The term “karma” essentially means the individual gets what he gives.  The future of that individual is determined in part by his actions and decisions.  Another common saying to describe karma, “what goes around comes around,” captures the term’s essence perfectly.  Translating this principle into a yoga discipline is exactly what’s behind karma yoga. If you practice with an intent to serve others for the truest selfless reasons, then you’re on the right track.

Karma yoga is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the process of achieving perfection in action. Karma yoga is derived from the spiritual life. It  is said to be the most authentic way to progress in the spiritual life. Found in the Bhagavad Gita karma yoga is a part of nature. Karma yoga is taught by teachers of zen who promote tranquility and is often understood as a yoga of selfless service.

Udemy offers an array of yoga courses, click here to learn more! [Read more…]

If you are new to yoga, or are looking for a change up to your usual yoga practices, you might have run across several mentions of a form of yoga called Iyengar.  When looking for different forms of yoga, there are dozens of approaches, each with their own merits and challenges, and sussing out which one might be best for you can be a little confusing or overwhelming.  Part of the reason you have seen Iyengar yoga mentioned so frequently is because of its popularity with beginners, and with those looking to perfect the poses they already know.  Do not mistake this class for “easy”, however.  While it’s meticulous approach to each individual pose is extremely helpful for those just starting out, it is also a means of gaining vast improvement, even in those who have been practicing for years. [Read more…]

Medicine is a fascinating subject, one that is full of various treatment options, some of which appear unconventional. One such option is acupuncture, something that doesn’t appeal to most people. This is because it is associated with needles sticking out of every nook and cranny of the body. However, it does work-as auricular therapy shows. Auricular therapy is a form of alternative medicine based on the theory that the outer ear is a holographic system which reflects the entire human body in an inverted fetus form.

It is a type of acupuncture that involves sticking needles or acupontoscopes at specific points in the outer ear in order to manage certain physical, mental or emotional conditions. It’s believed that there are over 200 acupuncture points on the outer ear, with each named after a particular area of the human anatomy. When the acupuncture point is touched, it triggers an electrical impulse from the ear via the brain to the part of the body being treated. You can learn more about acupuncture works in this course.

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First thing’s first: everyone get’s anxious. Everyone might have different reasons for feeling anxiety but regardless, it is a feeling that everyone has experienced. Anxiety can manifest itself in a bounty of different ways, and just as everyone has anxiety, everyone has different experiences with it. But one thing is for certain: with a little focus and self-care anxiety can be reduced or even erased completely. If you are having anxiety – especially when you wake up – then there is no reason to wait. It’s time to start taking control of what’s worrying you and making changes to promote a constantly healthy mindset.  Learning how to manage your anxiety through a course with Udemy is the first step to getting control and getting your days started off right.

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Here in the west, we’re not actually that all familiar with the seven other aspects of yoga – did you know there were 8 limbs to yogic practice? Instead, what we go heavy on are “yoga abs”, $100 stretchy pants, heated rooms, “yoga butt”, and detox retreats . Which are all fine and good, but all of these are actually aspects of a single limb of yoga called “asana”. Asana is the practice of the yoga poses, the exercise portion of yoga. You may have thought this was all there was to yoga, and trust me, you wouldn’t be alone! But there are 7, 7 other limbs. Which makes Asana just 14% of the total practice.

Kriya yoga is a practice that’s light on asana and heavy on pranayama – one of the 7 other limbs of yoga to be explained below. If yoga appeals to you for the athletic benefits (increased flexibility, yoga butt), you’ll want to start with something more like Introduction To Power Yoga or Get Fit In 10 Days With Yoga . If you are on a spiritual quest wanting to “fast-track” your enlightenment, read on to find out more about the practice of Kriya Yoga.

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