Yoga is a Hindu religion originated technique to heal and enhance an individual physically and spiritually. It has many forms, techniques, and methods for various purposes. Aside from that being of very ancient origin yoga and its terms are defined in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is a very ancient language of unknown origin. The terminologies of Sanskrit are hard and difficult not only for people of non-Hindu origin but is hard for people of Hindu origin nowadays. People who can properly understand Sanskrit to its root are very few in the world.
Here are some of the key terms of yoga described briefly so that it would be easy for the people to understand it:
1) Chitta Chitta is one of the most used key terms in Yoga. Chitta means one’s mind and consciousness while sometimes it is also described as their inner heart. It can be generalized as ones feeling from the inside.
2)Nirodha
Nirodha in Sanskrit means absence, removal, or cessation. Nirodha is used as Nirodha mind which means to be still and calm without even thoughts.
3) Samadhi The meaning of samadhi is meditation. Samadhi is one of the key terms of Yoga and used very frequently. Samadhi in broader sense can be called deep mediation, where one will not be awakening from the meditation soon.
4)Vritti Vritti is translated as Whirlpool as circular in the general sense. However, in yoga Vritti is often used to refer to the eddy movements of energy in the spine.
5) Kaivalya This one of the key terms of yoga means liberation. In a broader sense it is called as moksha or released from desires of earth and found god.
6) Moksha Mosha is also called as kaivalya in Sanskrit. Both means same things, Freedom, or liberation from bounds and desires. When an individual finds moksha it is said that he/she becomes one with god.
7) Aatma a very common key terms of yoga
One of the key terms of yoga is Aatma which means soul. Aatma is who you are apart from your physical body, aatma never dies unlike the physical body and is eternal.
8) Paramatma Parmatma is the origin of all aatmas. Parmatma is one of the terms to describe the god, who is eternal, omnipotent and source of all souls or aatmas.
9) Namaste This one of the key terms of yoga means greeting. This is done by joining the plans of both hands at the front of the chest and saying namaste.
10) Drishti
Drishti means eyesight. However, it can also be said as someone’s vision, plan, future planning and can be used as much broader thing than just eyesight.
11) Asana Most of us have heard yoga have many asanas but did not understood what asana means. Asana means pose or body posture or technique to perform something.
12) Pranayama
Pranayama/ breathing is composed of two Sanskrit words prana meaning “breath” and Yama meaning “control”. It is used to denote the set of techniques to control your breath.
13) Akasha It is one of the 5 elements that make a human body. It is used to define space and sometimes can be used to define sky. It is one of the key terms of yoga.
14) Agni Agni is the fire aspect of the 5 elements that make a human body. Agni not only means fire but also warmth and heat that we have in our body.
15)Jaal
This one of the key terms of yoga means water. It is also one of the 5 elements. Jaal not only translates to water but also represents the fluids of the human body.
16) Bayou Bayou means air. It is the life force that lives on all living beings. Pranayama is the technique to control the bayou in the body.
17) Dharti In yoga and Sanskrit Earth is called as Dharti. Dhart is also one of the 5 elements that make up the human body.
18) Anga
This one of the key terms of yoga means parts or divisions. Sometime Anga is also said as the body parts of the human beings.
19) Ananda
The simple translation of Ananda means joy. Vaguely Ananda means the state of utter satisfaction that one has achieved. Ananda is also one of the key terms of yoga.
20) Bindu This key yoga term means point. In yoga the energy and chakras are concentrated on one fix point which is called as Bindu/point.
21) Buddhi Buddhi means mind or mental energy. One of the primary purposes of yoga is to keep the buddhi calm and sharp.
22) Chakra Chakra is translated to spiral. However, in yoga chakra is an energy that we have in our body. There are various chakras in various parts of our body and various yoga techniques to master and control them.
23) Dhyana This one of the key terms of yoga means meditation. In dhyana the individual makes his body mind stationary. During dhyana, the individual must be free from all evil thoughts and channel positive vives through body.
Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna 3 Major Nadi in Human Body
The common notion that yoga is all about working on building up muscles and improving the breathing pattern, is based on inchoate knowledge. There are certain aspects beyond that as well. For that we work on our inner processes, namely the nadis in a bid to expand the awareness of humankind. The awareness is expanded and the nadis are energized if we incorporate yoga in our daily life.
Every human being has an astral body, which is also called the Pranic body. The Pranic body acts as the energy center, and the main function of the body is to act as a translator between the mind and the physical body. Nadis are the energy channels that is the core part of the pranic body, which goes through the system of the human body. The unique function of Nadis is to carry the information and energy from one part of the body to another part of the body.
Subtle information
In the nervous system, the nadis runs and spread in a small channels which reach to the smallest space of our physical body. However, they are not visible through our naked eyes nor through the microscope, nonetheless, you can feel the activity of the flow of energy in our body. The yogic philosophy says that there are altogether 72,000 nadis in our body. It is also said that they are aligned in the hierarchy, Just like the nerves in our body. There are a few main channels of the nadis and other are delicate ones.
Sushumna Nadis
Sushumna is considered the main channel of the Nadi that lies in the middle of our body and that goes through our spine and the through the 6 chakras situated there. Sushumna is the joint between various elements important to our life. They are the nexus between the earth, the roots and the material life, the celestial bodies and heaven, and the awareness and the heavenly existence of the body.
Sushumna nadi is powerful enough to take control over our physical as well as the mental energy and functions. Other two important Nadis that arises and run alongside the main channel are Pingala and Ida. Furthermore, these two Nadis are responsible to activate our male and female aspects too.
Pingala and Ida organize the regenerative process, that helps in the physical actions from the human body. Moreover, these two nadis work together with various systems mainly the autonomous nervous system and helps to make the system work in easy.
Ida Nadi
Ida Nadi are concentrated in the left side of the spine of the human body. The word Ida is connected with lunar energies. Ida nadis takes control over the right hemisphere and the left side of the body. The main purpose of the Ida nadi is to activate and regenerate the intuition, and healing and receiving of the nerves. In a bid to activate the Ida Nadi we need to calm and serene. Many yogi scriptures claim that Ida Nadi is active during nighttime and the healing process continues during the nighttime.
Pingala Nadi
The right side of the Sushumna is the place where the Pingala Nadi runs. The main responsibility for the Pingala Nadi is to activate the right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain. The physical activeness of the human being is contingent upon the Pingala Nadi. The Pingala Nadi is also called constructive Nadi. Furthermore, Pingala Nadi is also responsible to control the logical activity. If the Pingala Nadi is in the balanced state then the harmony is achieved between the mind, body and soul. Therefore, the person can perform the activity with ease.
Yoga is about not only performing asana and pranayama to increase the flexibility of muscles, open up the chakras, soothes the mind, body, and soul. Likewise, the ultimate aim of doing all forms of yoga is to establish a relationship with their self. The establishment of a relationship with their self is produced by knowing who I am. While most people think they are the body, which is complete disbelief of their self.
We are more than a body; we are energy, which governs us. The energy leaves us when we die that energy in spiritual terms is called Atman. The realizing of Atman and receiving a blessing from the Parmatman is also a form of yoga.
The ancient and famous scriptures of the human, Upanishads, has clearly described that human nature is composed of mainly five elements and dimensions. We all know about the elements, however, most of us yet are oblivious about the dimensions. What we see in the outer surface is incomplete.
We are much inside when we go inside the mortal coil; the coil expands into some of the layers that revolve around the spiritual center. The five distinct “koshas” revolves around the soul of the human. The peculiarity of each kosha is they vibrate in a certain frequency starting from gross and ends up to the transcendental dimensions which are also called the ultimate dimensions.
If we learn about the Pancha koshas (five sheaths) we will ultimately end up finding the way forward to know the spiritual and the psychological aspect of the body. The Pancha koshas are namely:
Annamaya kosha – Related to Physical
Prana Maya – Related to energy
Mana Maya – Related mental energy
Vigyan Maya – Related to wisdom
Ananda Maya kosha – Related to bliss
Here the word Maya refers to consists of. Whereas the other meaning of Maya is an illusion, which is not applicable here.
1. Annamaya kosha, (the sheath which consists of food)
Among all koshas, the annamaya kosha is the dense koshas. The annamaya kosha includes the bones and tissues of the body, which is responsible for the formation of muscles and organs of the human body. The annamaya kosha is regarded as the lowest vibration of the human. The food we consume makes up the Annamaya kosha. The peculiarity of the Annamaya kosha is it is made up of both prana and the consciousness.
2. Pranamaya kosha, (the sheath that which consists of energy)
The word Prana refers to energy. The meaning of kosha is the force that revolves around the body. There are five pranas. To name them prana, Apana, Udana, Samana, and Vyana are responsible for controlling many functions of the body. We would be lifeless without the prana. Some of the major works of prana are it helps in the circulation of the blood, helps in making our vigor, energize the spiritual and psychic energy of the human body.
3. Manamaya kosha, (the sheath that consists of the mind)
The word mana refers to the mind. The Manamaya Kosh is responsible for our thoughts, feelings, mind, and emotional activities. The Manamaya kosha is responsible for the pain-pleasure interaction of the body. The Kosh causes us the euphoria and the sadness in our life. Among Pancha kosha, Manamaya kosha can hijack the mind. If the mind is not in proper control then the Manamaya kosha will cause you to lose your senses. Therefore, to come out of such regular practice of yoga is most.
4. Vijnanamaya kosha, (that which consists of subtle knowledge)
Vijnanamaya kosha is responsible for regulating the subtle knowledge in the mind of the human. Through this kosha or by utilizing the Vijnanamaya kosha we can reach the highest consciousness. Through this sheath, the person can reach the highest consciousness i.e from beyond the mind to the higher state of the mind. The higher mind is the best state of the Pancha Kosha. The higher state seeks truth and consciousness. The connection is possible through the Nadis that is responsible for the connection of the mind to the higher state of the mind.
5. Anandamaya kosha, (the sheath that consists of Bliss)
The word Anandamaya refers to the bliss. The inner peace is the bliss. This kosha is joined with the superconscious and the unconscious part of the mind. When we connect with the superconsciousness then we realize the self as well the supreme energy that runs the whole universe. However, among Pancha kosha, Anandamaya Kosha is the toughest kosha to attain. It is said that only the seasoned yogis can connect to the Anandamaya kosha.
Some techniques if you incorporate in your life can be super handy. One of the important and most discussed topics in today’s world in incorporating breathing exercises in your morning routine. Morning breathing workout is the most soothing technique to keep you awake for the whole day. By incorporating, morning breathing workout you feel pure and fresh for the whole day. We will discuss the three most effective breathing techniques to keep you healthy and hearty for the whole day, which in turn keeps you in good shape for the rest of your life.
The most amazing fact about the morning breathing technique is you will feel calm and relaxed if you practice at any time of the day. However, if you practice in the early morning you will get the most amazing benefits to run your life smoothly without any sorts of a hindrance. You can start by doing some sort of easy exercises like following your breath. After practicing following your breath, you can kick off the belly breathing, which is also called diaphragmatic breathing. The ultimate goal of the morning breathing workout is to relax your mind, body, and soul.
In this article, we will delve into the three most effective breathing techniques. They are:
1. Kapalbhati: The King of Breathing Workout
The word Kapalbhati is derived from two words Kapal, which mean forehead and the word Bhati refers to shine. There are humongous benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama which are mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. If practiced regularly, Kapalbhati pranayama helps to reduce the excessive fats from your belly and other parts of the body. Kapalbhati is considered as a handy morning breathing workout to purge out the unwanted and harmful fats from the body. Likewise, Kapalbhati has some other benefits like it helps to keep your chakras calm.
By conflating Kapalbhati and other morning breathing workout and yoga techniques, you could get numerous benefits. The breathing workout helps to remove the unwanted toxic air and harmful toxins from the body, which are accumulated on our body. Likewise, while doing the morning breathing workout you will be immobile and fix your balances, however, it requires not much effort, nonetheless, you will get returns exceeding limits and bounds. It is advised to practice 10 mins of Kapalbhati daily.
2. Agnisar Kriya another effective Technique for Morning Breathing Workout
Agnisar Kriya is one of the pranayamas that is incorporated in the 7 pranayamas, which is also called morning breathing workout. The Agnisar Kriya helps you to activate and revitalize the Manipura chakra which is located near the belly of the yoga practitioners. The name Agnisar Kriya comes from two words called Agni and Sar. Agni refers to “fire” whereas Sar refers “to flush”. In other words, the Agnisar Kriya helps you to cleanse the fire chakra situated in your belly that helps you to purge out the unnecessary toxicity from the body, and ultimately you will be healthy and hearty.
Furthermore, the unnecessary fats that are deposited around the belly also get destroyed. Secondly, it helps to boost the immune system of the body. The benefit becomes distinct when we practice 10 minutes of Agnisar kriya each day. Some other benefits of Agnisar Kriya are as follows:
A)The kriya helps you to strengthen the belly muscles and purges out the digestive disorders.
B) Sleep disorders get cured to some extent.
C) The excessive chemicals deposited in the lungs area get purged out, keeping your lungs in a healthy and hearty condition. Likewise, the breathing becomes smooth.
D) The aging becomes slow and the vital organs rejuvenate even in the old age making your skin glow.
E) The internal organs of the body are activated making digestion smooth and easy.
F) The blood circulation also becomes easy.
G) The person suffering from diabetes and excessive obesity become placated.
Nauli Kriya
Nauli Kriya is yet another morning breathing workout that helps you to keep your muscles in healthy and hearty conditions. There is a simple thumb rule of Nauli Kriya where it is advised to keep your muscles moving to keep them in proper shape. Likewise, by practicing Nauli Kriya you will revitalized and the unnecessary blockages get opened. The main benefit of carrying out the Nauli Kriya is to purge out all the unnecessary elements from your body.
Practicing 15 times Nauli Kriya will heal your body to a much extent.
Some benefits of Nauli Kriya are as follows:
Helps in the regulation of the blood pressure and prevents the unnecessary accumulation of the fats in the body.
Aids in curing skin diseases.
Effective against: headache, skin diseases, and cancer also.
Nepal has various aspects to offers to its visitors. Apart from snow-clad mountains, enthralling and adventurous sports, Nepal offers some spiritual aspects to the visitors. For instance, the light of Asia, Gautam Buddha, who established Buddhism was born in Nepal. Furthermore, Nepal is also filled with various out worldly attractive exquisite places, but Nepal is innately the land of Yoga and also has an umpteen of things to offer to the Yoga enthusiasts as Yoga tourism in Nepal.
Worldwide, the yoga industry is growing at the fastest pace. Nepal has also been able to capitalize the Yoga market through its alluding places conflated with the Yoga practice. It is a well-known fact that Yoga has the ability to keep your mind, body and soul in the perfect shape as possible. Furthermore, the land of Nepal is spiritual in itself making the nation the suitable place for Yoga tourism in Nepal.
Yoga—A conclave to meet the likeminded spiritual people
Yoga tourism in Nepal is the best way to connect various spiritual people throughout the world. For instance, Nepal is dominated by the Hindu religion. In the auspicious month of Shrawan, Nepal can attract huge number of population throughout the world to visit the Shivalaya and be blessed from the Lord Shiva. Likewise, Yoga tourism in Nepal is equally pragmatic to the Buddhist followers also. As Nepal is the land of Buddha and has many cloisters and Gumbas.
Particular sects and religions can organize the conclave for the likeminded people that includes various religious and spiritual activities to encourage Yoga tourism in Nepal.
What should you be prepared for?
Yoga tourism in Nepal takes you to the enthralling place from where you can see the sun rising between the mammoth mountains where you could practice yoga by enjoying the serene sight just before you. Various cities like Pokhara, Kathamndu, Lumbini, Chitwan, high Himalayan areas are famous for the yoga tourism in Nepal. These places offers various religious sites like temples, cloisters, gumbas etc. rendering them a congenial place to enjoy the bliss of the yoga in Nepal.
In any case, you need not generally inconvenience yourself with such sharp strategies. You can fundamentally acknowledge nature and do some yoga taking in the external air.
Nepal—an amicable land to practice yoga
Nepal has reliably been the objective for pariahs and explorers especially from the west coming in to search for amicability and loosening up. In case you’ve watched the miracle movie Dr. Unconventional, you ought to remember Dr. Odd (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) coming to Nepal to repair. The movie is clearly a fantasy and you won’t increment such super powers, yet the recovering part remains exact.
On the off chance that you’re wanting to find something different for the duration of regular daily existence, whether or not it is some certain explanation or just some agreement, Himalayas of Nepal is obviously an ideal spot for you. In the continuous events, the inspiration driving development may have differentiated, regardless, what you can accomplish proceeds as in the past.
Yoga explicitly has a couple of preferences to make your stay less complex in Nepal. Nepal is overflowing with experience. Likewise, in the event that you’re wanting to be related with some gutsy activities, yoga will help you with expanding and moderate your muscles and set you up for the whole day of exhaustive and invigorating activities.
Yoga—an inevitable resort in the high Himalayas
Whether or not you’re journeying across Manang and Mustang at the lap of Annapurna expand or going on a 15 hour drive transversely over distant towns to see the great Rara lake, you ought to be prepared both genuinely and sanely. Furthermore, yoga will help you with keeping your muscles and demeanor arranged. While stimulating, these ways are crippling and it will all slip to your assurance.
Certainly, you needn’t mess with any motivation to do yoga or basically travel Nepal with no yoga. In any case, yoga will help you with opening to get a handle on the positive essentialness the regular air from the mountains brings to the table. In the wake of applauding your Nepal visit with Yoga, you will be getting back to experience the same old thing.
Spinal twisting is a restorative yoga pose that helps to promote good digestion and encourages spinal mobility. The spine is the central axis around which we balance ourselves; a flexible spine is considered vital for maintaining a healthy body. Twisting our spines makes the spinal column flexible and stimulates spinal nerves. This is the reason why the regular practice of spinal twisting asanas simultaneously relaxes and invigorates our body. Spinal twisting asanas have a great effect on the abdominal muscles and nourish our internal organs. These asanas generally work on the spine, hip, and shoulder areas.
Spinal twisting asanas can do wonders in our bodies. When there is a lack of space in our spines then they tend to slump and our energy level drops down. Through spinal twisting asanas, we can get space between the bones and lengthen our spines. This gives us instant energy lift and energy can flow consistently.
The stretch from this asanas gives the muscles in the lower and mid-back a rotational stretch and has a high benefit in toning muscles. This also helps to detox our bodies. When we twist our spines, it will cut off blood supply to our digestive organs and re-introduce fresh blood to our abdominal organs. This helps to cleanse the cells and any waste inside our bodies.
Some of the spinal twisting asanas with description are listed below:
1. Meru vakrasana ( spinal twist) -1,2,3,4
Meru vakrasana is a beginner-level simple seated yoga pose that provides a gentle spine twist and serves as a bridge to perform other asanas. To practice, this poses you need to sit in dandasana first, legs extended, and twisting your torso in one direction with hands on the ground opposite to the leg and the hip. Meru vakrasana gives a good stretch to the back and can relieve your back pain.
This Asana especially works on the thoracic vertebrate strengthening the muscles and improving flexibility. To practice this pose you need to extend your legs resting your hands on the thighs. Inhale and exhale placing the palms down on the floor, bending elbows to lower forehead. Don’t lift your buttocks or hips but allow the breath to guide you deeper.
3. Ardha matsyendrasana ( half spinal twist)
This Asana is named after the yogi matsyendrasana. Ardha matsyendrasana should be practiced either in the morning or at least 4-6 gourds before a meal. It tones the spinal nerve and makes it more flexible. This pose is done by sitting erect, bending the heels of the left foot lying it next to the right hip, and placing the right leg to the left knee. After this, you need to twist your waist, neck, and shoulders to the right. Hold this pose inhaling and exhaling your breath.
4. Parivritti Janu sirasana (spiraled head to knee pose)
This pose stretches the hamstring, hips, spines, and relieves back pain. The twisting variation of parivritti Janu sirasana takes the classic forward bent of body to next level. Bend your left knee bringing heels toward groin and ground through the sitting bones extended through the crown of the head. Engage your right leg and twist the upper body to the left as you inhale. People having their knees injured and back pain should avoid this yoga.
Apart from these asanas, astavakrasana, DWI pad koundinyasana, eka pada koindinyasana, Kati chakrasana, Parva sirshana, etc are some other spinal twisting asanas. Continuous practice of this asanas can bring wonders to us. It helps to relieve back pains and strengthen us. This is the reason why they are getting so much hype nowadays. But it may not be a good idea to practice this yoga pose if there is a back injury, if you are pregnant, during mensuration, pressure on sciatic nerves, and spondylitis.
