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11

September Yoga Exercises for Nerves of Steel

Fitness and Yoga

Exercises for Nerve Strength

Real fitness, as per Yoga, is not just physical strength and endurance, but is actually nerve strength and pranic (life-force/chi) capacity.  In other words, how strong your nervous system is, how much current (Kundalini) can it handle and how well it holds up under stress, is how yoga measures your level of fitness and conditioning.

So for the month of September, let us develop this key aspect of our being, so we can proclaim ourselves to be yoga fit.  To do this, you will find below an excellent hatha yoga pose known to help develop nerve strength and an excellent yoga breathing exercise to expand your pranic capacity and build your entire nervous system.

The yoga pose we will practice together is called Downward Facing Dog, while the breathing exercise is Anuloma Viloma pranayama.  I will specify the variations to use for both these techniques, in order to extract the maximum nerve fitness from them that we can.

Yoga fitness

These exercises will be the yoga techniques for the month of September and will be part of our yoga practice for the month series.  For those who are new to the blog, each month we practice together particular yoga exercises and meditations, in order to enhance our skills and learn from each other.  We share our experiences in the comments section below as well.  So join us this month and move closer to being truly fit and formidable.  Move closer to having nerves of steel .

These techniques come from the following 2 free online e-books here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  These are the Free Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises E-book and the Free Online Yoga Breathing Exercises E-book.  Feel free to check them out for more great exercises and meditation to keep you healthy, happy and fit.

Below you will find all the exercises and meditations that we have practiced so far in this Yoga for the Month Series.  Following that are the nerve and fitness building techniques for June.

Yoga Exercises for Each Month

 

 

August:        Learn Yoga | Nauk Asana for the Month (Abs)

September:  Yoga Pose for Thighs – Frog Pose (Thighs/Butt)

October:      Important Hatha Yoga Posture for Healing – Forward Bend (Thighs/Buttocks)

November:   Yoga to Work on Your Aura (Aura and Magnetic Field)

December:   Kundalini Yoga Exercise for Emotional Health – Cat-Cow  (Back and Emotional Balance)

February:    Daily Yoga Cobra Pose for Healthy Back

March:         Yoga Moves to Detox Your Body

April:           Yoga Ab Workout Routine and Free Exercise Videos

May:            Yoga Exercise for Brain Fitness (Shoulder Stand)

June:           Archer Pose for Building Confidence and Self Esteem


 

 

Pranayama for Each Month

 

 

February:   Kapalbhati Yoga Video for Daily Practice

March:       4 Part Deep Breathing Exercise

April:         Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

May:          Supreme Yogic Breath for Brain Development and Mind Control

June:         Bhastrika Pranayama to Burn Fat and More


 

Meditation for Each Month


February:
  So Hum Mantra Meditation for Joy and Peace

March:      Zen Meditation Technique

April:        Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

May:         Advanced Mind Meditation Videos

June:        Smiling Buddha Meditation for Happiness and Confidence

 

 

Yoga Exercise for Nerve Fitness:

One of the most popular and common yoga technique is Yoga Mountain Pose or Downward Facing Dog.  This exercise is excellent for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is it’s benefit to the nervous system.  This pose is part of all schools of yoga, including Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga.

For our purposes I want you to practice this pose using powerful Breath of Fire.  This will further increase the benefits of Downward Facing Dog for nerve fitness and Pranic Power.  In addition, if your arms or legs tire, take a break, continue the Breath of Fire if you can and then come into the pose once again. You may repeat that several time if necessary.

Here is the link to the full article for Downward Facing Dog –  Hatha Yoga Pose for Nerve Fitness.



Downward Facing Dog for Nerve Power

 

Yoga Pranayama for Pranic Fitness:

In conjunction with Downward Facing Dog, I suggest you incorporate Anuloma Viloma Pranayama into your practice as well.  This breathing exercise purifies, refines and strengthens your nervous system and increases your respiratory fitness.  It gives you more prana and great internal balance.

To maximize the pranic fitness you extract from this technique, I want you to try the 1:2 inhalation/exhalation ratio I have described in the article.  So for every count of inhalation, extend the exhalation to double the length.  So for 4 counts of inhalation, make the exhalation phase 8 counts.  This elongated exhalation will expand your nervous system even more rapidly.

Here is the link to the entire article on Anuloma Viloma Pranayama: Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise.

Also, here is a video demonstrating this wonderful breathing technique:

So for this month, let’s work together to get our internal systems fit and strong.  Having a strong nervous system, means you can function with greater energy, vitality and composure.

12

Powerful Yoga for Bulding Self Confidence | June Exercises

Courage and Self Esteem

Self Belief and Fearlessness

Self Confidence is a key, not just for success in manifestation, but also a key for making genuine spiritual progress.  We all know the important part confidence plays in ordinary life, allowing you to make great strides in your personal development, career, relationships, etc, but in the spiritual realm self confidence is equally important.  In the spiritual realm you have to have confidence in your ability to work your way through the illusion of duality and the ensuing suffering, and the self belief that you will be able to find your way out of the chaos.  At the end of day, as I have often said, enlightenment is a path walked alone.

So how can we build our self confidence?  What can we do to develop our courage and self belief so we can be fearless in our approach to life?  There are many methods and techniques for building this kind of confidence, and in this article I will give you some yoga and meditation approaches to achieve this goal.

These techniques for building self confidence will be the yoga poses for the month of June and will be part of our yoga practice for the month series.  For those who are new to the blog, each month we practice together a particular yoga exercise, pranayama technique and meditation, in order to enhance our skills and learn from each other.  We share our experiences in the comments section below as well.  So join us this month and experience the burst in confidence that this month’s techniques will produce.

Bulding Self Confidence June Exercises

These techniques come from the following 3 free online e-books here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  These are the Free Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises E-book, the Free Online Guided Meditation Techniques E-book and the Free Online Yoga Breathing Exercises E-book.  Feel free to check them out for more great exercises and meditation to keep you healthy, happy and fit.

Below you will find all the exercises and meditations that we have practiced so far in this Yoga for the Month Series.  Following that are the confidence building techniques for June.

Yoga Exercises for Each Month

 

 

 

August:        Learn Yoga | Nauk Asana for the Month (Abs)

September:  Yoga Pose for Thighs – Frog Pose (Thighs/Butt)

October:      Important Hatha Yoga Posture for Healing – Forward Bend (Thighs/Buttocks)

November:   Yoga to Work on Your Aura (Aura and Magnetic Field)

December:   Kundalini Yoga Exercise for Emotional Health – Cat-Cow  (Back and Emotional Balance)

February:    Daily Yoga Cobra Pose for Healthy Back

March:         Yoga Moves to Detox Your Body

April:           Yoga Ab Workout Routine and Free Exercise Videos

May:            Yoga Exercise for Brain Fitness (Shoulder Stand)


 

 

Pranayama for Each Month

 

 

February:   Kapalbhati Yoga Video for Daily Practice

March:       4 Part Deep Breathing Exercise

April:         Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

May:          Supreme Yogic Breath for Brain Development and Mind Control


 

Meditation for Each Month


February:
  So Hum Mantra Meditation for Joy and Peace

March:      Zen Meditation Technique

April:        Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

May:         Advanced Mind Meditation Videos

 

 

Yoga Exercise for Building Self Confidence:

One of the most popular poses from Kundalini Yoga is Archer Pose and this is the favorite for those warrior yogis looking to boost their course and confidence.  This pose is not suggested for ego maniacs as it is just gonna make their heads swell even more , but if you are looking to give your inner strength a boost, there is no better technique than Archer’s Pose.

Remember that the biggest aspect of confidence, course and fear is psychological, so as you do this pose and breathe fiercely, engage your mind in helping you grow your self belief and power.  With every breath feel yourself expanding and growing more powerful, more focused, more strong and more resolute.  Done regularly it will help break the patterns of negative thinking and self doubt.  Practice this pose like you are a Warrior Saint.

Here is the link for Archer Pose for Building Confidence and Self Esteem.



Archer Pose for Power and Confidence

 

Bhastrika Pranayama for Energy and Vitality:

Another aspect of self confidence is having a healthy body and having lots of energy.  Feeling energetic and healthy will give you a psychological boost and this will translate to you having more confidence.  This particular yoga breathing exercise is excellent for helping you build a more energetic body.  In addition, Bhastika Pranayama can boost your metabolism, help you detox, increase your lung capacity and also help you burn fat.  All of these blessings, especially looking and feeling better, also contribute to having more confidence and power.

Here is the link to this wonderful exercise: Bhastrika Pranayama to Burn Fat and More

Smiling Buddha Meditation for Happiness and Confidence:

Along with looking good and feeling healthy, feeling happy also helps boost confidence, and one of the best meditations for doing this is the meditation supposedly prescribed to the Buddha to cheer him up, the Smiling Buddha Meditation for Happiness and Confidence.  Remember to do this meditation with a smile and not allow negative thinking to bring you down.

So for this month, if you need to build your self confidence, go ahead and try the three techniques above.  Remember though that it is not about having a big ego, but it is about having faith in yourself that you can achieve here in life all that which you were meant to do.

13

Free Yoga at Home Natural Weight Loss Program

Lose Weight at Home with Yoga

Natural Weight Loss Program

Natural Weight Loss Program – Online Course #107

Welcome to the Free Online Yoga and Meditation programs here at Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  All the material needed for this Free Weight Loss Yoga Program is available via the links on this post and you can start anytime you wish.  For more information on the free online classes, please read the Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes page. 

This course focuses on burning fat and helping you achieve optimum weight loss naturally and safely.  All the exercises and techniques can be practiced at home, but please follow the guidelines carefully and read our Legal Disclaimer as well. 

Free Yoga at Home Natural Weight Loss Program

The course is designed for those who are out of shape, elderly or obese.  On this page I will provide the program objectives, details, syllabus and participation guidelines.  Please read through everything carefully so you will be able to get maximum benefit from the program.

This free yoga at home weight loss course uses gentle yoga exercises and breathing techniques which have been proven to be very useful for losing weight and getting fit.  The techniques come from the schools of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga and combined with a proper diet, provide an excellent natural weight loss solution.  You will find a more vigorous weight loss yoga program here: Healthy Weight Loss via Yoga and Pranayama.

To register please just leave a comment on this post that you are going to start the Yoga at Home Weight Loss Program, or just send me an email at anmol@anmolmehta.com.  This way I know what kind of participation and interest there is. 

PLEASE ALSO READ THE FAQ below.  It addresses many of the common questions about the online classes:

FAQ for Free Online Meditation & Yoga Classes

Free Yoga at Home Natural Weight Loss Program Objectives:

 

  1. Burn Fat and Promote Natural Weight Loss.
  2. Improve Metabolism.
  3. Reshape the Body.
  4. Improve Health and Fitness.
  5. Increase Energy, Vitality and Vigor.
  6. Cure Diseases.
  7. Purge Negative Emotions to Create Emotional Balance.
  8. Purge Negative Thoughts to Promote Clarity and Peace.
  9. Strengthen the Nervous System, Respiratory System and Digestive System.

Free Yoga at Home Natural Weight Loss Program Details:

Class Structure: 

Each class session consists of 2 sections: Breathing exercises (pranayama) and the Natural Weight Loss Yoga Set.  Unlike the other yoga sets on this website, which you can find in the Free Online Yoga Sets E-book, this particular set starts off with only a few exercises and then grows over time.  So it really helps those who are out of shape get more fit and healthy, before becoming more intense and involved.

As I mentioned above for effective weight loss a sensible diet should accompany your yoga regiment and below you will find important articles dealing with this subject in the Required Reading Section.  These articles will introduce you to Ayurveda (the Indian Science of Natural Healing) and suggest a Fat Burning Diet from this profound school.  Please try to integrate some of these guidelines into your diet and life-style as well.

The total time for this class is approximately 10-50 minutes / day.  Do the best you can and most importantly, walk the middle path with regard to each session.  DO NOT OVERDO OR OVER STRAIN and at the same time don’t have it be too easy either.

Required Reading:

 

Suggested Reading:

 

Course Materials:

 

Natural Weight Loss via Yoga Program Syllabus:

The following describes the 2 sections comprising the 10-50 minute daily yoga and pranayama for this class.  The approximate total times for each section and set are also given.  Take more rest if you need to, or if you feel comfortable do the poses and exercises a little longer.  Each breathing exercise and the yoga set below is a link to the article with all the details you need.  Links are in green, please click them to go the article with all the details for that technique or set.  Video demonstrations are included there for free as well, so you can learn yoga in the comfort of your home.

Weight Loss Via Yoga at Home Program:

The program is designed to help you lose about 5 pounds a month.  Each day do the following till you feel you have achieved your weight loss goals…

Section 1: Breathing Exercises Section (Pranayama):  Total time 2-10 Minutes

Section 2: Weight Loss Yoga Section:  Total time 5-30 minutes

  • Online Yoga Exercises for Health Weight Loss:  Start practicing this set as described in the article.  You will be starting with just 2 exercises initially and slowly building up your capacity week by week.  If you are more fit you can start with more exercises.  As I mentioned earlier, this program is designed to help even those who are very overweight or out of shape, therefore it is scalable by design.

Free Home Yoga Natural Weight Loss Program Participation Guidelines

Following are the guidelines which I suggest we follow…

  • Please post all comments, questions and feedback in the comments section of this post.  This way all will benefit from the discussion.  Feel free to ask questions or discuss issues, as that is one of the main reasons for this particular class format.  Of course, you are free to email me as well if you would like the discussion to not be public.
  • If you like, you can indicate with a comment that you have completed your daily session.  Could be as short as “did it”, or of course could be questions, issues or more detailed feedback.  The hardest part with a daily yoga and exercise practice is establishing consistency and regularity and I think having to acknowledge that you completed your daily practice will help in facilitating that.  In addition, your comments will inspire others as well.
  • Before starting your daily yoga session, take a moment and tune in to your higher self for guidance and protection.  At the end of every session, visualize yourself and the world as you would like it to be.
  • Do the best you can and modify the techniques as required.  It is more important to do something, than be overwhelmed and not do anything at all.
  • I wish you all a wonderful learning and transforming experience and hope this program really helps you lose the weight you want and get into great shape :-).
  • Below, in the related articles and series sections you will find other free yoga and meditation classes; feel free to take advantage of them.
  • If you are interested in becoming a certified gentle yoga and meditation teacher you can check out the online program I am offering here:  Meditation Teacher’s Training and Certification Program.
14

Best Yoga for Weight Loss – Complete with Illustrated Yoga Poses and Exercises

Best Yoga Exercise for Weight Loss

Lose Weight with Basic Yoga

In this final part of the series on Best Yoga for Weight Loss, I will include part 1, and also complete the Basic Yoga for Weight Loss Set that I had started in part 2, so you will have a complete illustrated guide of yoga poses and exercises to burn fat, lose weight and get fit.

(Part 1 is below)

Can You Lose Weight With Yoga?

You can absolutely lose weight with yoga and there are enormous advantages to using yoga for weight loss over other artificial means and methods.  In this 3 part series I am going to first discuss why yoga is good for permanent and safe weight loss, and then, in the second part of the series, I am going to give you a great set of yoga exercises for burning fat and losing weight.

The set in part 2 is going to become part of the free online yoga classes here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  The current weight loss program that is already available there, uses the excellent Online Yoga Exercises for Healthy Weight Loss Exercises Set, and this upcoming set will give you more choices and variety in selecting an effective yoga for weight loss program.

Yoga for Weight Loss

The great thing about the set in part 2 is that it is designed for those who are overweight or obese, and thus, can be used by those who are new to yoga or severely out of shape.  Don’t think for a moment that this means the exercises are not going to be effective.  These yoga exercises are tried and tested techniques for effective weight loss, and are part of various yoga therapy programs around the world.  More about this set in part 2 of the series, but for now let me go over why you should choose yoga to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

This list of reasons is really quite long, but let me just point out the top five reasons why you are better off using yoga to help reduce weight, as opposed to being suckered in by all the other quick weight loss gimmicks, pills, gadgets and diets out there.

Top 5 Reasons to Choose Yoga for Weight Loss:

1. Better Overall Health:

Losing weight by doing yoga, also conditions all the internal organs and systems, in addition to getting rid of the excess fat.  This means that not only will you lose the weight, but as you continue your practice, you will find yourself getting more and more healthy and fit.  In addition, you will enjoy all the profound benefits that yoga bestows, and not just the weight loss aspect.

You can read about these enormous benefits of yoga in the following articles:

Top 10 Health Benefits of Yoga

7 Rapid Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Practice

2. No Bad Side Affects:

Always remember that the body has a blue print of perfect health and always tries to return to this state.  You should always try to work with the body, in it’s efforts to return to perfect health.  Yoga and Ayurveda (the Indian holistic science of life and longevity) are designed to do just this.  On the other hand, when you use chemical, surgical or other such quick fixes, you tend to not work holistically with the body, and even as you are fixing one problem, you tend to create many more.  So using Yoga for weight loss is the best way to intelligently and naturally lose the weight and help the body return to optimum health.

For more on this concept, you can read the following article:

The Key to Natural Healing

3. Permanent Weight Loss with Yoga:

Experience of the yoga therapy programs to treat obesity have shown that weight lost from yoga therapy has proven to be permanent.  This is certainly not the case when you use chemicals and other gimmicks.  The weight lost by those methods tends to return in a hurry once they are discontinued.  This is not the case with yoga, as long as you maintain at minimum, a healthy diet as prescribed by Ayurveda. 

These diets are almost always a part of the treatment in general, and these diets are such that they can be maintained comfortably throughout one’s life.  They are not extreme or unreasonable diets.  You can read more about such a diet in the the following article:

Healthy Ayurvedic Diet to Burn Fat and Lose Weight

So when you use yoga for weight loss, the body is gently brought back into alignment and underlying causes for the weight gain, whether they are emotional or bio-chemical, are also resolved.  Also, since yoga works with the body to achieve optimum health, the excess weight once shed is no longer regained when the yoga is stopped.  I would though recommend continuing the yoga practice if you can, so you can continue to obtain all the other benefits that such practice bestows.

4. Yoga Weight Loss Solution is for Free:

Why pay for a solution, that is going to create bad side affects and not going to work in the long term anyway, when you can have a successful weight loss solution from yoga for FREE.  You can no longer make the excuse that yoga classes are expensive, etc, etc, because on this website, they are all free.  If you see the online classes page, you will see the thousands of readers who have taken and benefited from these classes.  So I don’t see how you can go wrong here.  Not only do you succeed in your weight loss goals, but you get all the additional benefits of yoga, and you get it all for free .

5. Extreme Exercise is Not Necessary:

You will see from the upcoming yoga set in part 2 of this series that even gentle yoga exercises done with moderate effort are good enough to put you on track to meet your weight loss goals.  So you don’t need to undertake an extreme fitness regiment.  Such regiments are generally short lived anyway and can be injurious to the body.  Yes, when doing yoga in this sensible way the weight loss is not going be happen overnight, but you can expect to consistently lose about 5 pounds a month safely and naturally, without doing any harm to your body or mind.  

So stay tuned for part 2 of this series where I will be detailing for you one of the best yoga sets for losing weight safely and permanently.

(Part 2 and 3 combined for you below)

Yoga for Weight Loss Set

Lose Weight with Effective Yoga Exercises and Poses

In part 1 of this series on Best Yoga for Weight Loss, I answered the question, Can You and How to Lose Weight with Yoga?  I hope that article has motivated you to take up yoga to help you achieve your weight loss goals safely and naturally.  In this part the series, I am going to start detailing for you the basic, but effective, yoga poses for helping you lose weight and get healthy.

Also, as I mentioned in part 1 there is a great weight loss yoga set already on the website and you can find that set here: Online Yoga Exercises for Healthy Weight Loss.  This set has helped many successfully lose weight and you will find their testimonials in the comments section of the article as well.  To further inspire you to take up yoga for weight loss, here is one of the latest comments from a reader.

Kelly writes:

I love you!!! haha you have helped me drop the 20 lbs that kept me from being ME!

thankyou!!

Basic Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss Overview:

So, given I already have such a great weight loss set on the site, why create another one?  There are 2 reasons for this.

1. New Set is Suitable for Everyone:

Although the Yoga for Healthy Weight Loss set is comprised of fairly simple yoga exercises, they do require some degree of fitness to practice.  In other words, if you are badly out of shape you will find that set more challenging to do.  For this reason I want to give you the Best Basic Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss set, as this set can be done by even those struggling with obesity and significant excess weight.

In addition, many new moms contact me to help them realize their weight loss goals, and it is important for them to practice gentle yoga exercises as opposed to vigorous ones, until they are fully healed.  So this set will give them a nice option to begin working towards getting back in shape as well .

2. Variety Helps Fitness:

Those familiar with health and fitness sciences know that the body get acclimatized to exercise routines, and you tend to get diminishing returns over time.  So varying your exercise routines is good for promoting better muscle and overall fitness.  This new set will give you that variety.  In addition, of course, there are many more excellent sets in the Free Online Yoga Sets E-book, so do check those out as well to add to your routines.

How to Practice Yoga for Weight Loss:

Before I jump into the set please remember it is important to follow the guidelines for yoga that I have put together in the following 2 articles: 10 Important Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice and Essential Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice.  Also, please read the disclaimer (Ask your doctor, don’t sue me, etc. etc. ).

Each yoga pose and exercise below has a link to the document with all the details about that technique, so you can read more about it by heading over to that article.  These poses and exercises are from across both great schools of yoga, hatha yoga as well as kundalini yoga, and you will find many of them used in the yoga sets and free online yoga classes that are offered here on the blog as well.  Also, I will be putting together another free online weight loss class as well, which will incorporate this set.

The way I want you to approach this set is as follows:

If you are very out of shape or obese, just start with the first 2 exercises for the first week.  Then move ahead and keep adding the following 2 exercises every week, till you are doing the entire set.  For those is better shape you can start with 4 or more exercises, as per your level, and keep adding the ones further down in time. 

So if you are obese, do exercises 1 and 2 for week 1; then do exercises 1, 2, 3 and 4 for week 2; then do exercises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 for week 3 and so on till you are doing the entire set.

Make sure you don’t over strain, and just keep at it consistently.  Again, let me remind you this set is comprised of yoga poses that have proven to be excellent for weight loss if done consistently over time.

You should be aiming to lose about 5 pounds per month.  This rate is very comfortable for the body and when lost in this gentle and safe manner, you will find that your body weight set point has realigned itself, and that with just a healthy diet you can keep the weight off (see part 1 for more on this).  In addition, to the weight loss you will also find yourself much healthier, happier and holier .

Below you find the Best Yoga for Weight Loss Set, complete with illustrations and practice tips.

 

Best Yoga Set for Weight Loss:

 

Weight Loss Yoga Exercise #1: Yoga Single Leg Rotations:

The first exercise is from the popular video Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set and are the Single Leg Rotations.  The video is below for you as well, but I have also given you exercise details below that.  The first place to start a fitness routine is by strengthening the abdominal muscles and building your core strength.  This workout for the first week or two will prepare your body nicely for the rest of the weight loss exercises to come.

Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set

Demonstration of the Single Leg Rotations

1

1. Single Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise:  (Chakra Padasana)

a. Guided Instructions for Single Leg Rotations:

  • Lie flat on your back.
  • Raise your right leg up to about 45 degrees.
  • Point your feet and toes away from you.
  • Do 2-10 rotations in 1 direction and then without resting rotate the same leg in the other direction (counter-clockwise).
  • Repeat with the left leg.

b. Duration: You can build up to 1 minute / leg.  You can start with 2-4 rotations per leg, per direction and build up from there.

c. Benefits:

  • Builds your Navel Center and strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles.
  • Builds willpower and strength of character.
  • Loosens and opens up the hips. 

d. Practice Tips

  • To modify the exercise bend you knees or do fewer rotations at a stretch.
  • Start with just normal breathing and only incorporate Breath of Fire once you feel ready.
  • You can also take rest as needed.

Yoga Exercise #2 – Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose:

In case you thought you were done with the ab work, sorry you need to do another stomach exercise as well to ensure we get your back and core muscles strengthened .  So after you do your Single Leg Rotations, take a short break and then do Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose as described in that article.

Please feel free to use the single leg modification of this exercise as described in the article.  Also, you can take multiple breaks in between.  Try to complete 1 minute, by taking as many as 4-8 breaks in between as necessary.

Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose Illustration

 

yoga for weight loss illustration 1 

Weight Loss Yoga Pose #3 – Bhujanga Asana:

The next exercise that you should move onto is the famous Cobra Pose for Healthy Back.  This will start to work on your arms, shoulders and back, as well as other important body systems and internal organs.

Again, take breaks coming in and out of this pose.  For the purpose of this set, start with the version where you come into the raised position and hold it for some time.  Later as you get more fit, you can do the cobra push-ups, where you go up and down in cobra pose.  

Start with 4 rounds of 10-15 seconds each, and build up from there.

Cobra Pose Illustration

best yoga exercise to lose weight illustration

Weight Loss Yoga Pose #4 – Locust Pose

Locust pose was recently added to our Online Hatha Yoga Picture Galleries, and just in time too, as it is needed for this set .  The Classical Hatha Yoga Pose – Locust Pose article will give you all the details for this excellent posture.

Again, use the single leg variation for beginner’s if you are just starting out and for the purpose of this set try to do 4 rounds, holding each round for 10-15 seconds each.  Build up from there.

Locust Pose Illustration

best yoga to lose weight illustration3

Weight Loss Yoga Exercise #5 –  Tree Pose

Hatha Yoga Tree Pose for Balance is the next posture of the set.  Here is a new illustration of this pose below, except I would like you to do the variation where you bring your hands above your head, as demonstrated by my son Shivum in the original article.  In that variation of the pose, again bring your hands together in Namaste Pose as shown, but now raise them above your head as straight as you can.

Be careful not to lose your balance with doing this posture and if you have trouble with it simply do Palm Tree Pose (Easy Yoga Pose for Stretching and Warming Up – Palm Tree Pose) instead.

You can do up to 1 minute per side, taking breaks in between as required.

Illustration of Palm Tree Yoga Pose

yoga weight loss illustration 4

Weight Loss Yoga Pose #6 – Forward Bend – Paschimothan Asana

It is now time to the pose which should be an integral part of every daily yoga practice.  This is important Forward Bend.  You will find the details in the following article: Best Hatha Yoga Pose for Healing.

It’s important to stretch only as far forward as you can comfortable doing.  If you practice this pose consistently you will see your flexibility improve steadily for sure.  You can do 2-4 rounds of this pose, holding each time for about 1 minute.

Illustration of the Paschimothan Yoga Asana

best yoga pose for weight loss illustration 5

Weight Loss Yoga Exercise #7 – Bow Pose

We are getting to slightly tougher poses now in the weight loss set.  These poses take more energy to do, but they will really help you burn fat and tone difficult regions of the body.  Make sure you use the beginner modifications for them if you are not ready to do the full versions. 

In addition, you can start to include Breath of Fire for these exercises as well.  Breath of Fire will help increase the benefits of these poses and also, increase heat in the body, open up your energy pathways and help burn up toxins and fat.

The next exercise is Kundalini Yoga Bow Pose.  This exercise will work on your thighs, hips and abdomens and is good for weight loss.

You can do 1-2 minutes, taking breaks as required.

Illustration of Yoga Bow Pose

weight loss yoga pose picture

Weight Loss Yoga Posture #8 – Camel Pose

Another excellent pose for targeting the thigh area and the abdominal region is Camel Pose.  Again, remember to use Breath of Fire in order to maximize the benefits.

You will find details of this posture in the article, Illustrated Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose for Optimal Health.  I have give both illustrations for this pose below, the modified version as well as the full version. 

Try to do 1-2 minutes with breaks in between.

 

Picture of Yoga Camel Pose (Beginner’s Version)

yoga picture for weight loss 6

 


Picture of Yoga Camel Pose (Full Version)

modified yoga for weight loss pic 7


Weight Loss Kundalini Yoga Pose #9 – Yoga Spinal Twists

The next pose will really bring the focus to your abdominal and stomach region and will work to tone all the muscles in this problem area.  It is also very good for the back and entire digestive system.  Note that for this exercise you are not using Breath of Fire, but instead will inhale as you twist to the left and then exhale as you twist right.

There are 2 good version of Spinal Twists, both will help you with burning calories, fat and toning the abs.  Below I give illustrations of the version where the hands are behind the back.  You will find the details for this exercise in the article, Lower Back Exercise – Yoga Spinal Twists.  

In the second version, which give you better range of motion, the hands are grasping the shoulder, with elbows up and at shoulder level.  The second version is described in the following article, where there is also a video demonstration for you.  It is called Yoga Twists and is exercise #4 of the great Spinal Warm Series.

1-3 minutes of this exercise with breaks as required will do you wonders.

Picture of Yoga Spinal Twist (Twist Left)

best yoga weight loss 8 picture

Picture of Yoga Spinal Twist (Twist Right)

illustrated yoga for weight loss 8


Weight Loss Yoga Pose #10 – Yoga Bridge Pose

The last pose in this set is Bridge Pose.  It is part of the excellent Beginner’s Morning Yoga Set (exercise #3), and also has a good variation for beginner’s who cannot come into the full posture.  This pose is great for your arms, shoulders, back, thighs and hips.

You can come into the pose and hold for as long as comfortable and then take a break when necessary.  You can build up to 1-3 minutes.  Here is the video which has a demonstration of this pose.


Weight Loss Ending Yoga Pose #11 – Shav Asana – Corpse Pose

LI have been stressing the importance of this pose for quite some time and it is simply doing corpse pose at the end of your yoga set.  So, no matter how many of the above exercises you are doing, you should do Corpse Pose afterwords.  The more exercises you do, the more time you need to spend in this pose, allowing the body to assimilate the benefits of the exercises.  So if you do the entire set, you should do corpse pose for almost 10 minutes.  During this time, relax completely and let the body heal, evolve and reshape itself according to your desires.

Here are the details of how to practice this most important posture.  Best Yoga Exercise for Relaxation and Stress Relief.

Best Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss Summary:

This set will become part of the Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes on the website.  In particular it will be part of an entire second program to help you achieve your weight loss goals.  Remember to follow the cautions I have laid out in the guideline articles and to check with your doctor prior to starting any new fitness regiment.  In addition, remember that safe and healthy weight loss is not achieved overnight, but if you commit yourself to a regular yoga practice, you will surely love the results you get, and best of all, not lose these results easily.

15

Can You and How to Lose Weight with Yoga? – Part 1

Can You Lose Weight with Yoga?

How to Lose Weight with Yoga?

You can absolutely lose weight with yoga and there are enormous advantages to using yoga for weight loss over other artificial means and methods.  In this 2 part series I am going to first discuss why yoga is good for permanent and safe weight loss, and then, in the second part of the series, I am going to give you a great set of yoga exercises for burning fat and losing weight.

The set in part 2 is going to become part of the free online yoga classes here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  The current weight loss program that is already available there, uses the excellent Online Yoga Exercises for Healthy Weight Loss Exercises Set, and this upcoming set will give you more choices and variety in selecting an effective yoga for weight loss program.

The great thing about the set in part 2 is that it is designed for those who are overweight or obese, and thus, can be used by those who are new to yoga or severely out of shape.  Don’t think for a moment that this means the exercises are not going to be effective.  These yoga exercises are tried and tested techniques for effective weight loss, and are part of various yoga therapy programs around the world.  More about this set in part 2 of the series, but for now let me go over why you should choose yoga to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

How to Lose Weight

This list of reasons is really quite long, but let me just point out the top five reasons why you are better off using yoga to help reduce weight, as opposed to being suckered in by all the other quick weight loss gimmicks, pills, gadgets and diets out there.

Top 5 Reasons to Choose Yoga for Weight Loss:

1. Better Overall Health:

Losing weight by doing yoga, also conditions all the internal organs and systems, in addition to getting rid of the excess fat.  This means that not only will you lose the weight, but as you continue your practice, you will find yourself getting more and more healthy and fit.  In addition, you will enjoy all the profound benefits that yoga bestows, and not just the weight loss aspect.

You can read about these enormous benefits of yoga in the following articles:

Top 10 Health Benefits of Yoga

7 Rapid Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Practice

2. No Bad Side Affects:

Always remember that the body has a blue print of perfect health and always tries to return to this state.  You should always try to work with the body, in it’s efforts to return to perfect health.  Yoga and Ayurveda (the Indian holistic science of life and longevity) are designed to do just this.  On the other hand, when you use chemical, surgical or other such quick fixes, you tend to not work holistically with the body, and even as you are fixing one problem, you tend to create many more.  So using Yoga for weight loss is the best way to intelligently and naturally lose the weight and help the body return to optimum health.

For more on this concept, you can read the following article:

The Key to Natural Healing

3. Permanent Weight Loss with Yoga:

Experience of the yoga therapy programs to treat obesity have shown that weight lost from yoga therapy has proven to be permanent.  This is certainly not the case when you use chemicals and other gimmicks.  The weight lost by those methods tends to return in a hurry once they are discontinued.  This is not the case with yoga, as long as you maintain at minimum, a healthy diet as prescribed by Ayurveda. 

These diets are almost always a part of the treatment in general, and these diets are such that they can be maintained comfortably throughout one’s life.  They are not extreme or unreasonable diets.  You can read more about such a diet in the the following article:

Healthy Ayurvedic Diet to Burn Fat and Lose Weight

So when you use yoga for weight loss, the body is gently brought back into alignment and underlying causes for the weight gain, whether they are emotional or bio-chemical, are also resolved.  Also, since yoga works with the body to achieve optimum health, the excess weight once shed is no longer regained when the yoga is stopped.  I would though recommend continuing the yoga practice if you can, so you can continue to obtain all the other benefits that such practice bestows.

4. Yoga Weight Loss Solution is for Free:

Why pay for a solution, that is going to create bad side affects and not going to work in the long term anyway, when you can have a successful weight loss solution from yoga for FREE.  You can no longer make the excuse that yoga classes are expensive, etc, etc, because on this website, they are all free.  If you see the online classes page, you will see the thousands of readers who have taken and benefited from these classes.  So I don’t see how you can go wrong here.  Not only do you succeed in your weight loss goals, but you get all the additional benefits of yoga, and you get it all for free .

5. Extreme Exercise is Not Necessary:

You will see from the upcoming yoga set in part 2 of this series that even gentle yoga exercises done with moderate effort are good enough to put you on track to meet your weight loss goals.  So you don’t need to undertake an extreme fitness regiment.  Such regiments are generally short lived anyway and can be injurious to the body.  Yes, when doing yoga in this sensible way the weight loss is not going be happen overnight, but you can expect to consistently lose about 5 pounds a month safely and naturally, without doing any harm to your body or mind.  

So stay tuned for part 2 of this series where I will be detailing for you one of the best yoga sets for losing weight safely and permanently.

16

Top YouTube Yoga Video Channel – The Story Behind AnmolMehtaCom

YouTube Yoga Channel

My Best YouTube Yoga Videos

Let me tell you the story about how AnmolMehtaCom, my YouTube Yoga and Meditation channel, has unintentionally become one of the top channels on YouTube for yoga videos.  But, before I jump into this interesting tale, let me give you the more important reason for sharing this channel information with you.  Some readers, especially those from India or other far away lands , sometimes have difficulty viewing the yoga videos directly on AnmolMehta.Com, and my advise to them is to go to my YouTube channel and view them directly from there instead.  This almost always works and resolves the issue for them.  So, if you are having such problems please go directly to my YouTube channel, where you will find almost all my videos available to you for easy viewing.  Link is below. 

The Story Behind AnmolMehtaCom

The one added benefit that the YouTube channel offers is that you will be able to see all the yoga, meditation, mantra and pranayama videos I have created in one place, so you can view any that you may have missed and easily bookmark/favorite those you love most.  In addition, any new yoga videos I create will be uploaded there as well, along with being added to this website of course.  Here is my YouTube channel link.  Please do subscribe, feel free to leave comments and/or send a friend request.


Link—>  Anmol’s YouTube Top Yoga Channel

 

How AnmolMehtaCom Became a Top Yoga YouTube Video Channel:

So here is how this all happened.  Initially, when I launched the free yoga and meditation video series, I had no clue on how to go about embedding the videos into the blog.  So like all WordPress users, I hunted for a plugin and got it to work after some normal initial hair pulling .  I uploaded the videos directly to my website and was happy to see it all working as I had hoped.  Then I started creating more videos and soon realized that with the increasing traffic and video views, I would quickly burn through my available bandwidth and have issues with my site performance as well.  So I began searching for alternate solutions and soon discovered Google Videos.

Essentially, I understood and began the process of uploading my videos to a third party site and then embedding them in my blog.  This solved my bandwidth and performance concerns and I was happily creating vidoes, uploading to Google Videos and embedding them in the blog for you all to enjoy.

It was then that I discovered that YouTube was the best place for doing my uploads to, as it was the premier site for video hosting and video publishing.  So I moved everything over to YouTube, got rid of the plugins, recoded everything and began to embed using the code YouTube provided.  This is how it is all set-up now, and all the videos you find in the Free Yoga Video Series, Free Online Meditation Video Series and Yoga Pranayama Video Series are coming from my YouTube channel.  As you will notice, at no time was I looking to have my videos go viral on YouTube itself!  I was simply interested in getting them uploaded there, to allow me to embed them in my blog.  

So time passed.  I would get constant emails from YouTube that people are subscribing to my channel.  I was aware that the videos were getting thousands and thousands of views, but figured that was due to my site and you guys , and so I continued on my merry way creating, uploading, embedding, enjoying.  Well all that changed recently when I started receiving request from YouTube to join in some partner program.  I basically ignored the first few requests, until finally deciding to check out what the hupla was all about.  What I discovered is that essentially my YouTube channel had grown huge and was now one of the top yoga video channels on YouTube!  What a nice surprise .

The moral of the story is of course, just do what you love to do and results will follow.  This is the foundation of Karma Yoga and how you should approach life.  Just worry about doing your part and leave the rest up to life to take care of.  The good news is that although, I was planning a whole new video series anyway for the Mantra videos I promised yesterday, I have some extra motivation now knowing that the videos are also very popular with all my YouTube viewers and subscribers.  Below are the my top 5 yoga, meditation and breathing exercises videos from YouTube.

#1 YouTube Yoga Video:

 

Yoga Exercises to Burn Fat and Lose Weight

 

#2 YouTube Yoga Meditation Video:

 

#3 YouTube Yoga Pranayama Video:

Kapalbhati Yoga Pranayama for Weight Loss

 

#4 YouTube Yoga Breathing Exercises Video:

 

Breath of Fire Yoga Pranayama

 

#5 YouTube Yoga Video:

 

Core Abdominal Workout Yoga Workout

 

Stay tuned for the new mantra and yoga video series that is in the works and I hope you continue to enjoy and benefit from the website AND the YouTube channel .

17

5 Unusual Ways to Get More Energy

How to Get More Energy

Increase Body Energy

Finally, everything comes down to energy, and you will find it necessary to increase the level of your body energy not just for living well, but also for success in real meditation.  The question which then follows, is what can you do in order to increase your energy levels and build them up to your maximum human capacity?  That will be the topic for this article.  Here I will discuss 5 non conventional ways to help your body have more energy, so that you can live and meditate at a higher and deeper level.

The conventional and effective methods for increasing energy are of course proper diet and exercise.  There is already a great deal of information about these 2 topics on the website.  You can read articles such as Healthy Eating Guide, Detox Diet Mistakes and Ayurvedic Diet to Lose Weight for nutritional tips, while the free online e-books on Hatha Yoga Poses and Kundalini Yoga Exercises will give you plenty of exercise and fitness tips.  But, beyond diet and exercise, there are many other ways to conserve and increase body energy and below I am going to discuss 5 of the more unusual ways to do this.

 More Energy

5 Ways to Get More Body Energy

1. Silence to Conserve Energy:

Quiet down .  Ours is a business of inner silence, but let’s at least learn to be outwardly quiet at times.  Talking endlessly, whether that be gossiping, complaining, babbling, discussing, arguing or endlessly talking about ourselves is a waste of precious energy.  So at least try taking a break from talking and spend a day being quiet to see what affects this has on you.  You will learn a great deal about yourself by undertaking such an experiment, not to mention the great amount of energy you will be able to save.

Silence is a well known technique used by masters throughout history to advance spiritually and energetically.  Some masters decided on life long silence, and although that is not required, life long yakking is not helpful either.  So, set aside some time to test this out for yourself and abstain observe complete silence.  It will give you a chance to hear your constant inner dialogue, which is the beginning of spiritual living.

2. Sexual Abstinence to Build Energy:

It is the wise man who preserves his sexual charge.  Treat life as a great big experiment, a laboratory for the study of the Self (read The Magical Gate to the Best School for Enlightenment) and don’t be afraid to try different things, even if they are unconventional.  This experiment of conserving your sexual charge and sexual energy is one you will find very interesting.  Sexual energy is not just the most condensed form of body energy, it is also the form of energy which can be used for both, spiritual growth as well as physical evolution.  So conserve this energy for a period of time and see it go to work for you.

If you are undergoing massive kundalini awakening, then you know to be careful of this approach, as it can push you too far, but otherwise it is a must try energy experiment for others.  In addition to the energy boost you will get, also keep an eye on your creativity levels during this time, you may notice some very surprising results there as well.

For those looking to build their sexual energy, you can check out the Free Online Tantra Yoga Program as well.

3. Stop Worrying:

This should have been number 1, now that I think about it, but here is the greatest cause for energy loss on the planet today – WORRYING.  Not only is it burning up precious energy, it is also creating mental stress, emotional stress, physical stress and wearing out the brain.  So what is the answer to breaking this deep rooted habit?  Learning to live moment to moment.  Forget about the future, just put yourself as best as you can in the hands of infinity and learn to go with the flow.  Let life take you where she wills.  Trying for endless security and worrying constantly about the past and future, disconnects you with the present, which is where life is, and which is where all the magic happens.  So for the sake of your happiness and for an end to energy wastage, it is time to give up worrying completely, right now.

4. Passionate Living to Summon Energy:

If you want to live an inspired and energetic life, do what you are passionate about.  I have written about this key topic in the ever popular article, The Secret of How to Become an Early Riser, but will summarize the essence of it for you here.  Energy is provided where it is needed or demanded by life.  When you are really interested in doing something, you will notice that the energy will show up, in this way, when you are doing things you are passionate about, you will find yourself having abundant energy and motivation.  A sure fire way to feel lethargic and depressed is to undertake jobs and careers you have no love or passion for.  If you really want to be full of energy and zeal, do that which love to do.

5. Pranayama for Incredible Body Energy:

Finally, there is yoga breathing exercises, the King Kong of all body energy increasing methods.  This is perhaps not that unusual any more, as it is getting more and more mainstream attention, but it is still not as widely accepted or known as simple hatha yoga (physical yoga).  Pranayama is one of the best ways to open up energetic pathways, clear your system of emotional and physical debris, rejuvenate your organs, raise your level of consciousness, find peace and tap into the infinite reservoir of life energy or prana which is available to you for free.  For those who are new to pranayama here is a free online ebook with all the details you need in order to get started with this life transforming practice – Yoga Breathing Exercise – Pranayama.

Summary of How to Get More Body Energy:

The five methods above to conserve and increase your energy, in conjunction with a healthy diet and fitness routine, will give you the opportunity to live a magnificent and fruitful life.  One final note about energy tip #4, is that it is this very passion for advanced meditation (watching your thoughts), which leads the mind to slow down and allow for moment to moment comprehension of thinking mind.  So, as I mentioned in the beginning, everything is a game of energy, living life and transcending it as well.

18

Yoga Exercise to Tone Thighs and Buttocks

Workout for Thighs

How to Tone Thighs and Butt

One of the best yoga exercises for strengthening your legs is Frog Pose for Toned Legs, but not far behind is another superb and simple exercise for firming and toning your thighs and buttocks, and today I would like to detail this excellent exercise for you.  It is simply called Yoga Deep Knee Bends or Deep Squats Yoga Exercise, and for those familiar with my free yoga videos, you will have already encountered it in the popular Rapid Weight Loss Yoga Exercises Set.

As kids there was a famous exercise that we all used to have fun doing, which was called “Uttack Battack”, which is essentially standing up and squatting back down repeatedly, and Deep Knee Bends is pretty much this same exercise with a small variation for the arms.  For those of you familiar with Indian Bollywood Actresses, Shilpa Shetty, who is known for having a slim, fit and firm body, confessed that this very exercise was instrumental in helping her shape and tone her thighs and buttocks early in her career as well.  So for those of you looking to get your legs and butt toned and shapely, it’s time to revisit this favorite exercise from the days past.

Thighs and Buttocks

Of course, there are more important benefits to having your lower body strong and fit, than just sexy looks, and a workout including Deep Knee Bends is sure to help you enjoy those many benefits as well.  These I have detailed below in the practice section for this exercise.  In addition, you will find cautions, modifications and illustration of this exercise in that section as well.  Deep Squats Yoga Exercise will be part of the following 2 free online e-books here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga: Free Hatha Yoga Poses and Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises, where you will find a huge collection of other yoga poses and exercises, fully illustrated and detailed.

Please also follow the guidelines on how to practice yoga, which I have detailed in the following 2 articles, Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice and Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice.

 

Yoga Exercise to Firm and Tone Thighs and Buttocks

 

Illustration #1 Deep Knee Bends Starting Position

yoga exercise tone thighs and buttocks illustration

 

Illustration #2 Deep Knee Bends Ending Position

yoga work tone thighs and buttocks picture
 

 

Illustration #3 Deep Knee Bends Ending Position – Side View

exercise


Deep Squats Yoga Exercise for Toned Thighs and Buttocks:

a. Instructions for Deep Squats Yoga Exercise: 

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
  • Extend both arms straight out in front of you, with fingers extended and palms facing down.  Illustration #1.
  • Find a point in front of you to concentrate on, this will help you with your balance and focus.
  • Inhale through the nose as you squat down slowly.  You should try to squat down to where you are making a ninety degree angle at your knees as I have shown above in Illustrations 2 and 3.
  • Exhale as you slowly stand back up.
  • Continue at a smooth, steady pace for the duration of the workout.

b. Duration for Deep Squats Yoga Exercise: 1-5 mins

c. Benefits of Deep Squats Yoga Exercise:  

  • Excellent for firming and toning your thighs and buttocks.
  • Increases energy and builds vitality.
  • Helps burn fat and calories to promote healthy weight loss.
  • Works on your fitness level by increasing your heart rate and circulation.
  • Increases virility and improves sexual fitness.
  • Strengthens your shoulders.

d. Practice Tips for Deep Squats Yoga Exercise :

  • If you have bad knees you need to careful with this exercise.  Only go as far down as you are comfortable.
  • If you feel your thighs burning too much, stop and take a short break.  Then begin again once you have recovered.
  • If your shoulder tiers, but your legs feel strong, you can lower your hands and continue with the squats.

Another great exercise that I would like to mention for shaping and toning your thighs and butt is Yoga Chair Pose and you will find details for that exercise in the following article: Yoga Chair Pose for Sexual Health.

19

Yoga for Full Body Fitness

Yoga for Fitness

Full Body Yoga Workout

Yoga, as I have mentioned previously, is not just for stretching and flexibility, but is perfectly capable of giving you a complete full body workout.  Thus, if you are looking for fitness, strength and muscle tone, along with the added benefits of mental and emotional balance, yoga is an excellent solution for you.

In this article today, I will combine for you several key exercises and sets, which when put together give you a complete fitness routine.  This workout will target your upper body, stomach and abs, as well as help you tone and strengthen your lower body.  On the way to doing this, it will even give your important heart muscle a bit of a workout.

Body Fitness

The techniques and exercises in this comprehensive set come of the school of Kundalini Yoga.  I have found that Kundalini Yoga, because it uses so much dynamic movement, is especially good for routines geared towards fitness and dynamic strength.  Don’t get me wrong, other types of yoga also use flow and movement, and will deliver quite a workout as well, but in general, Kundalini Yoga fits the needs of a full body fitness routine very well.

Your will find the exercises, poses and postures used in this Yoga for Full Body Fitness Set in the  Free Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises E-book and the Free Illustrated Hatha Yoga Poses E-book.  In addition, this set will make up Chapter 17 of our popular Free Online Kundalini Yoga Sets E-book.  Soon it will also be a part of a even more complete yoga fitness program via the Free Online Yoga & Meditation Classes held here on Mastery of Meditation & Yoga.

Benefits of Yoga for Full Body Fitness:

I suggest visiting the exercises and sets in particular to see all the benefits and other details for these exercises, there are too many to list here.  Below I will just give the highlights of what this delivers:

  • Helps you achieve full body fitness and health.
  • Good for the digestive system, nervous system, circulatory system, immune system and nervous system.
  • Increases your level or energy and vitality.
  • Helps tone your abdominal muscles, shape your stomach and gives you core strength and power.
  • Helps with weight loss. 
  • Significantly develops full body strength and flexibility.
  • Tones legs, arms, chest, shoulders, abs and buttocks.
  • Helps improve health and well being.
  • Helps develop sexual fitness and virility.

Yoga Exercises for Fitness Preparation:

The following two articles are important to read as they provide guidelines on how to practice yoga intelligently and safely:

Essential Beginners Guide to Yoga Practice

10 Important Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice

Remember the golden rule is please do not overdo or over strain.  Especially if you are new to yoga, please use the beginner’s version for the difficult exercises and back off if you feel uncomfortable or dizzy.  For all the poses in this set illustrations have also been provided.

You will also need to learn the Breath of Fire breathing exercise, which is taught in the following video:  Breath of Fire Kundalini Yoga Pranayama.   This breathing exercise is a fundamental breathing technique in Kundalini Yoga and is used in conjunction with the yoga poses in the set below.  If at any time you feel it is difficult to keep up with breath of fire during the exercise, please switch to long deep breathing or normal breathing instead.  Breath of Fire will play an important role in helping you achieve the level of fitness you seek, by adding an important respiratory and circulatory component to the workout.

Yoga Set for Full Body Fitness:

To meet the requirements of full body fitness, this set obviously utilizes a wide range of exercises and sequences.  All these are illustrated and detailed below, but I want to give you a quick summary of them here first for easy reference.  To get more details, you can scroll down to the particular section or head over to the article for that particular technique or pose.

Do each exercise as per your strengths and weaknesses of your body regions.  If your abs are already fit and strong, you can do more repetitions of the abdominal exercises, while if your legs are strong already you can do more Kundalini Yoga Froggies.  If you are new to yoga or just getting started with your fitness program, do the beginner times for the exercises as I have detailed below.

Fitness Yoga Sequence:

– Cobra Push-ups – Upper Body Fitness

– Yoga Ab Exercises Set – Core Fitness

– Yoga Chair Pose – Lower Body Fitness

– Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose – Lower Body Fitness

– Rest & Rejuvenation

I have broken down this routine into 4 sections.  First is upper body training, second is core abdominal fitness, the third is lower body strength and toning, and finally a relaxation section at the end.

Fitness Yoga Section 1: Upper Body Training:

Cobra Push-ups for Upper Body Fitness

Illustration #A Starting Position

 

Illustration #B Yoga Cobra Pose

 

Illustration #C Yoga Plank Pose


 

Cobra Push-Ups:

a. Instructions for practicing Cobra Push Ups:

  • Start in the position as indicated by Illustration #A.  Essentially this is the down position when doing simple push-ups (except toes are extended).  You are lying flat on your stomach with your hands near your shoulders.
  • Now come up into cobra pose and inhale deeply as you do so (Illustration #B).
  • Next exhale as you bring yourself up into Plank Pose as indicated in Illustration #C.
  • Then lower yourself back down to Illustration #A down as you Inhale.  Finally, exhale in this down position and then repeat by coming back into Cobra pose and inhaling deeply.

Cobra Push-Ups Variation #2:

  • In this variation you will essentially skip Plank Pose, or Illustration #C.  So come into the pose as per Illustration #A, exhale, then come into Cobra Pose (Illustration #B) as you inhale deeply.  Continue to move between these 2 positions.  Even though this is a simple movement, I guarantee you will feel this in your arms and chest very soon .

Cobra Push-ups Variation #3:

  • A slightly different variation to this exercise, is that when you bring your body up into Cobra, have your thighs come up off the floor as well (Upward Facing Dog Pose).  The rest is the same. 

b. Duration for Cobra Push-ups:

  • 15 seconds – 7 minutes.

c. Benefits of Cobra Push-ups:

  • Excellent yoga exercise for upper body fitness.  Good for chest, arms and shoulders.
  • Good for training your back and abdominal muscles as well.  Essentially you enjoy all the many benefits that Cobra Pose and Plank Pose bestow.
  • Good for your digestive system and nervous system.

 

d. Practice Tips for Cobra Push-ups:

  • A smart way to build up your strength and train these important muscles is to use simple start stop tactics.  Do 30 seconds, then take a break in the down position, and then start again and do 30 seconds more.  Keep up this pattern, you will soon see marked improvement in your strength, muscle tone and upper body fitness.
  • Since the toes are kept extended as show in the illustrations above, be careful as this can put extra pressure on your lower back.

Fitness Yoga Section 2: Core Abdominal Training:

Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout for Core Fitness

1. Yoga Single Leg Lifts:

 

Illustration #1: Yoga Ab Single Leg Lifts – Starting Position

 

 

 

Illustration #2: Yoga Ab Single Leg Lifts – Left Leg Up

 

Illustration #3: Yoga Ab Single Leg Lifts – Right Leg Up

Description:

For this exercise lie on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back, as shown in Illustration #1.  Then lift your left leg up to 90 degrees and then back down (Illustration #2).  Follow that by lifting your right leg to 90 degrees and then down (Illustration #3).  Repeat with left leg and continue on.  You will feel your abdominal muscles working to raise each leg.

Breath:

Inhale as leg goes up, exhale down.

Duration:

1- 3 minutes.

2. Yoga Double Leg Lifts:

 

Illustration #4 – Yoga Ab Double Leg Life – Starting Position

 

 

Illustration #5 – Yoga Ab Double Leg Lifts – Ending Position

Description:

For this exercise remain on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back.  But now lift both legs smoothly up to 90 degree and then back down.  Try to keep your knees straight and keep the motion controlled and smooth (illustration #5).  This exercise work your ab muscles much harder than the single leg lifts, so be ready.

Make sure to take a break between exercises to let the abdominal muscles recover a little before moving on.

Breath:

Inhale as legs goes up, exhale down.

Duration:

1- 3 minutes.

3. Yoga Criss-Cross Legs:

 

Illustration #6 – Yoga Ab Criss Cross Legs

 

 

Illustration #7 – Yoga Ab Criss Cross Legs

Description:

Again for this exercise remain on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back.  Now lift both legs up about 12-18 inches off the floor and have your toes pointing forward.  Now begin to criss-cross your legs at ankle level rapidly (Illustrations 6 & 7).  At first one leg will be on top, and then when you cross back have the other leg be on top. 

This exercise will give the side ab muscles (obleques) a workout,and is excellent for shaping your stomach region.  Energy for fitness comes from your core, so when this gets tough remember all the good you are doing for yourself.

Breath:

Do the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise as you criss-cross your legs.

Duration:

1- 3 minutes.

4. Yoga  Piston Legs:

 

Illustration #8 – Yoga Ab Piston Legs

 

 

 

Illustration #9 – Yoga Ab Piston Legs

Description:

Remain on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back.  Again lift both legs up about 12-18 inches off the floor and have your toes pointing forward.  Now begin to piston your legs back and forth rapidly (Illustrations 8 & 9).  As one leg bends in (knee coming towards the chest), the other goes straight out and the motions reverse. 

Be sure to not bicycle the legs, the legs should move parallel to the floor for this exercise.  This exercise will ensure that if any parts of your stomach muscles were left out of the workout, that they get a chance to now participate .  Six-pack abs here we come…

Breath:

Breath out as you fire each leg out.

Duration:

1- 5 minutes.

5. Add Stretch Pose or Boat Post (Optional).

The above 4 ab exercises provide a great workout to tone and develop your stomach, but if you feel ready to take it to the next level, then add Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose to this set.  If you feel really strong and would like to set the bar even higher, then add Kundalini Yoga Boat Pose to enhance this set further.  You will find me demonstrating Yoga Boat Pose in the Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set Video and description also in that article.

 

Illustration #10 – Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose

Fitness Yoga Section 3: Lower Body Training:

Illustrations of Yoga Chair Pose

Side View Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
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Front View Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
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Hands Position Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose

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Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose Hands Close-up

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Side View of Modified Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
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Front View of Modified Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
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Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose Practice Details:

a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose:

  • Stand and place your feet shoulder width apart, with toes pointing outward.
  • Lean forward till your back in parallel to the ground.
  • Reach down and grasp your ankles, such that the elbows are passing from the inside of your knees.
  • Keep your head up and begin Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise.

b. Duration for Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose:

  • 15 Seconds – 3 minutes.
  • Start slowly and build up your time steadily from there.

c. Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose:

  • Great for lower body fitness.
  • Excellent yoga posture for toning your thighs and buttocks.
  • Improves sexual health and builds sexual virility and vitality.
  • Helps the body burn fat to promote healthy weight loss.

 

d. Practice Tips for Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose:

  • Use the modified versions illustrated above.
  • Take a break, if the legs start to burn too much and then restart the exercise again once ready.
  • Be careful with your knees and only go as far down as comfortable, regardless of whether you are doing the modified posture or the full pose.
  • If Breath of Fire is too much, then switch to long deep breathing or normal breathing which continuing to hold the pose.
  • You can also do the modified version of chair pose by standing against a wall and working your way lower as your legs get stronger.  This is the technique used in physiotherapy in general.

Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose for Fit Legs

Picture of Starting Position of Yoga Frog Pose (Eyes Closed)

 

 

Picture of Starting Position of Yoga Frog Pose (Eyes Open)


Picture of Ending Position for Yoga Frog Pose

Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose Practice Details:

a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose:

  • Squat on the floor on your toes, with your feet apart and your heels either touching or very close together.
  • Have your knees spread out and your arms inside your knees with your finger tips touching the floor.  The elbows are straight.
  • Look up, you can have your eyes opened or closed.  Inhale.  This is the starting position for frog pose.
  • Rise up now by straightening your legs.  At the same time bring your head towards your knees and keep your fingers touching the floor.  Your heels should move down towards the floor.  Straighten your legs as much as possible.  Exhale.  This is the ending position for frog pose.  This completes 1 repetition.
  • Come back down to the starting position and repeat the cycle as many times as indicated.

b. Duration for Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose:

  • Beginners, start with as many as you can do and work up to 26 froggies.
  • Intermediates, work up to 54 froggies.
  • Advanced, work up to 108 froggies.
  • Fanatics, keep going :-).

c. Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose:

  • Shapes, tones and strengthens the legs and lower body.  Specially the thighs muscles.
  • Good for cardiovascular fitness and stamia.  Promoting better circulation and better respiration.
  • Promotes flexibility in the hamstrings and calves.
  • Overall, builds one level of fitness and endurance.
  • Builds sexual potency and virility.

 

d. Practice Tips for Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose:

  • Careful with your knees.  If you have bad knees, approach this exercise with caution.
  • Take breaks in between if your legs are burning too much.  Once they recover continue on.
  • This yoga exercise will get your heart rate up, so careful not to get dizzy.  If you feel breathless, light headed or faint, stop and take a break.
  • Here is a secret.  Doing froggies slowly is harder.  Some kundalini yoga kriyas (sets) demand you go slow, but in general a brisk pace will allow you to do more.  Just don’t push too hard.
  • It is ok to be sore in the legs the next day.  It means the muscles got a much needed workout.
  • It is beneficial to stretch the hamstrings before doing frog pose.

Fitness Yoga Section 4: Rejuvenation and Assimilation

Corpse Pose:

  • Once you have completed the Yoga Set for Full Body Fitness, make sure you relax on your back in corpse pose.  For corpse pose just lie comfortably on your back and have your hands out to the sides or on your chest.  Just let go during this time and let the Universe take care of you.  Have no worries, anxieties or goals, and simply surrender to Infinity.
  • Duration: 3 – 11 mins.
  • Breath: Relaxed

Yoga for Full Body Fitness Summary:

As I mentioned above, this set is going to eventually be part of a more complete yoga fitness program, which will then become part of the online classes that are offered, but in and of itself it is an excellent routine to develop total body fitness and health. 

20

Yoga & Meditation Tools for Greatness Series Launched

Best Yoga & Meditation Products

Yoga & Meditation for Spiritual Mastery

Tools for Greatness Overview:

I am very happy to announce the launch of the Tools for Greatness series here on Mastery of Meditation & Yoga.  This series is going to consist of FULL LENGTH yoga sets, breathing exercises and guided meditations to help you really learn and benefit from these profound spiritual sciences.  Many of you have requested such a product, as in essence this would allow you to enjoy a full yoga and meditation class online, with complete step-by-step video instruction and demonstration.

Yoga & Meditation ToolsThis Tools for Greatness products are going to consist of the very best yoga, pranayama and meditation techniques with the goal to help you achieve Personal Greatness and Spiritual Mastery.  To help you live your life at your highest potential.  These sets and techniques are what comprise my personal spiritual practice and they are not limited to any one type of yoga.  These are the more powerful techniques I have come across and the sequences are those that I have discovered to be most effective and potent.  In this series I will share with all of you this profound knowledge and wisdom, so you too can enjoy the amazing benefits they bestow.

The series is going to have beginner and advanced versions of yoga and meditation sets.  They are going to be full length videos, where each are divided into the following 3 parts for easy use.  The first part will introduce the set or techniques of that video, the second part will teach you step-by-step how to practice the exercises and finally, the third part will be an entire online video class where we practice the full set together.

Best Beginner’s Yoga Breathing Exercises Set – Anmol Pranayama 1:

The first video of this series is a set of yoga breathing exercises for beginner’s and it is now online .  As this is the very version that I would do early in my practice, I simply call it Anmol Pranayama 1.  My current pranayama practice is mostly an advanced version of this set, which I will simply call Anmol Pranayama 2, when I launch that video.  You can get complete details for this video on the following page: Best Yoga Breathing Exercises for Beginner’s, but below you will find a general overview of all the wonderful aspects of this set.

Video of Yoga Breathing for Beginner’s:

As I mentioned above, this video consists of 3 sections, and below you will find the Introductory section of this video.  All 3 sections combined the video is over 50 minutes long, as it consists of a 20 minute section for the pranayama training for beginner’s, and the online class (the set itself) is 30 minutes long, which we do together in the final section of this video.  So when you download this entire product, please be patient .

Anmol Pranayama 1 Introduction Video

(Please note this is loaded from YouTube, so any performance issues won’t be experienced when you play the vidoes from your computer after download)

 

Benefits of Anmol Pranayama 1:

The vast benefits of yoga breathing exercises are fast being recognized world over and rapidly being acknowledged by the mainstream medical community as well.  There ability to bestow a wide and profound range of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits is hard to match via any other system or practice.  Even though I am calling this a beginner’s pranayama set, this set is very very good for you, and is certainly not lacking in value or potency.

Here are some quick highlights of how this set will benefit you:

  • Detoxify Your Entire System
  • Help You Lose Weight & Burn Fat
  • Increase Your Energy & Vitality
  • Help Cure Illnesses and Give You Optimum Health
  • Uplift You Emotionally & Mentally
  • Raise Your Level of Consciousness & Awareness

Tools for Greatness Summary:

I really hope you all enjoy this new series of videos and it helps everyone live their life at their very best.  The combination of yoga, pranayama and meditation is unsurpassed for those interested in spiritual mastery and personal greatness.  You will find yourself and your life transforming spontaneously, as you simply commit to a daily practice.  These sciences allow you to realize all your inner potential, and as this potential is unleashed, your life starts to dramatically transform.  Wishing you all the very best on your journey back to the Source.  God Bless You!