Yoga Poses & Pranayam

Yoga... The Surest Way of Complete Health

The Importance of Yoga Poses:

Yoga poses have been developed over centuries of research and experience. They have been found to be extremely effective in: Increasing flexibility of the body and freeing all the energy blocks. Besides increasing flexibility, this leads to a healthier body. Helping to lose excess flab and weight - another cause of ill health. Massaging the internal organs of the body and the rarely stimulated parts such as the thyroid gland. Helping to treat several health disorders - from common ones such as backaches and arthritis to 'seemingly' unrelated disorders such as stammering. It is recommended to include some form of yoga positions and preferably a yoga routine in your life. What is the right yoga routine for me? Yoga routines will vary depending on the purpose for which you seek to do yoga - it may be for better fitness or for specific ailments. Pranayama & Yogic Breathing The Power of Effective Breathing Pranayama forms a vital step in the path to ascendancy through Yoga. Pranayama is derived from 2 Sanskrit words - Prana (life force) and Ayama (control). Therefore, in its broadest description, Prananyama would mean the control of the flow of life force. One of the initiation techniques into Prananyama is through the practice of Yogic Breathing or Yoga Breathing. Yogic Breathing helps us break down and understand our breathing better as being composed of diaphragmatic and thoracic breathing. Although this breathing technique forms a basis to advanced Pranayama techniques, it leads to important benefits of its own and provides us a glimpse of what we are capable of reaching through Pranayama. Breathing Components that form the basis of Pranayama During breathing for Pranayama inhalation (puraka) stimulates the system and fills the lungs with fresh air; retention (kumbhaka) raises the internal temperature and plays an important part in increasing the absorption of oxygen; exhalation (rechak) causes the diaphragm to return to the original position and air full of toxins and impurities is forced out by the contraction of inter-costal muscles. These are the main components leading to Pranayama which massage the abdominal muscles and tone up the working of various organs of the body. Due to the proper functions of these organs , vital energy flows to all the systems. The success of Pranayama depends on proper ratios being maintained between inhalation, exhalation and retention.