Stages in the Practice of Yoga

As meditation becomes more mainstream these days, people are finally beginning to experience not just the mental benefits of this ancient practice, but also the beneficial effects on their physical health. With so many different styles geared toward specific goals and outcomes, it’s not always easy to pinpoint where to start. To…
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For some people, serenity acquired by meditation is a goal in itself and there is no doubt that this type of serenity brings important advantages, manifesting as a more calm, more productive, and more balanced approach to life. There is also a third phase of meditation, the one which carries the meditator into the heart of the meditative…
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When you can maintain concentration for even only a few minutes, spontaneously calmness will appear like a miracle. The mind and body will get into a state of rest, of silent peace. Breathing, the pulse, and metabolism itself will decrease. The rhythm of the whole being will slow down and become smoother, gentler, more subtle. This is…
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Psychologists define concentration as special, disciplined attention. It implies a reduction in awareness, because it lessens the intervention of irrelevant stimuli which distract us in ordinary conditions. Our whole consciousness becomes directed towards one single aspect, it actually becomes focused. The benefits of concentration in…
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Relaxation is extremely important in yoga. It is only through this stage that one can harmonize and balance the energies that were awakened and amplified during the yoga practice (asanas, pranayama, etc.). Therefore one must not neglect this aspect. The more one learns to relax profoundly, the easier the resonance with the beneficial…
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One needs to understand the internal aspect, that is the specific resonance of each asana, prior to practice. This allows one to comprehend the effect of each asana, by knowing where to place the focus and identification. At least 1 minute concentration on the effects appearing after each asana is a necessary stage. Regardless of how…
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Asanas - the order of execution (as taught at our yoga school) padahasthasana padangusthasana talasana sahaj agnisara dhauti agnisara dhauti (pranayama) katichakrasana garudasana trikonasana ardha-chandrasana utkatasana uddiyana bandha nauli kriya uttytha ardha dhanurasana jivabalasana shutarmurgasana prasarita padattanasana…
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Be aware of your actions, your body, mind and heart. When you walk you should walk consciously; when you move your arm you should move it consciously, knowing exactly the fact that your arm is in motion. You move unconsciously when doing something mechanical, for example when you have an early morning walk and the leg…
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Generally there should be a special place reserved for meditation, for example, a certain room. The moment we step into that room we can imagine that we leave behind all our thoughts, preoccupations, worries, and problems which could distract our attention and impede our practice of meditation. Gradually this room will become…
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The only real impediments regarding meditation are internal rather than external. That is why you must be in total control of your mind. This can be achieved through concentration excercises. The obstacles to meditation are: 1. Desire to get immediate results. In the beginning the meditator is full of…
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