...If Yoga were like fine wine, Hatha Yoga would surely be the wine for export. It could be said that Raja Yoga and Kundalini Yoga got a fairly strong foothold outside India, as well. All of these forms of Yoga have many aspects, but the physical aspect is what lures most Yoga students - outside of India.

Bhakti Yoga, on the other hand, is a spiritual form of Yoga and is very commonly practiced within India. Bhakti Yoga is union by love and devotion to God. Therefore, this is the form of Yoga that really does have a deep spiritual aspect and a connection to Hinduism. This spiritual, and religious, aspect is possibly the reason why Bhakti Yoga has not managed to proliferate as well as Hatha Yoga, which is Union by physical mastery.

Could Bhakti Yoga be practiced by a Yoga practitioner who is not a Hindu? Lets ask, for example, ...more

Yoga, Or Creating The Link With God?

...to prepare and build up to reach the eight and last limb which is what initiates refer to as attaining the state of "samahdi", or unity.

So let me try to explain what samahdi is, even though words cannot really fully shine any light on it, in the hope that it will bring you a little closer to understanding why so many individuals devote their lives to pursuing it. For samahdi is elusive and only given to the very few.

There is of course the metaphor to help us, for example: samahdi is like being that drop of rain that falls into the ocean and suddenly realises it is no longer a drop of water but the ocean itself. For most people, it will be a nice idea, but an utterly useless one.

To take a more cartesian approach, let me start by asking a few basic questions. Do you know why you were born, other than the fact that your parents conceived you and that your mother gave birth to you? Why are you alive? What purpose does your life have, other than knowing that one lives a limited amount of time and when that tim...more

Yoga and The Da Vinci Code

...ou want to do the research. The History Channel has done some interesting work of separating myth from the facts. also, there are reputable books available that go into detail about the Gnostic Gospels, the Cathars, and the Templars.

Look back into history objectively, and you may wonder what Roman Emperor Constantines real agenda was at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. What was the real purpose of gathering all of the Christian sects under one roof? It possibly has more to do with power than it has to do with purity or protection.

So what in the world does this have to do with Yoga? Beware of organizations that desire to bri...more

Yoga For Stress And Anxiety relief

... Is there a better way to calm your worry?

The methods of breathing, and focused meditation, draw your mind away from stressful distraction. Visualization during breathing, and the performance of yoga postures, plant your mind in a place of calm.

These practices are designed to give you a place to heal, a path to move forward, and the ability make progress. Without first allowing you a place to rest or heal, you cannot move forward from anxiety and stress.

There are several different types of yoga practices. Yoga styles vary in philosop...more

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