... harness it, if you want to.

A Yoga student asks, Teach me about self-empowerment. The lessons are within all forms of Yoga, but you will find more answers within Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, and karma Yoga.

Most Yoga students, outside of india, practice Hatha Yoga sub-styles. This is fine - but are you learning anything beyond the physical aspects of Yoga? Yoga is a vast topic, with solutions to many of todays health problems.

However, can the world learn to trust a 5,000 year old health maintenance system, with a proven track record of success? On a global scale, most of the worlds population still seeks short-term health solutions in the form of pills.

Sometimes prescriptions are required; especially, in the case of severe depression. It is promising that Western medicine now embraces Yoga as an alternative therapy. This will create an evolution in health care which will improve the quality of life for humanity.

Copyright 2006 Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Beginner Yoga Class Checklist

...If you're new to yoga, you might not know what to expect when you walk in the doors of a beginner's yoga class for the first time. You might not even know how to start in choosing a beginner's yoga class to attend. Here's a "how to" checklist.

1. Nail down your goals and find the right style for you.

Everyone comes to yoga for different reasons. Sometimes these differences are slight, other times they're vast.

For instance, are you interested in an intense physical workout to throbbing music, or are you on more of a spiritual path towards (quiet) enlightenment? Are you attracted to yoga because of its health benefits, and if so, is it physical or emotional health you are most interested in?

Are you interested in the philosophy and rich traditions of yoga, or are you on the other extreme and wouldn't be caught dead reciting a mantra?

Whatever your personal needs and proclivities, there's a yoga for you. If several flavors of yoga are offered in your area, do your research online or in the library to find which style would be the best fit for you.

Once you know what it is you're looking for, you can set some goals. Call the teacher of the beginner yoga class you're considering and ask if your expectations ...more

Yoga Myth - Yoga is Not a Spiritual Practice

...e. Many people "try" Yoga, but the serious practitioner continues to practice for decades. A Yogi, or Yogini, has decided to continue his or her practice for life, because of the benefits.

When we are young, we experience the physical aspects of life to their fullest potential. We challenge our bodies to their limits. No matter what age we are, being physically aware of our bodies, comes first. This same awareness happens in a class.

For most of us, the mental, emotional, and spiritual, planes of existence are developed as we age. The same is true within Yoga practice. As we continue to practice, and the years go by, we begin to realize the many benefits, w...more

Teaching Hatha Yoga: The Transformation

...Anyone who decides to become a Yoga teacher goes through many transformations, but your students will go through a variety of transformations, as well. The relationship between Yoga teacher and student is healthy because of the sharing of knowledge. Due to this constant sharing of ideas, the Yoga teacher and his or her students become healthier, wiser, and spiritually connected.

Yoga Teacher Transformations start from the moment you decide to become a Yoga teacher, but they continue as you decide to take a Yoga teacher training course. After the Yoga teacher certification process, most Yoga instructors continue to learn more about Yoga philosophy, anatomy, other forms of Yoga, meditati...more

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