Understanding Yoga Holidays

Understanding Yoga Holidays

We all understand that there's work and after some time, there's a need to get away from work. Which is why we holiday. The idea is to get involved in "unwinding" activities that take us away from our workplace with the resultant diversion serving as a stress buster . So whether we ski, trek or camp, it is the diversion that helps us in de-stressing. But whatever we do, we'll have our desk waiting for us when we get back. While some of us feel quite low on returning to work, others begin work with gusto but soon get into a downward spiral of stress. Try a Yoga Holiday or Retreat and you just may find the desk disappear (or at least the concept of work as we see it). A yoga retreat other than serving the purpose of rejuvenation helps you to discover a new meaning to life. How can a Yoga retreat help you?  In such holidays, you are exposed to a whole new philosophy to life. Modern medicine now recognizes that over 90% of all health disorders are psychosomatic in nature - they have their origin in the mind. Yoga recognizes this holistic aspect of health and a yoga retreat serves a perfect medium for understanding this mind-body connection for health management. A yoga holiday can help you learn tips and techniques on self-health management - Why feel dependent on external help to set yourself right? More importantly, a yoga retreat provides a clearer direction towards a peaceful way of existence. We develop an increased capacity to resolve our inner turmoil and anxieties that we experience every single day. A Yoga holiday serves as a guide for a fitter lifestyle through an all-round focus including attention to food and diet. In all, while serving as a pleasant diversion, a yoga holiday helps you appreciate nature and surroundings in a way you have never before while providing you invaluable tools for independent life management that you will continue to cherish forever. What to look for in a Yoga retreat?  A lot of casual holidays pass of as Yoga holidays when in fact they teach you nothing more than just some odd yoga routines in a good serene setting. However, there is much more to a Yoga retreat. Firstly, be clear what you are looking for. You could either be a beginner seeking to be exposed to a yoga way of life management. Or you could be a practicing yogi seeking to explore advanced techniques and practices in physical postures. These 2 kinds of retreats could be quite different. If you are a beginner, you should choose a yoga retreat that exposes you to various facets of yoga including some enlightening talks that will help you get familiar with the yoga way of life. Meditation techniques that help to harmonize the mind-body connection are a must. Qualified yoga teachers must conduct the retreats with a comprehensive understanding on various aspects of yoga and not JUST yoga exercises. It goes without saying that the yoga retreat should be conducted in a suitable, serene place that fits into the spirit of yoga. A place with tremendous spiritual energy would work best for such retreats. If you are the one looking for advanced yoga practices, seek out a retreat organized by teachers with considerable experience in Ashtanga, Hatha or Iyengar Yoga, as they will be best suited to teach you advanced practices. Either way, Yoga retreats are something that must be experienced as they provide that "something" that will serve as a helpful guide and something that you will always hold close to you - something that other kind of holidays can rarely provide.    Courtesy: http://www.healthandyoga.com A popular website that helps you find natural solutions for complete health and detoxification. Discover health and beauty…. Naturally!!

Look for Yoga Retreats Here: RetreatPlace

Avian Flu and Neti

By Arun Goel

Recently, a fear psychosis has been gripping the world regarding a possible flu pandemic arising out of Avian Flu. Scientists have gone so far as to resurrect the deadly flu virus of the 1918 world epidemic that claimed close to 50 million lives. Though of clearly different strains, due to some similarity of symptoms, these scientists have concluded - and quite alarmingly - that the present virus can mutate into a deadly one. Moreover, there is no available vaccination (external help) to guard us from a possibly impending calamity. All of this has served to further the paranoia and people are clearly worried.

How do we tackle this?

As yoga students and enthusiasts, we should be able to use this as an opportunity to become more aware and take charge of our own lives.

This is a time to remind ourselves that over 90% of disorders are psychosomatic in nature. We should remember that fear / anxiety lowers our immunity and provides a fertile ground for disease.

According to yoga philosophy, our entire being is organized into sheaths or layers. Disease arises in the Manomaya Kosha (mind sheath); this disturbs the energy balance in the Pranamaya kosha (energy sheath). This disturbance percolates down and causes subsequent malfunction in the organs, nerves and bodily systems - the Annamaya Kosha.

The task before us is to 'reverse' this vicious cycle of fear (negative thinking) resulting in the lowering of immunity, which in turn leads to disease.

Specifics

Besides the usual precautions of keeping your hands clean and body hydrated, it has been found that the nasal irrigation practice of Neti can be very effective in the prevention and treatment of Flu symptoms.

One of the primary causes of Flu and colds is the Rhinovirus and about 80% of all virus enters through the nasal passages. The sinuses offer the first line of defense and it follows that healthy sinuses can nip the problem in the bud.

What does Neti (nasal cleansing) do?

Neti keeps the first line of defense clean and fit enough to kill the virus at the first instance of its growth cycle when it is relatively at its weakest.

Neti keeps the sinuses humid and the mucus thin. This helps drain out the viruses and inhibits them from getting a hold onto the membranes.

Neti is especially effective against the rhinovirus, which is a major contributor to the flu.

The subsequent drying action after Neti is a very effective yoga practice for the oxygenation of the brain and keeping the mind relaxed. But, more importantly, from a flu perspective, it increases the temperature within the sinuses greatly. An increase in the temperature by even a few degrees dramatically increases the body's ability to kill these viruses, by increasing the activity of immune system cells in the nose.

With these practical benefits, Neti not only boosts the physical immunity, but also provides a boost to your psychological defense by helping you know that you are one up in the battle.

To read more on the nasal cleansing technique of Neti, click here

To read 'never-ending' testimonials on Neti, click here

In fact coupled with other internal detox techniques such as stomach cleansing (kunjal) & colon cleansing (enema), you can lend your natural defense mechanism a BIG helping hand - both physical and psychological. This will automatically & dramatically reduce the risk of contracting disease.

We can't guarantee ourselves freedom from disease, but by taking charge of our own health, we can ensure that we are on the right side of Darwin's theory in the various battles that lie ahead.

All the best,

Arun

Courtesy: http://www.healthandyoga.com A popular website that helps you find natural solutions for complete health and detoxification.

Discover health and beauty…. Naturally!!