...p>There are some general points about asanas (poses), however. Back bends can be great for improving one's mood and lifting energy levels, and forward bends are good for anxiety and stress.

There are a huge number of forward and back bends in yoga however! And different asanas require different preparatory poses, and what are called counter postures. Counter postures are an important follow-up to doing certain asanas. They can help prevent injury, just as the preparatory postures do.

There is somewhat contradictory advice given to women going through menopause who want to practice yoga. Many books encourage gentle, nurturing poses - restorative poses. But some female yoga teachers who used yoga for themselves when going through menopause found that an over-reliance on restorative postures made some menopausal symptoms worse. This included mood swings and weight gain. They found that sometimes, more activity was better.

Given that quite active physical exercise had been found to help with menopause, this observation is no real surprise. Ultimately, it depends on what is going on for each woman, and this can vary over time anyway. If you're feeling really tired all the time, restorative poses may be best for that period. However, if you've got more ene...more

tantra

...tantra. What image does that word conjure up in your mind? Promiscuous sex? Mate swapping? Orgies? Group sex? Nudist camps? massage with freebies on the side?

How about none of the above?

tantra is revealed as a practical and yes, respectable yoga that slows the aging process, utilizes sexual energy for health, joy, peace and love. Great sex is a by-product of this ancient yoga.

While other yoga and fitness practices focus on the external muscles of the physical body, the emphasis in tantra is on isolating and exercising the internal muscles, including th...more

Yoga and the gift of Communication

...ion is important. In some of the physically active forms of Yoga, a Hatha, Kundalini, or Ashtanga Yoga student, should be able to let a teacher know when physical limits have been reached.

No matter how much knowledge a Yoga teacher has - he or she cannot feel what is going on in a students body. Students should not feel guilty, or remorseful, for limited range of motion or having an off day.

In addition to this, students should never be harassed, due to their limitations, by a Yoga teacher. This is a clear signal to find a competent and compassionate Yoga teacher. Never stay in an abusive relationship. Life is too sh...more

Digestive Disorders - Yoga Management

...ved digestion.

Yoga balances all three doshas, and different poses have different effects. Forward bending postures cool Pitta dosha. Twists are good for Kapha because they stimulate digestion. Backward bends are heating, and thus balancing to Vata types, as long as the person has the strength to do them.

** One of the digestive benefits of yoga is that it restricts the blood flow to certain parts of the body while holding some poses. Once these poses are released, this area of the body is then flooded with blood and thus, oxygen. Oxygen has healing properties and is n...more

Gaiam Yoga Props