|| Replies ||

User	Starless Knight | 2006-02-22 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Indeed, sometimes it seems daunting, but with self-study and perhaps a bit of guidance from an experienced Yogi everyone will see the path spread before them. It’s hard to explain, the feeling of the ’rules’ - it’s like asking a theist what god feels like. You just have to know - you must find what right and wrong is on your own. That’s what I liked about yoga when I first started - that the rules weren’t force-fed to you. Following set in stone rules don’t make you a good person - it’s knowing the right path within yourself, and following it reguardless of the rules. Niyama and yama help people get started - and they are not as vague as you think - but through each step in the path you are more and more enlightened - and you will begin to see the big picture in enough clarity to anwer all your questions. I’m sorry - I know that sounded a bit preach-ie - I hope you’ll forgive me :)

User	kanu | 2006-02-22 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Why does yoga have rules if you can get around them by looking within and finding your own values? Who are the yama and niyama for ultimately if not the practioners of yoga? How can you expect to be properly situated on pranayama or lo and behold samadhi if the primary foundations of yama and niyama are shaky?

User	Starless Knight | 2006-02-20 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Yama, whick is sanskrit for ’control’, is a list of five rules. These rules are also in sanskrit, but I’ll just put up my translations of them. It’s basically non-stealing, non-lieing, non-violence, non-materialism, and control of one’s desires. The last has most often been translated as a no-sex rule, but I don’t quite see it that way. Niyama is the opposite - it’s sort of bigger than the list of rules. As where yama (the first step of eight) restricts what you can do, niyama tells you what you should do. That is, Devotion (either to a god, a cause, a philosophy, ect.), self-contemplation, contentment, cleanliness, and great effort in all that you do. Does this help? There are many different interpretations of the Yogic philosophies - I believe that is a positive thing, because then people have to look withinto find their own values.

User	kanu | 2006-02-20 |
Subject	untitled
Message	What are the exact details of your yama and niyama?

User	Starless Knight | 2006-02-19 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Wow, I didn’t expect such a responce! I like yoga, but I study all aspects of it - yama, niyama, pranayama, asanas, ect. I find it all very relaxing, and yama especially simplifies my life and has even helped with my depression and other problems.

User	Dark Romeo89 | 2006-02-19 |
Subject	untitled
Message	i need to try yoga anything to calm my jumpy ass down

User	Magnolia Steele | 2006-02-19 |
Subject	untitled
Message	I plan to try it out once I buy a dvd of it. I would love for some mental clarity on relaxed muscles. lol. It is a spiritual form of meditation and removing stress. I can’t wait to start! I’ll take it easy so as to not cause strain on my heart. Maggie

User	insphered soul | 2006-02-19 |
Subject	untitled
Message	haha yeah, yoga is like a spiritual thingy or something like that. it calms the spirit i think

User	DrkRomeo_sGirl | 2006-02-19 |
Subject	yoga is cool
Message	yoga is a way to calm.......... to get into thoughts. Thats why i like it. people who think of doin harmful things to calm, need to at least try yoga. It works for me. UMMMMMMMMM!!!!!! (BREATHE) UMMMMMMMMM............

User	insphered soul | 2006-02-19 |
Subject	untitled
Message	let me think.........channel XXX and you could be fined up to 20 minutes of unwanted or wanted urges...................haha, ’urges’.......thats funny

User	Magnolia Steele | 2006-02-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	What channel was that again, and how much would I get fined for watching it? lol. Maggie

User	insphered soul | 2006-02-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	haha

User	Magnolia Steele | 2006-02-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	No, I don’t think so. lol. Maggie

User	insphered soul | 2006-02-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	chyea, i remember it was a guy doing something to this girl and he was bending around trying to stick something somewhere and he did this weird twist and........ umm, that wasn’t yoga was it? lol

User	Magnolia Steele | 2006-02-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	I thought yoga was supposed to relax you, not tire you out. Maybe you and Zach had watched the same yoga teacher on tv. lol. I just saw your message Phantom, thanks a bunch, I’ll be extra careful. Maggie

User	WritingPrincess | 2006-02-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	i like doing yoga sometimes not often though. i end up feeling like a pretzel which tires me out too much. i have a job and a life that need to get on with

User	Magnolia Steele | 2006-02-17 |
Subject	untitled
Message	We all know you didn’t if you had pain from it after trying it out. What the hell were you watching anyway? Maggie

User	insphered soul | 2006-02-17 |
Subject	untitled
Message	oh yeah......yoga is cool and all if you do it right, and i dont think i did. lol.

User	Magnolia Steele | 2006-02-17 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Thank you so much for that bit of info. You truly helped me alot. Maggie

User	Rokhal | 2006-02-17 |
Subject	untitled
Message	A good yoga teacher encourages you to manage and monitor every muscle in your body, including your cardiovascular system, and especially your breathing. I like the ones who talk constantly, guiding everyone through the moves. A few moves can raise your blood pressure---anything that involves many large muscle groups, held a long time---but if you’ll be safe if you watch your heart rate. It can be as hard or as easy as you need it to be, and it’s good mental training for other excercise.