Yogasana Yoga is an ancient Indian body of knowledge that dates back more than 5000 years ago. The word "Yoga" came from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or integrate." Yoga then is about the union of a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness. Ancient Yogis had a belief that in order for man to be in harmony with himself and his environment, he has to integrate the body, the mind, and the spirit. For these three to be integrated, emotion, action, and intelligence must be in balance. The Yogis formulated a way to achieve and maintain this balance and it is done through exercise, breathing, and Meditation - the three main Yoga structures. In Yoga, the body is treated with care and respect for it is the primary instrument in man's work and growth. Yoga Exercises improve circulation, stimulate the abdominal organs, and put pressure on the glandular system of the body, which can generally result to better health. Six Branches of Yoga Hatha Yoga or Yoga of Postures Hatha is perhaps the path of Yoga you are most familiar with since this is the most popular branch of Yoga in the West. This branch of Yoga uses physical poses or Asana, Breathing Techniques or Pranayama, and Meditation to achieve better health, as well as spirituality. There are many styles within this path - Iyengar, Integral, Astanga, Kripalu, and Jiva Mukti to name a few. If what you want is a peaceful mind and a healthy body to go along with it, Hatha Yoga may just be the path for you. Bhakti Yoga or Yoga of Devotion Bhakti Yoga is the path most followed in India. This is the path of the heart and devotion. Yogis who practice this branch sees the "One" or the Divine in everyone and everything. Bhakti Yoga teaches a person to have devotion to the "One" or to Brahma by developing a person's love and acceptance for all things. Raja Yoga or Yoga of Self-Control Raja means "royal". This path is considered to be the King of Yoga and this may be due to the fact that most of its practitioners are members of religious and spiritual orders. Raja Yoga is based on the teachings of the Eight Limbs of Yoga found in the Yoga sutras. A Raja Yogi sees the self as central, and as such, respect to oneself and for all creation are vital to this path. They achieve self-respect by first learning to be masters of themselves. If you wish to learn discipline, then Raja Yoga would perfectly suit that need. Jnana Yoga or Yoga of the Mind Jnana Yoga is the path of Yoga that basically deals with the mind, and as such, it focuses on man's intelligence. Jnana Yogis consider wisdom and intellect as important and they aim to unify the two to surpass limitations. Since they wish to gain knowledge, they are open to other philosophies and religion for they believe that an open and rational mind is crucial in knowing the spirit. Karma Yoga or Yoga of Service Karma Yoga is the path of service for in this path, it is believed that your present situation is based on your past actions. So by doing selfless service now, you are choosing a future that is free from negativity and selfishness. Karma Yogis change their attitude towards the good and in the process, change their souls, which leads to a change in their destiny. Tantra Yoga or Yoga of Rituals Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the paths, Tantra Yoga is about using rituals to experience what is sacred. Although sex is a part of it, sex is not the whole of it since this path aims to find what is sacred in everything we do. Tantra Yogis must possess certain qualities like purity, humility, devotion, dedication to his Guru, cosmic love, and truthfulness among other things. This Weeks Yoga Posture Surya Namaskar Surya namaskara is a series of twelve physical postures. These alternating backward and forward bending postures flex and stretch the spinal column through their maximum range giving a profound stretch to the whole body. The Suryanamaskara is often considered the 'mother' of all Yoga postures. This exercise usually marks the beginning of a Yoga session. How to do? Surya Namaskar is a flowing series of 12 yoga postures. Synchronizing the breath with the movements of the body is very important. The basic breathing principle is to inhale during backward bending postures and exhale during forward bending postures. Step1: Stand facing the direction of the sun with both feet touching. Bring the hands together, palm-to-palm, at the heart. Step2: Inhale and raise the arms upward. Slowly bend backward, stretching arms above the head. Step3: Exhale slowly bending forward, touching the earth with respect until the hands are in line with the feet, head touching knees. Step4: Inhale and move the right leg back away from the body in a wide backward step. Keep the hands and feet firmly on the ground, with the left foot between the hands. Raise the head. Step5: While exhaling, bring the left foot together with the right. Keep arms straight, raise the hips and align the head with the arms, forming an upward arch. Step6: Exhale and lower the body to the floor until the the feet, knees, hands, chest, and forehead are touching the ground. Step7: Inhale and slowly raise the head and bend backward as much as possible, bending the spine to the maximum Step8: While exhaling, bring the left foot together with the right. Keep arms straight, raise the hips and align the head with the arms, forming an upward arch. Step9: Inhale and move the right leg back away from the body in a wide backward step. Keep the hands and feet firmly on the ground, with the left foot between the hands. Raise the head. Step10: Exhale slowly bending forward, touching the earth with respect until the hands are in line with the feet, head touching knees. Step11: Inhale and raise the arms upward. Slowly bend backward, stretching arms above the head. Step12: Stand facing the direction of the sun with both feet touching. Bring the hands together, palm-to-palm, at the heart. Benefits of Suryanamaskar: 1.Tones up the digestive system by the alternate stretching and compression of abdominal organs. It activates digestion and gets rid of constipation and dyspepsia. 2.Strengthens abdominal muscles. 3.Thoroughly ventilates the lungs, and oxygenates the blood 4.Acts as detoxifying agent, by getting rid of enormous quantity of carbon dioxide and other toxic gases. 5.Tones up the nervous system and improves memory. 6.Promotes sleep and calms anxiety. 7.Improves muscle flexibility 8.Helps reduce fat. 9.Lends grace and ease of movements to the body. 10.Makes the spine and waist flexible. Who should NOT do Surya Namaskar? 1.Pregnant women should not practice this after third month of pregnancy. 2.Patients of Hernia and high blood pressure are warned against this practice. 3.People suffering from back conditions should seek proper advice before commencing Surya Namaskar. 4.Women should avoid Surya Namaskar during menses. Warning NOTE : Consult with your doctor before doing any yoga/exercices