Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Uddiyana Bandha


Uddiyana Bandha



Bandha means bondage, joining together, fettering or catching hold of. It is also a posture in which certain organs or parts of the body are contracted and controlled.

When electricity is generated, it is necessary to have transformers, conductors fuses, switches and insulated wires to carry the power to its destination, as without these the electricity generated would be lethal. When prana is made to flow in the yogi's body by the practice of Pranayama, it is equally necessary for him to employ bandhas to prevent the dissipation of energy and to carry it to the right quarters without causing damage elsewhere. Without the bandhas, prana is lethal.

The three main bandhas are ; 1. Jalandhara Bandha(Neck lock), 2. Uddiyana Bandha(Abdomen lock), and 3. Mula Bandha(Anus lock).

Uddiyana is the second of the three internal locks. It is said that Uddiyana is the best of Bandhas and he who constantly practices it as taught by his Instructor becomes young again. It is said to be the Lion that kills the Elephant named Death. The word Uddiyana derived from Sanskrit word Uddayana (उड्डयन), which means flying up and so Uddiyana Bandha means the upward flying lock or is commonly known as the abdominal lock. This lock is used to control the flow of breath and energy in the body while practicing yoga. In this process, the diaphragm is lifted up to the thorax by creating a vacuum in the chest after complete exhalation, thereby pulling all the abdominal organs upward and abdominal wall back towards the spine. Uddiyana bandha can be practiced alone or in conjunction with mula bandha. It is recommended that you learn this bandha in a standing position, and only move to sitting after you've gained some experience.

Technique:

• For beginners, stand straight with legs one foot apart.

• Bend the trunk slightly forward with the knees slightly bent, place the palms on the middle part of the thighs.

• Inhale and then exhale forcefully and completely, press down on the thighs firmly by the hands and pull the entire abdominal region towards spine. Pull inward and then slightly upward.

• Hold the breath and do not inhale. Be careful that no air enters. Straighten the body a little by pressing the palms down.

• Hold the breath according to ones ability.

• Then inhale, slowly release the abdominal muscles and return to the upright position.

• Relax in Standing Relaxation Posture for a few seconds.

• Repeat 5 to 10 times at the initial stage. Increase the time after a few weeks of practice.

• Advanced Yoga students can practice this in Padmasana.

Benefits:

• This practice massages and tones the abdominal muscles, stimulates the associated nerves, strengthens all the abdominal organs, increases digestive fire, and removes constipation, indigestion, diabetes; enlarged liver and spleen, depression, dullness and lethargy.

• It stimulates the Solar Plexus and helps to activate Manipura Chakra, the storehouse of Prana. This is ultimately helps on the distribution of energy through out the body.

• As Navel is the place for Samana Vayu practice of Uddiyana helps it to work in proper functioning of digestion.

• It also helps to maintain the balance with the work of Prana and Apana by uniting them with Samana, which create a force or subtle energy to travel upward through Sushumma Nadi.

Caution :

• Always practise Uddiyana on an empty stomach.

• It should be practiced under expert Yoga Teacher, improper performance of the Uddiyana Bandha will cause involuntary discharge of Semen and loss of vitality.

• Do not practise it if there is a complaint of headache.

• Women during pregnancy should not practice Uddiyana Bandha.

• Any body suffering from High blood pressure or Heart diseases, Colitis, Ulcer of stomach or intestine and Hernia should not practice Uddiyana Bandha.

• Always practise Uddiyana after exhalation and never after inhalation.

Friday, 17 June 2011

Yes you can see the Aura

YES YOU CAN SEE THE AURA

AURA :
All around the gross body exists a circle of light. Life depends on the circle of light. Although around every object there exists a kind of circle of light yet that of living beings is more bright. The basic reason for this circle of light is the soul present in it. The Aura around the body is less or more, small or large, dim or bright depending upon the kind of soul present in it.

We live in a sea of energy. Everything is energy, including you. The field of energy around your physical body forms your aura. Every thought, feeling and
experience you have affects the vibration of this energy field. Aura is "visible" to the psychically sensitive.


The Meaning of Colors :

Colors are one of the most beautiful and also one of the most under-appreciated aspects of the physical realm. We are surrounded by colors, but how often do we notice the numerous subtleties in the myriad shades.

Spiritually, color can impart both information - as in aura colors, and energy - as in healing. The aura is the spiritual energy field surrounding living beings which is "visible" to the psychically sensitive.

This short article presents the meanings generally associated with the most common colors. Use these meanings as a starting point in your own explorations. We are each unique individuals and colors may hold different meanings for us than for others, just as a piece of music inspires different feelings in different people.

Use colors to promote those qualities you wish to emphasize. Use them in your surroundings for qualities you wish to emphasize permanently. Wear clothes of appropriate colors to promote those qualities in a particular situation. You can also use colors simply by visualizing them, whether to promote their qualities or to exploit their healing energy for yourself or others.

Red

Red symbolizes energy, passion, strength, courage, physical activity, creativity, warmth, and security. It is also associated with aggression. In healing, use red to bring warmth and burn out disease. Red is a powerful color and should be used in moderation. In the aura red signifies materialism, materialistic ambition, a focus on sensual pleasures and a quick temper.

Orange

Orange symbolizes the individual's relationship to the external world, the needs and wants of the physical body and the ways in which these are satisfied, the world of work. In healing orange may increase immunity and sexual energy. In the aura orange signifies thoughtfulness and creativity.

Yellow

Yellow symbolizes intellect, creativity, happiness and the power of persuasion. It is also associated with cowardice. In healing use yellow to promote clarity of thought. In the aura yellow signifies intellectual development, for either material or spiritual ends.

Green

Green symbolizes money, luck, prosperity, vitality and fertility. It is also associated with envy. Green is the color of healing; it is beneficial in all healing situations. In the aura green signifies balance, peace and often indicates ability as a healer.

Blue

Blue is the color of spirituality, intuition, inspiration and inner peace. It is also associated with sadness and depression (the "blues"). In healing blue is used for cooling and calming, both physically and mentally. In the aura blue indicates serenity, contentment and spiritual development.

Indigo

Indigo is associated with psychic ability. In healing, use indigo for relaxation, reassurance and promoting psychism. In the aura indigo signifies a seeker, often of spiritual truth.

Purple

Purple is associated with power, both earthly and spiritual. In healing, purple is used for mental disorders and also for becoming one with Spirit. In the aura purple signifies higher spiritual development.

White

White is associated with truth, purity, cleansing, healing and protection. It is a good general healing color for the removal of pain and suffering. In the aura it signifies a high level of attainment, a higher level soul incarnate to help others.

Gold

Gold represents understanding and luck. Remember though that nothing comes from nothing, It is the most powerful healing color, but so powerful that many are not able to stand it initially and must be conditioned to it via other colors. In the aura it represents service to others.

Pink

Pink represents unconditional love, love requiring nothing in return. It is also the color of friendship and conviviality. In the aura it signifies balance between the spiritual and the material.

Brown

Brown is the color of the earth and represents practicality, material success, concentration and study. In the aura it indicates "down to earth-ness" and common sense.

Black

Black is the absence of color. It represents the unconscious and mystery. Its visualization can help promote deep meditation. Black also stands for evil (e.g. black magic). In the aura it signifies some kind of blockage or something being hidden.

How to read Aura :

Dr. J.C.Trust took photographs of Aura through micro-sensitive camera. She told - I saw that those people who are neat and clean outwardly but are impure inside have very dirty and distorted Aura. Those who may not be clean from outside but are pure from inside have very pure and gentle Aura.

Steps
1

A plain-clothed volunteer against a plain background is ideal.Find a suitable background that fits your practice. If you're looking at the aura around your hand, a large sheet of white paper might be enough. If you're viewing a friend's aura, a plain wall for them to sit in front of is essential.
2 Get the proper lighting. Not too bright, and not too dark. Most people find that natural light, such as sunlight or a candle flame in a shady room, works best.
3 Position your partner, or yourself.
If reading yourself, hold one of your hands up against a white background in any way that's comfortable to you.
If reading a partner, make them comfortable, and explain what you'll be doing. Have them wear clothes that aren't too patterned. They don't have to sit very still, so they can have a drink or read a book if they want one.
4 Relax your eyes as you gaze at your subject. It may help to look at the tips of your fingers or the head of your partner. Let your eyes fall out of focus a bit. You should start to see a haze around the edges, it might seem like a very clear light, or a light blue/white mist.
5 Determine any color(s) that are visible. Colors may be clear and bright, or cloudy and muddy. Some people (like beginners) can only see one dominant color while others may see multiple colors.
6 Be aware of after-images. If you stare at the same spot for long enough, your eyes will start to see after-images that are the inverse of what you're looking at. These are not auras, and you'll know this because you'll be able to see the after-image for a short time in front of your eyes, wherever you look. After-image color pairs are:
black and white
red and turquoise
orange and blue
yellow and violet
green and pink
7 Be patient. When you first see an aura, it'll often disappear as soon as you blink or move your eyes. It takes practice to hold your focus steady.
8


Record what you see. Drawing a body outline and then shading in colors around it can be a fun way of recording what you see for later analysis, and it's something to show your subject so they can relate to what you're looking for. Be aware that some colors in auras are very difficult to recreate with colored pencils.
9 Learn what the colors and shades mean. Get a guide to interpret what you've seen. A lot of people are surprised by how insightful it can be. In time you may be able to tune your intuition so that you can interpret the aura without the guide.

Tips
Choose a time when you are relaxed and have no distractions.
Don't push yourself. If your eyes get tired, have a rest.
Be open to seeing all colors and brightness. A dense and bright aura means someone has a lot of energy, and this can be easier to see. Colors will shift and change moment to moment.
If you don't see anything right away, that's okay. It may take some more time to get used to it. Remember that it is different with everyone who tries.

Things You'll Need
A plain background
Low natural light levels
A friend (optional)
A piece of paper and some colored pencils

Other ways to see Aura :

1. Reading the Aura by touch :

Aura can be read by touching but in this condition it is very difficult to understand everything very clear so a lot of care needs to be taken. Make your friend sit on a chair then put your hand 2-3 inches away from his body and move it from top to bottom. It is essential that his body is not touched. As you move down his body, concentrate on the tips of your fingers and try to have some distinct feelings. Initially you may not feel anything but through practice you will have some vibrations or some hot or cold experience. You just have to find out till what distance from his body you get these experience so that you can find the size of his Aura. Draw the shape of the Aura on a paper. Initially you would experience only the outer Aura.

2. Use of fingers:

Here’s a little exercise with which you can prove to yourself that the auric force-field is indeed there:

1. Hold your finger tips and thumbs together loosely with your fingers apart as much as is comfortable (don’t strain to pull them apart).

2. Gaze at the junction between the fingers and thumbs with your eyes relaxed and slightly out of focus

3. V-e-r-y S-l-o-w-l-y pull them away from one another; I repeat ….. v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y… again, keeping your eyes looking at the junction and slightly out-of-focus. (Remember, you will be seeing this more with your psychic vision than its physical counterpart.)

4. As you pull the fingers apart, you will see a rather blurry gray area between them. As you slowly pull them apart more, this area will grow thinner in the middle as if stretching. The further you separate them the thinner the energy between them thins, until it disappears. At that moment the energy is withdrawing back into each individual finger.

5. Before reaching the stage where the energy withdraws, try moving the fingers back and forth, closer and further apart and see what it does. By the time you finish with this exercise, you will be convinced of the aura’s reality.

An experienced person can make predictions for the future life on the basis of the colors of Aura. Shadows of different emotions like anger, temper, desire, love, hatred, fear etc. keep appearing on the aura on the basis of which predictions are made. Spots of different colors appear on the aura which indicates different diseases, like red spot indicates heart disease, yellow spot indicates diabetes and black spot indicates a permanent deadly disease. An actual meditator can recognize the colors of the aura or it can be captured through a Kirliyan camera. A person can bring changes in his aura by fasting, asceticism and meditation and can thus give some impetus to his journey of spiritual development.

 

Saturday, 4 June 2011

Yoga for Love Handles



YOGA FOR LOVE HANDLES

Ever notice the sides of your stomach rubbing against the inside of your arms when you walk? How about putting on a bathing suit or a tight pair of jeans, don't they become much more noticeable? Of course I'm talking about the fat rolls that form just above your hips that make us all ask how to get rid of love handles?
  

It's true, you can often eliminate excess fat from the front of your stomach, legs or other parts of your body easier than from your love handles - the fat just never seems to leave your sides does it?

Indeed, love handles are one of the first areas where fat settles and one of the last places you will see improvement when focusing on weight loss and improving your body tone.

Fortunately, all is not lost, here is a regime on how to get rid of love handles once and for all - even better, the techniques will show measurable results in just a couple of weeks if you stick with the program.

1. Add at least four, one hour vigorous power yoga exercise to your program each week. Ask your yoga instructor that how does he/she follow the set of postures for love handles(as most of the yoga instructors do not even know what love handles are, :p), so choose a instructor from a good yoga institute.

2. If you really want to know how to get rid of love handles, then you must be willing to eat healthier. I'm not talking about turning into a vegetarian or cutting back all of the foods or drinks that you love, but to really burn off the love handles fast and see lasting change, you must become aware of good food habits.

3. Focused exercise targeting your abdominals which include crunches, sit-ups, leg lifts as you lie 90-degrees to the floor, will all help to build muscle in the abdominal region which will not only tone your love handle area but will also increase your metabolism leading to more fat burning efficiency.

4. Here are a few postures that will help you toning up your love handles ;


Sit taking your both legs straight, fold your right leg to place the foot beside your left knee, place your left elbow at the right knee, place right hand back of the body and twist to the right side to look back, hold for 30-60 seconds, repeat from the other side.


Lie down on the stomach, place your palms down below the shoulders, stretch your head and chest up for Cobra pose, open your legs a little wide, inhale n turn your head right side exhaling to look at your right heel, hold for some time than the same way look left at your left heel, repeat 3-6 times.

Sit keeping both of your legs wide open, stretch your left hand to hold the left big toe, stretch your right hand towards the left foot(as shown in the picture), hold for 10-30 seconds as per your capacity, repeat from the other side.


Lie down straight on your back, pull your both knees into the chest, interlock your fingers at the back of your head, touch your left elbow to the right knee, make your left leg straight 30 degrees above the ground, hold the posture for 15-30 seconds than change elbow, change knee, repeat for 5-10 times.

Stand straight, open your legs wide around 3 feet apart, turn your right foot towards right side, raise your both hands parallel to your shoulders and ground, deep inhale n exhaling go down with your right hand, right side, try touching your palm beside the right foot, raising your left hand up towards the sky, hold 10-20 seconds, repeat other side also.

Stand straight, open your legs wide around 3 feet apart, turn your right foot towards right side, raise your both hands parallel to your shoulders and ground, now twist to take your left hand forward n right hand back, bend forward to touch your left palm beside the right foot, raise your right hand up towards the ceiling, hold for 10-20 seconds, repeat other side also.


Stand up on your knees at the right side of the matt, take your left leg out to the side, go down with your left hand to hold the big toe of the left foot, stretch your right hand to the left side, look up towards the ceiling, hold for 10-20 seconds, repeat the same at other side also.


If you struggle with how to get rid of love handles then follow these steps consistently for 1-month and you will see a big difference. Believe me, there is no better feeling that putting on a bathing suit and actually seeing your complete waistline.