...Lets look at more solutions, which Yoga can give you, for anxiety and stress management. All of these solutions will take a bit of practice, and in some cases, you may need the guidance of a competent Yoga teacher.

After Pranayama (Yogic breathing techniques), there are still a large number of techniques to choose from. The next one that comes to mind is Asana (Yoga Posture). In a typical Hatha Yoga class, you will learn Asana on a mat, but you can learn to practice good posture all day long.

You can practice good posture in a chair, when eating a meal, standing, and walking. You can even use pillows to sleep in good posture. Most people prefer to multi-task these days, so Yogic walking is a wonderful way for those of us, who just have to do many things at once. This is not to be confused with walking meditation, which is an entirely different technique.

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Foundations of Yoga: Yama and Niyama, Part 1

...lification is not simply that one wants to practice yoga, for the sacred text says: 'But he who has not first turned away from his wickedness, who is not tranquil and subdued, or whose mind is not at rest, he can never obtain the Self by knowledge.' (Katha Upanishad 1.2.24) And in the Atharva text: 'It is in those who have tapas [strong discipline] and brahmacharya [chastity] that truth is established.' (Prashna Upanishad 1:15)And in the Gita: 'Firm in their vow of brahmacharya.' (Bhagavad Gita 6:14) So yama and niyama are methods of yoga" in themselves and are not mere adjuncts or aids that can be optional.

But at the same time, the practice of yoga helps the aspiring yogi to follow the necessary ways of yama and niyama, so he should not be discouraged from taking up yoga right now, thinking that he should wait till he is "ready" or has "cleaned up his act" to practice yoga. No. He should determinedly embark on yama, niyama, and yoga simultaneously. Success will be his.

Next: Foundations of Yoga, Part 2: Ahimsa (Harmlessness)more

Making Sure You Pick the Right Yoga Class

... classes.

Here is one way to tell: at the beginning of your class, if the instructor does not ask "Is there anyone here with a particular health issue I should know about?"-get up and leave. A misconception about yoga is that you simply sit, breathe deeply, and learn small stretches. Learning how to breathe correctly is essential, it aids in concentration and movement through the asanas. However, many yoga poses involve deep stretching and lots of strength (to stay in those poses). Suppose you walk into class with an injury (perhaps you strained your neck in the middle of the night, or pulled a back muscle getting out of bed). If your instructor isn't aware of this at the beginning of class, by the end of class you may be in more pain than when you started.

By all means, pick a yoga class you like-that's the most important part in getting started. Just remember to make sure your instructor knows what going on in your body (and your mind) before you start the class.<...more

Weight Loss and Yoga

... of yoga.

Students overeager to "achieve" poses their bodies aren't ready for. As a culture we are obsessed by being more successful, rich, and beautiful. Unfortunately this spills over into yoga when students try to force their bodies into the poses they see models "performing" on magazine covers.

The problem is compounded by weight. A person struggling with obesity or even just a few pounds over optimal weight has more stress on the joints already. Force the body into a pose it's not accustomed to -- or enter or exit the pose unsafely -- and you will soon have an injury on your hands.

One of the first precepts of yoga is the Sanskrit word ahimsa, which most often is translated as "non-violence." It's ironic that yoga is used sometimes as a tool of violence against the self, when someone strives to be someone else with a different body, rather than accept, love, and nurture themselves into health.

It doesn't have to be this way.

First, fin...more

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