In Raja Yoga the goal is to quieten the mind through meditation where the attention is fixed on an object, mantra, or concept.

The aim of Raja yoga meditation is to successfully establish a mental link with the supreme source of all spiritual energy and power, the Supreme Soul, with the purpose of freeing the individual soul from sorrow, misery, pain, depression, fear, anxiety, illness, insecurity and phobias, and enabling the soul to once again experience constant peace, happiness, love and lasting health and prosperity.

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

Read more here: » Yoga Systems: Raja Yoga

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

All techniques that bring about union of the soul and Spirit can be called Yoga.

There are various indirect and direct methods of directing and controlling the mind to attain the union of spirit with spirit.

Some of these are chanting, prayers, silence, emotional singing, intellectual meditation, social and religious work. However the five widely practised types are:

-       Bhakti Yoga

-       Gyaana Yoga

-       Karma Yoga

-       Hatha Yoga

-       TantricYoga or Kundalini Yoga

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

Read more here: » Yoga Systems: Basic Types of yoga

Bhakti yoga is the yogic pathway to self-realisation by catalysing and channeling your emotions into devotion or love with an attitude of total self-surrender.

Bhakti yoga is based on pure and selfless love, a strong sense of total surrender to the Supreme Intelligence guiding this universe and it comes straight from the heart.

But this attitude of surrender and love does not call for any complacence in action. Rather, your emotional fervor and enthusiasm is productively channeled into a feeling of love for another person, a favorite place, a rewarding type of work and so on and one may also develop a feeling of love for all humanity.

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

Read more here: » Yoga Systems: Bhakti Yoga - - Path of Devotion

"As you sow, so shall you reap" is an old and true saying. It points out the law of cause and effect which forms one of the fundamental laws of the Universe."

Karma Yoga is the path of detached action and selfless service. At this point, you may ask, how could action be detached if a goal or mission is to be accomplished!

Now, the secret of right activity is to do the action with full dedication and enthusiasm in the correct manner and mode of operation but you need not anticipate or be anxious about the consequences or result of this action.

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

Read more here: » Yoga Systems: Karma Yoga - Path of Action

Gyana Yoga is the spiritual path of 'knowledge'. It aims at realising the Supreme Spirit through deep enquiry and constant contemplation upon the eternal truths. In Gyana Yoga, you will endeavour to achieve enlightenment through the study of sacred books of wisdom and truth.

Normally, people who are very well versed in religious and other scriptures (Scriptural scholars) are considered 'gyaan yogis'. But it is important to note that if knowledge is not balanced with devotion to God, then it will carry the danger of developing arrogance and one-sidedness.

Love sweetens our understanding just as knowledge sharpens and directs our love. Love that is uncontrolled by knowledge can be much like a hose that is turned on and then left without a guiding hand; it neighs and just gushes forth making it impossible to use it effectively.

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

Read more here: » Yoga Systems: Gyana Yoga - Path of Knowledge

Sankalpa Yoga is 'reso-will', the power that is born of resolve, will and determination. This esoteric yogic science was widely practised 5,000 years ago.

Sankalpa Yoga is the science of creation. Like everything in nature, gyana (knowledge) comes through sankalpa. Sankalpa Yoga does not belong to anyone in particular, nor is it registered by any organisation. It belongs to all those who want to practise it. There is no one to command you, no bondage, no milestones.

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

Read more here: » Sankalpa Yoga: Beyond Consciousnes - Sankalpa Yoga  

The first breath of life eventually leads to the last exhale at death, but for whatever span that lies between, breathing is an unassuming, if essential, part of living. It seemed odd to me that one would need lessons in how to breathe.

Yet people worldwide are turning to the intensive Art of Living course on lowering stress and finding renewed vigour and clarity through age-old Hindu breathing techniques.

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

Read more here: » Pranayama: The Art of Breathing

Pranayam term is formed of joining two words- pran and ayam. It means strengthening and expanding the life force. Pran is the life energy or force, which empowers all the work of mind, body and senses. Without pran, our body is dead.

Ayam means expanding or strengthening this pran. It is essential for keeping our body and mind healthy and powerful. Pranayam is important for protecting us from diseases, sickness.

It is very important to understand the methods of pranayam before actually practicing it.

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

Read more here: » Pranayama: Basics of Pranayam

The sage Patanjali postulated an eight-fold system of spiritual yogic practice for achieving the divine goal. It comprises:

Yam (Controls) Niyam (Rules and regulations) Asan (Bodily Postures) Pranaayam (Breath Control Exercises) Pratyahaar (Sense control) Dharana (Concentration) Dhyaana (Meditation) Samadhi (Mergence)

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

Read more here: » Patanjali: Patanjali System Of Yoga  

Yoga - I

Yoga is a perfect practical system of self-culture. Yoga is an exact science. It aims at the harmonious development of the body, the mind and the soul. Yoga is the turning away of the senses from the objective universe and the concentration of the mind within. Yoga is eternal life in the soul or spirit. Yoga aims at controlling the mind and its modifications. The path of Yoga is an inner path whose gateway is your heart.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga - a perfect practical system of self-culture

The sage Patanjali postulated an eight-fold system of spiritual yogic practice for achieving the divine goal. It comprises:

Yam - Controls, Niyam - Rules and regulations, Asan - Bodily Postures, Pranaayam - Breath Control Exercises, Pratyahaar - Sense control, Dharana - Concentration, Dhyaana - Meditation, Samadhi - Mergence

Read more here: » Patanjali Yoga: Patanjali System Of Yoga

Desktop yoga exercises that will help improve flexibility and blood circulation of the legs muscles.

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

Read more here: » Yoga and Health: Desktop yoga for the legs

Here we give you some more desktop yoga exercises for the back and also some breathing exercises you can do while at your desk.

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

Read more here: » Yoga and Health: Desktop Yoga - Back & Breathing Exercises

Sudarshan Kriya is an ancient but potent breathing technique, reintroduced by Sri Sri Ravishankar through his organisation, Vyakti Vikas Kendra, in 1982.

This includes two simple yoga techniques - pranayama and poornayoga . Pranayama is a technique to govern the breathing process and Poornayoga includes practise of simple yoga postures.

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

Read more here: » Yoga and Health: Sudarshan Kriya, A Potent Stress Buster  

Dhyana-yoga of Bhagavad-Gita

In this chapter the Lord explains that the process of the eightfold yoga system (astanga-yoga) is a means to control the mind and the senses. This practice culminates in samadhi, full consciousness of the Supreme. However, this is very difficult for people in general to perform, especially in the Age of Kali. Although astanga-yoga is recommended in this chapter, the Lord emphasises that the process of bhakti-yoga, is better.

Read more here: » Dhyana Yoga: Dhyana-yoga of Bhagavad-Gita

Chakras: The Subject is Love

How does love, springing from a divine source, become misguided in so many ways? How did we fall into such animalistic forms of love? Some understanding of our subtle anatomy is necessary at this point. We are all engaged in five types of work in our life, corresponding to our five lowest centers (chakras): maintaining our physical survival (first chakra - money), ensuring the continuation of the human race (second chakra - sex), providing fuel for the physical vehicle (third chakra - food), developing our emotional life (fourth chakra - heart), acquiring a set of philosophical and religious principles to guide our life (fifth chakra - throat). These 5 lower chakras constitute the kingdom of delusion, illusion and error.

Read more here: » Chakras: The Subject is Love - about the lower chakras

Practicing certain yoga asanas and breathing, increases blood pressure, improves and balances and strengthens the nervous system, tones the digestive system, cleans and strengthens the arteries and corrects the flow of the blood to the body.

Instructions and benefits for:

-       Kapalbhati Kriya

-       Bhastrika pranayama

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

Read more here: » Yoga and Health: Yoga and low blood pressure

Mantra Yoga: Music with Mantras - A Divine Experience

A feast of heavenly music awaits those who can tune in. If you don't know how, you can learn the art from the science of Mantra Yoga. The world around us is full of vibrations. Tyagaraja created a raga upon hearing the hum of a bee. But only a pure mind can receive the finer vibrations. Mantra Yoga helps us purify our minds.

Read more here: » Mantra Yoga: Music with Mantras - A Divine Experience

Mantra Yoga Reveals A New Universe

Mantras help draw energy from both external and internal universes. The nature of our thoughts is largely compulsive. We are conscious beings but we live like machines. Our likes and dislikes are programmed. Addictive thoughts take away from the soul of the individual as a conscious being. By chanting mantras with understanding, compulsive thoughts are transformed. The mind becomes calm and our perception will be wise with respect to both the external and internal universes.

Read more here: » Mantra Yoga: Mantra Yoga Reveals A New Universe