Tremblant Lifestyle

Yoga has become an interesting fitness trend in America. Incidentally, Yoga can be an excellent way to get in shape, lose weight, etc. If this is all you do with Yoga, though, you are missing quite a bit.

Yoga is another method of contacting and expressing the self through the body. If you pay attention, going through these exercises will give you a chance to become more familiar with your body. When you learn to maintain a state of deep focus (through Yoga or any other exercise), you will begin to gain deeper and deeper insights. Properly focused Yoga practice will not only make your body more limber, it will also create greater flexibility of perception. Increasing flexibility of perception is how we start to open the doors to true freedom!

So how do we use our focus to deepen our Yoga practice? There are a variety of methods, but I will give you three to start with. To have a deeper experience while practicing Yoga, you can focus on the muscles being stretched, the breath, or the feet.

Focusing on the muscles being stretched is very powerful. As you relax into the posture, you can smile into these muscles, and deepen the stretch. Sometimes (particularly for beginners) focusing on the active muscles seems to amplify discomfort. If this is the case, then you can loosen your focus to the general area of the stretch, or choose one of the other objects of focus.

Focusing on the breath is a classic meditation as well as an excellent method of deepening your practice of Yoga. Breath-work in Yoga is typically referred to as Pranayama. If you are doing a Yoga workout, switching asanas (positions) to work up a sweat, the best thing to do is mindful diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe deep into the belly and pay attention to the sensations that arise in conjunction with the breath. If you are holding a single asana for an extended period of time, you can use the same breathing method, or you can play with the breath of fire. The breath of fire is rapid diaphragmatic breathing; see if you can use your abdominal muscles to draw in a deep (not long) breath and exhale the breath quickly. Start slowly with the breath of fire, and add speed as you grow more comfortable.

The final point of focus that we will cover for Yoga practice is the feet. Focusing on the feet has a very grounding effect; it reminds you of your connection to the Earth. If any of the other methods are too uncomfortable, or if you find yourself getting distracted, you can always bring your focus back to your feet. Pay attention to your feet, and how you connect with the Earth as you transition through asanas.

Regardless of which point of focus you choose, you will gradually develop more and more mindfulness. This can transform your experience of Yoga. One of the many benefits of having an active meditation (Yoga, a martial art, walking meditation, etc.), is how easy it is to bring it into the rest of your life. Still meditation (sitting or standing) is also very useful, but the state of insight gained there is a bit more difficult to carry into your day-to-day routine.

Yoga is a powerful method for health and growth. As you develop your focus and insight in your Yoga practice, you will be able to enjoy more insight and awareness in every moment of every day!

Kundalini yoga is the most powerful part of meditative discipline within the tradition of Yoga . It deals with a set of advanced yoga exercises. The exercises are also sometimes referred to as Kriya Yoga. According to Hindu tradition Kundalini yoga is one of the purest forms of spiritual science that leads to enlightenment and God-Realization under the guidance of a Spiritual Master. The awakening of kundalini means awakening of inner knowledge. The practice of Kundalini yoga evokes the inner organs and senses to such a sublime state that one feels elevated from the mundane zone. Kundalini Yoga helps to detox and destress oneself from the tensions and stress posed by this fast pacing world.

Kundalini yoga is a form of yoga that combines postures (asanas), breath (pranayam), and chanting (mantra). Kundalini is a Sanskrit word that means “coil” and refers to energy that is “coiled” at the base of the spine.  Through the practice of asana, pranayama and mantra, this energy is stimulated and rises through the chakras, also known as energy centers, in the body, creating better health, clarity of mind and a more enlightened state of consciousness. Most yoga teachers and scholars recognize the 7 major chakras in the body, adding the aura and numerous minor chakras throughout the body.

The most widely taught form of Kundalini yoga was popularized by Yogi Bhajan who traveled from India to the West in the late 1960′s.  Kundalini yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan  includes kriyas, which are either single postures or a series of postures practiced in sequence accompanied by mantras. Kundalini yoga contains nearly all of the classical hatha yoga postures, but also contains many additional asanas not found in hatha yoga.  One of the unique features of Kundalini Yoga is that many of its asanas involve motion within the posture, as opposed to the more traditional practice of holding a solid posture, perfecting its perfect form as practiced in many of the other forms of yoga.

Kundalini Yogis generally practice a daily early morning sadhana, which includes the recitation of Japji Sahib, a prayer written by Guru Nanak, followed by a yoga set, and concludes with chanting meditations or mantras. The sanskrit word “sadhana” means “daily spiritual practice” which generally includes yoga, meditation, pranayama, and/or seva. Seva is selfless service or the act of helping others.

Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan has a very strong practice of chanting mantras, primarily ones from Sikh scriptures as well as traditional Hindu texts and some English song. All Kundalini classes open by chanting the mantra ‘Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo’ and end by singing the song ‘May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You.’ Within the class there is usually additional use of mantra, both incorporated in specific kriyas or postures and on their own as meditations.

Yoga music is incorporated into many forms of yoga, but Kundalini Yoga seems to make the most use of music for yoga and for meditation.  As such, the recording of Kundalini Yoga music has become very prolific and there are a growing number of yoga music CDs being released for use with Kundalini Yoga. The most well-known artist in Kundalini yoga music and meditation music genre is best-selling musician, Snatam Kaur, whose music is reaching audiences around the globe. So indulge religiously in the practice of kundalini yoga and feel the power within yourself.