Why Practise Nadi Shodhana Pranyama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)?
Yoga Body
Why Practise Nadi Shodhana Pranyama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)?
When you think about it, the body is essentially made up of channels; consider, for example, how blood, air, water, energy information and matter is able to circulate and move. We have a windpipe, intestines, capillaries, arteries, blood vessels and glands – sweat and otherwise – to name but a few. Ayurvedic health science describes many of these as shrotas.
Read MoreIntroduction to Ayurveda (The Ancient Science of Self-Healing)
Just like its sister science, yoga, Ayurveda is a completely holistic system stemming from the Rig-Veda, one of India’s most ancient philosophical texts which is thought to have been written sometime between 4500 and 1600 BC. The text contains a collection of works recorded by many great sages who were concerned about human health and wellness. Much of what these ancient sages believed to be true about human anatomy and physiology has been confirmed these days by modern science.
Read MoreThe Yamas & Niyamas in accordance with Patanjali’s Eight Limbs (Astanga)
There’s not much that’s more frustrating to a long-term yoga teacher than the belief yoga is a form of exercise so here’s a brief interpretation of the yamas and niyamas in accordance with Patanjali’s sutras.
Read MoreHardcore or Soft Centre? Why Opting for Balance is More Sustainable
Intellectually we understand what is meant by the words sustain and balance, and we use them constantly. But what do they really mean? Sustain: Support, bear the weight of (for a long period), encourage, give nourishment, going continuously, maintain. Sustainable: ..[which] conserves an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources. Balance: Stability of body or…
Read MoreDeath to the Sausage Sizzle: Creating Better Habits in 2016
Can we create better habits in 2016? It doesn’t matter whether you consider them to be good or bad; habits are hard to break. But because of this, it totally makes sense that it is worth working towards creating better ones. Of course, we have to put the work in and accept that we may not be immediately…
Read MoreGet Your Head out of Your Asana: Yoga is Actually a Complete Health System
Anyone can practise yoga or be a “yogi”. It does not have to be on a mat, in a yoga studio or while wearing Lululemon. We may get it wrong from time to time, but that’s all okay because we just do our best. We are practising love and respect for all – including (or…
Read MoreShort Bursts of Hyperventilation Can Be Good for Your Health
As many of us have read/seen/heard, the latest research suggests short bursts of intense exercise (1-3 minutes a few times a week) appear to have great health benefits when it comes to general health/blood tests. As of yet, there has been no conclusive answer as to why and no mention of a possible link to breathing. But,…
Read MoreWhy Oral Hygiene is So Important
According to yoga and ayurvedic philosophy, abiding by a healthy, daily routine (dincharya) and incorporating certain rituals are important if we are to live well and remain on the straight and narrow. This is the essence of the niyama tapas – which essentially means that we should always try to do our best (another interpretation of tapas is “burning enthusiasm”). In short,…
Read MoreWhat is Really Meant By Cardio-Vascular Health & Fitness?
Cardio-Vascular fitness is obtained or maintained by enhancing blood circulation and optimising the ability of our organs and muscles to efficiently move oxygen around the body and into the cells.
Yogic health science might describe oxygen and blood as citta or prana, traditional Chinese Medicine as qi. But what’s interesting here is that although we hear over and over again that we should be “raising our heart rate” (in order to be able to achieve the above), we also KNOW that the healthiest people – elite athletes, yogis, divers – tend to have the lowest, resting heart rates. The resting heart rates of unhealthy or anxious people however – for example those with lots of medical problems due to lifestyle, diet or illness – may be higher than average.
Read MoreWhy All Yoga is “Kundalini” Yoga
Not long ago someone asked me if I taught kundalini yoga. The fact is, that ALL yoga is kundalini yoga inasmuch as labelling different “styles” of yoga began in our Western world. Certainly it is not traditional because at its core (pardon the pun), when taught properly, yoga is yoga. All styles have, at their essence, the same philosophy and the same goal (to not be attached to!).
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