The pineal gland is a tiny, pine cone shaped gland, deep in the center of the brain. Modern scientists are only now verifying what shamans and mystics have known for millenia; the pineal gland is the source of enlightenment. Due to being the seat of the Third Eye chakra, it’s…
Consciousness exists in different levels, with the highest is Source Consciousness, or God, and this expands outward to the realms of our soul, and down to the reality of our human experience. The top planes are referred to as “The God Planes” while the planes directly below that are called…
Deep breathing is a proven method to calm the nerves. Meditators who practice breathing techniques, known as pranyama, reports the meditation breathing practices silence or slow down the mind. But how precisely does meditation and pranayama breathing affect the brain, and our moods? A study published in the Journal of…
Have you ever attended a yoga or meditation retreat, and came back to reality feeling very empowered and inspired? You felt certain your life was radically transformed, only to have that extra energy gradually seep away, leaving you much the same as before the retreat? This is a very common…
“Simply close your eyes, and count your breaths,” That sound simple! “Don’t think about anything else . Just concentrate on your breathing.” That is easier said than done! There are many mental obstacles to this seemingly simple task. Our minds wander naturally, and if we try to focus on anything…
Most of us who use meditation have the knowledge that abundant Prana (vital energy), can be found near large bodies of water, and wide open spaces such as large fields and mountain tops. Although the air is different, this same Prana can be found wherever people gather for a beneficial…
Yoga has numerous health benefits for pregnant women. This practice strengthens your body, boosts your immune system, and tones your muscles. It also improves balance and relaxes your mind. Increasingly more women are joining prenatal yoga classes to learn new poses and breathing techniques. Certain asanas help ease labor and induce relaxation, while others reduce back pain and strengthen the pelvic muscles.
We all know that breathing techniques, called Pranayama, is very important in Yoga. So let’s focus on the components of the breathing process: Respiration There is a common tendency to refer to breathing and respiration as the same thing. This is wrong. Breathing is a mechanical process, while respiration is…
Traditionally pranayama is done early in the morning, before other activities. Classically, just before sunrise. Early, even if not precisely at dawn, is idea time in which we can be free from most daily interruptions. Another important note is that our minds are less cluttered with the events and preoccupations…
Breathing is an exceptional function of the body. Even though it is automatically regulated by the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), it can be consciously modified. This is remarkable, given that ‘autonomic’ implies that something cannot be controlled by the mind. Both the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system are parts…
The following are the 11 kinds of breathing: Noisy and quiet breathing Fast and slow breathing Regular and irregular breathing Jerky and smooth breathing Deep and shallow breathing Forced and effortless breathing
As a yoga practitioner, it is important to have attained a level of understanding of the basic physiological functioning of the breath. And in order to achieve this understanding, we must examine the structure of our breathing. The contracting diaphragm is the primary respiratory muscle. It is like the skin…
Pranayama is a comprehensive practise of yoga. The journey of our life towards its destiny has many milestones. The journey is like a river flowing with turns and twists, trials and tribulations. However in the end it reaches its destination! The human being is made up of body, intellect, and…
The full yogic breath is the core of the meditation and yoga practice, and it is the basic building block of pranayama exercises. It teaches us to utilize the three anatomical parts of our lungs, enabling us to reconnect to the breath, and to learn to breathe correctly. As you…
In The Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga, Goswami Kriyananda states, “Life is infinite and all-pervading. Life manifests itself through the duality of a primordial energy called prana, and a primordial nature called matter. There is no single object or substance that does not contain the energy/matter complex, whether it is…
