News release about safe yoga practice throughout the world.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Yoga, Hernia and Madonna

London: Energizing Yoga, the oldest system of personal development needs no introduction nowadays and is becoming popular all over the world because of its tremendous physical and medical benefits. People are practicing yoga exercises in millions all over the world, thanks to the media which is highlighting the benefits of yoga for general public.


However, like every other science, yoga is also a precise science. The question is: ‘Are all yoga exercises safe to be practiced by all people with various health conditions?’
“This is the question which requires deeper digging into the subject of yoga itself, otherwise the consequences of doing yoga practice could be more dangerous than beneficial” said Subodh Gupta, the Yoga expert from India. ”While some of the yoga exercises can be taught easily without much complication and have various benefits, others can be very dangerous for people who are having problem of Hernia. For example, the yoga exercises like Sun Salutation, Cobra pose, Locust pose, Bow pose, Standing Forward Bend and Kapalabhati few to name are strictly not recommended if somebody is diagnosed with hernia as these exercises may make the hernia problem worse” said Subodh Gupta, the Yoga expert based in London.

Considering the fact that over half a million hernia operations were performed in the United States last year and more than 2 percent of British people are affected by hernia, the question to ask is if all yoga practitioners are aware of their health condition and precautions before beginning the Yoga exercise. Madonna, the famous singer who practices Ashtanga yoga regularly recently had an operation for hernia (Ashtanga yoga exercise series is a system developed by Mysore based famous Indian Yoga guru Shri K Pattabhi Jois). In fact, the famous Ashtanga yoga series which involves jumping can be very dangerous for people who are having problem of Hernia” according to Subodh Gupta. Hernia develops when the outer layers of the abdominal wall weakens, bulge or actually rip. Among many reasons for hernia the most common is straining due to: jumping, defecation, coughing, lifting heavy objects, etc.


‘Are precautions for various yoga exercises safely delivered by yoga Gurus?’ ‘Are yoga practitioners listening precautions before starting their yoga practice?’
“Well, this is a serious point to consider by all who are teaching yoga and also for people who are practicing yoga. The practitioners need to understand that their ignorance and lack of yoga knowledge may lead them straight into an operation room” said Subodh Gupta. A noble effort has been done by some of the renowned yoga gurus from India and the teachers from the West to spread the awareness of yoga but unless Yoga exercises are done with precautions, more and more people will get injured without realizing.

Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert from India, for all those who are learning yoga without taking precautions.

For Subodh Gupta Yoga website Yoga London
For corporate Training Corporate yoga

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Obstacles to Meditation

Our mind wants everything and the only thing it dislike is discipline and Meditation is the art of gaining more and more control over mind.So it is obvious that mind will play game so as not to get discipline and create various kind of obstacle in practice of meditation.While there are various kind of obstacles, the most common type are listed below for your reference.
1) Spiritual pride
The practitioner some time has few experience or powers and filled with pride. He may try to separate himself from others thinking himself as superior. This pride is a serious obstacle in the path of experiencing the truth.
2) Motives of acquiring powers
Some practitioners have hopes of acquiring powers and their motive results in attachment to such powers, which is a serious obstacle.
3) Doubt
When practitioners have unrealistic expectations ,it results in doubt for example the beginners thinks that the kundalini will be awakened quickly and he would be filled with powers also when his faith get weakened up he try to leave the practice.
4) Laziness
Laziness often effect practitioners in the beginning.
5) Sleep during meditation
Some times practitioners get into sleep during meditation in initial stages.
6) Health
Sometime practitioners do not do exercises and does not realize that physical body is the vehicle for attaining the truth and can be attained by strong body or some time practitioners torture the body by not taking medicine at the time of illness.
7) Overeating
Practice of overeating leads to heaviness and results into sleep during the meditation.
8) Food
The kind of food we eat directly affect our mind apart from our body. If we eat food which is Tamasic food or Rajasic for example food with lot of chilies, or eating quickly or bitter or stale, all these kind of food leads to obstruction in the practice of meditation because of its nature.
Those who practice regularly knows that the practice of meditation always go in cycle.Sometime it will be going very good and smooth and sometime it just does not happen and this is the time when practitioner has to be cool and calm and accepting the fact that it just happen and it will be over and keep going and practicing and not to get frustrated.

For Subodh Gupta Meditation website Meditation London
For corporate Training Corporate yoga