meditation – Rakesh Yoga

How to do Padmasana (Lotus Pose)

September 17, 2017September 20, 2017 by Rakesh Pradhan, posted in yoga poses

A powerful spiritual and meditative pose which channels our life force, relaxes the mind and calms the brain. The regular practice of this pose will keep you rooted and feel more energetic. This pose symbolizes purity, beauty, majesty, grace, wealth, richness, knowledge, serenity, fertility, enlightenment, spirituality and cosmic renewal.

Padma-Lotus | Asana-Pose

This asana is pronounced as Pa-dah-maa-sun-aa, Sanskrit- पद्मासन. Padmasana posture resembles a lotus flower after you enter into this pose. In the Hindu scriptures, Goddess Lakshmi seats herself on an open lotus. Even other gods like Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu are shown seated on the lotus. The lotus is a sacred flower for Buddhists and one of the eight auspicious signs of Buddhism.

Benefits of Lotus Pose

This pose helps to relieve stress, relaxes the mind and calms your brain.
Helps to cure sciatica and menstrual discomfort.
Improves your posture and restores vital energy.
Leads to smooth labor during pregnancy if practiced regularly.
Opens up the hips and activates the spine, abdomen, pelvis and the bladder.
Stretches knees, ankles and makes them more flexible.
Regular practice of this pose can awaken the chakras and raises the awareness.

Precautions

If you have any recent medical concerns, discuss with your doctor before practicing this yoga pose. Practitioners suffering from a knee or ankle injury should not practice this pose. It’s advisable to practice this pose under the guidance of a yoga teacher, especially if you are a beginner.

Steps to do a perfect Lotus Pose

First, sit on a flat surface with your spine erect and legs stretched out.
Photo Credit: Yoga Divinity
Now, slowly and gently bend your right knee and place it on your left thigh by using your hands.
Ensure that your soles must point upward and heels must be close to your abdomen.
Repeat the same procedure with the left knee.
Now, both your legs are crossed and your feet are placed on the opposite thighs. Place your hands on your knees with a mudra of your own choice.
Ensure to keep your head straight and spine erect.
Breathe deeply and hold this position for as long as you feel comfortable. You can also chant mantras during this pose.
Now, release and repeat this pose with the other leg on top.

Variation

Once you mastered this pose, you can intensify by practicing Matsyasana from this asana. First, get into the Padmasana, hold your feet with your fingers, lift your chest and lean backward, such that your crown of your head touches the ground.

Tips

You must make sure to keep your stomach and bowels empty before you practice this pose. Ensure to have your meals at least four to five hours before you do the asana so that your food gets properly digested. This asana is a meditative pose, so it’s always advisable to practice this pose in the early morning. If you don’t find time during the morning, it can also be practiced during the evening time.

Mudras are practiced while sitting in Padmasana as described above in the procedure. There are different types of Mudras and each has various benefits. It activates the energy flow and helps to release your stress and keeps you calm. Some of the Mudras that work wonders with the Padmasana are Chin Mudra, Brahma Mudra, Chinmayi Mudra and Adi Mudra.

For a beginner, it might be difficult sit longer while placing knee of one leg onto the other legs thigh. You can practice Ardha-Padmasana (Half-Lotus Pose) by placing nay one leg on the opposite thigh. The regular practice of this pose can bring the bring the flexibility over time.

Now, don’t wait. Enjoy your yoga practice and have an awesome day! If you feel this article is helpful to you then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

How to do Padmasana (Lotus Pose) and Benefits

September 17, 2017 by Rakesh Pradhan, posted in yoga poses

Padma-Lotus | Asana-Pose

Benefits of Lotus Pose

This pose helps to relieve stress, relaxes the mind and calms your brain.
Helps to cure sciatica and menstrual discomfort.
Improves your posture and restores vital energy.
Leads to smooth labor during pregnancy if practiced regularly.
Opens up the hips and activates the spine, abdomen, pelvis and the bladder.
Stretches knees, ankles and makes them more flexible.
Regular practice of this pose can awaken the chakras and raises the awareness.

Precautions

Steps to do a perfect Lotus Pose

First, sit on a flat surface with your spine erect and legs stretched out.
Photo Credit: Yoga Divinity
Now, slowly and gently bend your right knee and place it on your left thigh by using your hands.
Ensure that your soles must point upward and heels must be close to your abdomen.
Repeat the same procedure with the left knee.
Now, both your legs are crossed and your feet are placed on the opposite thighs. Place your hands on your knees with a mudra of your own choice.
Ensure to keep your head straight and spine erect.
Breathe deeply and hold this position for as long as you feel comfortable. You can also chant mantras during this pose.
Now, release and repeat this pose with the other leg on top.

Variation

Tips

10 ways Yoga changed my life & it can change yours too!

August 27, 2017September 23, 2017 by Rakesh Pradhan, posted in Wellness

When I started doing yoga and meditation, I felt like my body is inflexible and I am not made for yoga. Forget about practising headstand, when I was thinking about it, I felt like falling again and again. But, over the years I realized that yoga is made for people who are inflexible. It’s not about whether you have a flexible or inflexible body, it’s all about the start we need to do. I always believe that yoga and meditation are not about moving your body parts but it’s all about knowing yourself and your body. It is the alignment of body, mind, and soul. Yoga helps to unite these three aspects of our life. It gives me the strength to rejuvenate and concentrate on my goals. Here are the 10 ways yoga changed my life and it could change yours also.

Stress Relief

Nowadays many of us are going through stress. There may be many reasons starting from work-related pressure to relationship issues. But, regular practice of yoga helped me to lower the stress hormone levels in my body. When stress decreases, it lowers blood pressure and heart rates. It helped me to ease the symptoms of anxiety, depression and much other stress-related problems I was suffering due to job-related issues.

Boost the immune system

Before practising yoga and pranayama, I was getting sick once in every month with cold, cough and fever. Injuries took time to heal. These problems were happening due to my lower level of the immune system. But, when I started practising yoga, slowly and steadily I boosted my immune system and now I rarely get sick due to cold or a cough. Moreover, my digestion capacity also improved significantly.

Improved Breathing

Regular practice of yoga taught me to be aware of my breathing. Slower and deeper breaths helped me to improve my lung function and increase the amount of oxygen intake into my body. While exhaling, it helped me to flush out the toxins from my body.

Flexibility

As I mentioned above, I was carrying the most inflexible body with me. Today, I can practice advanced yoga poses without any difficulty. But, it didn’t happen overnight. Regular practice and focused mind helped me to achieve this milestone over time by lengthening my ligaments, tendons, and muscles. It gives me a better posture by improving my body alignment.

Increased strength and stamina

We all like to be strong and rich in stamina. Yes, yoga practice built my muscles stronger and increased my strength from head to toe. It helped me to improve my core stamina and arm strength to enter into practising the advanced poses.

Weight Management

Well, in this case, I am the happiest and satisfied person. Yoga not only helps you to reduce your body fat and weight but also help you to be fit and not allowing you to deposit extra fat with zero cost.

Improved blood circulation

Yoga helped me to improve circulation of blood in my body. When I started practising different inversion poses like headstand, shoulder stand, and handstand, oxygenated blood flow to my body’s cell got improved.

Comparison with others

When I was in my childhood, I used to compare myself with others. There were many reasons starting from the study, the way people look at to the way they behave. But, when I started practising yoga and pranayama, I realized that I am unique in myself and there is no reason to compare my life with others. My body and my life are totally different from the rest of the world. When you stop comparing yourself with others, you get maximum time to build yourself to be a better human being.

Patient & Self-control

I was always in a hurry to achieve anything and everything. But with the yoga practice of yoga, I realized that just like each asana takes time and effort to master, everything else in life also come to you at right time with your dedication and hard work. When I took an oath to bring yoga into my daily life, I brought discipline into my life. It taught me how to control my mind, body, and soul.

Peace of mind

Regular practice of yoga helped me to be mindful and increased the awareness of being present at the moment. Yoga means union, union of your body, mind, and soul. It helped me improve my memory, concentration power and most importantly I learned to be at peace with myself. Meditation provided me with a platform to go deeper into the spirituality and to understand who really am I? I started listening to this gadget (body). This is the most efficient gadget in this world.

Yoga is not about performing or practising most difficult postures, it’s all about enjoying the journey while recognizing and nourishing the light within. Regular practice of yoga helped me to change my life for a better cause, it can change yours too!

Enjoy this beautiful gift from God and bring balance, physical, mental and spiritual equilibrium in your life.

If you feel this article is helpful to you, then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

Pranayama and its Benefits!

July 25, 2017August 12, 2017 by Rakesh Pradhan, posted in pranayama

The practice of using the breath to calm down the monkey mind and to be mindful of breathing is called Pranayama which is comprised of two roots from Sanskrit words- Prana and ayama. Prana means vital energy or life force which we called ‘Breath’ and ayama means expansion or ‘extension’. Pranayama means the extension or expansion of prana.

The pranayama is a method whereby the life force can be activated and regulated to go beyond one’s normal boundaries or limitations and attain a higher state of vibratory energy and awareness. Pranayama utilises breathing to influence the flow of prana in the nadis or energy channels of the pranamaya kosha or energy body. If you practice it regularly then it helps to cure anxiety, stress, depression, stomach disorders, heart problems and other diseases.

You just need 25-30 minutes to complete the below 5 pranayamas which are very helpful and highly recommended. But before that let us know some basic requirements for a pranayama practitioner.

The best time to practice pranayama is early morning when the body is fresh and mind is free from regular distractions. If not possible, another good time is just after sunset.
Take a bath or shower before starting the practice or at least wash your hands, face, and feet. Do not take a bath for at least half an hour after the practice to allow the body temperature to normalise.
Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn during the practice. The body may be covered with a blanket or sheet when it is cold or to keep insects away.
Practice before eating in the morning or wait for at least three to four hours after meals before starting the pranayama.
Practice in a quiet, clean and pleasant room, which is well ventilated. Avoid practising in direct sunlight as the body will become overheated, except at dawn when the soft rays of the early morning sun are beneficial.
Try to practice regularly at the same time and place each day as regularity in practices increases strength and willpower and helps to improve the pranic force.

Let’s start the practice sequentially.

Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)

This is an excellent breathing practice since we get the maximum amount of oxygen due to full inhalation and exhalation process during the practice. This can be done in a slow, medium or fast way as per our convenience.

Note: Practitioners suffering from lung diseases, high blood pressure and heart problems should perform this practice slowly.

Procedure:

Sit comfortably on your mat. Take few deep breaths through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. You can hear a hissing sound while exhaling.
Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Exhale is an excellent way to remove toxins from your body.
Repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

Benefits:

It improves our blood circulation and keep us away for heart-related diseases.
Calms mind, relieves stress and provide relaxation to body and mind.
Improves your concentration and helps to stronger the lungs.
Relieve in stress, depression and hypertension. It also cures obesity and arthritis.

Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breathing)

It has a cleansing effect on the lungs, balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. Moreover, it removes sleepiness and energises the mind for mental work. An excellent way to lose body weight if you practice this regularly.

Note: Practitioners suffering from high blood pressure and heart problems should perform this practice slowly. Women should avoid this practice during pregnancy and period.

Procedure:

First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
Now take a deep inhale through both of your nostrils until your lungs get full of air.
Now exhale through both of your nostrils forcefully so that your stomach will go deep inside. As you exhale you will feel some pressure in your stomach.
During the process of exhaling, you will feel a hissing sound. At this moment think that all the toxins and impurity from your body are coming out.
Repeat this procedure for 5 minutes.

Benefits:

It improves the function of the lungs, kidney, and other respiratory systems.
Improves the function of the reproductive organs and cures erectile dysfunction naturally.
It removes toxins from the body and helps to clean the internal system thoroughly.
Useful in curing respiratory diseases as asthma, allergies, and sinus.
Helps to cure sinus, constipation, acidity and diabetes.

Anulom-Vilom Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

It helps to cure diabetes and blood pressure, improves concentration, patience and relieves anxiety. The oxygen supply throughout the body can be greatly enhanced.

Procedure:

First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
Keep your left hand in Chin Mudra and rest on your right knee.
Close your right nostril with your right thumb in Vishnu mudra. Inhale slowly through your left nostril, inhale as much oxygen as you can so that your lungs get full of air.
Remove your thumb from right nostril and exhale from the right while closing your left nostril.
Now, inhale through your right nostril and close your right nostril and exhale from left nostril.
Repeat this procedure as long as you feel comfortable. Remember it’s your body and you must not force it.

Benefits:

It improves blood circulation and relaxes your body and mind.
Helps to keep diabetes under control and function of lungs can be improved.
Helps to cure a headache, migraine and gastric problems.

Bahya Pranayama (Outside Breathing)

In this pranayama, we keep the breath outside during the practice. It helps to cure problems related to reproductive organs.

Note: Practitioners suffering from a heart problem and blood pressure should not practice. Women should not practice during the period.

Procedures:

First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
Take a deep breath and exhale completely.
Hold your breath and touch your chin to the chest (Jalandhar Bandha). Pull your stomach in and up under the rib cage such that the stomach and back seem to touch each other from the inside (Uddiyana Bandha). Then lift the muscle from groyne area (Mulabandha).
Hold all these bandhas for few seconds and then inhale deeply to release all locks.
Repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

Benefits:

Helpful to cure acidity, constipation and gastric problem and beneficial in diabetes
Reproductive organs, urine, and sperm related problems get cured

Bhrahmari Pranayama (Bee Breathing)

This breathing practice helps in releasing stress, frustration, and anger. It is the best breathing exercise in calming your mind. In this type of pranayama, we make a humming sound while exhaling. It matches the typical humming sound of bees.

Procedures:

First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
Place your index fingers on the forehead and with the remaining fingers close your eyes.
Start inhaling through both the nostril deeply and slowly.
Keep your mouth close and exhale by making a humming sound of like bee does. While making the humming sound chant ‘Om’.
Realise that you are removing all the toxins and impurity from your body.

Benefits:

Effective to cure high blood pressure and hypertension
Helpful for pregnant women during childbirth.
Helpful in problems related to nervous system.

Pranayama is the best medicine to keep you away from stress and many lifestyle diseases.

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