MyLifeYoga

There are millions who sing praises of yoga, yet for many the benefits are only partial or none. You can make yoga work for you by avoiding these pitfalls:

1. Not practicing enough: There is a saying that goes as follows: “You need to meditate for 20 minutes every day, but if you are too busy then you must meditate for an hour!” Saying you are too busy for yoga is the same as saying a thirsty man is too busy to drink water! The key to accrue yoga’s benefits is simple: regular practice. The benefits of yoga unfold gradually. But erratic practice can greatly hamper benefits from showing up. So how do you answer the question about lack of time? The answer may be that you keep a short sequence with you in your back pocket. On days when attending a class seems impossible, just quietly unfurl your mat at home and do a quick 20 to 40 minute practice.

2. Do it in the right sequence: The sequence in which you do your yoga postures is important. Each posture prepares you for the next. Doing the postures in random order may prevent you from getting their full benefit because if you are not properly warmed up you will not be able to fully stretch into a pose and get its full benefit. The other problem is that doing a pose without preparing for it may lead to injuries.
Continue reading →

What is the ice bucket challenge?

Its simple: You pour a bucket of ice water over your head and challenge three other people to do this. It is done to raise funds for and awareness of ALS.

Who started it?

Pat Quinn was diagnosed with ALS last year. He reached out to Pete Frates, who is also diagnosed with ALS, “I want to see if we could connect and fight this thing together.” The two became friends and soon launched the ALS Ice bucket challenge that has gone viral.

What is ALS?

ALS is a progressively degenerative neurological disease that affects the neurons in the brain and the spine. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It begins with muscle weakness and stiffness and progresses from there. The disease is little understood and life expectancy is short just 2 to 5 years after diagnosis. There is no known cure for this disease.

What is the point of this? Continue reading →

This is a continuation of Bob Weisenberg’s essay: Six Big Ideas Of Yoga. This is the third of the Six Big Ideas:

The way to experience our wondrous self is to fully experience the present moment, since each moment of consciousness is infinitely wondrous in itself.

One of my favorite Yoga stories is the one about the young American who makes an arduous journey to the farthest reaches of the Himalayas, seeking to learn the secret of life and happiness from one of the greatest Yoga gurus.

Once in the Himalayas, he travels five days up into the mountains, through many trials and difficulties. Finally he reaches the high mountain pass where the great old man in a white robe and long flowing grey hair sits in lotus position, staring peacefully off into space.

The young man sits down next to the guru and assumes a similar pose, waiting for his words of wisdom. An hour goes by. Then several hours. Then a day, then several days. He feels extraordinary bliss and peace. Finally the young man says to the old man, “What happens next?”

The guru answers, “Nothing happens next. This is it.”
Continue reading →