How To Do Padmasana, The Lotus Pose of Yoga Postures

Asana is a Sanskrit word meaning to keep our body in a particular posture. The great Yogi Patanjali had devised many asanas, the postures, which were steady and comfortable. His teaching is known as Astang Yoga, too. Most of the postures are practiced to achieve better physical and mental health, as these yoga postures have deep impact on our whole body, and mind and soul.

Padmasana keeps our body in a particular position for a time. There are some of the Yoga Asanas, the postures, which can be termed as Yoga Postures in Sitting Positions. This is one of them. These postures would affect different systems in human body like muscular, respiratory, circulation, digestive, excretory, reproductive, endocrine, nervous system. These asanas are to be performed after keeping our body in sitting position: both legs together and stretched, toes erect, spine erect and both hands straight and palms resting on floor.

The meaning of ‘Padma’, a Sanskrit word, is lotus. While sitting in this posture, the human body looks like a lotus. Thus it is named ‘Padma Asana’, the ‘Lotus Pose’. We can see from all the paintings and idols of Buddha that this posture was his favourite. He is always depicted as sitting in Padmasana. Moreover it is most favourite posture among all of those practice yoga postures.

BENEFITS OF DOING PADMASANA.

Padmasana is basic posture for many yogic acts. If you want to do chanting for longer hours it is convenient to sit in this pose. As narrated by Patanjali, sitting in this posture makes the energy of human body taking its natural shape. It helps in healing several disorders in our body. It is believed that those who practice Padmasana would get help in awaking Kundalini.

All the yogis and their pupils prefer to be in this posture while doing the various breathing exercises.

HOW TO DO PADMASANA

You just sit on the floor or on yoga net, spreading your legs in forward position.
Arrange your left foot on the right thigh and the right on your left thigh.
Keep the upper half of body straight and put left hand on left knee and right on the right knee. The palms should be facing upward.
Then keep the tips of both the thumbs just touching your index fingers.
Sit in this posture as long as you can. There is no harm in sitting until you feel it uncomfortable.

For reading similar articles about other yoga postures with images, visit following links.

YOGASANA SITTING POSTURES

FORWARD BEND POSTURES

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About the Author:
I write SHORT STORIES and articles ABOUT PAINTING.
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Yoga Cushions-Making the art of Yoga easier and more comfortable

The B.K.S Iyengar School of Yoga, created by B. K. S. Iyengar, is a form of Yoga that utilizes a lot of props such as Yoga Cushions, Yoga belts, Yoga blocks and Yoga bolsters to assist the practitioner in performing asanas or postures. These props enable individuals who are new to Yoga practice to perform the asanas (stances) in an easier and unrestricted manner without having to over-extend themselves. This holds especially true for women who are pregnant, elderly people and ailing individuals as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Similarly, there is another branch of Yoga called Medical Yoga, which is a blend of Hatha Yoga and advanced medical diagnostic techniques such as X-rays, M.R.I., etc. Medical Yoga uses 3-6 Hatha Yoga asanas with the aid of specifically designed props such as Yoga belts, Yoga chairs and Yoga Cushions to treat patients.

Besides these two schools, individuals who are new to Yoga can utilize these props to help them overcome any initial problems they may face in terms of lack of flexibility and insufficient core balance which is needed to carry out some Yoga postures.

In this short article, we will look at the way Yoga Cushions can aid practitioners. The first type of Yoga Cushion is the Zafu cushion.

Zafu cushions are of two types; the traditional one being round shaped and normally stuffed with buckwheat hulls, natural kapok or organic cotton. The reason for these types of fillings is firstly that they are comfortable materials for people to be seated on for extended periods of time and that they are durable and long lasting as well.

The other type is the crescent or kidney shaped Zafu cushion, which is favored by individuals who sit in the cross-legged position for extended periods of time.

The advantage of Zafu cushions is that due to it their ergonomic design they give the Yoga practitioner a proper posture, enable better spine alignment and at the same time stabilize his or her back. Due to the fact that it has no back support, a Zafu cushion lets the spine to assume its natural curvature and thereby enables for deeper breathing. This allows for comfortable seating and alleviates any pain that may be caused on the knees, ankles and back. The end result of its use is that an individual can concentrate completely on the task of mediating and enjoy all the benefits the exercise has to offer.

Normally, Zafu cushions work better on Zabuton mats. The reason for this is that they provide a base for the Zafu cushions and give additional support for the back, knees and ankles and prevent any strain or pain that may be caused. This also makes sitting on hard surfaces such as wood or stone easier. Zabutons are also filled with buckwheat hulls, kapok or cotton.

Yoga Cushions give a practitioner the advantages of proper spine alignment, additional comfort when asanas are carried out and added support or cushioning. Nowadays, there are many options available and choosing one’s right Yoga Cushion is a simple and straightforward procedure.

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About the Author:
Company of India is headed by Nandita Abreo. And if our line of products is widely appreciated by women from all countries it is only because they were individually chosen by a woman. Through her work, Nandita is in close contact with women from all over the world in order to merge the exotic with the elegant to bring you these personally styled products.
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Join A Yoga Class To Stress Out And Relax

Yoga has emancipated the lives of millions of individuals the world over by making them healthier, happier and stronger. Yoga and its benefits are not just limited to these three words. Its real effects go far deeper into the human conscience. A person, when he practices Yoga, not only becomes aware of his short-comings, both physical and mental, but also atains the knowledge to fight these faults and emerge as a better human being. The person will treat each and every problem as it comes and will find life a much more happier journey to travel. Yoga in any form, be it Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga or Asthanga Yoga relaxes an individual to prepare him for the day ahead and the challenges that lay before him. Yoga, thus has tremendous benefits.

Yoga and Yoga asanas are not as easy as they look but are really tough to master. Practicing incorrect Yoga poses can be a challenging task if done without proper guidance. The beginner runs the risk of injuring himself/herself and the injuries are really painful. Yoga, including Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Asthanga Yoga is an ancient art that helps in creating a sense of union in body, mind and spirit. It brings us that much needed balance that we require in order to cope with the day-to-day challenges. An important part of Yoga is Meditation. Any Yoga routine begins and ends with meditation. Meditation Music brought to you by Spirit Voyage, a premier music company, will immensely help an individual to concentrate better during the meditation.

Starting Yoga by going to a yoga class is a perfect beginning anyone can imagine. A Yoga class is beneficial for many reasons. There are teachers who work one-on-one with his students and offers knowledge, both spiritual and physical which guide a person throughout the day. Yoga classes are bonding time where one can gain valuable insights in Yoga by fellow practitioners. Today, many Yoga classes play various Yoga music and meditation music sung by popular artists like Snatam Kaur, Guru Singh and Gurmukh, which help in creating a perfect environment for practicing Yoga. Any person who is interested in emancipating his/her life can safely start with Yoga. The best part of practicing Yoga is that it can be done regardless of the age or body type. Ofcourse, there are some restrictions for the person who has just come out from some illness but anyhow, Yoga can be done if anyone believes in oneself. Size and fitness level do not matter because there are modifications for every yoga pose. Proper clothing is also a necessity when one thinks of starting Yoga. Clothes that do not slip, that can handle the pressure, the stress and strain of various Yogic procedures are preferable. Spirit Voyage offers the right clothings for men and perfect clothings for women who want to begin practicing Yoga.

Spirit Voyage offers a host of Yoga DVDs which play a significant role in preparing a positive environment in the Yoga classes. Mind and Meditation is a Yoga DVD collection which gives valuable insights into Yoga and its various facets. Another Yoga DVD that has a substantiative credibility is Yoga Shakti and it can benefit immensely when played along with the Yoga routine. Yoga music in a Yoga class makes the right conditions for the body to come at par with the mind and make the practitioner emerge happier, stronger and fitter.

The author writes for Spirit Voyage which is engaged in offering various kinds of yoga music and meditation music. The company offers different CDs and DVDs for practicing kundalini Yoga and other yoga forms.
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Yoga to Tone your Abs

Using specific yoga exercises to get solid abs

Is it possible to get the famous so-called 6 pack abs from yoga? Even if the key objectives of yoga are not aesthetics, yoga can be very effective for firming your stomach muscles and trimming unwanted fat.

Most people today, male or female, appreciate firm abs and today I want to show you three very effective yoga asanas for firming and toning your abdominal muscles and lower back.

The three asanas that we are looking at today, as mentioned work your entire mid-section, lower back, buttocks, the intercostals region as well as internal organs and aside from working your stomach muscles the poses provide many health benefits. Please remember that yoga is completely different from regular gym routines; with yoga we are not interested in endless repetitions of the same exercise and sweating under a heavy, relentless workload. No, we are looking for perfect execution of the pose and holding the pose for a determined amount of time. For reaching the objectives of this article, I would like to suggest that you do each exercise from the list 5 times and consider this as one set, to use the familiar gym terminology, if you have trouble performing the reverse boat posture you can try holding your thighs and do the pose just two or three times only, you may also use a yoga strap.

Please do not sacrifice form just to complete the movement. With practice you can build up your routine – not with individual reps but by holding the pose longer.

Yoga Workouts for Toned Firm Abs

The three basic poses we focus on are the following:

• Marjariasana – The Cat Pose
• Supta Udarakarshanasana – The Lying Abdominal Stretch Pose
• Reverse Naukasana – The Boat Pose

 

For complete instruction on how to perform the exercises in order to obtain the desired results, please visit our website (follow the link below) where you will find the entire version of this article as well as illustrative photographs which will greatly help you go through the poses using a correct style.

The Benefits of your Yoga for Abs workout

You will probably not get the famous 6-pack abs mid-section from yoga, however you will certainly firm and strengthen your entire abdominal region as well as your lower back. If you add a low-impact cardiovascular exercise to the mentioned yoga routine, such as walking or swimming, you will melt unwanted body fat covering your abdominal region and sides even more rapidly. Not only will you feel tighter and stronger you will also appreciate the following benefits:

Benefits of the Cat Pose

increases mobility of vertebrae and releases tension in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine strengthens and tones the arms and abdominal muscles stretches back muscles and abdominal muscles as well as the neck increases circulation of spinal fluid and massages digestive organs teaches correct pelvic movements for forward bends and back bends. It also gives your digestive organs a gentle massage.

 Benefits of the Lying Abdominal Twist Pose

The spinal nerves will become toned and you will feel emotionally strengthened. Physically your abdominals will become firmer and the metabolism is tweaked, due to the massaging pressure on abdomen, aiding weight loss and trimming of the waist and hips. This pose also will aid in helping in aligning posture. It helps regularize bowel movements and prepares the body for the day ahead.

Benefits of the Reverse Boat Pose

The benefits of doing this exercise are many. As your abdominal section is under pressure, your liver and pancreas can function better. This can lead to increased secretion of bile from the liver and insulin from the pancreas, thus improving your digestion. It could also help to regulate your blood sugar levels. In addition, the muscles of your legs, especially the calf and thigh muscles, and the muscles around your shoulders and neck get toned. Above all your tummy fat is reduced. Although you cannot build six pack abs with this exercise itself, doing it regularly can prepare you for heavier exercises that can make it possible for you to achieve six packs.

 There, quite a lot to read and assimilate, but I hope the instructions together with my going through the asanas with you in the photos help you fully understand the yoga poses for toning the abs. Good luck and stick with it – the benefits are far too many to give up!

Nico Webb jointly runs yoga and meditation classes with his wife Durga, between them they have over 20 years experience and enjoy passing on their knowledge to others. Please click over to Yoga for toning your abdominals for the complete 3 part article.

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