Yoga Community Blog » Food for thought http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com at Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com: Your Personal Free Online Teacher Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:50:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Importance of friends and community support http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/03/12/importance-of-friends-and-community-support/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/03/12/importance-of-friends-and-community-support/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:50:06 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=661 I like an answer from Swami Satchitananda (not 100% sure that it was him, but it doesn’t really matter):

When he was asked: “What is the difference between illness and wellness?” – He circled first letter in the first word and two first letters in the second:

illness vs. wellness

see? How neat!

I’m not sure if origin of [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/03/12/importance-of-friends-and-community-support/feed/ 0 Got good friends? http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/03/12/got-good-friends/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/03/12/got-good-friends/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:49:42 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=644 Sure your friends are the best! – So, we will talk about someone else’s friends…. OK?

I don’t need to remind you about social pressure, “pressure to be like others around you”… But then, unless you are very strong to resist such kind of pressure (and believe me it could be very strong!), you [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/03/12/got-good-friends/feed/ 0 A wise teacher – are you looking for one? http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/11/a-wise-teacher-are-you-looking-for-one/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/11/a-wise-teacher-are-you-looking-for-one/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:10:52 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=442 Teachers (Buddhas) are plenty – we just not able to recognize them. — Something along these lines I’ve heard several times already.

We all are looking for support, help in our lives, we are striving to find a wise, omnipotent, omniscient guru, who would guide us.

This often made me wonder: where do I find one? how [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/11/a-wise-teacher-are-you-looking-for-one/feed/ 0 Why variations in Yoga practice? http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/10/why-variations-in-yoga-practice/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/10/why-variations-in-yoga-practice/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:29:15 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=612 Some teachers would tell you that variation is not good and it’s enough to perform 12 (14, 20, …) basic asanas every session. (There are large well known chains of Yoga centers applying this approach.)

In my opinion this may be well true – especially if one is an advanced Yogi, well motivated and seeking meditative [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/10/why-variations-in-yoga-practice/feed/ 0 Weight loss, Yoga, Magic berries, and Illusions http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/09/weight-loss-yoga-magic-berries-and-illusions/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/09/weight-loss-yoga-magic-berries-and-illusions/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:01:07 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=604 One lady-friend of mine wanted to order some pills with berries (I will not put the names of the berries, links to companies selling pills, etc. – don’t want to advertise those guys). What are they promising? – Things along the lines of “do nothing, eat our pills and your body will lose weight, become [...] Related posts:
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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/02/09/weight-loss-yoga-magic-berries-and-illusions/feed/ 0 Yoga and modern science http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/28/yoga-and-modern-science/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/28/yoga-and-modern-science/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:04:39 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=560 I had a discussion with someone interested in Yoga. The discussion inspired me to write the following post (communication is private of course. But I re-write my opinion in a general way.)

Thing is that I constantly hear so many mis-interpretations of modern science these days (and read in relatively recent books) – it makes me [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/28/yoga-and-modern-science/feed/ 0 Power of a Guru: from guiding-to-light to misleading http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/23/power-of-a-guru-from-guiding-to-light-to-misleading/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/23/power-of-a-guru-from-guiding-to-light-to-misleading/#comments Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:49:34 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=555 Here is a simple, real-life example for you:

When I was waiting for my plane, sitting in the airport today – I noticed a couple: woman and a man. She was blind and he was taking care of her. When I noticed them – man was guiding the woman from one shop/cafe stand to another and [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/23/power-of-a-guru-from-guiding-to-light-to-misleading/feed/ 0 Why possibility for meditation is a bliss. And an experiment in which I almost killed myself… twice… http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/18/why-possibility-for-meditation-is-a-bliss-and-an-experiment-in-which-i-almost-killed-myself-twice/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/18/why-possibility-for-meditation-is-a-bliss-and-an-experiment-in-which-i-almost-killed-myself-twice/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:00:49 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=539 Let me start with an “experiment” and then move to some thoughts on meditation.

I actually didn’t plan what happened – I simply didn’t have enough knowledge. It was a discovery for me that when mind becomes very tired – it just shuts down – it stops working with signals coming from outside at least.

http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=533 This is one of my personal investigations. This is the first post in the series.

Ayurveda: The Science of Self Healing – is a book by Dr. Vasant Lad – quite a famous nowadays author of books on Ayurveda.

Here is what I found so far (I’m only starting – and will appreciate any useful comment/answer/suggestion you [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/17/the-science-of-self-healing-metals-in-ayurveda/feed/ 0 Yoga meets Buddhism: an important mantra to remember http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/12/yogameets-buddhism-an-important-mantra-to-remember/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/12/yogameets-buddhism-an-important-mantra-to-remember/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:17:20 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=438 I will share the mantra and story about it in the second half of the post with you. First I would like to show you what I got today into my mailbox:

Direct the six passions to God. The impulse of lust should be turned into the desire to have intercourse with Atman. Feel angry at [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/12/yogameets-buddhism-an-important-mantra-to-remember/feed/ 1 Dosha of Ayurveda http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/09/dosha-of-ayurveda/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/09/dosha-of-ayurveda/#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:31:17 +0000 IndianYogi http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=477 Ayurveda concentrates on Holistic healing and hence the Ayurvedic approach to healing is very different as compared to the usual approach towards healing followed by most prevalent methodologies. This is because Ayurveda doesn’t just try to cure the disease in an individual. It focuses on the health and the body as well as physical constitution [...] Related posts:
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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/09/dosha-of-ayurveda/feed/ 0 I am drawing God… http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/05/i-m-drawing-god/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/05/i-m-drawing-god/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:07:41 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=469 …during a drawing class teacher comes to a little girl and asks her:

- What are you drawing?

- I’m drawing God, -- the child answers.

- But nobody knows how God looks like! -- teacher says.

- They will in a minute…

From a very nice talk by Sir Ken Robinson: “Do schools kill creativity?” Here:

Related posts:Yoga [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/05/i-m-drawing-god/feed/ 0 Description of a real experience of Nirvana, Samadhi, Union. Must see! http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/04/description-of-a-real-experience-of-nirvana-samadhi-union-must-see-2/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/04/description-of-a-real-experience-of-nirvana-samadhi-union-must-see-2/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:53:31 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=465 As a scientist I’ve heard quite a lot of talks on different subjects, I’ve heard Nobel Prize Winners, a lot of talented people… But, what I would like to propose to you today is probably the best talk I have ever heard, the ultimate (as much as I seen so far) union of science and [...] Related posts:
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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/04/description-of-a-real-experience-of-nirvana-samadhi-union-must-see-2/feed/ 0 Does true Yoga has to be in a cave? http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/02/does-true-yoga-has-to-be-in-a-cave/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/02/does-true-yoga-has-to-be-in-a-cave/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:36:26 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=408 When I started my Yoga practice, reading books on Yoga and talking to people in Yoga centers, etc. I was struggling with a question: when and how should I become a monk, where should I go and how would I make it work (I’m realistic enough to notice that real world requires passports, visas, money [...] Related posts:
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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/02/does-true-yoga-has-to-be-in-a-cave/feed/ 0 Flying Yogis and microwave cooking http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/02/flying-yogis-and-microvawe-cooking/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/02/flying-yogis-and-microvawe-cooking/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:50:25 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=413 Let’s start with the second part, microwave cooking and nutrient value of food…

I had this question (or doubt) in my mind since the time I’ve heard from people in one Yoga center that microwave cooking/heating is bad. When I asked for details, explanations – I didn’t get any, just that look people who know “the [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/02/flying-yogis-and-microvawe-cooking/feed/ 1 What I learned about Common Cold. Plus ill-person bed-time lessons http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/01/what-i-learned-about-common-cold-plus-lesson/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/01/what-i-learned-about-common-cold-plus-lesson/#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:16:09 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=422 There is not much use to talk about meditation, Raja Yoga, and other “high matters” if we are ill. I wish you not to get sick and if you do – to get well fast.

There are thousands of pages in the Internet about preventive measures and cures from common cold. The following is [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2010/01/01/what-i-learned-about-common-cold-plus-lesson/feed/ 0 Happy New Day! http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/31/happy-new-day/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/31/happy-new-day/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:57:13 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=362 Dear all,

I don’t know you for long time. To be honest – we know very little about one another so far. – But I’m looking forward to learn about you more, to connect with you more and help one another to walk the Yoga path… and just to have fun together

I would like [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/31/happy-new-day/feed/ 0 1+3 reasons why death is good for your life http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/30/4-reasons-why-death-is-good-for-your-life/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/30/4-reasons-why-death-is-good-for-your-life/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:53:15 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=355 In this post I invite you to discuss 4 points on importance of something many are so afraid of…Things I’ll discuss below use Yoga as an example – but they are quite general – you are welcome to stay and read even if you are not a Yoga fan.

And to put you in a good [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/30/4-reasons-why-death-is-good-for-your-life/feed/ 1 Weight control through Yoga. A simple recipe to freedom http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/28/weight-control-through-yoga-a-simple-recipe/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/28/weight-control-through-yoga-a-simple-recipe/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:05:05 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=347 The recipe is simple indeed. Making it working – that is a challenge – like most of the things in life that worth “fighting for” require investment on our side…

In my opinion the most important gift Yoga helps us to develop – is mindfulness. And it is not an abstract thing, it’s real and it [...] Related posts:

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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/28/weight-control-through-yoga-a-simple-recipe/feed/ 0 Yoga and Hinduism: reading symbolism http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/26/yoga-and-hinduism-reading-symbolism/ http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/26/yoga-and-hinduism-reading-symbolism/#comments Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:52:54 +0000 Alexey (Yoga-from-A-to-Z.com) http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/?p=338 It’s a fact that many people are uncomfortable about Yoga because for many people Yoga associated with Hinduism. I even heard that in some countries, some religious authorities explicitly prohibit Yoga practice! Moreover for most of the major religions it is an unspoken rule that Yoga only comes with Hinduism and therefore is not recommended [...] Related posts:
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]]> http://blog.yoga-from-a-to-z.com/2009/12/26/yoga-and-hinduism-reading-symbolism/feed/ 0