If you have ever wondered what the most recommended asanas for women are, look no further! The following Yoga set is highly recommended for women to perform. This is part of the technology of Kundalini Yoga based on angles and triangles. It also deals with creating pressure and stretching specific organs of the body.

1. SPINAL FLEX IN ROCK POSE

Benefits:
Kundalini Yoga releases tension in the middle and upper back. It also keeps the spinal fluid moving and stimulates the rise of Kundalini energy throughout the spine.

How to do it:
Sit down on the heels of your feet (if you feel pain or have any injuries, you can use a cushion under the ankles or knees). Inhale and bend the spine forward while bringing the shoulder blades back, then exhale and push the spine back. You may keep your eyes either closed or opened. It is possible to mentally chant the mantra SAT (truth) in the inhalation and NAM(name, identity) in the exhalation. Maintain the head at the same level. To end, inhale and pull root lock for a few seconds then exhale.

Breath:
Inhale and exhale through the nose.

Time:

2 to 3 minutes.

1. LIFE NERVE STRETCH

Benefits:
Excellent for stretching the life nerve. This goes from the back of the heels, through the sciatic nerve and throughout the back (lower, middle, and upper back). This continues all the way up to the neck.

How to do it:
Sit on the right heel and keep the left leg extended forward. Bring the chest to the left thigh and hold for 2 or 3 minutes. Repeat the asana with the other leg. This can also be done with the both legs straight forward.

Breath:
Breathe through the nose.

Time:
Do it 2 or 3 times per side.

1. CAMEL POSE

Benefits:
This pose adjusts the reproductive organs.

How to do it:
Get on your knees, squeeze the gluteus, and place the palms of your hands on the back (kidney area) with the fingers pointing up. Next, bring the hips forward and release the head back. You can stay here or you can go to a more advanced position by placing the hands on the heels. Push the hips forward.

Breath:
Breathe through the nose.

Time:
2 to 3 minutes.

1. SHOULDER STAND

Benefits:
This pose stimulates the metabolism (thyroid and parathyroid glands). It also releases pressure on 11 separate organs. Also great for weight loss!

How to do it:
Start by lying on your back. Bring the legs over the head and place the hands on the back for support. Make the straightest line you can between the body and the floor. Do not move the neck by looking around. Gaze at the chest and relax the breath.

Breath:
Breathe long and deep.

Time:
2 to 3 minutes.

1. ARCHER POSE

Benefits:
Thi is an excellent for women. It stretches the front muscles and
opens the hips.

How to do it:
Stand up. Place the right leg forward and bend it so it will be able to support the weight of the body. The left leg is straight back with the heel off the floor. The right arm is extended forward as if preparing to lance an arrow. The hands are in a fist, except for the right thumb, which is out and back. The left arm is bent back with the elbow parallel to the floor. You should feel the stretch across the chest. Hold this position.

Breath:
Breathe long and deep through the nose.

Time:
2 to 3 minutes.

1. BABY POSE

Benefits:
This is a great posture for relaxation. It aids digestion and brings the Kundalini energy from the lower triangle to the upper one.

How to do it:
Sit on your heels and bend forward until you touch the floor with the forehead. The arms should be placed by your sides with the palms facing up. You can also place the arms forward with the palms facing down.

Breath:
Breathe long and deep through the nose.

Time:
1 to 2 minutes.

1. BOW POSE

Benefits:
This pose opens up the rib cage, expands the lungs, and increases oxygen intake. It assists the function of the large and small intestines, the liver, kidneys, and spleen. This is a great position for those who want to straighten out a curved spine.

How to do it:
Lie down on your abdomen. Bend the knees and grab the ankles. Now pretend you are going to straighten the legs, and the torso will automatically rise up. Tilt the head back and bring the legs up. Hold.

Breath:
Breathe long and deep through the nose.

Time:
2 to 3 minutes.

1. LOCUST POSE

Benefits:
Locust Pose builds spinal strength and flexibility, specifically in the middle and upper parts of the spine. It helps conditions like lumbago, rheumatism, and arthritis of the spine. It also relieves menstrual problems such as irregularities, cramps, and backaches. It corrects bad posture and improves the functioning of the liver and spleen.

How to do it:
Lie down on your abdomen. Make a fist with the hands and place them in the groin area. The chin is on the floor. Next raise both legs up and hold.

Breath:
Breathe long and deep through the nose.

Time:
2 to 3 minutes.

1. CAT & COW POSE

Benefits:
Cat and Cow pose releases the tension in the lower, middle, and upper back. This is a great exercise to keep the spinal fluid and the Kundalini moving.

How to do it:
Get on your hands and knees. Inhale and arch the spine down with the head looking up. Hold the position. Then exhale and arch the spine up with the chin to the chest and hold the position again.

Breath:
Breathe through the nose.

Time:
2 to 3 minutes.

1. STRETCH POSE

Benefits:
This pose balances all of the Chakras, including the Manipura Chakra. There is an old saying in India which states that until the Manipura Chakra is in balance, a person cannot heal. This position is supposed to be performed daily.

How to do it:
Lie down on the back. Raise the head and the legs up 6 inches (the length of a dollar bill). Hold.

Breath:
Hold the position with *breath of fire.

To learn about the benefits of and how to perform *breath of fire, click here:

Time:
3 minutes.

1. RELAX

Relax on the back for 1 minute.

1. SAT KRIYA

Benefits:
This is one of the most recommended exercises in Kundalini Yoga. It is great for the heart and circulation and is like a pump raising the energy up from the lower Chakras to the upper Chakras.

How to do it:
Sit down on your heels. Bring the arms up and interlace all but the index fingers which should remain straight and pointing up to the sky. Inhale and loudly chant the mantra SAT while pushing the abdomen in, and then chant NAM while releasing the abdomen out. Keep a steady pace. This is done very loudly while vigorously pushing the abdomen all the way in during inhalation.

Breath:
It’s natural by chanting the mantra SAT NAM.

Time:
5 minutes.

1. RELAX

Now relax on the back for 11 minutes or as long as your schedule allows.

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Ashtanga yoga is a system of yoga transmitted to the modern world by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. This method of yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of postures—a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.

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If the blood pressure increase and remain above normal, one has to follow strict medical advice and take prescribed medicines by medical professional. However, taking medicines alone is not enough to manage one’s High BP condition. Those who are affected by High BP should change their life style in their day to day activities. Those who are affected by high Bp may have to give-up smoking if they are a regular smoker, may have to reduce their alcohol intake, reduce salt in their food and avoid taking red meat etc as may be suggested by the physician.

Yoga and Meditation helps greatly in keeping one’s Bp under control who are suffering from Blood pressure/hypertension. Doctor’s suggest walking is the best exercise for BP patient. However, besides walking one can practice certain simple yoga exercises such as bend your body and touch your toe; strech your body in both ways, rotate your arms both clockwise and anti clockwise, Lie down and lift both your legs to certain high level position, touch your toes in a sitting position bending your body keeping your legs straight etc. These are minor and warm-up like yoga exercises, one can practice easily on daily basis. These exercises may be helpful to those who don’t have enough time during morning or in the evening hours for other yoga exercises and walking.

After certain easy exercises and after bathing one can try to practice meditation for 10 to 15 minutes focusing their concentration on one point or object .During such Meditation one can chant OM or any other blissful words such as OM SHANTI ETC.

Daily practice of such exercises and Meditation will help in maintaining your blood pressure and hypertension to normal level.

Stress Management Yoga Postures

Hatha yoga is the best type of yoga posture for stress management and to get relief from hyper tension. This is also a easy yoga to eliminate tension and is the best of all yoga execises for high blood pressure. The best yoga hathasasans therapy for hypertension are:

• Balasana also know as Child’s Pose
• Savasana also know as Corpse Pose or Dead body pose
• Makarasana know as Crocodile Pose

Balasana Instructions for Stress Management:

Balasana is one of the best known Yoga relaxation and meditation which has helped many get maximum relief from hypertension leading to high blood pressure. Balasana is also one of the best yoga for hypertension.

Procedure to perform Balasana:

• With your lower legs on the floor, bend your knees
• Now rest your cheast on your knees and stretch your head forward towards the ground (let your forehead touch the ground if possible)
• Stretch your arms forward or backwards as show in the image

Stay in this pose for about five to six minutes while taking deep breaths.

Savasana Instructions:

The following steps instruct you on how to perform savasana.

Procedure to perform Savasana Yoga for Hypertension:

• Lie on your back and spread your arms and legs to aout 45 degrees. You can make use of a yoga mat to make yourself comfortable
• Start to breath deeply letting your body rise and fall with each breath. Following the pranayama technique of breathing
• Concentrate on each part of your body from head to toe and try to remove tension from these parts by relaxing
• Stay in this position for about 10 to 15 minutes

Makarasana Yoga Instructions for Hypertension:

Makar means crocodile and hence this yoga asana is also know as the crocodile pose. This is one of the best yoga poses for stress.

• As shown in the picture stretch out your legs and lie down on your stomach
• Hold your head with both your palms with the elbows rested on the floor

Continue deep breating and stay in this position for around five to ten minutes before getting up slowly. How this yoga reduces stress is by relaxing your entire body from head to toe.

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There are seven principle types of yoga each offering different benefits; each could be used separately or in unison. Six different types of yoga are explained here:

What are the Different Types of Yoga?

1. Hatha Yoga – this is the most common form of yoga today. ‘Ha’ here means ‘sun’ and ‘tha’ means moon. In other words, Hatha yoga brings together the energy of the sun and the moon towards a complete balance in the body. This type of yoga has been appreciated and recommended by doctors as a great method of physical therapy. Hatha yoga uses different postures combined with breathing exercises to purify both body and mind and thereby controlling and reversing a number of diseases. This type of yoga can be practiced by anyone who wants as long as you have access to a dvd or video player – though the best way to learn to practice yoga is with the help of a teacher who could guide you in your performance. You can read hatha yoga for hypertension to get an idea of the power of this yoga.

2. Raja Yoga – or ‘Royal Yoga’ (Raja means King in Sanskrit) this yoga is practiced by people who are using meditation for a higher achievement than only physical and mental fitness. This type of yoga is used by people who have a religious bent of mind and want to immerse themselves in long and deep meditation. The Hatha yoga prepares both the body and mind for this type of yoga and hence, before Raja Yoga is even attempted, the person should first of all be well adept with Hatha Yoga. This is a branch of yoga that is practiced by sages.

3. Jnana Yoga – Jnana means wisdom is Sanskrit language and hence this type of yoga concentrates on learning. Jana yoga is one of the most difficult of the yoga practices as this involves the study of the ancient scriptures besides practicing yoga physically. This type of yoga concentrates on the development of the intellect of an individual and his/ her connection with the larger universe as a whole.

4. Tantra Yoga – this type of yoga is definitely the most misunderstood and at the same time controversial forms of yoga. This pertains to discipline and training to accept desire as an integral part of one’s function. Tantra yoga is a spiritual way to enjoy sex in a more sublime form. This is definitely not a license for orgys, neither it calls for abstinence or celibacy. There are two major branches of Tantra Yoga – Dakshinachara or the “Right Hand Path” and the Vamachara or the “Left Hand Path”. Each of these branches encompasses sex in the day-to-day life on a higher level. The Right-Hand Path uses worship, meditation and concentration while the Left-Hand Path uses rituals, intoxication (substances like marijuana, alcohol, etc)and meditation to achieve the same level.

5. Karma Yoga – Karma yoga believes in the complete balance of the Universe and hence implies that a person’s behavior usually impacts his/ her future. It shows that there is a complete and definite connection between each person and the Universe and literally ‘what goes in, comes out back’. This is another branch of yoga which is mostly practiced by those who renounced the worldly life and want to lead an ascetic life. Karma yoga promoted selfless service and care to the less fortunate as devotion to God.

6. Bhakti Yoga – Bhakti means ‘devotion’ and hence this branch of yoga is dedicated to the love of God and through it, love of all life and mankind. This is a form of meditation which concentrates on channelizing all the energy towards becoming more loving and tolerant of others.

Anyone who wants to practice yoga could choose any of these different yoga types or a combination of these branches according to their own needs and preferences. The best way to learn to practice yoga is with the help of a guru (teacher) who can not only clarify your doubts and help you practice the asanas correctly, but also help you choose which type of yoga would suit you best.

Though all these different types of yoga is not as difficult as it seems at the fist glance, it still needs to be practiced a number of times before you master the technique. Besides, you would also need to learn to meditate and the physicality is only one part of the yoga; the other part is meditation and trying to become one with the Universe.

No matter what type of yoga you choose, you would need to practice it daily and very seriously. If practiced correctly, yoga could get you rid of the majority of common ailments and keep you fit enough both mentally and physically to achieve the best results in anything you do in your life.

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Whether you are looking for a workout program that’s easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body, or if strengthening your cardiovascular system, toning and stretching your muscles, and improving your mental fitness are on your to-do list, yoga is for you.

Yoga (yóga) refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India.

The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings,and is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning “to control”, “to yoke” or “to unite”. Translations include “joining”, “uniting”, “union”, “conjunction”, and “means”. Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. A person who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy is called a Yogi.

Patanjali is widely regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy.Patanjali’s yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind. Patanjali defines the word “yoga” in his second sutra, which is the definitional sutra for his entire work:

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The yoga master Marsha T Metzger said:

His last yoga class in a large group setting was Friday, May 14. He know because He planned it that way. It did not come easily, without many tears, guilty feelings, fears about finances, and worries about His students’ well being, yet, it was absolutely the right thing to do.

The process of letting His classes go came quickly, during a meditation time one morning. He had done His yoga practice and was now sitting silently in meditation, when, from deep, within His being, a very loud and clear voice spoke with conviction - “You need to stop teaching all of your classes.”

What??!!!!!!!! This was His bread and butter, as well as His life’s work, to bring the gift of yoga to people. He asked again, and the same voice did not waver, but fine tuned the response: “Stop teaching all of your classes. Continue with your workshops and trainings. Do your private yoga therapy. Continue with your small private at home group. But stop running around. No more.” Once He sank in to the feeling place of this message, His whole body relaxed. His breath was easier. He was deeply liberated from some type of stress or burden.

His teaching had become a burden. What a revelation. Deep down He had felt that way for months, but He kept going. Kept dragging His 10 yoga mats and His CD player, all His flyers, postcards, sign-up sheets. Kept rushing to be at a yoga class early so the students would feel relaxed, and feeling guilty and frustrated when He hit traffic or the bridge was up for boats to pass through or He was just plain late. Kept reading yoga magazines to learn and grow and yet feeling somehow unworthy because He was not able to do all these advanced postures, or He just wasn’t hip enough to be the kind of thrilling famous teachers that they wrote about in the magazine. Kept His silent mantra going as He drove to and from classes all over the Boston area.“ He am not practicing enough. He am not learning enough. He am not trying hard enough, i.e. He am not enough.” So much guilt. His Catholicism had finally caught up with His yoga practice!

Talk about yoga off the mat. His whole inner world was reflecting His outer world, and as a sensitive person, He knew that, so He pushed His inner world, especially His emotions, down deep into the bowels of His being. No wonder His digestion began to be challenged. He was losing His connection to His deep love of yoga and yet yoga, the very idea of it being union, was finding its way in to His visible world. It was asking me to listen to her and be a loving yogi by taking her advice.

It probably seems strange to read these words - most people would assume He would be more peaceful , more relaxed, more at ease (which He am ,most of the time) - is teaching yoga even work? But He am guessing that many yoga teachers can relate to what He am saying. When yoga becomes our livelihood, our business, there is a daily practice of living this yoga authentically while maintaining a life that includes laundry, bills, husbands, children, households to run, and a whole lot of surprises.

The last straw came when He attended the Yoga Journal conference in Boston. It was wonderful. He was surrounded by so many yogis. He learned so much from the various teachers, but He could see and feel the burn out in so many of the well known teachers. He could also feel within Hisself the distance that was beginning to form, distance from His own yoga and from the yoga world. It just felt too big. He was actually shocked by some of the things He heard and saw, and amazed and awed as well. The sweetness He had experienced in yoga for so many years was elusive. He was, as it turned out, oversaturated. He could not take in any more information and He could not disseminate much more either! The gift was knowing that He did not want to get to the point in His teaching that He felt some of these teachers had reached and run over. He wanted to come back to His first love.

Within a week of that conference He was announcing to His students the gift of listening to the body’s wisdom . His body was telling me to let go of His classes. Some students were sad, others, dismayed or angry. All of them supported me.

May 15 was strange. No classes to prepare for the following week. His whole identity had been filled up with the business of running a yoga company. Now what? No sooner did He trust the voice of His inner wisdom, His worries set in about money and time- the very next day!!! SO He took a deep breath. He walked His dog. He held hands with His husband and cried a little bit. May 15 came and went. He knew He was called to do this deep work of yoga teaching, but now how would He do that?

He started to feel more open. Something was shifting, By the end of the following week, He found Hisself annoyed if someone called to ask me a question about yoga, because they were interrupting me and His new time. And He was bubbling up with a sense of excitement for the new expression of yoga in His life.

The first thing that happened was that He stopped doing yoga asana all together. It was very strange. His body always does yoga, and He am unaccustomed to being without it. He took up walking and Pilates. He began to read just for fun….

He kept checking in with this body and spirit. What do you want? Time. What do you need? Love.

And then the miracles began to unfold. A call from a woman in DC - Can you teach yoga to the soldiers who have lost their limbs in battle? Hole In the Woods Cancer Camp for Kids. Can you bring us yoga to kids with cancer? The Amputee Coalition of America. Can you do a yoga presentation at our annual conference? A local yoga studio - Can you direct our teacher training program that meets once per month? These were doable, within reach. Not too much demand on His time. And still yoga…

He am still in the midst of all these shifts in identity, in time, in work. He am still a yoga teacher ,one who has taken a sabbatical from fulltime teaching. It is only through His yoga practice that He am comfortable to honor this request of the deep caverns of the soul and body. He trust it.

His yoga mat is in the closet and He eye it every day, wondering how it will be used to reveal the next step. He can’t wait. Right now it is telling me to the walk the dog. Sat Nam.

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According to many practitioners, Yoga is the belief that positive things such as peace and health and happiness are within in every single human being, and that focussing the mind and body and exercising discipline can result in great clarity and wellbeing.

Some say the art of Yoga goes back more than 2000 years, but one thing is certain - practicing Yoga can be good for both the body and the mind.

Relaxation is a key part to living longer and healthier and there are many ways to achieve this, and Yoga is documented to be one of the most effective methods.

Hatha Yoga (Physical Yoga) is one such style that has been made popular by celebrity practitioners such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna. It is often referred to as “power yoga” because it involves running through poses extremely quickly in order to cash in on their physical benefits, to which toning and strengthening are key.

Hatha has been criticised because it is divorced from the other, more spiritual, branches of Yoga.

In an interview with Time Magazine, Yoga enthusiast Christie Turlington has claimed that many people who practice Hatha are just in it for the “Yoga Body” (read: good bum) that celebrities pontificate about.

But there are numerous other types of Yoga out there, split in five main groups.

Traditional Yoga practices focus on integration of the mind, body and spirit. In order to achieve this the Yoga student needs to balance their actions, intelligence and emotion. Balance is attained through regulation of the body with Yoga poses and regulation of the mind through meditation and focussing the mind.

In India, where Hindu is one of several dominate religions, the most common branch of Yoga is Bhakti.

Bhakti is the Yoga of devotion. It is directly related to Hindu spirituality because it encourages the Yoga student to become “one” by devoting themselves to Brahma - the Hindu got of creation. Bhakti aims to open the student’s mind to acceptance and love and harmony with oneself and world.

Raja Yoga encourages the practitioner to focus on mastering themselves as a conduit for mastering the extended world. Most Raja students are members of religious or spiritual orders.

Jnana Yoga is all about mastering the mind. Jnana students believe that wisdom and intelligence are the highest virtues. They are open to other religions and beliefs because they’re practices are based on logic and students are encouraged to always keep an open mind.

Karma Yoga is exactly what you think it is. As J.T. says, what goes around, comes around baby. And Karmic Yoga students are encouraged to think and act justly so that they will receive their dues.

Despite popular misconceptions Tantric Yoga is not all about sex. It focuses on allowing the student to find the divine element of every experience. Humility and devotion are large aspects of Tantric Yoga.

There are benefits other than the physical to be gained through practicing Yoga. It’s easy to see from the list above that mental health is high on the agenda of every branch of Yoga. General mental health benefits of Yoga include relaxation and stress relief, which as most people know can lead to a longer life.

One of the best things about Yoga is that you need no equipment to begin a session. Some practitioners recommend mats to avoid bruising the spine and other parts of the body, but they are not a necessity by any means. Yoga is also low impact and can be enjoyed by all age groups from young children to the elderly, and because of its slow pace you don’t have to be super fit to take part either.

Yoga students report a more positive outlook on life, better sleeping patterns and higher concentration levels. Yoga can also be beneficial to those suffering serious illness, bringing together mental and physical elements to help patients suffering from cancers and heart disease.

Yoga Positions (Asanas)

Tree - Improves balance and co-ordination

Triangle - Improves balance and co-ordination

Cobra - Stretches pelvic muscles and strengthens the back

Lotus - Improves meditative state

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What is Zen?
Well, Zen is… Sorry, it’s not that easy. As anyone who has looked into Zen knows, attempting to define Zen is like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands. It immediately wriggles between your fingers and slips away. The more you seek it, the harder it is to find. To say Zen is freedom, fluidity or perfection is a start. However, to say Zen is the reflection of the moon in a mountain stream just leaves us scratching our heads. Zen is right here, right now. Zen is this moment of existence. It is action without thought. It is thought and action as one. It is action before reaction. Zen is Zen…though I know that’s not helpful.

The roots of Zen are based in ancient Chinese philosophy. The Chinese word for Zen is ch’an. In Sanscrit, the ancient language of India, it is dhyana, which can be roughly translated as pure human spirit. It can be imagined as the integration of the disparate aspects of the self into one complete and divine being. Zen was eventually brought to Japan where it was elaborated and “perfected” by the Japanese samurai. It is the foundation of the Bushido code, the way of the warrior. The samurai, who lived their lives at the edge of a sword and could die at any moment, were taught to concentrate on and immerse themselves in the here and now in order to connect with the fundamental core of their being. It helped them develop the powers of concentration, self-control, awareness and tranquility. If they approached each battle as if it were their last, they would be able to have every part of their being at their disposal.

Zen itself has no theory. It is not meditation. It is not thinking. It is not not-thinking. It is not something you learn. It is simply something you are. To practice Zen is to live fully and completely, not in the past or the future, but right here and right now. Zen is, in fact, the reflection of the moon in a mountain stream. It does not move, only the water flows by. Zen implies a contemplative, mystical element to the process of self-discovery. Zen allows, and indeed encourages, a deeper exploration into the individual self.

So let us turn now to Yoga. What is Yoga?

Yoga originated in India. The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root yug meaning to join together and direct one’s attention. It is the union of the body and mind with our spiritual nature. It is also the union of the individual with the Universal Spirit. It is both the goal and the path to realize that goal. At its most basic, yoga is any practice that can turn its practitioners inward to find and experience their spiritual essence. By doing this, they are able to impact more than just themselves. When one is able to bring their own body, mind and spirit into health and harmony, then they can bring health and harmony to those around them and even to the world as a whole.

In the West, yoga is often considered a purely physical practice. But, in truth, it is much deeper than that. At times, in the study of yoga, the body has been likened to a temple. Yoga teaches the way to treat the body with reverence in order to give the spirit or soul a special place to reside and flourish. While this description is quite true, it is woefully inadequate. Yoga is a complete philosophy of living. It is mental as well as physical, psychological as well as spiritual. It teaches ethical discipline and the proper way of interacting within a society. It also teaches a way to turn inward and explore the inner core of being. There are many different methods of practicing yoga. Some deal mainly with dynamic physical postures, while others concentrate primarily on breathing exercises. In still others, yoga methods are devoted to chanting, reading or worshiping. Finally, some methods focus on deep meditation to help bring a sense of peace and serenity to daily life.

The underlying philosophy of yoga is that of wholeness, wholeness within the individual and wholeness in the individual’s connection to the world. When there is coordination between the body, mind and spirit, wholeness becomes holy: not “holy” in a conventional religious sense, but more of a connection to the divine part of us that exists within. The traditional yoga greeting namas te literally means “the divine within me greets the divine within you.” Very simply, yoga is about harnessing all the various aspects of individual existence and creating unity within. On a grander scale, any spiritual practice or discipline that helps individuals awaken and realize their connection to something larger and more profound than their individual existence can be considered a type of yoga practice.

So that brings us to Zen Yoga. Zen Yoga is a holistic system that unites all aspects of the human self by meeting the fundamental needs of physical health, mental clarity and spiritual peace. It is a spiritual discipline that is vast and profound.

It is Zen and it is Yoga.

The basis of Zen Yoga is peaceful stretching and breathing exercises of Indian Yogic traditions. It encourages going at your own pace and only doing what is right for you. Everyone is different. We come in all shapes and sizes. Learning how your own body functions is of the utmost importance. Zen Yoga is also based on the energized breathing and moving philosophy of Chinese Qigong (sometimes written Chi Kung) and Tai Chi. Qigong is the ancient Chinese practice of breathing exercises that fills the body with oxygen-rich blood and energy. Tai Chi can be described as moving meditation. Its graceful, flowing movements encourage the circulation of energy. Zen Yoga also incorporates the mental serenity achieved through Zen meditation. Learning to calm the myriad thoughts that are continuously vying for attention within the mind allows us to think more clearly and with greater insight. But, most assuredly, Zen Yoga is much more than a set of physical exercises. Through the integration of body, mind and spirit, Zen Yoga creates flexibility, health, vitality and peace of mind.

The pace of modern life is characterized by hectic social and economic activity. We generate stress in our daily lives as our concentration is fractured and our energy is sapped. Exercise is put on the back burner because we are so caught up in all of the other things that are demanding our attention. Zen Yoga seeks to reverse this flow.

Its benefits include:
• Stress relief
• Increased will power
• Improved concentration
• Improved blood circulation and release of toxins and impurities from the body
• Toning and strengthening of muscles
• Mindfulness
• More restful sleep
Even more important, by bringing into balance proper and effective breathing, movement, and deep relaxation practices, we can become aware of and learn to access the natural energy of the universe, called Chi or Prana.

Practicing Zen Yoga is not meant to be an aggressive or rigorous physical workout. Instead, it seeks to challenge you to realize your own potential by stretching, moving and breathing at your own pace. There are no comparisons with how well other people can do the exercises. If you are doing your best, that is the best way of doing it. It is not a competition. It is not a contest. It is simply a way to feel better and better, to be happy and healthy, and to enjoy life to the fullest. Deep within each of us lies the potential for perfection. This potential is spiritual in nature and is often blocked or displaced by the difficulties we face in life. Zen Yoga offers the opportunity to become aware of that spiritual essence and give it the nourishment it needs to grow and flourish. Zen Yoga is not about what you can’t do. It has been designed to be accessible to anyone regardless of his or her level of fitness or spiritual development. The most important challenge comes from within. Most of us are seeking more from life. Unfortunately, life itself often gets in the way of our search. Zen Yoga offers an opportunity to get to know the self…to feel happy, healthy and alive.

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There is no competition in Yoga, everyone is different.

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He showed up with a comfy pair of sweatpants and a long- sleeved t-shirt. As the woman at the desk was giving me a little orientation information - explaining that the room was heated to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit - He realized that my concept of yoga clothes weren’t going to work here. Apparently, He wasn’t the first to make this error. Susie told me they had loaners. Now, it’s been a while since the last time He wore hot-pants, so when she handed me the little scrap of shorts, He thought, “No way.” She said, “Trust me, you’ll fit right in.”

Susie continued, giving a few more orientation tips, which started to seem like a set of warnings. “Our first-time students are encouraged to rest whenever you feel you should - kind of take it gradually. The instructors just ask that you do your best to stay in the room for the entire time.” What? Were we still talking yoga here? He’d seen pictures. Sure, He might not be able to balance on one leg while holding the other one over my head at my first try, but come on. How hard could it be to stretch as far as He could go and stop there? Why would He get desperate to leave the room?

Her next suggestion: “OK, He see you brought a bottle of water. That’s good, but you’ll be tempted to drink a lot, and He recommend you just drink sips - not too much at a time.” Hmm. What was He getting into here? It sounded like He was facing some kind of ordeal - not what He had in mind at all since He was thinking of yoga as a peaceful, low- impact way just to stretch and keep my aging body flexible and strong.

Once He was dressed in the little bit of shorts, He opened the door to the yoga studio and was met with a rush of hot, stultifying air. Oh goody. He walked to an open space, spread my mat, lay on my back, and understood exactly what she meant by asking me to at least stay in the room. He was already dripping sweat, and we hadn’t even begun the class.

Ninety minutes and twice through the 26 poses later, He was indeed still in the room. In the non-competitive, supportive atmosphere He had been completely guided to go to my edge, but not so far that He would be turned off by struggle. In fact, He was exhilarated. He lay on my back at the end, eyes closed in the peaceful, very hot room, and knew He’d be back for more.

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