The first manifestation of Durga is Goddess Shailputri. According to scriptures, she holds a trishul and a lotus in her hands, and rides a bull called Nandi. As per Shivpurana, Goddess Shailputri in her previous birth was born to Daksha Prajapati, and was named ‘Sati’. Deeply devoted to Lord Shiva ever since her childhood, Sati meditated earnestly to beget Lord Shiva as her consort. Lord Shiva bestowed upon her the desired boon and accepted her as her consort. The union was not accepted well by Sati’s father Daksha Prajapati, who insulted Shiva by not inviting him in one of his special gatherings. Infuriated upon the humiliation meted out to her husband, Sati immolated herself and sacrificed her life in honour of her husband. In her next birth Sati was born as a daughter to Himalaya, the Lord of Mountains and thus, was called Shailputri. Sailputri is also worshiped as Parvati or Hemvati. The first day of Navratra is dedicated to worshiping Shailputri.
Vajrasana is the magical yoga asana that helps us melt the belly fat. Vajrasana helps better blood circulation in the body. It modifies the blood flow by reducing the blood flow in lower portion, especially in the legs and increasing blood flow to the digestive organs resulting to efficiency of the digestive system. People with weak digestion are benefited. Better digestion checks acidity and ulcers.
2. Mandukasana:
It is one of the important yoga poses to give appropriate massage to the abdominal organs. It is helpful to make your stomach flat by burning the extra fats from the belly. It increases the insulin secretion and it is beneficial for curing diabetes
3. Balasana:
Balasana is a very easy to perform yoga asana which is why it is one of the most commonly recommended yoga postures for beginners. Balasana is a curve or bend pose, which extends and discharges the spine and lower back. It also promotes blood circulation throughtout the body.
4. Gomukhasana:
This asana targets your hips and your shoulders – two of the most common sites for chronic pain and tension in the body. Stretches your hips, thighs, ankles and chest, shoulders, inner armpits
5. Dhanurasana:
It is best to practice yoga first thing in the morning. Dhanurasana gives the entire back a good stretch, thus imparting flexibility as well as strength to the back.This also helps in reducing fat around belly area.
6. Sukhasana:
Sukhasana is very simple
to perform for people of all ages and levels of physical wellness.
Sukhasana yoga stance is known as a simple stance and comfortable Asana.
It is an excellent pose for beginners and for those who have a very
stiff body. It strengthens lower back and hip opener. Read more for the
benefits of sukhasana here.
Knowing the migraine causes can help one to be aware of all those activities that triggers migraine. Some of the causes include:
(1) Having allergies and allergic reactions to food, smoke,
medicine and others;
(2) Very bright lights, extremely loud noises and usual
odors or scents;
(3) Physical, mental or emotional stress or the combination
of the three;
(4) Irregular sleeping and resting time;
(5) Exposure to heat, smoke and direct sunlight;
(6) Frequent skipping of meals;
(7) Frequent intake of alcoholic beverages that are rich in sulfate;
(8) Menstrual cycle fluctuations, taking birth control
pills, and hormonal changes;
(9) Stress, tension and pressures;
(10) Foods containing monosodium glutamate such as snacks
and finger foods, and tyramine such as red wines, preserved cheese, grilled
fish, chicken livers and beans; and
(11) Other foods such as dairy products, fermented meats and
those that are high in caffeine content.
Some of these triggers actually do not cause migraines, but
avoiding them cannot help you to treat your migraine.
The best option to prevent migraine headaches cause is
usually to try avoiding them, even though prevention is not always that
effective as expected. But there are a number of procedures and treatments that
are proven to help reduce the frequency and impact of migraine to you and to
your health. Take a note of the following:
(1) Have a headache diary - a notebook that helps you keep
track of the occurrences of your migraine, and all information about the
remedies and procedures you have taken, your diet and your daily routine;
(2) Identify the early warnings of migraine - these include
visual disturbances, fluid retention, mood changes, increase and decrease in
appetite, sensitivity to light and sound, restlessness, dizziness, diarrhea and
nausea;
Few day to day tips from ayurveda books to help one stay healthy.
Never sleep during the day as it leads to indigestion.
Drinking buttermilk is excellent as it is easily digestible, kindles hunger, instigates vata and kapha and cures dropsy, haemorrhoids, enlargement of abdomen, abdominal tumour, duodenal diseases, dysuria, enlargement of spleen, loss of appetite, and anaemia.
Ayurveda recommends vegetarian foods that give more nourishment to the body than non-vegetarian foods.
Always try to eat fresh lukewarm food and in limited quantities. Food should be taken at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, as it helps in ensuring proper digestion and a sound sleep.
Make oil massage a part of your daily routine.
Physical exercise should be an inevitable part of your daily routine. Apart from this, yoga practice will help in bringing lightness to the body, stability, ability to work, resistance to discomfort and will stimulate digestion.
Coconut water is sweet, coolant, easily digestible, relieves thirst, is an aphrodisiac, improves hunger and cleanses the urinary bladder.
Periodic use of rejuvenation therapy is considered important in maintenance of positive health, given, its therapeutic potential to delay the ageing process and improve quality of life.
Ayurveda also believes that mind is a very powerful tool in both causing and curing any disease, and hence, mental discipline and adherence to moral values are considered a pre-requisite for health. Hence, ethical basis of life is considered to be a vital health support system.
Take sattvic diet which consists of fresh fruits like pomegranate, apple, banana, oranges, grapes; grains like rice and wheat in small quantity and dairy like milk and ghee. It keeps the body clean and agile and mind calm and quiet. Fresh buttermilk, fresh green vegetables like spinach, green beans and moong dal are good examples of sattvic food. Although mild sweet taste is sattvic, too much sweet taste as in chocolates and sweets etc, increases Tamas quality. Such people have a steady mind and by their good manner, good character and righteousness.
The term "asana" refers to yoga poses or posture, and
"prana" means breath. The different practices include vigorous
breathing exercises, sometimes called "pranayama," others merely
bring an awareness to the breath.
The meditative aspect of yoga is often achieved through an
individual's mental focus on the asana and prana. This is frequently referred
to as "moving meditation," though a yoga instructor may also dedicate
a segment of class solely to a still meditation, usually practiced in a
comfortable cross-legged position. In the latter instance, imagery may be used.
Regardless of the method of meditation employed, when the
mind quiets down, when we learn to tune out the past, the future, and the
stressors of the world and become aware of the present moment, it can do
wonderful things for the body. "Yoga is definitely a way of getting to
that point," says Joan Furman, M.S.N., R.N., and Holistic Nurse
Practitioner in Nashville, Tennessee. But how do the stressors of the world
physically affect our lives? "First of all, we know that the
communications between body and mind are instantaneous. As soon as the mind has
thought or feeling, there is an immediate and corresponding reaction in the body
that pervades the entire system. Stress, whether chronic or acute, produces
biological changes that are not only damaging, but can be deadly for
anybody," says Furman, "especially someone whose immune system is
compromised." Enough said.
With all this stress, tuning out the world through yoga,
even for a few minutes, can be difficult. "To support the yoga practices,
we need sangha, a community of like-minded people. This is especially true in
healing, when pain and depression can so easily interfere
It is believed that one of the most important things that
yoga and meditation can do is assist in reducing stress. "Meditation can
calm the mind," he says. "That enables us to focus on the things we
want to do, like healing." Though onerecognizes the existence of bodily
stress, focus should also be on eliminating stress in the mind, and with
effort, it is possible to experience a sense of peace that in ways is far
deeper than that of the physical level.
Asana is performed with a lot of attention to anatomical
detail. Attention is constantly drawn to alignment and different areas of the
body we are focusing on. Through the physical body you can quiet the mind. Some
of the poses are chest-expanding, often referred to as "open
postures," and require some type of prop, such as a bolster or chair.
One theory underlying open postures is that the breath flows deeper and more naturally than in other postures. The props are used to assist
students in accomplishing or holding a posture. You don't just fall into this
system of yoga; there is a real way to do it. The practitioners gain a real sense of well-being and control
over their bodies through the postures. This carries over to their daily lives.
Yoga stretching can provide you the desired flexibility but it takes time and you should have strong determination to do regular yoga practice. For improving the flexibility at a faster rate, you can practice the asanas to increase flexibility at least two times a day.
yoga for inflexible people
If your age is less, getting your flexibility back will be easier. Practice yoga stretches for 15 to 30 minutes, at least two times a day.
Flexibility improvement depends equally on your mental determination, diet and your yoga practice.
Yoga stretches should always be gradual and gentle.
Hold each stretch in a static position for 10 to 20 seconds or 2/3 yogic breaths, allowing the muscle to lengthen slowly. Stretch only to the point where you feel comfortable. If it hurts, stop. Gradually over a period of time, increase the duration of stretch up to 30 seconds and stretch your body slightly more each time.
Also increase the number of repetitions gradually. Do not hurry. Do the movements slowly while concentrating on the body part getting stretched.
Warm up first before starting stretching. Warm muscles, tendons and ligaments are more flexible and stretch more easily; stretching cold muscles can cause injury.
After the yoga asanas, do rhythmic breathing for 10 minutes at least. In the end, relax in shavasana (lying down with hands beside you and palms facing up) for 10 minutes.
So we start with easy asanas, which you are able to do comfortably.
Then you must follow this yoga sequence for three to four weeks to tone up the body before concentrating on specific asanas to improve flexibility. Listen to what your body is telling you. As you grow stronger and more flexible, the body will fall into the asanas easily.
If your body is not balanced doing specific yoga poses for flexibility it will not help.
Do not attempt to stretch your body beyond limits as this may result in yoga related injury.
Listen to what your body is telling you. As you grow stronger and more flexible, the body will fall into the asanas easily.
Your flexibility will improve with practice of yoga asanas, but to see appreciable improvement you have to do regular practice for six to eight weeks.
Flexibility will improve once your weight is controlled and toxins are removed from our body and you will feel lighter.
Take control of your diet. Avoid tea, coffee, sodas and all types of junk food. Include more leafy vegetables in your diet, and eat raw vegetables as salads.
This type of simple food will be easy to digest and the energy can be used for more exercise. Also, you will be able to reduce weight.
You should be regular in your yoga practice. Take proper sleep.
After your body is conditioned, we will start the focus on asanas for inflexible people. Do yoga two times a day or do more repetitions. Whenever possible in the day, sit on your yoga mat in sukhasana or vajrasana. You can sit in vajrasana even after taking meals.
After dinner sit in vajrasana until you feel comfortable. If you can eat simple nutritious food, yoga for inflexible people exercises can tremendously improve your flexibility.
You can expect good results in four to six weeks. But remember, be regular and call me if you need any guidance.
