What is Yoga?

Yoga is extensively known as a form of exercise that stretches and strengthens the body through various poses known as ASANAS. For other people yoga is the realization of inner self satisfaction. For other it is a religion that the believe and must follow.

All of this statement makes it hard to really make a full realization of what yoga is. So what is yoga?

Yoga goes far beyond just mere exercises full of awkward routines. Yoga is the union of mind, spirit and body. Yoga comes from the Hindu philosophy used to attain spiritual insight and harmony.

What is yoga? Yoga generally refers to the common use of a system of exercises that is practiced as part of this discipline.

The word is derived from the Sanskrit “yeung”, which means to join. A yoke as used on oxen is closely related, but also the same root gives us "join", "junction", "junta", "adjust", "joust", and "juxapose" to name a few.

There are many institutions of yoga all of which have their own unique practices and beliefs. But in this article we have listed down the five most common yoga practices.

However, schools and paths have been established with many different variations that aren't listed here.

HATHA: this is the most popular variety of yoga and one that has been commonly taught for years. So what is yoga for them? For them it is perfecting the mind by way of perfecting the body.

With this technique many asanas or postures, breathing techniques and meditations are used.

ASHTANGA: this yoga is another popular type they are much faster than the other schools. What is yoga for ashtanga’s?

For them yoga can be considered as a type of aerobic yoga for they instill quick and smooth transitions between poses.

KUNDALINI: This school is focused on awakening and focusing what is known as kundalini energy. Kundalini energy is most easily compared to life energy that lies dormant in our bodies. It is commonly represented by a coiled snake.

MANTRA: this type of yoga is focused on calming the mind and body through the usage of words and sounds. The well known 'om' chant is commonly heard in this school.

TANTRA: This type of school is well known by way of its focus on sexual spirituality. They also focus on kundalini energy, although their intent for awakening it is much different from the Kundalini practice.

Yoga is a very diverse practice, no matter which school you choose. People young and old can gain many benefits from regular yoga practices, and asanas can be adjusted to fit physical limitations and other complications.

If you want a break from treadmills, weight rooms, or the pool, take a look at yoga. Not only are you striving towards physical well being, you are striving towards spiritual well being as well.

Traditionally, yoga consists of eight fundamental paths: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Purna Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Maha Yoga and Ashtanga or Raja Yoga. In the western world, the term yoga often refers to Hatha yoga and its postures, movements, and breathing techniques.

The ultimate goal of yoga is the attainment of liberation from worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death. Yoga entails mastery over the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. It is said to lead gradually to knowledge of the true nature of reality.

Things to Do at Home for Excessive Sweating

Bathe Often
People with hyperhidrosis need to bathe or shower often, sometimes 2-3 times a day. After each bath, make sure and dry thoroughly before getting dressed.

Take Care of Your Feet

If your feet are the source of your sweating, there are several things that you can do to help. Here are some options:
• Wash and dry your feet daily.
• Use foot powders and/or sprays.
• Wear socks made of natural fibers, and change them often.
• Wear shoes made of 100% leather.

Airy Clothing

The type of clothing you wear can greatly help with excessive sweating. Light and easily breathable shirts and pants will reduce sweating and odor.

Relaxation

If your excessive sweating comes from stress and nervousness, you may find relief through relaxation techniques. These techniques can help with things like shyness and anxiety.

Drink Water

If you have hyperhidrosis, it’s very important to drink plenty of water. It can be very easy to dehydrate, so familiarize yourself with dehydration symptoms, so that you can act fast if you need to.

Cautions

Very rarely, excessive sweating can be dangerous. Call your doctor if any of the following occur along with the sweating:
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid pounding heartbeat

Stop Sweating and Stay Dry Forever

General Holistic Health Tips - Vol 1

Improve your posture. It is important to keep your spine as straight as possible, so that your muscles do not strain and contract unnecessarily. Also, in order to keep energy circulating throughout your body, it is important to keep your spine straight and nerves unhindered.

Consider “trigger point massage” for pain relief. If you are plagued by continuous pain and conventional pain medicines are not working to help eliminate it, consider this special type of massage. It will help to not only ease the pain – but to eliminate its source as well.

Try acupuncture. Acupuncture is type of holistic/alternative medicine that has been commonly practiced in the eastern part of the world for thousands of years. Five thousand years ago, the intention of acupuncture was to prolong life. With many alternative medical techniques, the intention is to prevent rather than to cure a specific or general ailment. The oldest recorded practice of acupuncture was over 5,000 years ago. Basically, acupuncture is used to stimulate the nerves in the body and as a result positively affect all of the other bodily systems.

Try Reiki healing. Reiki is a healing art that uses the body’s energy to begin and further the healing process. It is performed by using one’s hands to follow a specific pattern of massage, in order to stimulate energy movement throughout the body. There are many Reiki healers who are specially trained to perform the healing massage, or you can read about it or take a class to become a proficient Reiki healer yourself.

Consider a complete body cleansing. There are many different products on the market today that can help you to eliminate toxins from the body and increase the efficiency and overall health of your body. A complete cleanse will remove toxins and other harmful matter from your kidneys, liver and intestines. Generally how they work is you follow a strict dietary regimen for a few weeks while the cleansing process occurs. Most people who try this agree that it makes them feel healthier and they often report a fair amount of weight loss after the process is complete.

Try to avoid television. Believe it or not, television actually induces negative feelings in most viewers as a result of the commonplace violence and gossip. Television viewing is not nearly as relaxing as some people claim. Try giving up your television shows for a week, replacing them with other activities. You will most likely find that you are better rested, happier and less stressed at the end of that week.

Don’t forget to relax. No human being is equipped to function in constant stress mode. It is unhealthy to have a life filled with all work and no play. Some of the most common health problems that result when a person doesn’t relax enough include high blood pressure, stomach ulcers and other digestive disorders. Be sure to take some time out for yourself at least once a week, preferably once a day. This can help to prevent, and in some cases eliminate, these chronic health problems.

Consider biofeedback therapy. If you are experiencing health problems and cannot seem to find the source, a biofeedback therapist will monitor your body and how it reacts to daily activities in order to find out where it is not performing optimally. In this treatment, you would wear a monitor that actually records how your body is reacting while it is turned on. If you are an athlete suffering from muscle problems, you might want to consider this treatment to determine whether you are properly resting your muscles between activities.

Improve your sleeping habits. One of the best things that everyone can do to improve their well-being is to moderate their sleeping patterns. Unfortunately, poor sleep is a habit learned by nearly everyone during the teenage years. It is critical to allow your body the time it needs to wind down and relax so that you can be rejuvenated. If you feel tired during the day, when you awaken in the morning or exhausted before bedtime it is a sign that you are not getting the right amount of sleep. This could be too much, or too little. Try setting aside eight hours for sleep each night, getting into bed no less than half an hour prior to the time that you want to be asleep. If you do this for a few weeks, you will find positive improvements in your overall health and productivity.

Breathe mindfully. The process of mindful breathing is a form of meditation; however it is also a great way to get more oxygen into your blood and tissues. If you start right now and pay attention to how you are breathing, it is more than likely that you will find yourself breathing quite shallowly. This is not a healthy breathing pattern. You can start out by just inhaling completely and then slowly exhaling completely. If you take one minute to just do this focused breathing each day, you will find that you feel better during that minute. And, you will catch yourself paying attention to your breathing several times throughout the day. If you are stressed or tired, take a minute out of your day to breathe mindfully.

Try reflexology. Reflexology is a technique of applying pressure to and stretching the hands and feet in order to send nerve messages to other parts of the body. Through the careful application of reflexology, practitioners can affect the health of various organs and parts of the body. There are many resources available if you would like to learn more about the practice of reflexology.

Relieve pain with acupuncture. Acupuncture is an age old healing technique used to stimulate nerve endings and to promote healing from within. Overall, the goal of an acupuncturist is to restore well being and good health to the whole body. If you are currently experiencing chronic pain, consider consulting a therapist to see if your pain might be reduced with treatments.

Meditate for better well being. The basic definition of meditation is to concentrate on some object or thought in order to quiet the mind. There are many different types and styles of meditation; however the one thing that is consistent is that not every technique will work for every person. Every one can benefit from some type of meditation, take some time to read about different techniques or talk to a holistic healer for more information about what might work for you.

Try Buddhist meditation. Buddhist meditation deals primarily with the quest for knowledge, and is one of the more popular styles of meditation used in the world today. The premise is that by meditating you are spending some quiet time to improve the state of your mind. Getting started is as simple as finding a quiet space to relax, taking some deep breaths and letting thoughts enter and pass through your mind without concentrating on any specific thought.

Stop the music when meditating. Just as you would probably accomplish more during a study session without music, the same holds true for meditation. While some people will play music while they meditate, there is a question about whether music serves simply as a distraction. Try turning off the music for a week, and see for yourself if you are able to accomplish more with a quiet atmosphere.

(More tips coming next week...)
Links for further reading:
Self-Healing Expressions ~ Holistic Healing
Free book about body detox
Free book about massage therapy
Fully Supported Coaching Program Using A Holistic Approach