...tion), dharana (meditation) and samadhi (unity) are the internal practices.

All eight limbs can only be mastered simultaneously by the proper application of the Ashtanga yoga method. This type of yoga method is viewed sometimes as quite dangerous to the mind. Considering that the goal of yoga is to look beyond the veil created by the ego (to attain samahdi), which in turn is a creation of the mind, this seems only to comply with logic.

But ego was also created as a safeguard, and the mind was created by nature, which by analogy could be substituted by the word "God". As it is safe to suppose that God is perfect, so it would be safe to suppose that the creation of God, the mind, is also perfect. Again, by analogy, in order to get past the mind and bypass the ego it created, the candidate will have to be exceptionally well prepared if with his consciousness he is to look beyond th...more

Laughter yoga - Laughter Heals Body, Mind, and Soul

..."Most people think they have to feel good first in order to laugh. But you can start from nothing, you can even start feeling unhappy and just laugh as a form of exercise, and happy feelings follow." Jeffrey Briar, Certified Laughter yoga Teacher

In 1995 an Indian family physician, Doctor Madan Kataria, started the first Laughter Club in a park in Bombay, India to put into practice what he aptly named Hasya or Laughter yoga ("Hasya" means laughter in Sanskrit). Dr. Kataria was conducting research on the effects of laughter on health and was amazed by the number of studies showing the profound physiological and psychological benefits of laughter.

Armed with determination and a wish to help others improve their health and feelings of wellbeing through laughter, he went to a public park near his home and convinced four other people to start a Laughter Club there. This action was at first considered a bit bizarre by his friends and colleagues. However, little by little, more and more people joined in. Today, his friends aren't laughing at him anymore, now they're laughing with him: laughter is contagious, and Laughter yoga has swept the globe.

Since the beginnings of Laughter Yoga in that park in Bombay, Dr. Kataria has taken Laughter yoga to schools and orphanages, prisons, hospitals, senior homes, instit...more

For Depression Treatment, There is a Helping Hand in yoga

...Depression is a mental ailment affecting several people in spite of the side effects of most depression medications. Consequently, it may be best to seek alternative methods of depression treatment. One stand-out is Yoga and it has gotten my vote.

Friends, research has shown that some form of depression treatment medication is offered to over 20 million Americans annually.

Nonetheless, effective as they may be for a while, its been noted that these depression drugs have several side effects which may include nausea, fatigue, insomnia and some sexual dysfunctions.

That stated, it is no wonder that several drug-free fraternities seek out alternate methods of healing for the plethora of human ailment and for depression specifically, Yoga is often recommended.

Why is ...more

Student Can Do Yoga to Soothe Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia

...Campus Calm had the opportunity to speak with Bo Forbes about how yoga can be an effective treatment option for stressed-out students who may be suffering from anxiety, depression and insomnia. Forbes is a yoga teacher, clinical psychologist, and integrative yoga therapist with over seventeen years of clinical experience in mind-body healing. She is the founder of Elemental Yoga and Director of the Center for Integrative Yoga Therapeutics(TM), established in 2006, which offers innovative mind-body yoga therapeutics to clients in the Boston and New York areas. She has a master's degree in Social Sciences and a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology.

Campus Calm: How can yoga be beneficial for stressed-out students who are dealing with problems like depression, anxiety and insomnia?

Forbes: Yoga requires that you focus on your breath and on what you're doing in a certain posture. This focus helps you take your mind off what you're worrying about -- either anxiety-wise or depression-wise. The movement of an active yoga class -- the contraction and release of muscles -- can help you release the muscular tension that comes with anxiety and depression, helping you to discharge stress and balance your mood. That combination of movement, plus certain things that you do in the practice, plus the breath, really makes you focus and be totally in the present. You're not thinking about the past or worrying about the future. In addition, other forms of yoga that are non-active, such as Restorative Yoga, can also help.

Campus Calm: Some students go outside and run when they're stressed. How is it different to learn to slow down and do yoga?

Forbes: Again, it's that focus on the breath and what you're actually doing which helps you achieve body awareness. It's pretty life-changing, whereas if you're just doing a workout, or just runnin...more

Yoga Cl Ashtanga Yoga Yoga Position