The ramblings of a 21st century yogi.

77 HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:58:24 +0000

Whether you need motivation or you know someone who does, it’s amazing what yoga can do for you.

Health Benefits Within
From lowering blood pressure to increasing pain tolerance, the following health benefits can all be discovered within the body.

1, Regulates blood pressure
2, Lower pulse rate
3, Improved circulation
4, Lower respiratory rate
5, Higher cardiovascular endurance
6, Healthier organs
7, Improved gastrointestinal functions
8, Better immune system
9, Chronic pain relieved and tolerance higher
10, Balanced metabolism.

Health Benefits Without
Just as many health benefits occur within the body, there are many benefits that can actually be experienced from without the body.

11, Delay ageing
12, Improved posture
13, Stronger
14, More energy
15, Keeps your weight down
16, Sleep better
18, Improved balance
19, Mind and body better integrated
20, Increased awareness of your body
21, Core strength
22, Improved sex life

Emotional Health Benefits
Due to the strong mind-body connection of yoga, there are many emotional benefits to be gained from a consistent yoga practice.

23, Improved mood
24, Stress reduction
25, Reduced anxiety
26, Less depression
27, Self-acceptance
28, Self-control
29, Mind-body connection
30, Positive outlook on life
31, Less hostility
32, Improved Concentration and motivation
33, Better memory
34, Improved attention span
35, Social skills
36, Calmness.

Body Chemistry
Several aspects of body chemistry such as glucose levels and red blood cells are affected by yoga.

37, Lower cholesterol
38, Stronger lymphatic system
39, Lower blood sugar levels
40, Reduced sodium
41, Improved hormonal system
42, Lower triglycerides
43, Increased level of red blood cells
44, Increased vitamin C

Exercise Health Benefits
As a form of exercise, yoga offers benefits that are
sometimes not easily found among other exercise
regimens.

45, Lower risk of injury (not only in class but in life!)
46, Improved Parasympathetic Nervous System (more relaxation and healing)
47, Better muscle tone
48, Subcortex of brain associated with wellbeing is stimulated
49, Reduced oxygen consumption leading to efficiency
50, Breathing more natural and controlled
51, Balanced workout of opposing muscle groups.
52, Non-competitive
53, Improved range of motion in joints
54, Better eye-hand coordination
55, Dexterity
56, Improved reaction time
57, Endurance
58, Depth perception

Disease Prevention
Doctors and nurses love yoga because studies
indicate that it can help prevent the following
diseases.

59, Reduces risk of heart disease
60, Prevents osteoporosis
61, Slows progression of Alzheimer’s
62, Prevents Type II diabetes

Symptom Reduction or Alleviation
Medical professionals have learned that the following diseases or disorders can all be helped by maintaining a yoga practice.

63, Improved condition of Carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers
64, Reduced symptoms of Asthma
65, Arthritis symptoms relieved
66, Multiple sclerosis management
67, Cancer sufferers improve their wellbeing
68, Muscular dystrophy sufferers benefit
69, Reduced number of migraines
70, Helps people with scoliosis
71, Improved condition of sufferers of Chronic bronchitis
72, Can lessen effects of Epilepsy
73, Sciatic pain can be relieved
74, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms reduced
75, Constipation improved
76, Allergic reactions reduced
77, Back pain reduced

Om

Michael

Why not forward to a friend in need?

100 REASONS TO MEDITATE

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:02:12 +0000

Found this and thought it would provide inspiration if needed.

Physiological benefits:
1 - It lowers oxygen consumption.
2 - It decreases respiratory rate.
3 - It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
4 - Increases exercise tolerance.
5 - Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
6 - Good for people with high blood pressure.
7 - Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
8 - Decreases muscle tension
9 - Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
10 - Reduces Pre-menstrual Syndrome symptoms.
11 - Helps in post-operative healing.
12 - Enhances the immune system.
13 - Reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
14 - Enhances energy, strength and vigour.
15 - Helps with weight loss
16 - Reduction of free radicals, less tissue damage
17 - Higher skin resistance
18 - Drop in cholesterol levels, lowers risk of
cardiovascular disease.
19 - Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
20 - Decreases the aging process.
21 - Higher levels of DHEAS (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
22 - Prevented, slowed or controlled pain of chronic diseases
23 - Makes you sweat less
24 - Cure headaches & migraines
25 - Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning
26 - Reduced Need for Medical Care
27 - Less energy wasted
28 - More inclined to sports, activities
29 - Significant relief from asthma
30 - Improved performance in athletic events
31 - Normalizes to your ideal weight
32 - Harmonizes our endocrine system
33 - Relaxes our nervous system
34 - Produces lasting beneficial changes in brain
electrical activity
35 - Cure infertility (the stresses of infertility can interfere with the release of hormones that regulate ovulation).

Psychological benefits:
36 - Builds self-confidence.
37 - Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour.
38 - Resolve phobias & fears
39 - Helps control own thoughts
40 - Helps with focus & concentration
41 - Increase creativity
42 - Increased brain wave coherence.
43 - Improved learning ability and memory.
44 - Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
45 - Increased emotional stability.
46 - Improved relationships
47 - Mind ages at slower rate
48 - Easier to remove bad habits
49 - Develops intuition
50 - Increased Productivity
51 - Improved relations at home & at work
52 - Able to see the larger picture in a given situation
53 - Helps ignore petty issues
54 - Increased ability to solve complex problems
55 - Purifies your character
56 - Develop will power
57 - Greater communication between the two brain hemispheres
58 - React more quickly and more effectively to a
stressful event.
59 - Increases one’s perceptual ability and motor
performance
60 - Higher intelligence growth rate
61 - Increased job satisfaction
62 - Increase in the capacity for intimate contact with loved ones
63 - Decrease in potential mental illness
64 - Better, more sociable behaviour
65 - Less aggressiveness
66 - Helps in quitting smoking, alcohol addiction
67 - Reduces need and dependency on drugs, pills & pharmaceuticals
68 - Need less sleep to recover from sleep deprivation
69 - Require less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomnia
70 - Increases sense of responsibility
71 - Reduces road rage
72 - Decrease in restless thinking
73 - Decreased tendency to worry
74 - Increases listening skills and empathy
75 - Helps make more accurate judgements
76 - Greater tolerance
77 - Gives composure to act in considered &
constructive ways
78 - Grows a stable, more balanced personality
79 - Develops emotional maturity

Spiritual benefits:
80 - Helps keep things in perspective
81 - Provides peace of mind, happiness
82 - Helps you discover your purpose
83 - Increased self-actualization.
84 - Increased compassion
85 - Growing wisdom
86 - Deeper understanding of yourself and others
87 - Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony
88 - Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation
89 - Increased acceptance of oneself
90 - Helps learn forgiveness
91 - Changes attitude toward life
92 - Creates a deeper relationship with your God
93 - Attain enlightenment
94 - Greater inner-directedness
95 - Helps living in the present moment
96 - Creates a widening, deepening capacity for love
97 - Discovery of the power and consciousness beyond the ego
98 - Experience an inner sense of “Assurance or
Knowingness”
99 - Experience a sense of “Oneness”
100 - Increases the synchronicity in your life

((((Om))))

Michael

HAPPINESS

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 23:41:51 +0000

More and more research is being done around the world on what really makes us happy.

Some countries like Bhutan even base economic and political decisions on how they will affect the levels of happiness in the population.
We’re catching up with Bhutan, now David Cameron has his own Happiness Czar!

There seems to be agreement on the 5 key things that make us happy.
And this seems to be true wherever you live.

So I thought I’d share them.

1, Connect - with friends, family, workers, communities …

2, Be Active - regular exercise. A little often is best.

3, Notice - look around you. Be mindful. Cultivate awareness.

4, Learn - keep learning. From new recipes to new languages. From computer skills to new walks.

5, Give - time, talent, attention … Giving makes you happier than receiving.

In another blog I’ll look at what ‘Happiness’ actually means.

One definition I like is ….
Happiness is wanting what you have,
not having what you want.

Wishing everyone a really Happy New Year

Michael

AUTUMN RETREAT AT RED HILL HOUSE

Sun, 3 Oct 2010 16:48:28 +0100

This was the eighth retreat that Chandrika and I have run together.
It is always a blessing.

For the first time people who I’ve never met before outnumbered those I know and teach.

Within minutes however we felt like a cohesive group. This is always the amazing aspect of these retreats - the coming together of a diversity of people with such a range of experience as one. As Swami Vishnu Devananda used to say - Unity in Diversity.

Karma Yogis Becky and Kate produced one fantastic meal after another with a vibrant display of colour. Their love in cooking the food could be tasted too. Thank you.

The Universal Yoga centre onsite is growing in energy and success and this could be felt. The more yoga and meditation practised there the more magnetic the place becomes.

The synthesis of all the meditation, breathing, yoga, talks, discussion, chanting, prayers, walking, eating, laughing and silence is really unbeatable. And this old knowledge is now being scientifically proven.

Recent research into what makes us happy has been distilled into 5 fundamentals:-
1, Connecting.
2, Being Active.
3, Noticing.
4, Learning.
5, Giving.

Click here for more about this in an inspiring video from TED.com about Happiness.

Swami Vishnu distilled his teachings into another list of 5 things to practice daily.

1, Proper Relaxation
2, Proper Breathing
3, Proper Exercise
4, Proper Diet
5, Postive Thinking & Meditation

Thank you to everyone for making this such a wonderful and inspiring weekend and I sincerely wish everyone continued Self-exploration and success.

You can see photos from this retreat here.

Om

Mike

YOGIC WISDOM WORKSHOP

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 16:43:57 +0100

For the first time the workshop had an equal number of men and women. Funny as part of the workshop was all about balancing and uniting the male and female aspects of ourselves.

Ultimately yoga is a balance of knowledge and action. Not as separates but through integration. The day was spent moving from learning to experiencing, from movement to stillness, from confusion to clarity.

Most people come to yoga for the physical practice. How much deeper this can become when the actions are infused with knowledge and self awareness.

For those who were there and wanted the almond milk recipe, click here.

There are also a number of relevant books on my retreat site here.

Om Shanti

Mike