Archive for April 19th, 2009

Health in Your Hand: Seven Mudras for Amazing Health Benefits

Sunday, April 19th, 2009 | Understand Yoga with No Comments »

Mudras are very powerful. If you practice these mudras regularly you can see the wonderful health benefits.

Long before this much publicity came to yoga my grand father used to practice asanas, chakras and mudras in yoga. To my knowledge my grandfather has never gone to a doctor. He has neither diabetes nor blood pressure. He taught us the way to practice mudras. Mudras are very powerful. If you practice these mudras regularly you can see the wonderful health benefits.  

  1. Gyan Mudra (Mudra of Knowledge):

    Method:

    Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger, with the other three fingers stretched out.

    Specialty:

    As it is a mudra of knowledge, it enhances the knowledge. The tip of thumb has centers of pituitary and endocrine glands. When we press these centers by index finger the two glands work actively.

    Time duration:

    There is no particular time duration for this mudra. You can practice by sitting, standing or lying on bed whenever and wherever you have time.

    Benefits:

    • Increases memory power and sharpens the brain      
    • Enhances concentration and prevents Insomnia
    • If we practice it regularly, it will cure all psychological disorders like Mental, Hysteria, Anger and Depression

  2. Prithvi Mudra (Mudra of Earth):

    Method:

    Tip of the ring finger touches the tip of the thumb, with the other three fingers stretched out.

    Specialty:

    It reduces all physical weaknesses.

    Time Duration:

    It has no particular time duration. You can practice it any time you want.

    Benefits:

    • It helps to increase the weight for weak people
    • It improves the complexion of skin and makes the skin to glow
    • It makes the body active by keeping it healthy

  3. Varuna Mudra (Mudra of Water):

    Method:

    Tip of little finger touches the tip of thumb, with the other three fingers stretched out.

    Specialty:

    It balances the water content and prevents all diseases which come due to lack of water.

    Time Duration:

    It has no specific time duration and one can practice it according to their time.

    Benefits:

    • It retains clarity in blood by balancing water content in the body
    • Prevents the pains of Gastroenteritis and Muscle Shrinkage

  4. Vayu Mudra (Mudra of Air):

     

     

     

     

     

        

    Method:

    Keep the index finger on the base of the thumb and press with thumb keeping the other three fingers straight.

    Specialty:

    It prevents all the diseases that occur due to the imbalance of the air.

    Time Duration:

    The practice of this mudra for 45 minutes reduces the severity of the disease in 12 to 24 hours. For better results practice it for two months.

    Benefits:

    • It cures Rheumatism, Arthritis, Gout, Parkinson’s disease and paralysis without any medicine     

    • It is useful for Cervical Spondilytis, paralysis to face and catching of nerve in neck
    • It corrects the disorder of gas in the stomach

  5. Shunya Mudra (Mudra of Emptiness):

    Method:

    Keep the middle finger at the mount of Venus and press it with thumb.

    Specialty:

    It reduces the dullness in our body.

    Time Duration:

    One can practice it for 40 to 60 minutes daily until to be cured from the disease.

    Benefits:

    • It relieves an earache within 4 or 5 minutes
    • It is useful for the deaf and mentally challenged, but not for inborn ones.

  6. Surya Mudra (Mudra of Sun):

    Method:

    Bend the ring finger and press it with thumb.

    Specialty:

    It sharpens the center in thyroid gland.

    Time Duration:

    Practice it daily twice for 5 to 15 minutes.

    Benefits:

    • It reduces cholesterol in body and helps in reducing weight
    • It reduces anxiety
    • It corrects indigestion problems

  7. Prana Mudra (Mudra of Life):

    Method:

    Bend ring finger and little finger and touch the tip of thumb with their tips keeping the remaining two fingers stretched.

    Specialty:

    As it is the mudra of life, it improves the power of life. Weak people become strong. It reduces the clamps in blood vessels. If we practice it regularly, we will become active.

    Time Duration:

    No specific time duration. One can practice it any time.

    Benefits:

    • It improves immunity
    • Improves the power of eyes and reduces eye related diseases
    • It removes the vitamin deficiency and fatigue

  8. Apana Mudra (Mudra of Digestion):

    Method:

    The tips of middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of thumb while the other two fingers are stretched out.

    Specialty:

    It plays an important role in our health as it regulates the excretory system.

    Time Duration:

    Practice it daily for 45 minutes, but practice for longer time yields more benefits.

    Benefits:

    • It regulates diabetes
    • It cures constipation and piles
    • It helps excreting the normal waste regularly

  9. Apana Vayu Mudra (Mudra of Heart):

    Method:

    The tips of the middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of thumb, while the index finger touches the base of thumb and little finger stretched out.

    Specialty:

    It benefits the heart. It works like injection in the reduction of heart attack. It is as powerful as sorbitate tablet. It reduces the gas content in body.

    Time Duration:

    Practice it as many times as you can. Heart patients and BP patients can practice it for 15 minutes daily twice for better results.

    Benefits:

    • It strengthens the heart and regularizes palpitation
    • It regulates excretory system
    • It redeems gastric trouble

  10. Linga Mudra (Mudra of Heat):

    Method:

    Interlock the fingers of both the hands and keep the thumb of the left hand vertically straight and encircle it with the thumb and the index finger of the right hand.

    Specialty:

It generates heat in our body. Take milk, ghee, more water and fruit juices in addition to practice of this mudra for much benefits.

Time Duration:

Practice it any time you want. But don’t practice it a lot as it produces heat in the body. It can cause sweating even in winter if you practice it longer.

Benefits:

  • It stops production of phlegm and gives power to lungs
  • It cures severe cold and bronchial infection
  • It invigorates the body

It is amazing but true. If you want to see the results, start today!

DISCLAIMER:

This article is written solely for health purpose. Yoga is not related to any particular religion. It is just an ancient science that has solution for many health problems.

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Is Hot Yoga Right for Me?

Sunday, April 19th, 2009 | Understand Yoga with Comments Off

 

 

Hot Yoga has taken the world by storm offering a non-traditional form of practicing Yoga poses. In the Hot Yoga practice, elevated room temperature is meant to be beneficial in breaking down tissue blockages more readily and stimulating the release of toxins. But is this elevation in room and body temperature healthy and suitable for everyone?

There is much argument and criticism from the scientific community stating many logical reasons as to why Hot Yoga presents contraindications and health risks:
*inflated body temperature can create a false sense of laxity (joint flexibility) resulting in over stretching and tissue damage
*high body temperatures can generate hyperthermia states resulting in nausea, light headedness, and fainting
*excessive sweating can lead to dehydration that, without proper rehydration, can adversely affect cellular metabolism
*highly elevated body temperature and dehydration can lead to increased heart rate (compensation in delivering adequate blood flow) which can further lead to increased blood pressure - for those already dealing with high blood pressure, one could move into contraindicated states of blood pressure and circulatory issues

All of this is not written to scare off one from doing Hot Yoga. The purpose in presenting this information is for empowerment. As a business, many Hot Yoga studios market their practices as suitable for everyone. This is purely not the case. Any one with a history of musculoskeletal conditions or injuries should seek advice and clearance from a health professional before attempting Hot Yoga. The same is true for anyone who is obese, has high blood pressure, smokes, or has respiratory conditions.


If you are new to Hot Yoga, don’t go and buy a package of classes without trying a class first. Ask for a free pass or discount on the first class. Avoid getting stuck in a package that makes you feel obligated to attend multiple classes. With one class, you can do a TEST!

You should ENJOY the class physically and mentally. You should not experience any negative sensations like shortness of breath, nausea, rapid heart rate, or fatigue. The teaching and social environment should offer supportive, nurturing energy - no sense of competitiveness or “workout” should be emphasized. Ask for the teachers’ credentials: does their teaching philosophy reflect your view on health and wellness? do they offer modifications and encourage beginners to stay at appropriate levels? do they have a sufficient exercise science background that makes them effective, safe and competent in their teaching? When you are in the practice and after the practice, do you feel you have moved into a more positive state physically and mentally? Tap into Satya (truthfulness) when asking this question.

If you are completely new to Yoga. I personally recommend trying a basic Hatha Yoga class to develop your foundation of poses, breathing, and awareness. Learn first what is your limitations in range of motion at regular room temperature and learn modifications to address those limitations. With this knowledge and development of your Inner Teacher, you can then be more receptive and understanding of how your first Hot Yoga experiences should be.

Again, your Hot Yoga class should be enjoyable and foster a connection to the Inner Awareness. Avoid environments that enable the Ego to take hold. Regardless of the style of Yoga, find a Teacher that you can truly connect with and develop a trusting, honest relationship. Hot Yoga is an advanced practice and should be marketed as such. Be wary of Hot Yoga studios that don’t address this. We are all unique and in different stages of life hence we should not all be practicing the same.

 from : http://tinyurl.com/c6624f 

 

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