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Posts Tagged ‘Pose’

The Science Of Devotion of Bhakti Yoga

July 24th, 2010 Comments off

Bhakti means devotion to the Almighty. Bhakti deals with devotion to God and achieving the union with Him. This is the easiest of all types. This branch of teaches the relation between the devotee and the divine. It does not involve any technical or complicated procedures. There is no need of any intellectual capacity to master this . It has appealed to the common because it gives him a security and develops a kind of reliance and dependence on the object of his devotion.

Bhakti yoga assumes that there is a higher power that has created the universe and is all-powerful. This power has the capacity to confer grace and mercy on him and thus protecting him from all the harms and evils. The devotee or bhakta is expected to make himself fit for receiving this divine grace. For this, he has to practice devotion and virtue. His ultimate goal should be to unite with this divine power and rest eternally in happiness and peace. The devotee surrenders all his motives and acts to the Divine Power. He renounces all responsibilities towards the good or bad consequences of all his actions and ascribes it to the will of the Supreme. Read more…

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Meditation Basics: Counting breaths is not like counting sheep

June 18th, 2010 Comments off

Basics: Counting breaths is not like counting sheep.

“Just close your eyes and count your breaths,” they say. How simple can it be? “Don’t think about anything else though. Just concentrate on your breathing.” Well, anyone who has tried this “simple” meditation knows that it just isn’t that easy.

There are many obstacles to this seemingly effortless task. Our minds tend to wander naturally. If we try to completely focus on anything for more than a few seconds, random thoughts take over. And breathing is boring; let’s face it. How can you concentrate on something so mundane when there are much more interesting things racing around in your head?

A typical session might go like this: I close my eyes, sit comfortably, and begin counting. Inhale one, inhale two, inhale… “Am I doing this right? I guess so, I’m already on… oh three.” Inhale four… “Now, am I supposed to start over at one or just keep going?” Inhale one, inhale two, inhale three, inhale four. “Wow, I’m really getting the hang of this. Oops.” Inhale one, inhale two… “Did I remember to pay the phone bill? I’m sure I did. I’m really good at staying on top of my bills. Not like Susan, she’s always… Darn, I did it again.” Inhale one, inhale two…

The good news is it does get better with practice. The bad news is it can still be a struggle for experienced meditators, especially during busy or turbulent periods in one’s life. Luckily, there is more good news. There are some specific things you can do to help you focus and reduce the frustration in your meditation practice. In this article, I would like to offer three to help you with your practice. They are: Observe don’t control, be compassionate, and enjoy yourself.

First, don’t force or try to control your breathing. This is a mistake that a lot of beginners make. Many inexperienced meditators consciously or unconsciously alter their breathing in an effort to focus on it. What results is an exaggerated and often irregular breathing pattern. This can actually inhibit your meditation rather than help it.

What you want to do is just “watch” your breathing. You don’t have to exert any additional effort at all. If you just wait and observe, you will breathe. Then, you can count. Of course, we all know this but many people still find themselves forcing it. If you catch yourself controlling your breaths, just gently remind yourself that it’s not necessary and then wait for the next breath to come naturally.

This brings me to the next tip, compassion. In this case I mean for yourself in your meditation practice. As we’ve been discussing, it’s not an easy thing to do to concentrate on one’s breath. It’s very important not to scold yourself when your mind wanders or you catch yourself controlling your breathing. If you think about it, the time you would spend reprimanding yourself for breaking your focus is just more time away from your meditation. It is best to softly bring yourself back to your practice as soon as you notice you’re wavering. Don’t get down on yourself and start thinking, “I can’t do this. This is never going to work for me.” These negative thoughts do nothing to help your practice and waste valuable time. Be compassionate. Just brush it off and return to your meditation. Read more…

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What Benefits And Usefulness Of Trikanasana

December 5th, 2009 Comments off

Trikanasana is also known as the Triangle . As and when you look at the asana you can easily notice why this name has been given to this asana. It works out every muscle of your from the arms to the legs. It is a great way to shed some of the excess weight you have been carrying all along.

This asana helps all those have been struggling with weight problem. If you are looking for a good figure and a curved waist line, this is the pose to do. It helps in curing rheumatism and lumbago, a problem with your lower spine region. It is a good asana to make your shoulders and arms more flexible. A stiff body can achieve a state of flexibility by doing this asana. It has direct impact on your muscles as you start doing it. Read more…

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