What is the right age for kids to start Yoga and Meditation? How is yoga helpful for kids? 

Kids can start practicing Yoga as soon as they start to understand instructions. Ideally kids of 4 years and above are capable to understand the instructions and follow the teacher.

However, we should be careful that certain practices should not be taught to the kids. For example- Padmasana. The bones are still tender and in some cases it may lead to bending of bones. These kind of asanas can be taught to kids when they turn 12 and above that is kids in their teen age. At this age bones are developed and are no more tender. The yoga teacher should know what is suitable for the kids.

Kids can practice surya namaskar and pranayama. Children derive enormous benefits from Yoga. Yoga helps to enhance their flexibility, strength, coordination and body awareness. Yoga increases concentration and memory power in kids. It makes them relaxed and calm.

Children feel excited when they get a chance to play role of animals, trees, flowers or warriors in Yoga. You should allow them to bark in dog, meow in cat pose and roar in tiger pose or hiss in cobra pose. They can also count 123s while holding the pose.

The instructions given should be fun instructions. When they are doing Bhujanga Asana, ask them to imagine that they are snakes without hands and legs. When they are in a tree pose ask them to imagine that they are a giant oak tree with roots growing from their feet.

Studies and research has found out that children who practice yoga can see various improvements. Yoga is also beneficial for kids with learning disabilities.

Kids need a tool to deal with the stress they face due to school pressures and competition with other kids. Children also face issues such as bullying in schools. There are also cases of cyber bullying.

The new devices available in the market including video games, computers, cell phones, tablets etc give rise to new demands and expectations. These self imposed expectations may give rise to stress and anxiety in kids. Also long hours, children spend on these electronic gadgets referred to as change in lifestyle leads to health issues, obesity and other physical and mental problems.

Yoga helps children to listen to their hearts. Yoga helps you to turn your attention inwards which is very much necessary for kids as well as adults. Yoga makes children more resilient to emotions and stress. Yoga teaches them self-regulations skills to improve their mood.

Here, at Yog Gokul, we believe in nurturing children’s creativity and curiosity. We focus on their psychological development. That is why we have introduced Krida Yoga and Family Yoga. We conduct one day workshops where parents, kids, youth and adults can participate.

What are Fibroids? And how can you treat them through Yoga?

What are Fibroids?

Fibroids are non cancerous tumors and are very common in a female reproductive system. Women between the age 20-40 years may suffer from issues due to development of fibroids in their reproductive system. Fibroids are made up of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue that develop in the uterus due to unknown reasons.

It is believed that high levels of estrogen and progesterone are a cause of fibroid. Fibroids also develop in women having family history of fibroids. About 20-50 per cent of women in their reproductive age have fibroids however most of them are never diagnosed.

Who is at risk for fibroid tumors?

Women who are approaching menopause are at highest risk of developing fibroid tumors.

How to treat fibroids through Yoga?

Uterine fibroids can make your life difficult causing symptoms such as pain, heavy periods, pelvic cramps. Although there is not much research as to Yoga can treat fibroids, I am listing down few poses that have helped my clients to shrink their fibroid and avoid surgery. These are the personal experiences of my clients and may help you as well in treating your fibroids.

Malasana (garland pose)

In simple language, malasana is a squatting position. If your heels do not touch the floor, you can use a folded towel or a blanket in the initial days of your practice. Squating comes naturally to kids and people who work in fields. However, in the modern city I am surprised even kids struggle to sit in this pose as their lifestyle in confined to a table and a couch. Most of the adults who work in corporates find it uncomfortable doing this pose.

Malasan gives a good stretch to groin, sacrum, lower back and the hips. Hold this pose for 60 seconds and then hug your knees in Malasana. This will help you press your pelvis against your thighs and lead to shrinking of your fibroid.

Padahastasana

Pada Hastasana is a standing forward fold. Since your hips are pressed against your chest in this pose, it causes the fibroid to shrink. Hold this pose for 60 seconds 3 times each. Pada Hastasana is also good for stress relief.

Pavanmuktasana (Wind removing pose)

Lie down on your back and spread your feet forward. Slowly and gently fold your knees and press them against your chest and hug them with your arms. Inhale lift your head and try to touch your forehead to the knee and exhale release.

Since you are compressing your lower body, this pose can also be beneficial to shrink your fibroid. Note that it is not a proven fact however, this has been given as a direct feedback by the clients who have been practicing with me for many years. For this reason, pavanamuktasana cures acidity, Indigestion and Constipation. Pavanamuktasana is also very good for all abdominal organs and help them function properly.

Half Fish pose

All the twisting posture lead to compression on the lower abdomen. Come into Ardha Matsyendra Asana. Sit in Dandasana, then slowly place your right foot outside your left thigh and fold your left foot such the left heel is close to the right buttock. Inhale raise your left arm up and exhale while placing your left elbow outside your right knee by locking it. Twist your spine 90 degree, squeeze your abdomen and look back from over your right shoulder. Once you are comfortable in the pose, practice deep Ujjayi Breathing. Stay in the pose for 60 seconds and then repeat it on the other side.

Ardha Matsyendra asana or the half fish pose also helps to get relief from Menstrual discomfort, fatigue and back ache. Ardha Matsyendra asana helps to increase your appetite and improves digestion. It stimulates the rate of metabolism.

Baddhakonasana

This asanas help to open your hips. It also helps to strengthen your pelvic muscles. Sit down and bring soles of the feet together. Try to push your knees to the floor with the help of your elbows. This asana stretches the knees and your groin.

Baddhakonasana enhances the reproductive system in women. It also helps to cure menstrual cramps. Since this asana also works around your pelvic region it is believed to shrink your fibroids.

Bhardwaj Asana

This asana is dedicated to Sage Bharadwaj. This asana helps to improve digestion by increase metabolism, massage intestines and strengthen your abdominal muscles. This asana also works on your spinal column and helps you to get relief from menstrual cramps.

Paschim Utthansasana (Seated forward bend)

Sit erect in Dandasana with your feet straight in front of you. Inhale raise both the arms up and while you exhale try to touch your toes by bending down. Try to bring t=your chest closer to your thighs. This pose also helps to shrink your fibroid as your abdominal muscles are pressed against your upper body.

Paschim Utthasana has many more benefits such as improving digestion through increase in metabolic rate, reducing menstrual discomfort. Kidney, uterus, liver and ovaries are activated. 

“Karma Yoga- We help ourselves not the World” – Swami Vivekanand

Swami Vivekanand in his book- “The complete Works of Swami Vivekananda”, explains how devotion to duty helps in one’s spiritual progress. Every religion has three major parts:

1. Philosophy
2. Mythology
3. Rituals

Philosophy is the very essence of every religion. Mythology explains philosophy by illustrations and legends of great men, stories referring to them and how they acted best to the situations.

Ritual gives a concrete structure to philosophy, so that one may be able to grasp it. This ritual is nothing but Karma. As most of us cannot grasp abstract spirituality in its natural form until we gain in depth knowledge about it. Rituals and Mythology help us understand the philosophy and leads to spiritual growth. Most of the people think they know everything; but when they are in a situation of distress, they find out that abstract ideas are very hard to comprehend.

What is our duty to the world?

Our duty is to help others and do good to others. But why do we do good to the world?

Apparently by helping the world we are actually helping ourselves. We should always try to help the world, that should be our highest motive. But eventually we will find out that the world does not require our help. “This world was not created so that you and I can help it. “ Says Swami Vivekananda.

“All this beautiful world is beautiful because it gives us time and opportunity to help others.” There is so much misery in going out and helping other, so best thing you can do in the long run is to help yourself by helping others. If you keep three white mice in a box with a wheel, you will see that when the mice try to cross the wheel, the wheel keeps turning and the mice do not get anywhere. The same is the story of the world and we helping it.

Helping the world is a thankless job. If you have helped someone, it is foolish to expect that he should thank you. All foolish thoughts will bring you only misery.

So we should never expect anything in return for what we do. Be grateful to the person you help. Think of it as an opportunity to help others. Is it not a privilege to be allowed to help someone in need? If we are really unattached we should be able to do all work and escape from pain of unmet expectations. Moral of the story is the world will always go in loops if happiness and misery. You just have to play your role by doing your Karma.

PCOS? Don’t worry Try these Yoga poses and get relief from PCOS

“I was diagnosed with PCOS few months ago. My face was full of pimples and my periods were irregular and painful. However yoga helped me. I started feeling better within few months after I started taking yoga seriously. I am now 35 and mother of two naughty boys.” Samiksha adds.

Samiksha is one of the many women in the world with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which is not as scary as the name suggests. This condition is also known as PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disorder). PCOS has become a common phenomenon among young women especially during their reproductive age. About 5-10% of women as per (National Institutes of Health research) are diagnosed with PCOS and many have started to realize the role of yoga for treating this condition and thereby alleviating the pain.

If you too have PCOS, continue reading this article as practicing yoga can help you. Surprisingly, the doctors haven’t found exact cause of PCOS but it may be due to stress and unhealthy lifestyle which is the story of all  working women these days. Women have to look after everyone around them but there is no one to look after them. This causes stress and various ailments which are not addressed at the right time until the situation is aggravated.

Although it is not possible to get rid off stress completely we can learn to deal with it through Yoga.

Some of the Yaga asanas help to open up the pelvic area thus leading to relaxation and pranayama (breathing techniques) help to calm your body, mind and spirit.

7 Effective Yoga Exercises for PCOS and Infertility

1) Baddhakonasana (Butterfly pose) –

This asanas help to open your hips. It also helps to strengthen your pelvic muscles. Sit down and bring soles of the feet together. Try to push your knees to the floor with the help of your elbows.

2) Supta Baddhakonasana 

(Reclining Butterfly Pose)-  Once you are in Baddhakonasana lie down slowly on your back by first attempting to put your elbows down. Then slowly lie down completely on your back. You can support yourself with a pillow or a bolster behind your back if you find it difficult to lie down completely.

3) Balasana 

(Baby Pose) – This asana relaxes your back, relieves menstrual cramps and improves blood flow throughout the body.

4) Bharadvajasana-

This asana is dedicated to Sage Bharadwaj. This asana helps to improve digestion by increase metabolism, massage intestines and strengthen your abdominal muscles. This asana also works on your spinal column and helps you to get relief from menstrual cramps.

5) Chakki Chalasana – 

Chakki Chalasana derives it name from Chakki which means grinding wheel or churning mill. Chakki chalasana helps to tone the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, regulates the menstrual cycle and reduces flab from abdomen hips and thighs. Sit with legs split about 1-2 feet apart, interlace fingers of both your arms and stretch them forward. Draw a big circle with your hand straight without bending your elbows as if you are grinding flour like women in did during the olden days before the technological advancements.

6) Shavasana (Corpse pose):  

This pose is derived from the word “shava” means a dead body. Lie down on your back with both arms on either side of your body. Keep your legs slightly apart with palms facing the sky. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Try to relax each and every part of your body one by one.

7) Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation):  

If you are a beginner start with two to three rounds of surya namaskar everyday. You can increase it upto 12 rounds daily along with other asanas.

Hope this article helps you to get some relief. If you have any questions please get in touch with us at info@yoggokul.com or call us on 9483897818. If you are a beginner and never taken a yoga class before, here are some tips to get you started with your first yoga class.

Prana- A secret to Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind

Prana is a subtle life force or energy which permeates through your body. It is an Eastern concept. Prana flows through the body through meridians or nadis and are concentrated in areas called chakras. According to yogic principle when prana flows through the body freely without any obstruction we are in a relaxed state called the prana state. When there are lot of blockages in the flow of prana it is a chronic state also called as low prana state. There are some tools and techniques described by this ancient science of how to unblock these obstacles and allow the prana to flow freely in the body.

Now lets first understand, how lack of prana affects our life. Most of the common ailments are a result of chronic stress. Example- Insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty digesting food, chronic fatigue, frequent infections, anxiety, depression. The symptoms can go away with medicines, but only on a temporary basis. Since you don’t have a pill for the root cause of the illness that is chronic stress. Unless you get away with chronic stress, you will never recover completely.

When you are in stress, all the non essential functions of the body come to a halt – your digestion, sleep, growth.

The reason can be anything pressure from your boss, an argument with your spouse or unpaid bills. But we need to pause and think, is the real reason any of these or is it our own thought process or our perception of our life. We need to pause here and address the root cause of our stress else it will soon become chronic and we will soon be a patient taking pills for various illnesses that will follow.

Now lets talk about the techniques to unblock the obstacles in that are blocking the pranayama from freely flowing through your body. These techniques as described by the ancient science are asanas or postures, pranayama or the breathing techniques and meditation. When you practice all three on a regular basis, prana or the life energy increases and you become more balanced and relaxed. You get rid of all the cravings of wealth, prosperity and attention from your social circles. Now next question that would come to your mind would be how to increase your prana and attain the state of high prana.

Lets take a stock the the sources of prana-

1. Food
2. Breath
3. Sleep and
4. Practical Wisdom

Making improper choices will land us in trouble- Improper sleep and incessant worrying.

Lets take a test of whether you are in a state of high prana or low prana- Are you feeling happy and relaxed or are you feeling low. If you are feeling low, find the easiest source of prana. I would personally recommend breathing.  Finally keep practicing this technique so that you make smarter choices. The food you eat, the words you say, the way you react to a situation. Ask your self this question – Are any of these choices going to increase your prana or are decrease it.

I strongly believe prana- or the life force is a way to a healthier life and a concept that is worth spreading.

Aditi is a certified Yoga Instructor for Power Yoga from Akshar Power Yoga. She teaches Hatha yoga, Power Yoga, Meditative Yoga and Yoga Therapy. She has experience in teaching and practicing yoga for about 4 years.

3 Benefits of Yoga for The Health of seniors

Getting older is a law of nature and we need to embrace the change. Yoga for Senior Citizens is an initiative to help old people get better health- both Mental and Physical.

Practice of yoga provides many health benefits to seniors from its combination of yoga asanas (postures), pranayama (deep breathing) and meditative qualities. If you are vulnerable to fall and use a medical alarm to help you take care of yourself, yoga practice can make you more stable, flexible and balanced. It will increase strength of your arms and legs and help you balance by yourself.

3 Benefits of Yoga for The Heath of Seniors

1. Improves Sleeping Habits

As you age you may notice normal changes in your sleeping patterns. Either you wake up too early or feel asleep too early or you don’t enjoy deep and undisturbed sleep as you did when you were young. Disturbed sleep, waking up tired everyday and other symptoms of insomnia are not a normal part of aging. You became       old doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy sleeping. Many older adults have trouble falling asleep and sleep less than 7-9 hours, which is generally recommended by doctors.

A study conducted compared yoga to herbal sleep remedy found that yoga was more effective in improving sleep duration and decreased the time required to fall asleep after lying in bed. Yoga asanas along with deep breathing leads to relaxation and may be the reason for improved sleep.

2. Reduces probability of depression

Yoga helps combat depression, anxiety and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The physical asanas lead to increase in flexibility while pranayama and meditation are responsible to reduce depression and anxiety. Deep breathing and meditative techniques calms a person down and increase focus and help to develop greater awareness and thus result in higher Quality of Life (QOL).

Yoga practice helps to decrease the levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone, that influences serotonin- the neurotransmitter that is often associated with depression.

It is not entirely clear how yoga helps to reduce anxiety and its symptoms. However, it emphasizes on being present in every moment and finding the sense of inner peace, which could help treat anxiety.

3. Alleviates aches and pains

Joint pain and muscle pain is a common complain among seniors. Yoga is known to provide remedy to this chronic pain. A study conducted by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has revealed with evidence that patients practicing yoga needed less medication than the patients not practicing yoga.

Also yoga increases flexibility and range of motion, which helps in movements of joints that leads to reduced risk of spasm or muscle pull. Yoga also increases bone density, which decreases the probability of bone fractures in seniors.

Experts claim that regular exercise reduce the risk of death by one third and brings about 40% reductions in risk of chronic diseases.

Aditi is a certified Yoga Instructor for Power Yoga from Akshar Power Yoga. She teaches Hatha yoga, Power Yoga, Meditative Yoga and Yoga Therapy. She has experience in teaching and practicing yoga for about 4 years.