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Yoga

Yoga started in India as a philosophy for the mind, body and soul.  Most people think of yoga as being about postures (asanas) but yoga is so much more and the more you practice the more you begin to realise how deep it can go. The different aspects of yoga are:

  1. Yama (The five abstentions): non-violence, non-deceit, non-covetousness, non-sensuality, and non-possessiveness.
  2. Niyama (The five observances): purity, happiness, austerity, study of dhamma and surrender to god.
  3. Asana: Literally means seat and in the Sutras refers to the seated position used during meditation.
  4. Pranayama (Lengthening Prana): Prana, life force/vital energy, particularly, the breath, ayama, to lengthen or extend. Also interpreted as control of the life force and breath.
  5. Pratyahara (Abstraction): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
  6. Dharana (Concentration): Fixing the attention on a single object.
  7. Dhyana (Meditation): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation.
  8. Samadhi (Liberation): merging consciousness with the use of meditation.

Although consisting of these 8 points it is the Asana branch that people most often associate with yoga - as highlighted above.

There are 6 main schools of yoga but the one people most often refer to is Hatha yoga.  Its this school that spawned the creation of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, etc.

Here's just a quick introduction to the different types...

Ashtanga

This was originally made famous to the general public when Madonna took it up and publically proclaimed its great physical properties.  Its a yoga characterized by powerful movements and heat.

Iyengar

This is a very precise yoga looking for correct alignment and positioning of the body.  Some consider it the 'pilates of yoga' for its focus on precisioned movements and asanas.

Kundalini

This is a softer yoga concentrating on the link between mind and body.  Its postures focus on the spine and there's also the use of mantras and breathing techniques.

If you'd like you yoga school adding to this list then please get in touch: yoga@ladiessportswear.co.uk

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