Genetic Evidence of Yoga’s Impact on the Immune System

Genetic Evidence of Yoga’s Impact on the Immune System
If we’re finished obsessing about yoga jeans, perhaps it’s time to think about yoga and genes.
Newly published research from Norway suggests that a comprehensive yoga program rapidly produces internal changes on a genetic level. The results help explain the well-documented health benefits of this ancient practice.
“These data suggest that previously reported (therapeutic) effects of yoga practices have an integral physiological component at the molecular level, which is initiated immediately during practice,” writes a research team led by Fahri Saatcioglu of the University of Oslo. The team’s study is published in the online journal PLOS ONE.

Researchers first reported five years ago that practices such as yoga which elicit the “relaxation response” may have a long-term effect on gene expression. That’s the scientific term for whether a specific gene is “turned on,” meaning its protein or RNA product is being made. This latest study confirms those findings, links them to the body’s immune system, and suggests this effect may be instantaneous.



The University of Oslo experiment featured 10 participants who attended a week-long yoga retreat in Germany. For the first two days, participants spent two hours practicing a comprehensive yoga program including yogic postures (asanas), yogic breathing exercises (in particular Sudarshan Kriya), and meditation. For the next two days, they spent that same time period going on an hour-long nature walk and then listening to either jazz or classical music.



Immediately before and after each of the four sessions, the researchers drew blood from each participant. They then isolated and analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which play a key role in the body’s immune system. The researchers found that the nature walk and music-driven relaxation changed the expression of 38 genes in these circulating immune cells. In comparison, the yoga produced changes in 111.



Fourteen genes were affected by both exercises, which suggests “the two regimens, to some degree, affect similar biological processes,” the researchers write. That said, they note that yoga’s impact was far more widespread, which indicates the practice “may have additional effects over exercise plus simple relaxation in inducing health benefits through differential changes at the molecular level.”

So, if your yoga mat has been gathering dust, this research provides an incentive to take it out of the closet. It suggests that, as far as the immune system is concerned, walking in nature is good—but yoga might be substantially better.

The Hair Pose Sasamgasana

The Hair Pose Sasamgasana 

Some of my yoga practice today checking form

Some of my yoga practice today checking MY  form

A few more image here on Google Plus 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/106367651170401745304/posts/WjezErQN8E8

YOGA

THE ONLY WAY TO ATTAIN YOGA

Many people know about Yoga, yet don’t understand what Yoga is really about. The Sanskrit word Yoga has a clear definition. It is Union with the divine. However, knowing is different from realizing. Yoga is not about getting to the highest dimension or achieving the most. It is about returning to the Creator. As the Creator is the Mightiest being, there is no way you can get or sneak your way to the Creator without the help of the Creator.



Up there, there is a place called the Void because nothing exists there except true selves. The Creator and all of the true selves, including yours, are there. You and others are still separated from the Creator because the Creator is very pure while you and others are not. As the Creator is very pure, the light radiates continuously from the Creator. If you are trying to bring yourself closer to the Creator, you are actually pushing against the direct light radiating from the Creator. Of course, there is absolutely no power that can be used to penetrate or sneak through the direct light from the Creator. What you need to realize is that the light from the Creator is not simply light. It is love. The Creator loves each one of us completely. The Creator always wants to give the best, including to have us return to the Creator completely. All you need to do is simply to open your heart to receive the Love of the Creator and at that very moment you will be purified and brought closer to the Creator. The moment you can receive the Love of the Creator completely, you will return completely to the Creator. You will be HOME.


CONVENTIONAL WAY OF ATTAINING YOGA

Most people do their spiritual practices with medium term goals to reach ascension, to reach the 4th, 5th or higher dimension. The concept is to ascend one or two dimensions higher until they reach the final destiny. However, if you decide to use this concept, you should know that it will never bring you to your final and ultimate destiny. First, you need to know how many dimensions you will have to go through. There are 365 learning dimensions plus other special dimensions. So, if you can ascend one dimension higher in 30 to 40 years, you will need more than 12,000 years to go through all of the dimensions. And this is still the good news. The bad news is that when you get to the highest dimension, you will not be able to go into the Void because only the true self is allowed to enter. Ascending through different dimensions is done in the form of intermediate consciousness, not as the true self.

And although you can finally shift into your true self consciousness, you will simply return to square one. Your true self and the true self of other beings are already in the Void this very moment and previously. Returning HOME is the journey for your true self. So, don’t worry about your outer layer, the physical body in the physical dimension. As your true self is already in the Void, it is the matter of your true self to return to the Creator to fulfill your ultimate destiny.
THE ONLY WAY

So, as the ultimate destiny is not about going to the highest place, but to return to the Creator, only the Love of the Creator can take you HOME. You have to receive the Love of the Creator and let the Love of the Creator work on you completely. The Love of the Creator is the mightiest power that can cleanse, purify and provide all of your needs in an instant. The Love of the Creator is the only power that can take you HOME.

Eight Limbs of Yoga

Below find a brief overview of the Eight Limbs of Yoga and feel free to follow the practice tips so it's not just theory but experiential.1) Yama
Yama has to do with ethics, integrity and how we practice yoga off our mat. The 5 yamas are non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-hoarding. Practice Tip: On a weekly basis pick a yama and try and put it into action in thought, speech and action.
2) Niyama
Niyama has to do with self-discipline and spiritual practices. The 5 niyamas are cleanliness, contentment, spiritual purification, study of sacred texts, and devotion to one's higher power. 
Practice Tip: On a weekly basis pick a niyama and put into practice. For example, spend a week practicing cleanliness, cleaning out that closet, desk, garage or car etc...
3) Asana

Asana is the physical posture and this is the limb that most of us in the west are strongest at. It's through asana that we dissolve tensions, build strength, eliminate toxins, increase mobility and circulation.
Practice Tip: At least 3-5 times a week try and get your physical practice in even if it's only 30min, you'll feel amazing!
4) Pranayama
Pranayama is the expansion of life force through through breathing exercises. Did you notice the last time you got frustrated, angry, scared or anxiety ridden what happened to your breath? It probably became restricted, choppy and erratic. "Breath control leads to mind control" and if we want to really be healthy then our mind must be in state of peace. 
Practice Tip: In a comfortable seated position Inhale 5 counts, Hold 5 counts, Exhale 8 counts, Hold 2 counts (Repeat as often as you like).
5) Pratyahara
Pratyahara is the withdraw of the 5 senses. Our whole lives the 5 senses (touch, taste, see, hear, and smell) are inputing information into our being and pratyahara is where we turns those off so that we may turn from the outer world and experience the inner domain of the mind. 
Practice Tip: Use Shanmukhi Mudra where you place first 2 fingers on closed eyelids, ring fingers at base of nostrils, pinky finger at base corner of nostrils, and thumb to inner ear. Gently apply pressure to all these points for a couple of minutes and just observe whatever comes up.
6) Dharana
Dharana is focus or concentration. Focus is like a muscle on the body, the more you use it the stronger it becomes. Dharana is like the laser beam that blasts through disctractiveness and paves the way for a calm, centered, still mind. 


Practice Tip: Pick a sound, word, affirmation or mantra and repeat it out loud over and over for several minutes just letting the mind focus on the repetition. Note: When the mind wonders off just easily bring it back to the mantra.
7) Dhyana
Dhyana is meditation or total absorption into the object upon that which is being focused on. In dhyana we dissolve separateness and experience the deep river of peace. 


Practice Tip: Followed after dharana just let the repetition go and drop deep into the rabbit hole of stillness and silence. If the mind gets pulled out of that place go back to repeating the mantra slowly and internally until the mind comes back to being still.
8) Samadhi
Samadhi is absolute, ecstatic transcendence moving beyond time, form and space. It's the goal of all yoga and the supreme state of consciousness.

YOGA Shoulder stretches

YOGA Shoulder stretches

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in our bodies, capable of a huge range of motion.

Even so, tight or overdeveloped muscles may limit that range, causing us to shift stress into more vulnerable areas, setting the stage for potential injury.

Athletes who move their arms in relatively narrow ranges, such as runners, tennis players, or weightlifters, are especially prone to overdeveloping the big muscles that flex or internally rotate the arms (the anterior deltoids, for example). Over time, as the arm tries to move beyond its usual groove, the body must recruit less efficient muscles, which may compress the neck or torque the spine.
 Teacher Trainings examine these tendencies up-close, pinpointing the compensation patterns that develop when strength morphs into limitation. We dive into the anatomy of specific joints, develop sequences that explore full range of movement at those joints, and even challenge our trainees to address the non-physical reasons that the body habitually carries tension.

Tips for Teachers to Have a Happy and Healthy Vinyasa Class

Hopefully, you've had the opportunity to attend a vinyasa yoga class that left you feeling inspired and open to new possibilities--not just in your body, but also in your life. Unfortunately, you've also probably taken a class that left you feeling eh.

So what makes a great yoga class? Of course, confidence is a huge component (and one that comes with time), but even a recent graduate of a yoga teacher training can conduct a powerful vinyasa class.

Here are 5 simple guidelines for a happy and healthy Vinyasa class:

1. Balance the Ha and the tha.

Hatha yoga is the physical practice of yoga that includes asana (postures.) When examining the word hatha, we see that ha translates to solar energy, and tha represents lunar energy. Ha and Tha must be present in a class, meaning that for every pose that requires strength, we must also provide a pose that offers ease.

Classes often have too much of one or the other, and we leave feeling imbalanced and worn out. Similar to yin and yang, ha and tha are meant to awaken and calm, simultaneously.

2. Introduce yoga postures from simple to complex.

Kramas are stages of the asana or posture, and the stages should be introduced from simple to more complex. For example, offer Warrior II before Half-Moon, which requires a greater level of effort, since it requires standing on one leg. If a student is very new to the practice, staying in Warrior II may be the appropriate krama for that individual.

A teacher should offer a variety of kramas based on who is in the class, but note that the general rule in yoga is to teach to the 80%.

3. Do not move from closed hips to open hips more than once before a vinyasa.

This is important in creating a flow that feels good in the body, as it will prevent the student from placing excessive weight on the hip joint while moving hip positioning.

For example, you may go from Warrior I to Warrior II, but do not transition back to Warrior I in that same sequence. It would be more appropriate from Warrior II to keep the open hip alignment, so perhaps Triangle or Extended Side Angle could come next.

4. Let the class mirror the cycle of life.

Start off with gentle movements and simple connection to the breath, body, and state of mind. This progression reminds me of the path from birth to childhood. Then, we begin to generate heat, with more fluid connection of movement to breath, perhaps doing some Sun Salutes repeated a few times. This wave of the class is synonymous with the teenage years.


Then we move to the true challenges, the postures that make us a bit more vulnerable, that require us to stay, even when we don’t want to. This reminds me of adulthood. A good portion of class is spent in the adult years, until we begin to slow down. We reach the floor with back bends and hip openers, and here we practice patience. Eventually, we move into the most difficult posture of all, Savasana. In this, we prepare to die with grace, with our palms facing up as a sign that we are ready with acceptance, having let go of any attachments. Again, it's the hardest pose of all.

5. Don’t rush Savasana.

Allow at least five minutes for the students to truly rest, as relaxation is a sure way to purify the body and the mind. As it is the most challenging pose, it's also the most important pose in all of yoga. So, please don’t cheat your students out of an opportunity for much needed rest.

Sex + Yoga = Orgasmic Enlightenment

Sex + Yoga = Orgasmic Enlightenment 

Sex and yoga have a lot in common. They’re both about opening and stretching into new places. Going deep inside yourself to find strength and endurance you didn’t know you had. Softening and letting go to remove your civilized layers and return to yourself.


You can use each to amplify the power of the other.

I went on a remote yoga retreat with my lover last fall. It was life-changing. I was cracked open wider and wilder than I have ever been before.

The combination of having a full week devoted just to us, quantum-leaped our connection. Doing yoga together daily stretched the crusty parts of us open and dissolve. Being immersed in an off-the-grid experience (no electricity, sleeping in open-air villas) reconnected us to our natural rhythms.

Sex is part of your natural rhythm.

Like yoga, the more you commit to it, and trust it and learn to let go, it will transform you. The little parts of you that get in your way, your defenses, your ego and chatter mind, can all be dissolved through a powerful yoga session.

Or an hour of life-shifting sex.

I recommend taking a weeklong sex date several times a year to get out of your routine, and into each other. You will revitalize your selves, cells and relationship.

In between those weeks, you can maximize your time in yoga classes and during your weekly sex dates.

Here’s where sex and yoga come together:

1) What happens in bed and on the mat carries out into life. What I love about yoga, is the microcosm. I physically open, stretch and cultivate a practice of letting go. When I leave the class, I feel more open, patient and relaxed.

Sex has the same impact on me: when I am assertive and strong in bed, it strengthens my assertiveness and strength in life. The more I allow myself to receive pleasure in bed, the more open to it I am (and expect it) in my day-to-day existence.

2) Sex and yoga rebirth you. Yoga helps you to leave your ego and the constructed parts of yourself behind. The more you practice, the more you relate to the world from a natural, un-self-conscious place.

After cataclysmic sex, I stumble out of the bedroom and the world feels new. I feel new. This is one of the major reasons why I am such an advocate for the spiritual and therapeutic benefits of sex: it transforms us.

There is a good reason why we call orgasm “la petite mort.”

3) Sanctuary. We all need a place to retreat. We take off our armor, sigh, and are held. Yoga gives you a space to unwind your tension and sink deep into yourself.

Sex does this twofold: you open and sink into yourself and into another person.

4) Breath is key. In yoga, the poses are a vehicle to move the breath. Yoga is like a breath-bath. Every nook and cranny of your being gets cleansed. The breath unclogs stuck energy and gets your system flowing optimally again.

During sex, breathe as consciously and fully as you would during yoga. The breath carries potent, sexual energy (even stronger than regular “chi” or “prana”) throughout your body, rejuvenating and healing you in the process. Deeper breathing also leads to full-body orgasms, multiple orgasms and stamina-building in men.

5) Balancing out with the feminine. Yoga is fantastic for getting you into your archetypal feminine energy: learning how to flow, be receptive and surrender.

In our busy, modern lives, most of us live from our “masculine.” We do more, stay active and driven in order to achieve. We forget that learning to open, attract and receive can be as powerful for getting things done.

The art of surrender is the key to powerful sex. Both sexes can tap into the state of learning how to receive, and how to be.

6) Flexibility in mind and body. The best sex is borne out of an open, non-judgmental way of being: everything is accepted. Plus, the physical ability to hold challenging yogic postures clearly transfers into a talent for marathon sex.

It goes both ways: the ability to cultivate four-hour orgasms will strengthen your yoga practice.

7) Pelvic power. Yoga tones the pelvic floor, bringing more conscious awareness. You will improve sexual sensitivity and boost your orgasmic potential and control.

Sex and yoga help to lubricate the hips and the heart: both crucial tools for day-to-day living and loving. Use both as tools to breakthrough to a state of yo-gasmic bliss

Thanks BY By Kim Anami

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5399/Sex-Yoga-Orgasmic-Enlightenment-NSFW.html

Yoga at home

Yoga at home

Self-knowledge. “Practicing on your own helps you learn to self-regulate and self-soothe,” Crandell says. “It’s like driving your own car versus being chauffeured—when you’re driving, you have a greater responsibility to pay attention and to choose where you’re going and to respond to what happens as you travel along.”

Self-help. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at assessing how you feel, so when you first come to the mat, you can choose a practice that counterbalances whatever’s going on—mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Self-indulgence. How many other endeavors allow you to do whatever you darn well please? “Practicing on your own is so indulgent,” Crandell says. “You can take anywhere from 2 to 90 minutes and do whatever you want at whatever pace, tone, and intensity you choose.”

Exponential growth. “When you practice regularly, the effects of each session don’t have a chance to wear off before you come back to the mat,” says Cyndi Lee, a New York City–based yoga teacher and founder of OM Yoga Center. “That consistency offers benefits that double and then double again.”

Not bad for something you can do in your living room without spending a dime. 

Supta padangusthasana I (reclining big toe pose I)


Lie on your back. Hook a belt around your right foot and raise your foot up toward the ceiling, drawing the shoulder blades onto your back. Hold for 5 breaths and switch legs.

Supta padangusthasana II (reclining big toe pose II)


Repeat reclining big toe pose on the right leg. This time, as you exhale, open the leg out to the side. Hold for 5 breaths, and then switch to the left leg.

Adho mukha sukhasana (seated forward fold pose)


From a seated position, fold at the hips and walk your fingertips forward until your arms are fully extended. After 5 breaths, sit up, change the cross of the legs, and repeat.

Adho mukha shvanasana (downward-facing dog pose)


Press up into downward dog. Keep your knees bent—and your heels lifted. As you exhale, lift your sitting bones, press your thighs back, and stretch your heels toward the floor.

Anjaneyasana (low lunge pose)


From downward dog, step your right foot forward between your hands, drop your left knee to the ground, and bring both hands to your right knee. After 3 to 5 breaths, switch legs.

Adho mukha shvanasana (downward-facing dog pose)


Press up into downward dog once again. Bend your knees slightly and lift your sitting bones up toward the ceiling. Exhale, press your thighs back, and stretch your heels toward the floor.

Eka pada rajakapotasana (pigeon prep pose)


Bring your right leg forward into pigeon pose, keeping your left leg extended behind you. Hinging at the hips, rest your forehead on your arms. Hold for a minute, and then switch legs.

Balasana (child’s pose)


Kneel on the floor. With big toes touching, open your knees wide and fold forward at the hips. Rest your forehead on the floor and stretch your arms out in front of you.

Why Yoga Exercise is Good for You

Benefits of Yoga - Why Yoga Exercise is Good for You

Yoga is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is consists of Ancient Theories, observations and principles about the mind and body connection which is now being proven by modern medicine. Substantial research has been conducted to look at the Health Benefits of Yoga - from the Yoga Postures (Asanas), Yoga Breathing (Pranayama), and Meditation. The information on Yoga Poses & Benefits are grouped into three categories-physiological, psychological, biochemical effects. Furthermore, scientists have laid these results against the benefits of regular exercise. 

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

• Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium
• Pulse rate decreases
• Respiratory rate decreases
• Blood Pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)
• Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases
• EEG - alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation)
• EMG activity decreases
• Cardiovascular efficiency increases
• Respiratory efficiency increases
• Gastrointestinal function normalizes
• Endocrine function normalizes
• Excretory functions improve
• Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase
• Breath-holding time increases
• Joint range of motion increase
• Grip strength increases
• Eye-hand coordination improves
• Dexterity skills improve
• Reaction time improves
• Posture improves
• Strength and resiliency increase
• Endurance increases
• Energy level increases
• Weight normalizes
• Sleep improves
• Immunity increases
• Pain decreases
• Steadiness improves
• Depth perception improves
• Balance improves
• Integrated functioning of body parts improves

Psychological Benefits of Yoga

• Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
• Mood improves and subjective well-being increases
• Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase
• Social adjustment increases
• Anxiety and Depression decrease
• Hostility decreases
• Concentration improves
• Memory improves
• Attention improves
• Learning efficiency improves
• Mood improves
• Self-actualization increase
• Social skills increases
• Well-being increases
• Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
• Self-acceptance increase
• Attention improves
• Concentration improves
• Memory improves
• Learning efficiency improves
• Symbol coding improves
• Depth perception improves
• Flicker fusion frequency improves

Biochemical Benefits of Yoga

• Glucose decreases
• Sodium decreases
• Total cholesterol decreases
• Triglycerides decrease
• HDL cholesterol increases
• LDL cholesterol decreases
• VLDL cholesterol decreases
• Cholinesterase increases
• Catecholamines decrease
• ATPase increases
• Hematocrit increases
• Hemoglobin increases
• Lymphocyte count increases
• Total white blood cell count decreases
• Thyroxin increases
• Vitamin C increases
• Total serum protein increases

Yoga Health Benefits versus Exercise Benefits

• Yoga Benefits
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System dominates
  • Subcortical regions of brain dominate
  • Slow dynamic and static movements
  • Normalization of muscle tone
  • Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments
  • Low caloric consumption
  • Effort is minimized, relaxed
  • Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled)
  • Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups
  • Noncompetitive, process-oriented
  • Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the infinite)
  • Limitless possibilities for growth in self-awareness


• Exercise Benefits
  • Sympathetic Nervous System dominates
  • Cortical regions of brain dominate
  • Rapid forceful movements
  • Increased muscle tension
  • Higher risk of injury
  • Moderate to high caloric consumption
  • Effort is maximized
  • Fatiguing (breathing is taxed)
  • Imbalance activity of opposing groups
  • Competitive, goal-oriented
  • Awareness is external (focus is on reaching the toes, reaching the finish line, etc.)
  • Boredom factor