The New York Times recently ran a feature on the effects of yoga and meditation in helping with stress and one’s inner peace. As caregivers, you all know the importance of taking time for yourselves to rejuvenate and balance your energy. Several wonderful sites were listed. Some have MP3’s for downloading, as well as videos and audios. This is a wonderful opportunity to help your self through the miraculous offerings available to you on the Internet.
Yoga as well as other Eastern modalities have long not been recognized by the American Culture. In the past recent years, the consciousness has shifted. The medical establishment as well as the healthcare industry has begun to recognize and accept the rewards, benefits and even healings which have been scientifically documented, especially in the areas of Yoga and meditation.
Yoga dates back more than 5,000 years. It is a system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world. The word Yoga means “to join or yoke together,” and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience.
There are three main aspects to the Yoga tradition: exercise, breathing, and meditation, the exercises of Yoga were designed to put pressure on the glandular systems of the body, thereby increasing its efficiency and total health. Breathing techniques are based on the concept that breath is the source of life in the body. Gently increasing breath control to improves the health and function of both body and mind. After performing the systems of exercise and breathing the body and mind are well prepared for meditation. Through this discipline it is then easier to approach the quietness or solitude from within that produces a place of silence in which healing can occur. Regular practice of all three helps to balance and align the body, mind and spirit.
Types of Yoga
There are over a hundred different schools of Yoga. Some of the most well known are described below:
Hatha Yoga: The physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques. This is what most people associate with Yoga practice.
Bhakti Yoga: The practice of extreme devotion in one-pointed concentration upon one’s concept of God.
Karma Yoga: All movement, all work of any kind is done with the mind centered on God.
Tantra Yoga: Through specific words, diagrams, and movements, you can sense the consciousness. One diagram used shows the joining of the physical and spiritual bodies is two triangles superimposed upon one another. The downward-pointing triangle represents the physical body, or the female aspect having to do with work, action, and movement; the upward-pointing triangle represents the spiritual body of support, energy, and vastness.
Yoga Sites Online:
Beliefnet: www.beliefnet.com – A spiritually oriented site which includes information about meditation and lessons in using the Macromedia Flash plug-in. I was pleasantly surprised to find a very dear friend, Alma Daniels offering the audio daily meditation. The meditation is brief and offers a wonderful way to take a few minutes to balance and focus yourself for the day. Click on this link: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/25/story_2520_1.html
Beyond Body.com: www.beyondbody.com – features MP3 files that are 30 minutes long. You may download them and use them to assist you in your meditations. An ongoing program is offered for you to learn more about meditation and there are four levels. This is a fee based service but for many of you, the investment may prove to be priceless.
HealthPause.com: www.healthpause.com – Exercise and information about stress reduction, repetitive stress injuries, yoga, massage and ergonomics. Users can follow along with RealVideo Clips. These bideos can not only be used for stress but in helping with pain issues. There are some very interesting articles at the site. There is a nominal fee based subscription that provides you with a video each week in your emails for downloading and permanent usage.
Nutricise: www.efit.com – Video clips called FitClips demonstrate common and not so common exercises. This is an encompassing site for diet, nutrition and much more.
YogaBasics.com ; www.yogabasics.com – A wonderful site featuring MP3’s for downloading. Classes in meditation, breathing and yoga.
YogaClass.com : www.yogaclass.com – Stretching, relaxation and yoga poses for exercise. You may download several classes.
YogaSite.com : www.yogasite.com – Loads of information including helpful diagrams of yogic positions. This is truly an informative site.
DesktopYoga-www.mydailyyoga.com
Copyrighted by Gail R. Mitchell 01/28/01
