The Course of Yoga through the Millennia

Just how old is yoga? Well, almost as old as the ancient civilizations of the world over 5,000 years back. Some even consider it to be older by a further 5,000 years, but there are no reliable documents to prove that. Since the principles of yoga were largely conveyed orally and kept hidden from the larger populace, the exact time-frame of its formalization and adoption is hard to figure out even for scholars of history and archaeologists. There were written texts too, but since much of writing back then was done on palm leaves that couldn’t stand the test of time. 

But though its origins in pre-history aren’t well documented, it’s certain that yoga is more than 5,000 years old. That would take it to the period of the Indus Valley Civilization in north western India and what is now Pakistan, between 3300 and 1900 BCE. But it is believed that yoga was further developed and perfected upon during the Vedic period that extended from 1500 to 500 BCE in northern India. 

First Use of the Term “Yoga” 

The Rig Veda, one of the oldest religious texts in the world, contains the first use of the word “yoga”. The Rig Veda is part of the Vedas text collection which contains mantras, rituals and songs for use by the Hindu Brahman priests. The Brahman caste was considered the highest in the caste-based society of the day. The Brahmans further developed the yogic practices. Credit also goes to the seers of the era, called “rishis”. The rishis and the Brahmins could document their practices in another religious work, the Upanishads. The Upanishads framed the karma yoga and jnana yoga disciplines. But the development of yoga has also been attributed to the non-Brahmanic Sramana traditions.  

Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutras

From 200 BCE to 500 BCE, a philosophical system for yoga started emerging. This was the age when Buddhism and Jainism emerged as well. In the 2^nd century AD, Patanjali brought out his Yoga-Sutras text. Patanjali is credited with documenting the classical stream of yoga, called Raja Yoga. Patanjali’s focus was on organizing the steps of yoga with an aim of attaining enlightenment or “Samadhi”. These Yoga-Sutras still have a major influence on modern yoga, which is why Patanjali is called the father of yoga. 

The Yoga Widely Followed in the West – Hatha Yoga

The modern practice of yoga commonly practiced in the United States and the Western word largely follows the principles of Hatha Yoga which itself is an evolution of Tantra Yoga developed by yoga masters who lived centuries following Patanjali. They did not follow the concepts of the Vedic texts I mentioned earlier. Rather, they considered the physical body as a means to enlightenment and developed the principles of Tantra Yoga, which eventually led to Hatha Yoga.   

By the Middle Ages, there were many satellite divisions of yoga that emerged. The Western world got wind of yoga only millennia later, in the 19^th century after Swami Vivekananda’s exposition of Hinduism and Indian traditions in 1893 at the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. 

Peter Theodorou is one of the most successful yoga trainers out there. He believes in always staying physically fit for a healthy life. And yoga has been helping him do that. He just wants to impart that wisdom to others so they can benefit from it.    

What Makes Yoga Different from and Even Better than the Gym

Many people associate yoga with exercise and fitness. Sure, yoga involves exercise and promotes fitness, but it is much more than that. The asanas that are important aspects of yoga are different from regular exercises in that they are aimed at relaxing the body, thereby reducing the strain on the mind and the body’s respiratory system. Exercises performed in the gym, on the other hand, focus on constant movement which actually raises the oxygen requirement for muscles. The asanas are therefore quite different from the regular exercises in terms of their results and how they are performed.  

Yoga Relaxes Muscles While Exercise Strains Them

As we’ve seen, exercising involves constant, strenuous movement, focusing on raising muscle mass. Yoga, on the other hand, focuses on maintaining steady postures and relaxing the muscles. In fact, though asanas are exercises, they are defined as a state where you are “steady and comfortable”. During the asana, your breathing happens in a synchronized manner and the movements are controlled and slow. With regular exercising, synchronized breathing is just not possible because there is repetitive movement and the muscles are placed under stress. As a result, the outcome of yoga and regular exercise vary. While yoga is energy efficient, exercise is energy intensive.      

Yoga causes the body to relax with reduced blood requirement since the body isn’t placed in undue stress. That causes the heart to relax as well. Exercising, on the other hand, raises the blood pressure and the speed of blood circulation. While that may improve the flexibility of the muscle and builds it up, it increases the workload placed on the heart since it has to pump faster.   

       

Yoga Brings Down Cortisol Levels

While yoga brings down the levels of the stress-related cortisol in the body, regular exercise makes the lungs work harder as a result of the constant and stressful movement. So regular exercising could raise the levels of cortisol in the body, since exercise is perceived as a stress. The muscles need more oxygen. 

Exercising also causes lactic acid to be produced, leading to exhaustion and fatigue. Yoga, on the other hand, soothes the nervous system as a result of specific nostril breathing. Yoga also helps in greater pain tolerance and helps the mind too, providing peace and contentment. 

Yoga Benefits both Body and Mind

While exercising contributes to stronger muscles, fitter and slimmer body, and greater flexibility, it does that by putting the body into significant stress and strain. That’s why heavy exercising isn’t recommended for everyone. Yoga, though, provides fitness to not just the body but also the mind, not by placing too much stress but actually relaxing it. That’s why Peter Theodorou started following yoga at quite an early age. Today he’s one of the most successful proponents of the discipline.

What It Takes to Become a Sought After Celebrity Yoga Instructor

Being a yoga instructor involves more than just teaching the right forms and poses for practicing yoga. If you want to be a good instructor, you need to go beyond what happens in a one-hour class and deal with the physical and psychological aspects of your student’s life such as nutrition, meditation, etc. so as to make yoga more meaningful to the individual. That requires in-depth knowledge of yoga and its philosophy as well as a passion for the discipline. These qualities make the difference from being just another yoga instructor to a highly sought after yoga teacher.  

As a result of the need for fitness and a desire to learn more about Eastern philosophies, yoga has become quite popular in the United States. You can find work even beyond yoga and fitness centers to corporate establishments, educational institutions and homes of students for one-on-one classes. You will also have opportunities to take part in workshops and group classes. As you excel in your task and impart yoga education in a more holistic manner, your reputation could precede you wherever you go. The increased demand for your services could make you quite popular. Eventually you could end up becoming a celebrity yoga instructor.    
 
Steps for a Great Yoga Career

But before you start dwelling on the celebrity status, let’s get to the basic aspects on the road to becoming a professional yoga instructor.

• The first step is obviously to learn all the different kinds of yoga since you never know which suits you best. So studying various yoga forms can help you specialize in a particular form and focus on the training for that, since methods of instruction vary based on the form practiced and the facility where you take your training. It also goes without saying that you need a very good mentor.    
• To be a great instructor, you need to adopt a holistic approach for which it would be advisable to complete a teacher training course that would also include yoga philosophy, anatomy, physiology and instructional techniques. The Yoga Alliance sets the guidelines for teacher training programs.
• The Yoga Alliance is where you need to get certified as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). For that you need to complete a teacher training program that satisfies the Yoga Alliance guidelines. Though registration is voluntary, having an RYT credential raises your profile as a yoga instructor.

Even if your training is over, you need to keep your knowledge about training practices and new concepts and philosophies up-to-date. If you’re registered with Yoga Alliance, you need to take part in continuing education lasting for 75 hours every three years. Make sure you keep attending seminars and workshops to keep yourself updated.
         
As renowned yoga instructor Peter Theodorou would say, nothing beats experience. The more experience you gain as an instructor and the more you keep practicing yoga, the more you’re able to make a difference in the depth and effectiveness of the teaching you impart. That would take you to the top rungs of becoming a celebrity yoga instructor, a journey that Peter himself has been through.    

Yoga Poses That Help Treat Depression

Yoga is a great way to bring oxygen to your brain cells and open your ribcage to deeper breaths. Tap into your inner child, literally flip your perspective, and be prepared to feel a whole lot better. Read more: https://goo.gl/Ir7466

Yoga May Be Helpful for People with Chronic Back Pain

Yoga may help reduce pain and functional ability in people with chronic non-specific lower back pain over the short term, compared with no exercise. Learn more: https://goo.gl/hy1Nbq

Yoga - Its Roots and Relevance

The intense stress and strain of modern life has drawn people towards the Oriental fitness form called yoga. Its popularity has risen to such a level that it’s become a mainstay of modern life, though its origins date back to thousands of years.

Most people consider yoga to only be a form of physical exercise that promotes fitness. In reality, yoga is far more than that. In fact, its core is meditation and Hindu spirituality that also hold relevance for Buddhism and Jainism. 

The Origins

The origins of yoga are inconclusive and are being debated. Many scholars place the origins of yoga, as a developed form of meditation, in the Vedic period dating 1700 to 500 BCE and also the later “sramana” movements. But yogic postures seem to have been mentioned in texts and excavated material dating way beyond this period, leading some scholars to date the origins to the Indus Valley Civilization of 3300 to 1900 BCE. In later years, other yoga traditions appeared, particularly during the Middle Ages.   

As a Physical Exercise Discipline

Yoga has gained immense popularity in the Western world as an exercise and fitness measure. It is an ideal discipline to follow in our stress-filled lives. It promotes peace and calm, which in turn enhances health and wellbeing. It contributes to efficiency at the workplace and can make you a better individual. 

The Early Teachers and Scholars in the West

You and I would not be talking about yoga were it not for the efforts of some 19th century Indian, European and American philosophers and scholars. The New England Transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and European scholars and philosophers such as Max Mueller and G.W.F. Hegel were deeply interested in Oriental concepts including yoga.  

Of course the first ever revelation of yoga by an Indian Hindu teacher to a Western audience was made by Swami Vivekananda during his tour of the United States and Europe during the 1890s. It sparked an interest and things just took on from there. With the efforts of N.C. Paul, a 19th-century Bengali physician and scientist, the scientific study of yoga began. The 1980s witnessed significant boom in yoga interest thanks to Dean Ornish, who researched the benefits of lifestyle medicine and linked practicing yoga to heart health. Many newer yoga asanas or postures have been developed in line with the exercise traditions of the Western world. 

With yoga participation at an all-time high in the U.S. and other Western countries, there is an increased interest in yoga teacher training. Peter Theodorou has experienced yoga firsthand from India, where he had his training. It doesn’t get much better than having someone who’s learnt yoga from its place of origin imparting it to you.

6 essential yoga poses for lifters

Whether you're a complete beginner or a legend of the weight room, no one is immune to sore muscles and tight joints. It's simply a part of the game. One quick and easy fix for these ailments is adding a few targeted yoga poses at the end of your workout or on "off days". Read more: https://goo.gl/eQiZkG

Your Checklist before You Embark on a Yoga Trainer Career

To become a yoga trainer, you need to have a passion for it. Don’t just think of it as a means to make money. You must be deeply passionate about this Eastern fitness regimen. You must have experienced yoga in its various forms. Moreover, since you can never stop learning, you must continue enrich your yoga experience and advance your knowledge by attending classes, workshops and retreats so that you can fully uncover its massive potential. 

The process never stops, since the untapped potential is like an ocean. But as you begin to live these experiences through more and more yoga sessions and workshops, you’ll begin to discover yourself more. And that’s when you are ready to teach yoga. 

First, you must learn the different kinds of yoga out there. There may be certain disciplines you are more comfortable with. You need to focus on that since you’ll be able to impart training better in them.   

Equally important as understanding what you’re comfortable with is understanding the requirements of your students. Get to know them well as they enrol for a yoga course with you. What are their expectations? Why are they so interested in learning yoga? Are they learning it for improving fitness? Or are they just learning for gaining more acceptance in society? Is it because they have a fascination towards its oriental connections?   

Before you can get to that point, make sure that you are enrolled in a teacher training course. Passion is important, but teaching requires a certain set of skills. Yoga teacher training will give you insight into physiology and anatomy, the yoga philosophy, and the all-important teaching techniques. These are invaluable in helping you teach more efficiently and satisfactorily, from the perspective of your students which will in turn win you greater recognition. Certification in CPR helps and makes you more competent as a yoga trainer. 

Browse online for open yoga teaching positions in your area and send out applications via email. You could also call local gyms or recreation centers, and ask if they would like to conduct a yoga session. 

These are the strategies that made Peter Theodorou the successful yoga trainer that he is today. He was always obsessed with fitness since his childhood, thanks to his physical trainer dad. Later, he found himself attracted to the oriental regimen of yoga, and though the passion made him an enthusiastic learner, he ensured that he had all the required competencies before he started his career as a yoga trainer. 

So should you!

Breathing-based yoga may help treat major depression

Breathing-based yoga may be beneficial for patients with major depression who do not respond to antidepressants. Learn more: https://goo.gl/iRdhHB