...Yoga helps alleviate depression by increasing brain chemicals that contribute to a natural physical high. Through the release of these chemicals, a depressed person can be lifted out of despair to feel more energized and cheerful. The most beneficial yoga postures for depression are inverted poses.

The reason is that inverted yoga poses increase the flow of blood, oxygen and glucose to the brain. This facilitates the production of dopamine (associated with pleasure and reward), serotonin (regulates emotion, sleep and appetite) and noradrenaline (linked to arousal and alertness). People with depression are known to have lower levels of these chemicals in their brain. Through yoga these neurotransmitters are boosted, easing s...more

Discovering The History And Concepts Of Different Branches of Yoga

...History of Hatha Yoga: The history of hatha yoga goes back in the fifteenth century India when Yogi Swatmarama, a sage during those times, introduced it as a form of "a stairway to the heights" of Raja Yoga which is the preparatory stage of physical purification that makes the body fit for the practice of higher form of meditation. Hatha yoga is also known to be called as "hatha vidya" and the word "hatha" is a combination of the words, "ha" which means sun "tha" that means moon and they are said to refer to the prinicipal "nadis" or the energy channels of the body and must be fully operational to attain the state of "dhyana" or a certain aspect of meditation.

Some people may link that the origins of hatha yoga which dates back in the tenth or eleventh century with Goraknath, a yogin during those times. However, the oldest surviving text about hatha yoga is the Hatha Yoga pradipika by yogin, Yogi Swatmarama. The text is said to be taken from old Sanskrit writings and personal yogin experiences of the yogin himself. The text relates about shatkarma, asana, pranayama, chakras, kundalini, bandhas, kriyas, shakti, nadis, and mudras among others.

Concept of Hatha yoga: The total concept of the traditional hatha yoga is a holistic yogic path comprising of moral disciplines, physical exercises, breath control, and meditation. The hatha yoga that is widely practiced and popular in the western countries mainly composed of the "asanas" or postures and other exercises.

Hatha yoga is only one of the two concepts of yoga that concentrates on the physical culture and the other yoga is the Raja yoga but both of these are referred to as Ashtanga yoga. The main difference is that the Raja yoga concentrates more on the "asanas" or postures to get the body ready for a prolonged meditation that c...more

How to Improve Your Body, Mind and Spirit By Practicing Hatha Yoga

...is the root ingredient of any yoga and its success.

In some ways all the types of yoga are related. Preparing the body to give in is the main goal of hatha yoga. If the mind is relaxed and the spirit within you is enlightened you wont feel the pain and the stress that you are experiencing. This is achieved with the practice of hatha yoga. You need to understand the relation between your body and the spirit. If you do not understand the relation between them you might get confused. You spirit is responsible to accomplish any task.

If your body is not fit then your spirit may not accomplish what is wants. Hatha yoga helps you to maintain you...more

The Philosophy of Yoga and How It Applies to Modern Society

...Yoga in the west is primarily associated with hatha yoga postures. Hatha yoga is actually only a small part of an ancient system of spiritual practices grouped together under the term yoga. The Sanskrit meaning of yoga is yuj; to yoke or unite. The goal of yoga is to unite oneself with God. Yoga involves various practices in which a seeker aspires to attain realization of his true Self.

Yoga is union. It is the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Self. Yoga is the spiritual science that teaches us how the ultimate Reality can be realized in life itself. [1]

Yoga does not negate any religion. Yoga is compatible with all the major religions. Religions are like different paths, which ultimately lead to the same goal. What yoga does ...more

Yoga Meditation