During the Spiral Twists yoga position (Ardha Matsyendrasana) your vertebrae are mobilized; the exercises also allow more nourishment to reach the roots of the spinal nerves and the sympathetic nevous system.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: Spinal Twisting - Yoga Position

Nadis are the astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry psychic currents. The Sanskrit term ‘Nadi’ comes from the root ‘Nad’ which means ‘motion’. It is through these Nadis (Sukshma, subtle passages), that the vital force or Pranic current moves or flows. Since they are made up of subtle matter they cannot be seen by the naked physical eyes and you cannot make any test-tube experiments in the physical plane. These Yoga Nadis are not the ordinary nerves, arteries and veins that are known to the Vaidya Shastra (Anatomy and Physiology). Yoga Nadis are quite different from these.

Read more here: » Nadis: Yoga Nadis

Although there are many Asanas (8,400,000 according to the scriptures) the practice of the 12 basic yoga postures brings out the essence and all major benefits of this wonderful system.

Read more here: » Yoga Postures: What is Proper Exercise - 12 Basic Yoga Postures

Hatha Yoga: Hatha Yoga Styles

Hatha Yoga is the branch of Yoga that focuses on the physical well-being of a person and sees the body as the driver of the spirit. Each of these styles of yoga use Asanas or poses to balance the body, mind and spirit. However, some emphasise the alignment of the body while others concentrate on co-ordinating the movement and breath. Ten of the most common styles of Hatha Yoga are described: Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Viniyoga, Bikram Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Ananda Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga, Sivananda Yoga and Svaroopa Yoga.

Read more here: » Hatha Yoga: Hatha Yoga Styles

Svaroopa Yoga Ð Rama Berch founded Svaroopa Yoga. It introduces alternative ways of doing familiar poses with deep emphasis on the spine. It aims to open the spine by developing gentle movement from the tailbone right through to the top of the spine. It is another style of yoga which is not at all athletic and more involved in consciousness and healing properties.

Read more here: » Hatha Yoga Styles: Svaroopa Yoga

Pregnancy is a total experience. It is a time in a woman's life when it is of prime importance that the various dimensions of her being are in harmony. The regular practice of certain yoga exercises, meditation and breathing techniques ensures optimum health of her body and mind, and the unification of her physical, emotional and spiritual growth with that of the developing child.

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga And Pregnancy

Kundalini Awakening

Kundalini awakening or pranic awakening and its cross-tradition similars-the spontaneous spinal rockings known in Judaism as davening and in Sufisim as zikr; the "taken-over" gyrations of gospel "holy ghost" shaking and dancing and charismatic/pentacostal "mani-festations"; the Dionysian "revel"; QuakerismÕs and Shakerism's autonomic quaking and shaking; Tai Chi guided by chi itself; the shamanic trance-dance; BuddhismÕs and Raja-YogaÕs effortless "straight back" (uju-kaya) meditation; the yogically derived ecstatic belly-dance and Flamenco; and even the full-bodied, spontaneous Reichian "reflex"-literally embody the spiritual path.

Read more here: » Kundalini Awakening: Kundalini and Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous Yoga)

The Forward Bend yoga position (Paschimothanasana) looks, and is, simple - provided you relax into the position, rather than forcing yourself into it. The pose is one of the most powerful and important Asanas, helping to ease the spinal compression caused by standig upright.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: Forward Bend - Yoga Position

When Kundalini awakening happens to people who are not on a spiritual path, the experience can leave them fragile and fragmented. As the Kundalini process involves a redefinition and reintegration of self, it adds extra pressure when people wish to suppress the transformation and insist to lead their lives normally.

Read more here: » Kundalini: What is Kundalini?

Balancing and Charging the Chakras

The energy of your body will not be balanced and free flowing if you do not have good emotional balance, good physical health, and good relationships with your surroundings and yourself.

Almost no one is ever perfectly balanced. If you could do this, you would be able to rise from the dead, have a body transformed into a cosmic molecular structure and commune with the gods as an equal.

Read more here: » Chakra Balancing: Balancing and Charging the Chakras

A yogic dictionary including desriptions of Matsyasana, Paschimottanasana, Halasana, Sarvangasana, Oordhva-Padmasana, Sirshasana, Siddhasana and Padmasana.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Yogic Exercises: Asanas and Yogic Exercises

The Fish Yoga Position (Matsyasana) is the stretch that counters the Plough, and so follows them in Yoga session. The name of the posture derives from the fact that if you adopt the position in water, you will float quite easily.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: The Fish - Yoga Position

This FAQ gives a background on the phenomenon of kundalini. Part I of III.

In Part I: 1) What is kundalini?, 2) What is the difference between prana and kundalini?, 3) What is the difference between qi (or chi) and kundalini?, 4) If kundalini is universal why do some kundalini yogins seem to have more kundalini-energy than others?, 5) What does kundalini have to do with spiritual enlightenment?, 6) What is the goal of kundalini yoga?, 7) Does everyone agree that kundalini awakening is necessary for enlightenment?

Read more here: » Kundalini FAQ: What is Kundalini? (part I of III) -

Meditation Experiences by Sarasvati Buhrman PhD - Part I

Sometime after 350 B.C. a great yogi sage wrote the "Yoga Sutra". This brief translation should wet your appetite. This describes the transformation of mind that will unfold over a course of sadhana (spiritual practice), focusing on the relationship between the mind and the object of meditation.

Read more here: » Meditation: Meditation Experiences According to the Ashtanga Yoga Tradition with Commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutra

The long-developing, prepubescence ramping toward the kundalini spinal puberty is known as pranotthana ("intensified, uplifted life energy," perhaps emergent within cellular mitochondria). This is clearly the same force of quivering uprightness active in Quakerism, Shakerism, Judaic davening (torso-rocking prayer), charismatic Holy Ghost phenomena, the swaying zikr and whirling dervish of Islam, the quiverings of the Orthodox hesychast, the Goddess-worshipping circle dance, the Dionysian revel of the Greek mystery schools, the flowing movements of tai chi, the ecstatic shamanic dance, the yogically derived Andalusian flamenco, the Middle-Eastern belly dance, and the orgonic quivering-streamings of bioenergetics

Read more here: » Postgenital Stirrings: A Spiritual Prepubescence

Tantra: Why sexuality?

In the act of lovemaking the couple embodies the dyadic wholeness of the Supreme. TANTRIC sexual union resonates with the very foundational energies of the Universe: it captures, magnifies and re-directs the essential Cosmic Power of Life. It is therefore not by chance that sexual intercourse brings the most intense emotional experience that the human being can have while in the flesh. Therefore TANTRA uses it predominantly to create that overwhelming unifying energy. The erotic impulse stirs up the KUNDALINI energy so that it can rise, through the subtle duct of power along the spine, to the highest center of power above the head. This process renders the adept immortal:

Read more here: » Tantra Yoga: Why sexuality?

Kundalini Yoga Ð In this style of yoga, the spine is regarded as a snake. It was brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan in the late 1960s. The practice concentrates on releasing the Kundalini energy which is found at the base of the spine. Kundalini Yoga includes a series of classic poses and chanting. The emphasis however, is not on the Asana but on the chanting. Spiritual transformation is the main aim of practice.

Read more here: » Hatha Yoga Styles: Kundalini Yoga

Suryanamaskar is the salutation to Sun God which is one of the major sources of prana in this creation. Prana being "The Force" in the universe, that which is responsible for creation, maintenance and transformation in the physical.

The sun's energy vibrates at innumerable frequencies manifesting in the physical as various food/ prana for various living things like trees, leaves, animals, humans etc.

Instructions and benefits for:

-       Surya Pranam Asana

-       Hasta Uthaan Asana

-       Padhasta Asana

-       Ashwa Sanchalan Asana

-       Parvat Asana

-       Ashtanga Namaskar

-       Bhujang Asana

(See also: Suryanamaskar , Yoga, Yoga and Health, Yoga Systems, Yoga Positions)

Read more here: » Suryanamaskar: Yogi Ashwini ji of Dhyan Foundation

This FAQ gives an overview of those kundalini yoga practices which require conscious effort. Part I of III.

In Part II: 1) What are the techniques to unite prana and apana?, 2) What are the techniques to unite rajas and retas?, 3) Are those really the only techniques to awaken kundalini?, 4) Are these forceful methods of awakening kundalini dangerous? What about Gopi Krishna's books?

Read more here: » Kundalini Yoga: Kundalini Yoga FAQ (part II of III) -

Kundalini Awakening

When Rob told me my Kundalini had been awakened, I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. The awakening of Kundalini is a spiritual awakening, a major step towards realization of the divine. It is, in fact, a great boon, a great blessing and a magical gift. According to Swami Prajananda,

"The main purpose of its awakening in a seeker is to enable him to attain Godhood" (Muktananda, Kundalini 9).

Read more here: » Kundalini Awakening: Kundalini Awakens

The power of everyday prayer is boundless: It is a documented fact that community prayer services have worked miracles, especially in healing the sick.

In today's rushed world, not many people find the time to pray. Even those who do pray are in a terrible hurry. Naturally then, the heart and mind are often disconnected from the words of prayer which are uttered as a matter of routine. Instead of having a heart-to-heart talk with God, we end up merely reciting. So prayer tends to become a superficial and mechanical task that's not particularly pleasing. Unsurprisingly, one often prays grudgingly.

Read more here: » Power of Prayer: Healing Power of Daily Prayer