Archive for the ‘Yoga and Meditation’ Category
May 10th, 2010 | 
Author: At one time it seemed that yoga was little more than a dated hippie fad, rather like the lava lamp. But now this ancient health system is back in vogue.
Celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, and Julia Roberts and Sting are not shy about advocating the mental and physical benefits of the discipline.
It is cool to carry around a little purple mat and tie yourself up in knots in local gyms and draughty church halls. It seems yoga is everywhere, and nowhere is it more omnipresent than on the net.
Should you wish to learn more about Sting’s views on the subject, for instance, you might care to read the in-depth interview available at the White Lotus website.
You’ll find a glossily professional web page which features authoritative articles on the many different forms of yoga – and the debate about which is the best.
You can also access a shop selling books and videos, or click through selection of celebrity interviews.
Share the well-illustrated interview with Sting, in which he expresses regret at not having started yoga earlier. But he adds that, if anything, the exercise seems to be reversing the ageing process.
This view is echoed by fellow megastar Madonna. Indeed, the title song, Ray Of Light, in her best-selling album incorporates a traditional yoga chant.
If you are moved to discover more details, Roots And Wings, a ‘yoga, bodywork and natural healing centre’ will be happy to provide you with the original Sanskrit text of that chant.
Roots And Wings is largely geared to selling yoga products, but you’ll also find articles, discussion groups and a search engine for locating those all important Sanskrit lyrics (just type in Madonna).
Another site, called Evolution, describes itself as an online yoga magazine, and although it can be a little graphic-heavy and slow, it’s a snazzy and informative creation.
The visitor is offered enticements such as a free email newsletter, meditation advice, chants and even recipes.
Should you find Evolution’s animated yoga girl icon annoyingly limber, you might be tempted to compete with her by practising a selection of yoga postures yourself.
Evolution allows you to call up these postures on your screen.
It seems that cyberspace is not yet the proper place to learn the subtleties of this ancient discipline: for that you’ll still need to take a traditional class with a teacher.
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Having stress can affect the body in many ways. It is something that can bring emotional and physical problems to the body and there a person should take the appropriate steps to deal with it.
There are many ways that stress can harm the body. The release of chemicals called catecholamine from brain will include hormones that include adrenaline and epinephrine. A person may feel an increase in their heart rate and blood pressure. This will occur when the body is feeling the stress and their lungs and heart are going to work harder. The rate of breathing will increase and the lungs will take in more oxygen.
The blood flow increases to get the body ready for other demands that stress brings on.
A person will probably have dryness of the mouth. Blood flow will decrease to areas that are less important for basic survival and this will include the mouth. The cause of dryness of the mouth will mean that a person will have a hard time talking and swallowing.
The skin can become clammy as the blood flow is diverted to vital organs and muscles. You will feel hot or cold when this happens and you may have feelings of hot flashes as well. You will also find that digesting food is more difficult and you may experience stomach problems like nausea or cramps.
Having long-term stress can lead to physical or psychological damage to the body. Stress develops slowly into more serious problems, which can include anxiety disorders or depression. This is when a person will feel lonely and disgusted with their body and will not want to be around any other people. When this is the case, it is time for them to get the help that they need to cope with their stress. This is the only way that they can get rid of the stress that is ruining their lives.
Stress can make a person push their loved ones away. It can affect personal relationships and make it hard for people to want to be around you. Some people will get irritable and upset over the smallest thing. They will get angry easily and find themselves yelling at the people that they love the most. This is a normal side effect of stress but it can be helped and a person can start to feel like themselves again with a little help and understanding.