A Wisdom Archive on Yoga Class

Bhakti Yoga-Classes Of Worship
At the lowest rung of the ladder of Bhakti Yoga comes the worship of elements and departed spirits. Next comes the worship of Rishis, Devas and Pitris. The third class includes those followers who worship Avataras like Sri Rama, Krishna, Narasimha. Next comes the class of Bhaktas who do Nirguna Upasana on Brahman devoid of attributes. This is the highest form of worship known as Ahamgraha Upasana or Jnana Yoga Sadhana.
 
From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda
 

Read more here: » Bhakti Yoga: Classes Of Worship in Bhakti Yoga

Bikram recently secured federal copyright registration under 17 U.S.C. Section 410 for his original work of authorship in his sequence of 26 postures (or asana) and 2 breathing exercises. Through registration of this work, the United States Copyright Office acknowledges Bikram's exclusive right to the distinct series of postures and breathing exercises comprising the sequence and Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class. This development is controversial within the United States yoga community. Some practitioners object to the idea that Bikram c ...

Read more here: » Bikram Yoga: Encyclopedia II - Bikram Yoga - Intellectual property controversy

PARAMAHAMSA: The highest class of Sannyasins.

 
(See also: PARAMAHAMSA ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)
 

For more dictionary entries, see » Yoga Class Dictionary

Dalit: A person outside the class system of Hinduism who was formerly termed as Untouchable.

 
(See also: Dalit, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary )

For more dictionary entries, see » Yoga Class Dictionary

Brahmin: A priest or scholar; a member of the most privileged of the four social classes of Hinduism.

 
(See also: Brahmin, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary )

For more dictionary entries, see » Yoga Class Dictionary

 The word "yoga" often brings to mind a classroom of students attired in exercise clothing attempting to stretch their bodies into different postures. A more traditional yoga class will even include instruction in breathing techniques, concentration, meditation, and positive thinking. In the media today, yoga is often associated with health benefits such as stress reduction, lower blood pressure, and an overall decrease in illness and hospitalization rates. This is the Western idea of yoga. If we look to the Eastern approach, where yoga is a part of the great Hindu and Buddhist traditions, we find that yoga is all of these things but much, much more as well.
 

Read more here: » Yoga: Serve, Love, Meditate, Realize - The Inner Teachings of Yoga

Bikram Yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury. He claims that his method is the only true hatha yoga practiced in the West. This claim is not accepted by many other schools. Bikram has designed a sequence of 26 yoga postures (or asana) and 2 breathing exercises that are performed in a heated room. The postures are vigorous and demand a lot from the students. The heated room, typically set around 95 - 105 degrees fahrenheit (35 - 40 degrees celsius) makes muscles more pliant and encourages sweating which acts as a purifier. The sweating also acts a ... Including:

• Bikram Yoga - Intellectual property controversy
• Bikram Yoga - Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class

Read more here: » Bikram Yoga: Encyclopedia - Bikram Yoga

The flailing arms, high kicks, twists and crouches may look eccentric, but the walking style of exercise guru Duke Saraye is sweeping Japan with its unique mix of yoga, ballet, aerobics and other Oriental and Western ideas.
 
"Sole is soul - if you don't tread right, your soul won't become clean," 49-year-old Saraye, wearing a trademark black T-shirt and lycra skullcap, told a class of 60 women, young and old during a recent two-hour class at a Tokyo hall.

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

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga, High Kicks, And 'Soul' Exercise  

The Agamas : Another class of popular scriptures are the Agamas. The Agamas are theological treatises and practical manuals of divine worship. The Agamas include the Tantras, Mantras and Yantras. These are treatises explaining the external worship of God, in idols, temples, etc. All the Agamas treat of (i) Jnana or Knowledge, (ii) Yoga or Concentration, (iii) Kriya or Esoteric Ritual and (iv) Charya or Exoteric Worship.
 
Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda
 

Read more here: » Agamas: The Agamas in the Hindu Scriptures

 Laya Yoga - The Essence Of All Religion
Yoga is the essence of every religion and is that what all religions have in common. If a man really wants to go deeply into the mystical and spiritual essence of their religion, then he or she comes to practise yoga. We say that yoga is not a religion in a sense of an individual creed or a sect separating from others, we also say that yoga is the substance and profundity of every religion and its inner cult. That is why one can be a member of every religious society and practise yoga. Two rules, or if one prefers, two commandments present in all scriptures such as Veda, Koran or the Bible are as if two angelic, divine wings of the Laya Yoga training. " Be holy because I am Holy" and " Be so perfect as your Heavenly Father is" these are the signs of an authentic, spiritual path of universal life.
 

Read more here: » Laya Yoga: The Essence Of All Religion - Laya Yoga

The psychology and philosophy of yoga can assist the mother to understand the experiences she is going through and to live them more fully. The development of awareness and of being a witness to all experiences in life is a central teaching of yoga. The ability to stand aside and witness what one is passing through removes a lot of fear and anxiety. Awareness builds one's inner resources of self- esteem and confidence and also enables the birth to be more consciously experienced. Yogic psychology also helps us understand the causes and effects of our circumstances in life and this deepens our insight and wisdom.

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga And Motherhood

Hatha Yoga deals with physical body and astral body purification and training. Its goal is to bring the physical body into a perfect state of health so the soul has an appropriate vehicle of expression to work through.
 
Hatha Yoga embraces many practices, including physical postures and breathing exercises ( pranayama ) , which also act upon the physical nervous system and etheric body. It helps bring the vital energies of the physical and etheric bodies under conscious control.

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

Read more here: » Yoga Systems: Hatha Yoga