Here are few exercises:

Exercise 1:

This simple exercise relaxes and relieves tension from the optic nerves.
Open your eyes wide and look up.
Hold it for 5-10 seconds.
Close your eyes and squeeze your eyes.
Hold it for 3-5 seconds.
Repeat as you please.

Exercise 2:

This practice relaxes the optic nerves and helps improve eyesight.
Holding your head straight look to your right, and hold the position for about 5 seconds. Repeat the movement looking to your left, looking up, and down.

Exercise 3:

This practice lubricates and soothes dry eyes. Improves eyesight.
Place a tip of your index finger between the eyebrows.
Looking at the finger tip, slowly move the finger to the tip of your nose without blinking.
By this time eyes release tears naturally and you feel like blinking.
Repeat few times.

Note: Sometimes you may feel like blinking your eyes as you practice, as your eyes release tears quickly. For some it takes many practices to feel the benefits if the eyes are very dry.

Treating diabetes requires a multi-faceted approach. It takes more than changing your eating habits to get your blood glucose levels under control. One important aspect is to ensure that you choose an activity that can help reduce your blood sugar levels. For this, yoga is said to be helpful.

The benefits of doing yoga are tremendous. A yoga lifestyle is known for being natural and healthy for you, due to the increased attention to the whole body, rather than just specific parts of the body. This is great for diabetes, because diabetes affects your entire body, rather than just one part. Yoga can help improve the immune system and the circulatory system. It also helps to reduce stress and anxiety and increase energy flow to the body. All of these work together to reduce your blood sugar levels.

Yoga provides a natural way to get in touch with your body. It helps the muscles to absorb the extra blood glucose that is in your body, thus allowing the pancreas and liver to work more efficiently. Yoga can also encourage the pancreas to produce more insulin, which can help to reduce your blood sugar levels significantly. The inward introspection that is encouraged in the yoga lifestyle helps your entire body to work in harmony, reducing blood sugar levels and other symptoms of diabetes.

A yoga lifestyle usually involves healthy eating. Hence, a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is emphasized. By learning to cook and prepare healthier foods, you will give your body the proper nutrients that it needs, strengthening your body and decreasing your diabetes symptoms.

Changes in blood sugar levels can have a profound impact on various functions of your body. Hence, it is important that you learn how to manage them well. Yoga is one exercise that can help bring your entire body, mind, and soul into harmony. Consider taking yoga regularly as an important tool to helping you control diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition when the pancreas in the human body fails to produce insulin. Incidentally, insulin is the hormone that converts the sugar in the food into energy. Insufficient secretion of insulin by pancreas results in excess glucose level in the bloodstream, resulting in diabetes. The blood glucose is required to be used up to provide energy and fuel to the body, in order to do its work. If the level of glucose is high, it eventually affects the body parts.

Causes of Diabetes

• Overweight
• Stress
• Genetic factors
• Lack of exercise

Food or diet plays a significant role in the life of a diabetic. Selective, healthy food with adequate intake of fruits and vegetables along with regular exercise helps to keep diabetes in control.

Yoga to the Rescue

Yoga provides an alternate source of healing for diabetes. Yoga helps to strengthen the immune system, improves blood circulation and the flow of vital energy or prana to the internal organs of the body. The secretion of stress hormones, due to faulty diet, hectic lifestyle or wrong thinking is controlled by the practice of yoga.

Effect of yoga asanas on blood sugar level

Yogic exercises cause the muscles to absorb the excess glucose in the blood, thereby reducing the blood sugar level. They help the pancreas and liver to function effectively, which regulates the blood sugar levels. Asanas help in rejuvenating the pancreatic cells, thereby assisting insulin secretion. The muscular movements also help in bringing down the blood sugar levels. Asanas induce relaxation, which also plays a key role in the healthy functioning of the internal organs of the body.

Yogic exercises are perhaps the only exercises that bring us close to the inner being or the soul, which is essentially spiritual in nature. Practitioners of yoga, pranayama and meditation, usually find a shift in their attitude towards life. They radiate good health and positive energy.

A profound understanding of yoga enables introspection. When attention is turned inwards, it effects a radical change in our beings, manifest as inward balance and poise.As peace fills our being, the body begins to function in harmony, which is a sign of good health.

The results of yogasanas are best when they are executed without exertion, in a non-striving manner. Ideally, the movements should be fluid and harmonious.

The natural poses assumed in yoga practice bring peace to the mind of the practitioner. Asanas can be practiced with any classical music played at the background. They make the practice enjoyable. It is important to be conscious of the movements and understand the limits of ones own flexibility. Straining beyond ones own means is certainly not recommended.

Yoga Asanas for diabetes

Paschimotasana

Paschimotasana is a sitting asana also referred to as the ‘forward seated bend’. This asana is good for those suffering from diabetes. It is known to stimulate the functioning of the internal organs like liver, pancreas and kidney.

Steps

• Sit on a yoga mat in a comfortable position with legs outstretched in front.
• Bend your head to touch your knees and exhale completely.
• Grasp the toes with your fingers. Maintain this position for a few breaths and inhale when you return to the original position.
• Repeat this asana 2-3 times.

Mayurasana-The peacock pose

This asana tones up the internal organs like the liver, pancreas and kidney. It also helps to cure stomach disorders, which improves digestion.

Steps

• Lie on your abdomen.
• With the support of the palms on the floor, lift the whole body above the ground. The body remains parallel to the ground

Note

This asana may appear daunting to a beginner, but with guidance from a yoga expert and regular practice, the asana becomes child’s play.

Shalabhasana- The Locust

This asana helps to cure acidity. It is also known to relieve nervous tension and indigestion.

Steps

• Lie on the floor with the abdomen touching the mat.
• Rest your chin on the floor with arms at the sides. The heels and toes must be held together.
• Inhale and lift both the legs above the floor. While lifting the legs, pressure must be applied on the fists.
• Maintain this position for a few seconds and come back to the original position.
• Relax and feel the stretch on the muscles of the back.

Yogic Breathing for Diabetes

All life is energy or prana, which descends into the human body in a rhythm. It is this life force that makes our heart beat and energizes the various systems and organs of our body.

Through pranayama, this prana can be controlled. The vital force and life currents within the body are controlled through pranayama. This flow of energy helps to do away with the diseases and toxins in the body.

Bahya Pranayama or External Kumbakha

Kumbakha is the retention of breath. In this pranayama, the breath is retained outside for a longer duration than inhalation and exhalation. The ratio of inhalation, exhalation and retention is 3: 6:12

Steps

• Sit in a cross-legged position.
• Inhale through the left nostril, by closing the right to the count of 3.
• Immediately exhale through the right nostril to the count of 6.
• Retain the breath outside or in other words remain breathless to the count of 12.
• Repeat the pranayama with the same count from the right nostril.

Yoga and Back Pain

A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert. Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, as an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.

CORPSE

Lie flat on your back in a relaxed position, arms resting at your sides, palms down, and legs lying naturally, with knees turned out slightly. If it hurts your back to have your knees turned outward, do this pose with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Breathe in and out for a few seconds while allowing any tension to leave the body.

CAT STRETCH

Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.

WIND-RELEASING POSE

Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose. As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.

SAGE TWIST

Warning for this pose—it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain. This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee. Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.

PALM TREE

Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet. Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching parts if you need to.

FISH POSE

Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side. Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.

LOCUST

Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet. Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.

BENDING FORWARD POSTURE

Stand up straight with feet together and arms hanging loosely along your sides. Breathe in deeply and raise your arms straight above your head. While breathing out, bend forward and touch your toes if you can. If you can’t reach your toes, grab hold of your ankles or calves. To complete the pose, you should touch your head to your knees, but this may be too difficult for many who suffer from lower back pain. Your movements during this pose should be smooth, not jerky.

Asthma is usually caused by allergies or stress. Asthma is one of the most discomforting of respiratory ailments, known to affect around 5% adult population and 10% of children in the world. Almost all patients suffer more attacks at night when they are sleeping. Asthmatics have more trouble exhaling than inhaling.

When normal people inhale, their air sacs fill up with air like small balloons. In exhalation they deflate expelling air. Airways are clear and open in healthy people. In asthmatics, the reverse takes place because their airways and air sacs have lost their shape and have become floppy. Their bronchi and alveoli collapse, rather than expand when air flows through them. As a result, they can inhale and exhale less.

Symptoms of Asthma

1. Dry cough
2. Difficulty in breathing
3. Shortness of breath
4. Feeling of lightness in the chest
5. Wheezing (hissing or whistling sounds during exhalation.)
6. Sometimes an attack is preceded by a running nose, irritated eyes, or an itchy throat.

Yoga Therapy for Asthma

Tests carried out at Yoga Therapy Centers, across the world, have shown remarkable results in curing asthma. In some cases it has also been found that attacks can actually be averted, without the aid of drugs, just through yogic practices. There is research evidence that Yoga Therapy treatment is much more successful. Nowadays, even allopathic and homeopathic doctors have arrived at the consensus that Yoga is an excellent alternative therapy for Asthma. Pranayama is an excellent way to have a controlled breath to avoid any asthma attacks.

10 Yoga Asana to relieve Asthma

DANDASANA

Sit with your spine erect and your knees bent. Position the blocks on their broad sides on either side of your hips. Then place your palms on the blocks. Sit on your buttock bones.

Straighten each leg, one at a time, and join the inner sides of your legs and feet. Lengthen the calf muscles, and stretch your knees and toes. Keep your knees straight. Press your palms down on the blocks and stretch your elbows and arms.

Lift your abdomen, freeing the diaphragm of tension. Hold the pose for 1 minute. Beginners may find it easier to separate their feet slightly, and should hold the pose for just 30 seconds.

BADDHAKONASANA

Sit on a bolster placed at right angles to your body. Place a side of your hips. Sit in Dandasana. Bend your knees and join both soles together. Pull your heels closer to the bolster. Beginners may find it easier to use a bolster positioned parallel to the hips.

Push your knees away from each other and lower them gradually onto the blocks. Open out your chest and draw in the abdomen. Initially, hold the pose for 1 minute. Gradually increase the duration of the asana to 5 minutes.

UPAVISTA KONASANA

Sit against a wall. Then sit in Dandasana with your shoulders and back touching the wall. Keep your back erect. Sit on your buttock bones. Place your palms on the floor, beside your hips, fingers pointing forward. Look straight ahead.

Press your palms down on the floor to push your torso upward. Exhale, and spread your legs as far apart as possible. Use your hands, one by one, to help you push your legs even further out to the sides.

Move your hands behind your buttocks, and place both palms on the floor. Press your heels and highs down on the floor. Lift your waist and the sides of your torso. Rotate your thighs to the front so that the kneecaps face the ceiling. Shift your weight from the buttocks to the pelvic bone. Stretch each leg from thigh to heel. Hold the pose for 30 – 40 seconds.

VIRASANA

Place 2 bolsters parallel to each other on the floor. Kneel on the bolsters, keeping your knees together. Place the rolled blanket on your shins, and the folded blanket under your buttocks. Sit with your back upright.

Keep your chest stretched out. Imagine you are squeezing your kidneys and drawing them into the body. Place your palms on your knees. Look straight ahead. Stay in the pose for 30 – 60 seconds.

SUPTA BADDHAKONASANA

Sit in Dandasana. Place a bolster behind you, its short end against your buttocks, and place a folded blanket on its far end. Place 2 wooden blocks on their broad sides on either side of your hips. Bend your knees, and join the soles of your feet together. Draw your heels toward your groin. Buckle the belt and loop it over your shoulders.

Bring the belt down to below your waist. Pass it under both feet to stretch it over your ankles and the insides of the thighs. Move your feet closer to your groin. The belt should feel neither too tight nor too slack, so adjust the buckle accordingly. Make sure that the end of the bolster touches your buttocks. Position a block under each thigh.

Place your elbows on the floor, and lower your head and back onto the bolster. Make sure that the bolster comfortably supports the length of your back and your head. Your spine should be on the centre of the bolster. Stretch your arms out to the sides, with the palms facing the ceiling. Relax, and extend your groin out to the sides. Feel the expansion of the pelvis, and the release of tension in your ankles and knees. Initially, With practice, increase the duration to 5 – 10 minutes.

SUPTA VIRASANA

Kneel in Virasana and place a bolster behind you, the short end touching your buttocks. Place a rolled blanket on the far end. Make sure that the inner sides of your feet touch hips. Keep your back straight. Place your fingers on the floor beside your toes.

Press your palms on the floor, bend both elbows, and lean back toward the bolster. Place your elbows and forearms, one at a time, on the floor. Gradually lower your back onto the bolster. To avoid strain in the pelvic area or the thighs, ensure that your knees remain firmly on the floor.

Once you lower your back onto the bolster, rest the back of your head on the rolled blanket. Keep your chest fully expanded. Press your shoulder blades down on the bolster to lift your chest . Extend your toes and ankles toward the bolster. Push your feet closer to your hips with your hands. Extend the pelvis, and press your thighs close together.

Move your arms out to the sides, with the palms facing upward. Extend your neck, but keep your throat relaxed. Drop your eyelids down gently. Experience the relaxation of the thighs and the abdomen, and the lift of the chest. Feel the continuous stretch from the cervical spine to the tailbone. Initially, stay in the pose for 1 minute. With practice, increase the duration to 5 – 10 minutes.

SETUBANDHA SARVANGASANA

Place a folder blanket on one end of the bench. Place a bolster on the floor in line with the bench, and touching one end of it. Place a folded blanket on the bolster. Then sit on the blanket on the bench, with your legs stretched out. Place a yoga belt under your thighs and bind it round the middle of your thighs.

Exhale, and lower your back toward the bolster. Press each palm down on the floor on either side of the bolster, your fingers pointing forward. Both arms should support your upper back. Keep your thighs, knees, and feet close together, your heels on the bench, and your toes pointing upward. Lower your arms to the floor.

Slide further down, until the back of your head and your shoulders rest on the bolster. Straighten your legs, keeping your feet together. Stretch the heels and toes away from the torso to increase the stretch of the legs. Extend your arms to the sides on the floor, with the palms facing the ceiling. Hold the pose for 3 minutes. Gradually increase the time to 5 – 8 minutes.

ADHOMUKHA SVANASANA

Stand in Tadasana facing a wall, about 1m (3.5 ft) away from it. Place 2 of the blocks on their broad sides, shoulder- idth apart, against the wall. Place the third block on its long side, 45cm (18in) away from the wall. Separate your feet to a distance of 45cm(18in). Kneel, and place your palms on the two blocks against the wall.

Press your palms down on the blocks and walk your feet back, until they are 1.2m (4ft) away from your hands. Make sure that your feet are in line with your hands and the same distance apart. Raise both heels, stretch your legs, then lower your heels to the floor. Stretch your arms fully.

Consciously stretch each leg from heel to buttock, and from the front of the ankle to the top of the thigh. Raise your buttocks, stretch your chest, and push your sternum toward your hands. Exhale, then rest your head on the third block. Press your hands down on the blocks,extending your arms fully. Stretch your spine and expand your chest. Keep your throat soft and elongated. Relax your eyes and keep your brain passive.

UTTANASANA

Stand in Tadanasana. Separate your legs to a distance of 30cm (1ft). Keep your feet parallel to each other, with the toes pointing forward. Pull up your kneecaps.

Inhale and raise your arms toward the ceiling, your palms facing forward. Push your spine up.

Bend from the waist toward the floor. To increase the stretch of your spine, vital for correct practice, press your heels down on the floor.

Rest the crown of your head on the blocks in front of you, and place your palms on the blocks beside your feet. Pull in your kneecaps. Extend your hamstrings and pull your inner legs upward. Feel one single stretch from the crown of your head to your heels. Hold the pose for 1 minute.

TADASANA SAMASTHITHI

Stand in your bare feet on a smooth and even surface. Keep your feet together, with your heels touching the wall. Beginners may find it easier to keep their feet 5 cm (2in) apart.

Stretch your arms along your sides, with the palms facing your thighs, and your fingers pointing to the floor. Stretch your neck upward, keeping the muscles soft and passive.

Distribute your weight evenly on the inner and outer edges of your feet, and on your toes and heels. Tighten your kneecaps and open the back of each knee. Turn in the front of your thighs. Tighten your buttocks. Pull in your lower abdomen, and lift your chest.

Keep your head erect and look straight ahead.Breathe evenly and with awareness. Experience your body and mind as an integrated whole and feel the surge of energy. Stay in the pose for 30 – 60 seconds.

How? Well, consider the parallels. Yoga centers the energy in our body and Feng Shui centers the energy in the environment on us, ensuring it’s comfortable and nurturing. Yoga strengthens our limbs and focuses our minds and Feng Shui strengthens the positive energy, or Chi, around us, and can be focused on an element that balances the areas of life we are working on. To practice Yoga with Feng Shui is to truly harness the power of the practice by drawing the positive energy of a room into our bodies, and in doing so, into our lives.

You will be excited to find below 3 simple ways to boost the Feng Shui of your everyday yoga space, and 3 keys to look for in a yoga retreat where the feng shui will support you best in making positive life change.

Yoga & Feng Shui

There are 3 simple ways to boost the Feng Shui of your everyday yoga space:

Clean & clear

Less is definitely more – more benefit – that is, to your yoga, the less clutter and unnecessary objects you have in the space. Unused furniture or knick knacks causes chi to stagnate and can hinder improvement in your practice.

Have a helpful Friend

A living plant, such as a Peace lily, is an excellent absorber of toxins in an environment and also powers up the energy of health in a room with its valuable Wood element.

Minimise the mirrors

Whilst helpful, professional yoga teachers would agree that it’s not necessary to have full length mirrors on every wall. It’s also a bad idea, according to feng shui. The more mirrors, the faster the energy in the room moves, which makes it harder to focus on and draw maximum benefit from your poses.

Yoga Retreats & Feng Shui

There are 3 keys to look for in a Yoga Retreat where the feng shui is supportive:

Look for the celestial animals.

A retreat centre is ideally in a tranquil, natural environment where the 4 celestial animals of feng shui can be identified in the surrounding landscape. According to the first feng shui masters, a positive-energy location features a Green Dragon, White Tiger, Red Phoenix and Black Tortoise. It’s easy to identify if you’re selecting a retreat with a good natural feeling by asking these questions before you book: Are there trees, forests or natural parklands around? (this indicates the Green Dragon) Is there a view, or pleasant outlook from the windows? (this indicates the Red Phoenix) Is there a hill, mountain or rock formation nearby? (this is evidence of the Black Tortoise) Note, the 4th animal, the White Tiger, is commonly now represented by man-made structures, like roads, cars or telegraph poles, and will usually be present in a location anyway. Do ask these questions and consider the responses you get! A retreat venue that can say “Yes” to having the celestial animals is a place with much positive energy to offer you.

Look for the balance of Yin & Yang

Most of us are over-Yanged in our daily life, with the constant barrage of noise, activity and electromagnetic energy, and choose a retreat to experience more Yin (the feminine aspects of quiet and stillness). But a retreat venue of pure Yin energy will make your transition back into daily life more difficult. The solution? Choose a retreat location which has a campfire, or open fireplace. Fire offers the most positive aspects of natural Yang energy, feeding your soul with its warmth, strength and light. Enjoyed on your retreat, it will balance the Yin activities and smooth your transition back into your everyday.

Use your “feng shui eyes”

When looking for a Yoga retreat, along with comparing price, dates, and location, take a moment to look at the offerings with pure “feng shui eyes”. In the pictures, do the facilitators look balanced and harmonious? As well as the colors and light pictured in the venue, do the materials (like the bedding or chairs) look comfortable? Does there seem to be an abundance of food, smiles, and space? These three items in photographs signify abundance and you’ll be likely to enjoy a retreat well worth your investment of time and energy.

Yama
Niyama
Asana
Pranayam
Pratyahara
Dharana
Dhyana
Samadhi

• Yama, Niyama and Asana- these are the first steps in practicing meditation. One has to practice them with proper postures in achieving meditative state.  
• Pranayam is the next step in meditation. Sitting straight with the spine erect for perfecting the posture is taught. It is called as Asana Jay. Pranayam as the name suggests aims with the control of breath or prana. 
• Pratyahara is related with the senses. It aims at withdrawal of senses inwards.
• Dharana is meant with concentration. It intends with developing and fixing attention on a single entity.
• Dhyana is submerging deep into meditative state.
• Samadhi is the state when a being attains a super conscious state. It is the most sublime experience where a person feels united close to god.

It is a well-known fact that meditation is a wonderful technique that could be used to calm the mind body and soul. It could be practiced any time and any place and people all over the world are making most of it by practicing it. Outward life gets manifested and it produces orderliness in a confused mind. One can take control of life and can become happy and lead a healthy life.

In today’s fast paced life, stress gets accumulated that leads to other kinds of illness. Meditation with the help of yoga postures and techniques helps in overcoming all kinds of stress. The wide range of health related problem also gets cured, leading to longetivity of mind and body. Meditation along with yoga strengthens the body and improves the state of mind.

By practicing meditation twice daily can prevent regression and ageing process. These two are thousand times better than any kind of medication. It has been said that the depth of meditation is directly proportional to the depth of healing. Just like the mind and body are connected similarly the relationship of meditation to the yoga is interesting.

Yoga can also be very beneficial to women during pregnancy. Pregnancy yoga is a great way to keep exercise in a pregnant woman’s routine. Read below for more examples of the benefits of pregnancy yoga and what positions you should incorporate into what trimesters.

First Consult a Doctor

Before beginning any exercise routine during pregnancy, it is always wise to consult with a doctor. Every pregnancy is different, each carrying a unique level of risk. Even though yoga is relatively low-impact, it is still important to have a doctor’s approval before implementing this into the day to day routine.

The Benefits of Pregnancy Yoga

The benefits of enjoying yoga during pregnancy include relieving water retention and cramping. In addition, yoga helps pregnant woman maintain energy, reduce morning sickness, and nausea. Pregnancy yoga also helps women breathe and relax, helping them to focus. The practice of yoga can also help loosen the joints and muscles used during childbirth.

Consider the Trimester

When starting a yoga routine during pregnancy, the trimester is key. It is important to know which poses are good for which trimester before beginning. First trimester poses include the full butterfly, which allows the loosening of the joints in the hips and the knees. A good second trimester pose is the palm tree pose, in which the arms are raised and the chest, shoulders and arms are stretched upwards. Third trimester poses include the full butterfly again as well as shoulder rotations.

Proceed With Caution

Try to take yoga classes with an emphasis on pregnancy. If one is not available, be sure the instructor knows that you are pregnant. Avoid poses where you are lying on your back after the first trimester. Keep your balance in check. If you feel unstable during any of the poses, stop. You do not want to risk falling.

Women in general should avoid back bends, one leg poses, the camel pose, handstands and headstands, as well as the upward bow during all trimesters of pregnancy. Pregnancy yoga is a great way to keep exercise into your daily routine. Still, it is always important for pregnant women to exercise caution and follow their doctor’s advice.

Yoga is a form of mysticism that developed on the Indian subcontinent in the Hindu cultural context. The origins of Yoga are difficult to track due to the lack of recorded testimony. One of the closest meanings of Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” which it is generally translated as “union” or “integration” of the individual soul with the cosmos, or higher self.

Since the goal of Yoga dwells above any bodily consciousness, it has both a philosophical and a practical dimension to achieve that ideal state. On one hand, the philosophy of yoga manages the relation of both the individual soul and the cosmos. This universal philophy enjoins the practitioner to pursue his or her own path to enlightenment. And on the other hand, its practice can be any exercise or activity that approaches the yoga practitioner to self-realization.

Four Paths of Yoga

Special practical yoga techniques have been developed by experts in yoga. Traditionally, they have been classified into four categories or paths: the path of meditation (Raja Yoga), the path of devotion (Bhakti Yoga), the path of selfless service to the Divine (Karma Yoga), and the path of intellectual analysis or the discrimination of truth and reality (Jnana Yoga).

These Yoga techniques cover a broad range, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual activities.

• Raja Yoga involves psycho-physical meditational techniques to attain experience of the truth and finally achieve liberation described in Hindu thought to be moksha. The basis of ashtanga yoga is the Yoga sutras (Sanskrit Verses) of Patanjali. We will consider the different aspects of yoga while remaining under the guiding principles of Patanjali’s Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga). Raja Yoga is a comprehensive yoga system which deals with the refinement of human behavior and personality through the practice the Yama (restraint) and Niyama (disciplines); attainment of physical health and vitality through Asana (postures) and Pranayama (pranic breathing techniques); management of mental and emotional conflicts and development of awareness and concentration through Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal) and Dharana (concentration); and developing the creative aspect of consciousness for transcendental awareness through Dhyan (meditation) & Samadhi (absorption in the universal identity).

• Bhakti Yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called Bhakti. Traditionally there are 9 forms of bhakti yoga.
Sravana (hearing of God’s Lilas and stories), Kirtana (singing of His glories), Smarana (remembrance of His name and presence), Padasevana (service of His feet), Archana (worship of God), Vandana (prostration to Lord), Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servant with God), Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava) and Atmanivedana (complete surrender of the self). The nine modes of Bhakti are the ways in which a devotee attains the Supreme Ideal of life. A devotee can take up any of these paths and reach the highest state. The path of Bhakti is the easiest of all and is not very much against the nature of human inclinations.

• Karma Yoga focuses on the adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining detached from the reward. Karma means to do, action, including those acts done by the individual from birth to death. “Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul’s energies and austerities,” the Bhagavad Gita says. Following the practice of Karma yoga, an individual becomes true spiritual seeker and realizes his true nature as Atman and he lives in this world, works for this world and still stays untouched from the grossness of the mundane pleasures, thus doing immense good to the society while on his path to salvation and spiritual freedom.

The Swami Sivananda Yoga Venanda Center sums up karma yoga into five actions:

Right Attitude
It’s not what you do that counts, it’s the attitude while doing it that determines if a job is a karma yoga job, i.e. a liberating job, or a binding job.

Right Motive
Same as attitude. It is not what you do that counts but your real motive behind it.

Do your duty.

Give your best.

Give results.

• Jnana Yoga. This is the most difficult path, requiring tremendous strength of will and intellect. Taking the philosophy of Vedanta the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its own nature. We perceive the space inside and outside a glass as different, just as we see ourselves as separate from God.
Jnana Yoga leads the devotee to experience his unity with God directly by breaking the glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance. Before practicing Jnana Yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated the lessons of the other yogic paths – for without selflessness and love of God, strength of body and mind, the search for self-realization can become mere idle speculation.

Jnana yoga teaches that there are four means to salvation:

Viveka – Discrimination: The ability to differentiate between what is real/eternal (Brahman) and what is unreal/temporary (everything else in the universe.)

Vairagya – Dispassion: After practice one should be able to “detach” themself from everything that is “temporary.”

Shad-sampat – The 6 Virtues: Tranquility (control of the mind), Dama (control of the senses), Uparati (renunciation of activities that are not duties), Titiksha (endurance), Shraddha (faith), Samadhana (perfect concentration).

Mumukshutva – Intense longing for liberation from temporal limitations.

Yoga is the most prestigious field of spiritualism. People think about 6 wheels (Chakras) or lotus flowers present in the spinal card, which are not seen by the eyes. They are imaginary and so they carry some inner meaning. When you say a face as a moon, fools search for moon in that face. But, wise people see similarity in the face and moon. Similarly, wheels and lotus flowers should not be searched in the spinal card. Spinal card is the main nerve, representing mind, which is the base of love.

All these wheels or lotus flowers are the bonds of love in the various relatives like parents, wife or husband, children etc. They are compared to wheels or the revolving whirlpools in the ocean, which attract a swimmer and drown him. Similarly, these love wheels are compared to lotus flowers, since the lotus flowers attract the bee by sweet fragrance and bind it. Similarly, these love flowers attract any one and bind them. “Kundalini” is the mind which is the energy travelling as waves like a serpent, should cross all these love wheels connected to 7th lotus flower in the head called “Sahasrara”, which is Buddhi or intelligence that takes the decision, which is the firm love on God.

Bhagavat Gita is called as the main scripture of Yoga (Yoga-Sastra). Why there is not even single reference to these wheels or lotus flowers in anywhere in Gita or even in Upanishats? Since they are not real, they are not even mentioned. The author of the Gita was Krishna, who was called Master of Yoga (Yogeswara). Krishna also says that the real yoga was lost since long (Sa kaleneha mahata….). This means that in the beginning, Sages in India knew the real yoga and loved God only crossing all their family bonds. In due course of time only, this true yoga was lost. Why? The middle age Indians were unable to cross their family bonds and so failed to succeed in Yoga.

They wanted to cover their in ability by twisting the very concept of yoga. The family bonds were removed from the concept and only wheels or lotus flowers are left fixed. Now, they close the eyes and say that they have seen the lotus flowers or wheels, which are only imaginary. Now they cross these wheels by their imaginary “Kundalini” and say that they have succeeded in Yoga. These blind teachers are also not to be blamed, because they were trained like that by their blind teachers. This misinterpretation was done long time back and hence, even at the time of Krishna, He told that yoga was lost since a long time.

We cannot catch those original culprits, who were the top most twisting masters and so the present tradition also cannot be blamed. Only rectification is the way left over. Some say that they see light, which is only an imagination. After all, the mind is a form of energy and on its concentration imaginary light can be imagined. Instead of such a week light, you better see a strong light with your open eyes. What is the use of these imaginary lights and colours, without achieving the Lord through your love, which excels the various worldly, loves.

I pity the foreigners, who are trapped in this false imaginary line of yoga, who are wasting their precious lifetime and energy. In fact, they are the best to succeed in yoga, if the reality of the yoga is exposed. Their family bonds are very weak and their love towards God is real, which is proved by their huge sacrifice of money to God’s work. Money is the fruit of work and its sacrifice for God’s work is “Karma phala tyaga” as mentioned in Gita. Again, the middle age Indians twisted this word “Karma phala tyaga” as sacrifice of the fruit of the work like praying God instead of sacrifice of money.

The reason was that these Indians were unable to sacrifice money to God due to their strong love on their children. Foreigners ask their children to earn after certain age. Indians store money even for ten generations and still continue to store only. Since prayers, meditation and knowledge are very much diverted to God, India was blessed by God with good language, good mind and good knowledge.

Since foreigners are good in sacrifice, God blessed them with good wealth. Even Indian spiritual centres were strongly funded by foreigners only. Swami Vivekananda cried, “Why my India suffers with poverty in spite of so much spiritual knowledge?” Sacrifice of money (Karma phala tyaga) and sacrifice of work (karma Sanyasa) put together constitute the God’s service, which is the real Yoga (real proof of love) called “Karma yoga” in Gita. Foreigners are the best in this karma yoga and so they easily succeed in yoga. Throughout Gita, this karma yoga was explained as yoga and wheels or lotus flowers are not at all mentioned.