and long pants, preferably those woven from organic, all-natural fibers. These clothes will help your body regulate its temperature, keeping it neither too hot nor too chilly.

Turn your room's thermostat to a comfortable setting. Be sure that you feel good before you begin. If your body is telling you to lie down instead, listen to it.

Also, the Yoga Journal (YJ) recommends wrapping your head – and even your eyes, if you have a headache – with an ace bandage as a way to relieve tension.

Yoga meditation poses to try

Roll up a blanket and place it on the floor. Now lie down on it, placing the roll under your lower back. You should feel as if your chest is being pushed up. Stay this way for five minutes. The YJ states that such a pose can open up your airway.

Next, lie flat on the floor with your pelvis against the wall and your legs up in the air, supported against the wall. Your body will make a 90-degree angle, and with your legs above your center of gravity, vital energy will flow down to your chest and head.

Finally, while sitting upright, slowly roll your head in a circle. Try it 30 times in one direction and 30 in the other. This will loosen your neck muscles, releasing tension and relieving cold- or flu-related aches.

Related items

Confidence can improve your job performance

Posted on by
Reply

No amount of schooling, studying or financial investment can help one succeed in business if confidence is not present. However, even the most accomplished professionals experience insecurities and other trials to their ego. But according to the Harvard Business Review, these slight lapses in confidence don't have to hinder your career.

Many people shy away from a task or job that they find too difficult of that they may not be good at. But like the old adage says, practice does make perfect. For example, if you have great ideas but you are terrified of presenting them in front of a large group, practice your public speaking in a safe environment. Before a big presentation, try practice your speech several times. You may also want to try some relaxing techniques, such as yoga meditation poses and yoga stretching, to prepare your mind.

"Even people who are confident in their abilities can become more so with better preparation," writes Amy Gallo of the Harvard Business Review.

Confidence can bring a unique challenge in balance for professionals. Sometimes, modesty can hold one back from pursuing opportunities that are a perfect fit, while people who are over-confident risk alienating important business contacts. You must come to terms with the fact that you can't know everything, and that is perfectly acceptable to ask for help when you need it.

According to the Houston Chronicle, setting and achieving short-term and long-term goals can greatly increase one's self-confidence. Each small victory can improve your state of mind, making it easier to achieve larger goals.

For example, if you are uncomfortable talking on the phone, make a point to achieve five phone calls each day rather than dwelling on a monthly call quota. Smaller, more manageable goals can lead to long-term success and added confidence in your abilities. 

Related items

The upside of searching for jobs

Posted on by
Reply

Although the job search is generally approached with stress and panic, there are positive things about looking for work, according to US News and World Report. Yoga stretching poses or yoga meditation retreats may help to relieve some of the stress associated with unemployment.

According to US News and World Report, it is important to change your perspective on seeking work so that you can see the benefits. For instance, job seekers can take time to consider what an ideal career would be and plan accordingly for the future. Although changing careers is difficult and may not be a viable option presently, the jobless can begin the process of transitioning or simply re-affirming their current career path, reports the newspaper.

Another benefit of unemployment is the competition. Adults rarely get the chance to directly compete with others. The job search can give prospects the opportunity to use the competitive spirit to prove yourself to employers, according the news source.

The newspaper also reports that the job search should be viewed as an exciting time. Finding a job is a new challenge to tackle, and a new job presents an environment with unique problems and opportunities. In addition, networking also gives job seekers the chance to meet new people and create friendships, according to the media outlet.

Unemployment also presents free time to tackle long put off tasks or to spend time with family and friends, according to the newspaper. It is often difficult to find time to do things you have always wanted to do while working full-time. The time off can be used as an opportunity to accomplish any number of things, such as getting in shape, volunteering or simply re-connecting with family, according to the media outlet. 

Related items

Climb to the top of the rice terraces in China

Posted on by
Reply

Those who want to see a truly remarkable sight on their vacation in China should visit the Longsheng Rice Terrace. Visitors that have practiced yoga meditation can use their Dahn Yoga energy to create motivation for the ascent to the top of the hills, as the view from high up is well worth the effort.

The highest hill in the terrace sits 880 meters above the ground. If tourists manage to make it to the top, they will have a spectacular view of the sloping landscape, which has numerous layers of green rice lining the hillside.

The sight from up above is majestic, with the strips of land twisting around the landscape resembling a dragon's backbone, earning the Terrace its famous nickname. Sit back, relax and spend an hour or so absorbing the blanket of green that covers the waves of the land.

Longsheng has an extensive history, with the fields dating back to more than five centuries to the Ming Dynasty. The area thrives the most in early June, when the plants spring to life. 

Related items