what yoga exercises do you do?

[marc25]

searching for back-bend asanas i have found this page:
Vinyasa Yoga Practice - Mark Stephens

different asanas for salutations, standing, core, arm balances, backbends, restore, inversions and finishing.

might be interesting....

greetings,
marc

[sanso]

Good one! I like the way they show how to reach the asanas.

[land shark]

For what its worth I always concentrate on deep relaxation/feeling-awareness when diving or exercising - concentrating on pushing/achievement just seems to get me into trouble

thanxs I needed that kick in the pants refresher dude

[bgill]

I speak to the great Kundalini through my belly-button. And I can hum repetatively while standing on my head...Does that count?

On a more serious note... I used to do Tai-Chi every morning years ago...It was VERY relaxing to me. I might have to start breaking out some smoothe moves again! Tai-Chi is an awesome "body awareness type" excercise.

The ancient Taoists were renowned for their study of the arts of health and longevity. Tai Chi Chuan is good for ANYONE...But I beleive freediver's and especially monofinning freediver's would get a bigger "take" out of it so to speak.

I'm gonna have to dig up my old Tai-Chi books and video's one of these days! Sure was a nice start to my day every morning...Especially when it's not winter and you can do it outside....Oh...But it seems to ALWAYS be winter around here!

Might be cool to do a little Tai Chi before morning dives this spring...I always feel I have a better freedive experience in general when I'm more relaxed - and I also seem to spook WAY less fish then too....

[Nikkey]

I too have practiced Tai Chi in the mornings and found it a wonderful way to start the day!
However I am now doing yoga in the mornings and I was actually cautioned the other day but a relatives doctor that doing any stretching of the spine in the morning is a bad idea. Has anyone else heard this?
I do notice I am less flexible in the morning than at night but I haved assumed that is because my body is mostly static while I'm asleep verses doing it at the end of the day after I have been active.

[sanso]

The truth is somewhere in the middle, I guess: Just don't overdo it.
I also find myself less flexible in the mornings, but some easy stretching makes things feel so much better.

If You know Your body well enough, it won't hurt. My Opinion, that is.

[island_sands]

Originally Posted by sanso

Cool, looking forward to that. A friend of mine shoved me that way before, but I never went. - Thanks for finding out what I missed so far. ;-)

hey Sanso,

Our whole company has been signed up to do this course now.
Part I Program
This is not Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's original Art of Living, but something else. This is sudarshan kriya, which is a breathing technique and pattern to be done twice daily, to reach (I understand), happiness and cleanliness from within. Wikipaedia: ...the kriya allows a healthy and pleasant mind to produce chemical messengers, which travel from the nervous system to the immune system, resulting in the overall betterment of both body and mind.

We have to do 3 hours a day for three, then four hours on the last day. I packed in the last time, as I couldnt stand the guy telling me who I should be, what I should do, and more more importantly, how i should be feeling and that my feelings are incorrect. (?) I really don't want to go this time. These cleansing breaths that they talk about, are inhalations and exhalations in tune to a chant. The fastest rate that you do, is about as fast as you could possibly do for over a minute. The total breathing experience lasts nearly an hour, by which time you have hyperventilated so much you burst into tears.

Its no wonder that everyone feels that they have had an "out-of-body experience" afterwards. I nearly passed out. They call it cleansing. They also suggest that we only eat a handful of food a day. (that was suggested by the guru who looked like he could lose a few pounds himself).

Then they put this video on about "His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar" (how does one get the title "His Holiness"??) - and all the work he does around the world. Charities, schools etc etc, which is the good part, and then promptly after the video they start suggesting that you contribute money to the cause. (that's after the 200USD you already paid to do the course in the first place).

What happened to just good old yoga?

Call me a skeptic as well... but this "breatharianism" still hasn't convinced me. I'd rather freedive any day. And eat.

.. So Hum...

[Adrian]

This is not Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's original Art of Living, but something else

Sara, just to avoid any confusion, Maharishi taught Transcendental Meditation, and has nothing to do with The Art of Living organization run by Ravi Shankar. In fact, the name "Art of Living" was copied by Ravi Shankar from a book by Maharishi wrote in the 60's called "The Science of Being and Art of Living".

[yoda turtle]

Hey sara. this breatharianism thing ... what a crock of shit.
Jeez I can't believe the stuff people are selling these days.
yoga is good stuff and pranayama if you can do it (not as easy as we might think) is a great way to focus on calmness.... but this hybrid take all the best bits from other practices give it a daft name and charge lots of money for it is *******s.... This is of course just my most Humble opinion.
shankar' daughter has a couple of albums out .... really nice stuff try "Rise" it does it for me. OK ...I'm off to Dahab..... ha ha

[Adrian]

Another point, there are two Ravi Shankars, one the famous sitar player whose daughter is the musician Yoda is reffering to, and the other one who set up the Art of Living organization.

[yoda turtle]

Ha ha... you sure know your stuff adrian. Do you practice yoga?

[island_sands]

Adrian is right on both accounts. Maharishi did write that book - i just left out half the title. Sorry to have caused confusion. I also think that the famous sitarr player passed away recently, didnt he? or am i just rumour mongering again?

[Adrian]

No problemo - I haven't heard that he has passed away - the Maharishi passed away in Feb, at around 91 years. Yoda, I've been teaching TM since 1977. I used to do a lot of asanas several times a day for many years, been lazy lately in that respect but I meditate regularly (daily) with long programs. It's my passion, and my peace.

[portinfer]

I've got a couple of books on yoga and keep dabbling with it - really feel the benefits but have yet to get into a regular routine ! I went on a course for a year (once a week) and then got some books. I think that a course is good as you will have plenty of questions I guess.
The best general book I've found is this orange one 'Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha' you can get it on amazon. I've got a David Senson one too with a dvd but it is a different style (Ashtanga) which doesn't suit me at the moment.
Pranayama excercises with asanas help me...
Cheers
Ed

[settingsteel]

great thread!