Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Yoga Meditation Takes Much Practice To Perfect

In today’s online world, where everyone seems to be tweeting or updating their status every second of the day, the idea of simply sitting and clearing your mind of all the useless clutter in a quest for peace and clarity may seem strange. And, for some, impossible.


But clearing one's mind of the useless clutter and reaching a state of calmness and peace is the goal of yoga meditation. To accomplish this goal, the yoga student must learn to be in total control of their thoughts and mind. And while many people may think they currently possess this ability, attempting meditation for the first time may prove them wrong.

What anyone attempting meditation for the first (or even third or tenth time) should realize is that meditation doesn’t come easy. Despite the serenity it will eventually bring, teaching your mind to relax and clear itself is a process with important steps and milestones along the way. One of the most important of these steps is learning to breath. By learning to breath to achieve inner peace, a yoga student can take control of their "prana" or life force, possessing the ability to increase and decrease it at will to achieve a sense of balance that, in turn, eases the student into a meditative state.

The life force, or prana, moves throughout the body along channels known as “nadis”. There are three nadis: the sushumna, which flows along the spine, and the pinngala and ida, which each run on one side of the sushumma. Through these channels runs the prana, propelled along with breathing and the practitioner’s thoughts and emotions. The way you breathe controls the direction of the flow of prana and facilitates the process of meditation.

With that in mind, the first step in meditating in yoga is to become aware of yourself, of your body and your mind. Begin by lying on your back on the floor or a bed with your arms at your sides and your legs stretched out. Become aware of your surroundings, the way your body is reacting to them. Close your eyes and become aware of your body, your extremities and their weight. Let your body sink into the floor and feel the different parts of your body come in contact with the floor.

Next, become aware of your body from head to toe. Became aware of your body starting with your toes. Then move upwards along your legs, your knees, past your pelvis and on up to your back and shoulders. Feel your arms and hands, and move upward from their to your head. Become aware of any areas of tension, stress and discomfort. If you sense your muscles are tight in a particular area, make an effort to get them to relax.

Now focus on your spine, the area where the sushumma flows. Try to visualize the prana or life force flowing along the path. Feel it moving along your spine from the base to your head. Imagine it flowing freely, carrying away all of your tension.

If you sense that there is a blockage in an area, or the prana does not flow free, try to visualize the blockage being taken away. Lastly, become aware, once again, of your whole body and take note of the area that held tension or were significant to you for whatever reason. At this point, your breaths should be calm and slow. Notice how your breath is flowing in and out and notice whether it is smooth and relaxed or heavy and labored. Note whether you are breathing in an irregular pattern.

At this stage you should also take note of the thoughts in your mind. Hopefully, you mind should be at rest and clear, but if it is not, don’t worry. This does not mean you have failed at meditation, simply that you will have to practice more at meditation. Most people who attempt this for the first time find their thoughts are still turning to work or family issues. This is to be expected. After a while, you will be able to clear your mind and achieve a deeper level of meditation.

Become aware of the pattern of your heartbeat and how your body rises and falls with each breath. Each time, make a mental note of your emotions at the time and your state of mind. And conclude by becoming aware of your entire state: mind, body and spirit.

You may have to attempt meditation several time before you find that you can completely relax, but as we said, it takes practice. Schedule regular times to practice meditation and learn to listen to your body and mind to reach a level of peach and harmony.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Tour To Nepal –explore The Prominent Features


The presence of large ranges of mountains makes it a perfect destination for trekking, hiking and other adventure sporting. Thousands of adventure enthusiasts visit Nepal every year to enjoy experiences of trekking and mountain climbing. Some of the popular regions where you can enjoy peak climbing Nepal are Annapurna, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Makalu, Great Himalayan Range and many more. There are countless destinations where you can enjoy trekking. Along with trekking, the mountain ranges of Nepal also offers opportunities for other adventure sports including hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking, sky diving, etc. Tourists can also enjoy rafting in the mountainous rivers and lakes. However, if you are trek lover, do not forget to get the adventurous experience of trekking Himalayas. The Great Himalaya will offer you challenging trails to trek. You will get real adventure in trekking the lofty mountains of Himalayan range.

Nepal is also considered as “Paradise for Birds Lovers”. Kathmandu Valley is best destination for bird watching tour. There are more than 800 species of birds alone in the Kathmandu Valley. Phulchoki, Godavari, Nagarjun, Bagmati River, Taudaha, etc are considered as best spots to enjoy bird watching as flurry of birds gather near these places. Bird watching is a prominent activity to enjoy in Nepal.

Nepal is a unique blend of human and nature. More than 18% of its land is protected as national parks or wildlife sanctuaries. There are about 8 national parks and 4 wildlife sanctuaries which hold diverse species of flora and fauna. The wildlife reserve of Nepal is the hotspot of Indo-Himalayan ecological species. Chitwan National Park is most prominent wildlife destination.

This unique land is also known for its colorful culture and rich valued traditions. The inhabitants are highly religious and cultural. You can find many temples and shrines there. You will also pass by some beautiful mountain hamlets on trekking tours Nepal. Basically ethnic tribal people dwell in these mountain hamlets. They display unique traditions and culture of the land. So, visit Rajasthan and explore all its prominent attractions.

Nepal - Exquisite Natural Beauty Encircled By Himalayas


Nepal located in the lap of Himalayas is undoubtedly one of the strikingly beautiful paradises for the tourists worldwide. It is the best place to be away from the chaotic city life. One can unwind, rejuvenate, relax and enjoy the flawless beauty of Nepal. One can find adventure, rich culture, wild life, jungle safari, river rafting and much more on the same platter. The place has amazing impressive beauty which keeps the tourists spell bound.Mount Everest: If one wants to enjoy nature’s true beauty, there is no other place than Mount Everest. It is set against the brilliant blue sky with the snow peaks is truly mesmerizing. One can feel very close to the sky.
Kathmandu: Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital has got some fascinating historical sites, ancient temples, stunning villages and much more to its beauty. It is the hot spot for the tourists. The Monkey temple is the valleys oldest and the sacred shrine of the place. It has famous casinos which offer unlimited fun games and good night life. Hanuman Dhoka, Swayambhunath Stupa, Boudhnath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple and many more are the tourist’s attraction in Kathmandu.
Patan: Patan once royal palace is still a religious place. There are three main chowks in Patan palace complex are Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk and Keshav Narayan Chowk. Some of the temples in Patan are Krishna Mandir, Ghanta (Big Bell), Kumveshwore Temple, Rato Machhindranath Temple, Bahal and Bahis (Buddhist monasteries) are famous religious spots in Patan.
Bhaktapur: It is the third “Royal City” of Nepal. Durbar Square, Changu Narayan Temple, Durga and Bhairava, National Gallery, Nyatapola Mandir and Surya Vinayak are some of the recommended tourists spot in Bhaktapur.
Pashupatinath: The Pashupatinath Temple with lingam is situated at the bank of river Bagmati. It is the foremost temples of Lord Shiva on the Indian sub continent. The main attractions in Pashupatinath are Lingams, Vatsala Shrine, and Raja Rajeshwari Mandir.
Shivapuri: Shivapuri is a village, having typical Nepal settings. It offers activities like bird watching, nature treks and hikes, village tours, photography and more.

Yoga Teacher Training Courses In Kathmandu Rather Than India

Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher Training
Becoming a Yoga Alliance certified teacher has its benefits. Other than the great enjoyment and spiritual satisfaction that teaching to others gives you, the other benefit that cannot be ignored is that YA Certification is a recognized qualification that puts you on the right road to finding work as a qualified yoga teacher enabling you to make a living doing the thing that you love most in this world.

Why Teacher Training Courses India?
The traditional practice of mental and physical health which we have come to know as yoga originated from the North of India and what is now known as Nepal. Even though in recent times it has become more and more popular worldwide and is now taught all over the globe it is likely that the majority of all yoga teachers at one time or another traveled to India to practice yoga or get certified as a teacher; and what better place to bring you closer to yoga and some of the best yoga teachers in the world than the land of its origins, but why not Nepal?

Yoga in Nepal
Anyone who has visited a Himalayan ashram or practiced at a retreat with the magnificent Mount Everest as their backdrop will tell you of an enlightening experience that is not to be forgotten. There is something really special about practicing and learning yoga on the ‘Roof of the World’, the Himalayas. The historical association that Nepal has with Yoga, being cut off from the hustle and bustle off modern civilization and the beautiful background that the Himalayas gives the region all adds to the unique spiritual atmosphere of Nepal and so more and more companies have chosen to offer yoga teacher training courses in this wonderful country.

Yoga Teacher Training Courses Nepal
There are number of Yoga companies to choose from that offer yoga teacher training courses in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal but when it comes to making the choice of which company to take your teacher training course with how can you be sure that you’re choosing the right one? Firstly the tell tale sign of a reputable company is whether they offer Yoga Alliance certified courses or not and if so then well, you’re half way there.

Yoga Companies Kathmandu
When it comes to choosing a yoga teacher training course with a reputable yoga company in Nepal you can be reassured that you will get great value for your money. The prices for yoga training courses in Nepal vary from around 600 USD for a 4 week/200 hour course to around 900 USD for 6 week/300 hour courses.