Health And Fitness

It is not surprising to those of us who are long time yoga practitioners that the popularity of this profound spiritual science is now exploding on a world wide scale. Unfortunately though some of the authenticity and truths about yoga are being lost and some myths are creeping in with regard to what yoga is and how it is to be practiced. In this article I will look to clear up what I find to be the top 5 myths about yoga.

Top 5 Myths About Yoga:

1. Yoga is a Form of Physical Exercise:

This is perhaps the most common view of yoga. That it is a form of physical exercise. This certainly needs to be clarified and I am going to provide some details about true yoga practice in order to do this.

Yoga is actually has 8 parts to it, with the physical aspect being just 1. These 8 parts, include yoga dos, yoga don’ts, physical exercises (asana), breathing exercises, sense control, concentration, meditation and divine union.

So you can see from above that although the physical aspect of yoga, which is called asana, is an important part of yoga, yoga as a whole is certainly more that just a series of postures and movements. Yoga is essentially a spiritual science whose objective is to still the mind of thoughts, so that the truth of Oneness hidden behind the waves of the mind can be clearly seen and embraced.

2. Yoga is a Religion:

The other extreme and incorrect view on yoga is that is it a religion. Commonly yoga is considered part of Hindu religion, but yoga is not a religion. It is a time tested spiritual science with the goal of revealing the true nature of reality. As indicated above, yoga practice is a step by step process with the end goal of calming down the thought waves in our mind and thus prevent them from distorting the truth.

3. To Practice Yoga You Must be Vegetarian:

There is a notion floating around that in order to practice yoga you must not eat meat and be a vegetarian. This is not true. Although there are tremendous benefits to being vegetarian and this is being more and more validated by the mainstream medical community, there is no requirement of vegetarianism in order to practice yoga.

One point I would like to add here is that, vegetarianism is consistent with the non-violence which yoga advocates and it certainly would be to your benefit to reduce meat intake, nevertheless, you don’t have to be vegetarian in order to be a great yogi.

4. You Need to be Initiated by a Guru:

I have also come across this notion that many believe you need to be initiated and have a guru in order to learn and practice yoga. This is not true. According to yoga, the true guru is within and although it would be to your benefit to learn yoga from an accomplished teacher, this is not a requirement.

5. You Have to be Flexible to do Yoga:

Not so. No doubt yoga will improve your flexibility, along with your strength, balance and overall health, but in order to practice yoga you do not have to be flexible. Yoga is designed to be practiced by all.

Different bodies have different degrees of flexibility and in this case one size does not fit all. For most of the complex yoga posture which require great flexibility to do, there are plenty of modifications which allow you to get the same benefits for those who are less flexible. In fact one of the original reasons I took up yoga because I was not flexible and wanted to improve this aspect of my physical dimension.

Summary:

So there you have the top 5 myths about yoga. Essentially, what these myths do is prevent people from taking up this wonderful science. So if you feel you will have to change faiths, find gurus, stop eating meat or are too inflexible to take up yoga practice, you are wrong. Don’t pass up the wonderful opportunity to learn and practice this amazing science, which helps you discover your true divine and eternal nature.

Anmol Mehta is modern Yoga & Meditation master. His massive Guided Zen Meditation blog offers the ultimate Meditation Techniques Guide and free Yoga to Detox & Cleanse Your Body.

Utrecht is a relatively small yet exquisitely beautiful city in the Netherlands. This is a well-known tourist attraction in Europe mainly because the people here are highly sociable and there is plenty to see here. This is a city with a rich culture and historical heritage making a very interesting stop for those who enjoy a glimpse into the majestic past of the yester glory.

Among many attractions in this city there is a myriad of massage salons in Utrecht. You will find here an old and reputed yoga center which is about three and half decades old. This is a center that would add value to your vacation in Utrecht as besides the wonderful massage in Utrecht, you would be able to learn some excellent ways to meditate, prevent and cure whatever ailments you suffer from with yoga and lastly, learn about the meaning and history of yoga.

In the newest part of Utrecht, the latest addition to the city called Leidsche Rijn is still being built. In this suburb several salons or “massagepraktijk” have sprung up to serve the local population and act as a haven for relaxation and wellness.

In terms of relaxation and beauty, Utrecht is still among the best in the Netherlands. Things such as massage in Utrecht are put into advertisements because a good number of people are looking for relaxing and luxurious pastimes but (1) cannot afford it, (2) do not have the time for it. Stress has become such an integral part of our lives that it is hard nowadays to recognize it from the so many worried that crowd the mind. A massage in Utrecht would ensure that at least for a brief period, you would completely forget about your office, family, finances, relationships, and life and get lost into the pleasure of the massage in Utrecht.

Besides this massage in Utrecht, you could also learn to meditate with the help of yoga as well as learn a few things that the pandit (learned person - in Hindi, Indian language) would like to teach you. Yoga is an amazing science covering everything that affects humans: mind, body, and even your soul. The Yoga Center of Utrecht has all the facilities for long or short stays and are open to accept students round the year.

When you’re in town, make sure you visit one of the many massage parlors, as it certainly helps you relax from a long and arduous journey.

Get a massage in Utrecht by one of the better holistic massage therapists. Jenneke is the owner and specialist operating Massagepraktijk Utrecht. Want to get refreshed? Go to http://www.massagepraktijk-utrecht.nl for more information or to make an appointment straight away!

Yoga was first started as a spiritual practice in Hinduism almost 5000 years ago, but now in the more modern age a part of Yoga known as Asana has grown purely as a form of exercise. Asana is simply a way of keeping fit and healthy. According to a survey by the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine yoga is one of the 5th most used CAMs (complementary alternative medicines) in the US! Yoga is a terrific exercise through mind and body to reduce the symptoms of generalized stress. Also, according to Yoga Journal magazine, Americans spend about 3 billion dollars annually buying things like yoga products and classes.

So which sort of products are available for yoga? Most of us know that if your involved in a certain exercise or sport, there is usually “official” clothing and or products you can use. For yoga there are things such as yoga pants, mats, bags, books and DVDs. When it comes to yoga you really want to make sure your wearing the correct clothing. These clothing items allow your body to “breath” and allow you to maneuver through the moves a lot easier. Listed below are a few clothing items, as well as some of the options you can look forward to such as colors and sizes!

Sports Bra Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
Sports Bra Colors: Black, White, Blues, Red, Heather, Charcoal, Greens, Pink and more
Sport Top’s sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, 2x Large
Sports Top colors: Black, White, Blues, Greens, Reds, Pink, Gold and more

Yoga Pants: Full-length, Capri, Drawstring
Full-length; stretch, fold over, and low rise
Capri; fold over, low rise drawstring, and cropped low-rise
Drawstring; stretch, cotton, French terry, and low rise

Youth Yoga Pants: Classic, low-rise, cropped low-rise, and Capri
Classic sizes: 8, 10, 12
Classic colors: Black, white, pink, blue, brown, charcoal
Low-rise sizes: Extra small, small, medium, large
Low-rise colors: Black & Navy
Capri sizes: 8, 10, 12
Capri colors: Black, white, pink, aqua, lime, blue, navy, brown

I have seen a lot of sites online that offer yoga and yoga type products and I have to say these are my favorite stores. They have everything you could or would need for yoga or yoga specific products. Why would you want to go anywhere else when you could find everything you want on a single site? These are the sites you should be looking out for! Ease, convenience, variety and more! Have fun!

This author is a HUGE fan of Yoga Pants, Mats, Bags & More!