...egardless of religion, prayer is a universal concept. We live at a time when people say they are too busy to pray. They are busy working and making money. While it is true we need money to survive, it is false to claim we have no time for prayer.

Most Hatha Yoga classes do not discuss religion or prayer. In fact, praying and spiritual growth are not covered in detail, because there have been many conflicts over religion. Yet, the concepts and benefits of prayer are universal to all religions. Praying is good for spiritual health and motivation.

Making quiet time for a short meditation is something very few people do. Meditation can help us in many ways, but mental focus also brings about a new state of awareness, and the motivation to make positive changes.

Yoga teachers should also develop a handout - to cover living a Yogic lifestyle. This would provide information about the benefits of developing a "home Yoga practice." Students can then make healthy changes gradually, as a result of the information you provide.

Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publicationsmore

Yoga is "Unity"

...n say union of mind, body, and spirit. There are many more explanations about union, but that could be a separate article. There are also many branches of Yoga and, therefore, many types of union, but competition is far from union.

Competition enhances the ego, and the ego is just a part of your personality. The ego resists union for its own survival. The ego is our social mask and does not want to share anything.

Remember, the next time you start to feel envious of another st...more

Understanding Patanjali's Yoga Sutras - 16-18

...t path.

In truth, all noble paths lead toward God. Mankind wastes too much time judging each other over small stuff, but God is the final judge. Why waste time on earth? Our time on earth is limited. Know your place in the universe, make peace with your fellow man, and actively open your connection to God.

Patanjali was way ahead of his time to cover these four steps to Samadhi. Yes, I have elaborated about the concept of I am, but this is the hardest of four very tough steps to Samadhi. This is also a reason why only a handful of enlightened souls exist each century.

1:18 There is another plane of meditation where only the Samskara is left. Samskara is latent impression of the unconscious mind, which affects our natural tendencies, and molds our character. To settle the mind, in this way, requires much practice, but upon observation of our Samskara without judgment, we learn ...more

Yoga for Kids - Teaching Our Young Ones How to Deal with Stress

...

For those having difficulty painting a picture in their minds, guided imagination can be used by telling them a story with a calming theme of some sort. A guided picture can be of a beautiful field filled with daisies or let them imagine they are butterflies in the field. The main idea is to create a peaceful surrounding so that they have a feeling of oneness with nature.

Years ago students were never taught stress management. Yoga for kids offers this education to our youth. With the increasing demands of our society, it is important for today's children to have a sense of balance of mind, body and spirit.more