9 Tips to Practice Yoga at Home

  Everything else lies somewhere in the middle but seems to assume utmost importance in our life. And this key element called breath, driving our very life journey, how often do we stop to observe the process of breathing in and out during the day? We don't feel the need to because it is so natural. But do you know a little attention on the way we breathe can open up numerous secrets to good health? Increased immunity, a   calm and relaxed mind , and a happy state of being, for starters? All this by learning to breathe right! But who needs to learn how to breathe? Doesn't it keep happening on its own all the time? Yes, but pranayamas (breathing techniques) help regulate the flow of breath, removing any blocks in the nadis (subtle energy channels) so that both our body and mind stay healthy. Let's look at the key role the breath plays in yoga. Your Breath Determines Your State Of Mind Our breath is our dearest companion. A companion who never loses sight of what emotion we...

  Once during a yoga class, a fellow student asked the instructor about the toughest yoga asanas. This got me thinking about difficult yoga asanas. I started to explore the asanas, and it was interesting that our body has more potential and flexibility than we think. I took up the challenge to begin practicing the tough asanas. What I learned is that it is all in the mind. And that’s when my yoga challenge began. Are you also looking for a good yoga challenge? Poses that will test your sense of balance and flexibility? If you are, you’ve come to the right place. First, let’s understand what we mean by challenging yoga poses. After all, it is such a relative term. What may seem like a piece of cake to one, may be a Herculean task for others. In general, yoga asanas help you explore the depths of your own physical body. Some asanas seem like everyday stretches and bends that you may not have associated with yoga. Others may require more effort and self-motivation. Perhaps the toughe...

  Chatur   means four;  anga   means limbs;   Danda   means staff  (here, it refers to the spine of the body); asana means pose. It is pronounced as cha-thur-anga Dhan-daa-sana. This yoga pose is frequently practiced as part of the  Surya Namaskar  or Sun Salutation pose.  How to do the Chaturanga Dandasana/ four-limbed staff pose Sit in  vajrasana . Walk your hands forward and come in plank pose ( dandasana ) with your hands under your shoulders. Straighten your legs, till they are a few inches above the ground and parallel to it, with your toes turned inwards. On exhalation, bend your elbows until your shoulders are at the same height as your elbows. Exhale. Come up to plank pose. Exhale. Sit in vajrasana. Chaturanga Dandasana for beginners Start with a shorter time frame and gradually increase it. You can hold this pose for 10 seconds at first, and then for a little longer each time depending on your comfort. Benefits o...

  It could be the sweltering heat, back-to-back deadlines, or that familiar attack of lethargy that could be stopping you from keeping that decade-old resolution of getting and staying fit! Of course, we can also blame a global pandemic for not being able to keep our date with that perfect workout regimen we drew out, a few years ago, was it? It is simply not fun or motivating enough to exercise every day - alone and unguided. Enter the fitness challenge. A fun way to ensure you keep your word to yourself and your date with the BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator.   Research  from Harvard Health says that regular exercise not only reduces risk of heart disease and regulates blood pressure levels, but also builds memory and thinking as it enlarges the hippocampus area (part of the brain involved in memory and learning). It also relieves stress and anxiety.  Another  study  by market intelligence agency Mintel has found that 64 percent of Indians do not exe...

  Grappled by many diseases, our generation has finally realized the importance of holistic living. Not only are people resorting to age-old techniques like yoga and tai chi to stay fit, but also they are ditching the quick ways to lose weight. While seeking ways to lose weight fast, understand that weight loss is a journey, and anything that gives you quick results comes with risk. It is best to let the weight loss process take its course without rushing the results and the best way to lose weight naturally is the spiritual way. That’s because spirituality unifies your mind and body, thereby helping the mind direct the body and keep it alert when it’s going through a transformation.   “The goal of spirituality is to bring such happiness, which nobody can take away from you.” - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar How to Lose Weight Spiritually? Control your mind Do you know the science of hunger? It does not actually start from the stomach; in fact, it’s the mind that triggers h...

  It was September 7 th  2019. A figure emerged from the corridor rushing towards the convoy of cars, closely accompanied by another man with moist eyes. He said “Sir” and as he took out his spectacles from his teary-eyed face, he received a big hug. This was Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoling K Sivan, the chairman of ISRO. India’s moon mission had failed, or was it really a failure? There were two parts to the mission, the Chandrayaan orbiter orbiting the moon for collecting data and Vikram lander which was to soft-land on the moon’s south polar region, where no country had attempted to land before. To date, the orbiter continues to take pictures of the moon and supply critical  data for the forthcoming missions.  So why do we attribute such a social stigma to failure? Some of the reasons we already know but refuse to acknowledge. Firstly, peer pressure – what will society say? We forget in this scenario the people who are more important to us and lose track of ...