Posts Tagged ‘what is yoga’

The Yoga for Magick

by on Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Spiritual power demands physical health and the contemporary Western practitioner can learn much from the ancient tradition of yoga. Yoga, meaning “union,” is a multi-dimensional discipline designed to help the individual attain health, serenity, focus, and, ultimately, union with the Divine. In the words of one master, Aleister Crowley, “Magick is a Pyramid built layer by layer. The work of the Body of Light-with the technique of Yoga, is the foundation of the whole.”
This succinct and uniquely helpful book explores the often-overlooked importance of bringing and maintaining a healthy body and a clear thinking mind to the practice of ceremonial magick or witchcraft. While many books on magick discuss the importance of ritual, few focus on the physical, spiritual, and moral qualities necessary to make those rituals effective.
“The physical body is the living temple of the Holy Spirit. A person who can’t sit in one position with comfort and quiet, who can’t breathe with evenness and regularity, who can’t temporarily still the mind of its many warring thoughts, who can’t channel powerful energies through the body because of ill health-will be hard-pressed to spiritually advance. This book will teach you do to every one of these things and more.”

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1 Minute Yoga by R. Mohan

by on Sunday, April 29th, 2012

A book promising yoga in a minute speaks to anyone who finds it difficult to schedule a whole class. 1 Minute Yoga, credited in Veggie-Blog’s original archive to R. Mohan with illustrations by Andrea Preda, is presented as a collection of short exercises that readers can select according to the part of the body they want to move.

What does the original description actually say?

The surviving description is brief. It says that the exercises can be done in a minute or a few minutes and that they use body movement rather than stimulants or other substances. It does not provide an independently verified list of exercises, editions or medical outcomes. It would therefore be misleading to describe specific illustrated poses as if we had checked the book’s pages.

Why do short movement breaks appeal?

A short pause can be a manageable starting point during a long day at a desk. Standing up, moving gently and paying attention to your breath is not a substitute for a complete exercise programme, but it can interrupt long periods of sitting. The WHO physical-activity guidance advises limiting sedentary time and reminds readers that some movement is better than none.

What can you realistically expect?

Think of one-minute movement as a habit-building tool rather than a promise of dramatic results. You might use a short practice to notice posture or reduce the feeling of stiffness before returning to work. Move within a comfortable range and stop if an exercise causes pain. The NCCIH guidance on yoga discusses common precautions and the importance of appropriate instruction.

Related on Veggie-Blog: No Time for Yoga? How a Few Minutes a Day Can Still Count.

Book: 1 Minute Yoga by R. Mohan (illustrated by Andrea Preda)
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The featured image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of real people or an official book cover.

The Art of Thai Yoga Massage

by on Friday, April 27th, 2012

This DVD set is part of a greater project that is designed to aid the research in Traditional Thai Massage and find the ways to integrate it with other forms and modalities of bodywork and movement education.Disc #1 will guide you through the basic exercises of Thai Yoga Massage with narration. These 130 exercises give plenty of options for an energy balancing full body massage session. Performing all the exercises in one session aren’t called for but picking exercises mindfully based on receiver’s needs, will easily round up a 2 hour session.Disc #2 will give you an uninterrupted overview of each body position of Thai Yoga Massage. The sequences follow the basic structure of the energy balancing massage session but most likely not as a regular session would flow.The material on this DVD can be best used with the book of THE ART AND KNOWLEDGE OF THAI YOGA MASSAGE and with the beginner Thai Massage course offered by CenterPoint Shiatsu and Massage School in Minnesota, or with any training course in Thai Massage where supervision is available. The material IS NOT intended to be a “watch and do” type of thing.This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com’s standard return policy will apply.

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A Simple Guide to Yoga by Frances Kean

by on Monday, April 23rd, 2012

An excellent introduction to the ancient Indian art of yoga. The book contains a step-by-step method for mastering the basic postures, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. The CD provides harmonious music to enhance the workout.

Yoga is the union of body, mind, & breath — the key to achieving good health. The postures, or asanas, restore strength & flexibility to the body, while relieving stress & calming the mind so that it become clear & focused. As interest in Yoga continues to grow at an amazing rate, here is a book for anyone — young or old — who wishes to discover the ancient Indian practice or return to it after some time away. The illustrated book begins with everything you need to get started, then presents the basic yoga postures in two sections, beginner & intermediate. It contains easy-to-follow sections on breathing, relaxation, & meditation. Also includes the ‘Yoga Relaxation Music’ CD which provides harmonious & uplifting music to enhance relaxation sessions.

Book: A Simple Guide to Yoga by Frances Kean
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Yiddish Yoga by Lisa Grunberger

by on Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

What happens when a sceptical New York grandmother meets a yoga studio? Lisa Grunberger answers that question with humour and tenderness in Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie’s Adventures in Love, Loss, and the Lotus Position. This is a short work of fiction, not an instructional yoga textbook, and that is precisely why it stands out among the books on our shelves.

Meet Ruthie

Ruthie is a recently widowed Jewish grandmother trying to navigate life after the loss of her husband. Her granddaughter Stephanie gives her a year of yoga classes. Ruthie is not convinced that this unfamiliar practice is the answer to anything, but she agrees to go. The result is an encounter between a deeply familiar world of family and Yiddish expressions and the strange vocabulary of a contemporary yoga studio.

What makes the story special?

Grunberger lets Ruthie respond in her own voice. Yoga poses, instructors and studio customs give her plenty to question, and her observations supply the comedy. Beneath the jokes is a story about grief, friendship and the awkward process of trying something new when an old routine no longer feels complete.

The novel is particularly interested in the ties between generations: a granddaughter wants to help, while her grandmother must decide what that help can mean. The book does not promise that yoga cures bereavement. Instead, it imagines how the rhythm of attending classes and meeting people might open a small new chapter in an older person’s life.

Who is Lisa Grunberger?

Grunberger is a writer and educator whose academic background includes the study of religion. Her Temple University biography identifies the book and discusses her work combining yoga and writing. The book was published in 2009 and is also listed in Google Books, which confirms the full title and author.

Should you buy it to learn yoga?

No. Choose this for a witty, compassionate story rather than illustrations or instructions. It may appeal to people who love family stories, Jewish humour or novels about finding connection after loss. Readers who want to learn poses should look for a separate beginner’s guide.

Related on Veggie-Blog: What Is Yoga?.

Book: Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie’s Adventures in Love, Loss, and the Lotus Position by Lisa Grunberger
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you)