Simple Health Cures

   The focus in Kundalini Yoga is on the seven main chakras in the human beings. These seven chakras are to be awakened as they are considered the centers of psychic ability. The awakening of these chakras is aimed at releasing the untapped Kundalini energy. It is said to rest in the shape of two snakes coiled up around the spine beginning at the base of the spine. These two channels of energy are said to correlate to the masculine and feminine psychic energies.

   The male form is called “Ida” and starts from the right hand side of the spine. On the other hand the “Pingala” is the female form and starts from the left. The two snake-like channels coil up along the spine and as the chakras lie along the spine, these channels influence the centers of all the chakras. Thus being able to control the flow of energy through these channels helps you develop your psychic ability. This is said to help you reach your final goal of self mastery and nirvana.

   This form of yoga is associated with Tantra. Unlike other forms of yoga which advocate celibacy where possible with respect to spiritual growth, the Tantric (one who practices Tamtra) is said to harness sexual feelings and contact to reach enlightenment. It is a controversial form of Yoga, but it does have a fairly strong fan base. Just how effective it is will be debated without any agreement being reached for ages.

   The Tantric form of Yoga is seen as a way to combine the physical male and female energies so that the human being can experience being a “whole” source of energy. Many people do not understand the true nature of Tantric Yoga and think of it as a way to get laid. The experience of tantric lovemaking is not to ensure that you have an orgasm. In fact the lovers during the love making process called “Maithuna” strive not to have an orgasm.

   The release of the sexual energy is used to aid the Kundalini Energy travel upwards through the spine. Then this energy is used to awaken the seven chakras in the body so that there can be a union of “Shakti” and “Shiva. The form of yoga is not the ideal one if you are looking to heal a particular disease. There is also the danger of quacks trying to teach you nonsense. So don’t try this out unless you are sure you know what you are getting into.

   The word “karma” means action or deeds. As we say in English that “Actions speak louder than Words”, so it is believed in Yoga as well. The essence of this form of Yoga is contained inthe book of the “Bhagvad Geeta”. This is the compilation of the words of wisdom that Lord Krishna shared with his disciple Arjun who was faced with the dilemma of fighting his own kin and brethren just before the war began. The Mahabharata is full of such moral choices that an individual must make.

  Here Arjun was fighting on the side of his Pandav brothersfor the injustice done to his eldest brother Yudhistar. However he was faced with the army of the Kauravas which included his cousins, kin and uncles. So he faltered and said he could not fight. This is when Lord Krishna who was his charioteer, having chosen to use no arms in the war, guided him with the principles of Karma Yoga. He said that as long as Arjun was in the right and following Dharma, then he must fight.

   He must do the deeds without worrying about if it will fetch him wealth or fame or any other reward. This is essentially what a follower of Karma Yoga tries to do. The deeds are dedicated to God and usually involve some amount of philanthropic actions as well. Charity is very common when you practice Karma Yoga and a person gives what he can from money to vauables to time. Here the focus is on the actual doing of the dead and not on the reward or punishment that will follow it.

   The aim of this form of Yoga is to purity your thoughts and actions and make you less materialistic. After all the end product of any form of Yoga is Salvation and how can you attain salvation if you are attached to material things. Being materialistic is not restricted to money and things that it can buy but also to feelings of pride associated with doing charitable actions. The honor bestowed on you or the love that the needy and poor feel for you should not influence your actions.

   You must continue to do your selfless actions to serve all those you can. The essence of a Karma Yogi may be summed up as do as much good as you can to as many people as you can. There is a saying in India which well illustrates this point. It roughly translates to “Do good and throw it into the sea”.

   This would be the most popular form of Yoga as practiced in the western world. Yoga Swatmarama introduced this system of yoga in India in the 15th century. The main purpose of Hatha Yoga is to condition the body which makes it easier to condition the mind on it’s way to the spiritual path. However in the west we use it aminly for all the magnificent physical benefits practicing this form of Yoga can bring you. The main feature of Hatha Yoga is the combination of two extremes.

   In fact the word “Hatha” comes from the “Ha” or the sun and the “tha” of the moon. The sun denotes the positive current and the moon the negative one bringing together two extreme in one. “Ha” tends to work on the prana or the physical body while “Tha” works on the chitta or mental energies. Again this involves bringing together the power of both extremes to bring about harmony in our lives. it is akin to the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang.

   The practice of Hatha Yoga involves doing “Yogasana” or yoga postures. Then the “Six Shatkarmas” which may be seen as physical and mental detoxification techniques. Next come “Mudras and Bandhas” which are energy releasing techniques and last but not the least, “Pranayam” which involves breathing exercises to awaken your prana. Since this is the most commonly followed system of Yoga in the west it is easy to access and learn this yoga system at a place close to you.

   The Yogasanas that you will do as part of the Hatha Yoga system will help you to regulate your bodily functioning better. The meditation that you you do will bring you serenity and as you progress you will be able to experience the state of super consciousness, which is the closest you can come to nirvana while being alive. The more you do your asanas the better control you will have over your prana or vital life force.

   Do take care while you do the asanas to follow the routine with grace and full control over your limbs. Remember your mind needs to focus inwards when your body is performing the asanas. Do not push yourself too hard physically. Remember not to complete with others in your class for doing the maximum number of asanas. The true benefit comes from doing a few asanas well rather than by doing a lot of them with no inward awareness or focus.

   Yoga is not just an exercise. It is a healthy way of life. You don’t just do it three times a week and hope to lose some weight. You need to follow your yoga regime daily. There are many forms and schools of Yoga. It helps to tone your physical body when you do the Asanas prescribed for you. There are specific Asanas that help with specific diseases that you may be suffering from. This actually makes yoga a simple and useful healing tool.

   The meditation and breathing exercise which accompany the regular yoga exercises act as a great stress buster for you. This helps your mental alertness and agility, if you are looking to increase your powers of concertration you can practice “Trataka”. Or if you are looking for an instant energy pick me up you can use the yogic breathing technique known as “Kapalbharati”. If you suffer from lower back pain you need to strenghten your back muscles. To do this you can do some physical Asanas which specifically target those muscles.

   To learn what Asanas suit you best and which you need to practice on a daily basis you will need to take a short course with a qualified Yoga instructor. While it is possible to teach yourself Yoga with the help of books and vidoes, there is always the danger of not doing the Asana postures correct. This can lead to some complications and you may even hurt yourself if you do the stretches wrong. So you must learn from a qualified teacher before you begin experimenting with the more complicated postures.

   Some of the immediate health benefits that you will experience as a direct result of your daily yoga routine will include a sense of peace and calm. Since you give your body and mind a full workout, you will be stress free and relaxed. Another related health benefit of Yoga would be an increased capacity to do work. Most people feel charged with extra energy and a whole lot more in terms of stamina when they do yoga on a regular basis.

   Also if you are feeling low and need to rev up your energy levels at the end of a long work day, you can do “Pranayam” breathing to get an instant energy boost. The immune system of your body is strenghtened and this means that you are not prone to seasonal colds and coughs. Plus since all your muscles get a regular work out you will be more flexible. There are many health benefits associated with yoga.