• Yoga In Nepal: Yogi-Nomad

Yoga Courses In Nepal

One of the oldest and most beneficial exercise routines in the world is an art that was first created in the Asian sub-continent. It’s an activity that can be performed by both the young and old, in almost any location, for many reasons and at any time of day. Yoga is a wonderful way to improve one’s physical and mental health, but it is important to do it properly, and be taught it by an expert. This is because manipulating one’s limbs and joints, and holding these positions for long periods of time can be rather dangerous. The internet, where you’re reading this at the moment, is a wonderful source of information and advice, as well as entertainment. However, with anything regarding health (for example, diagnosis, treatment and therapy) it is vital to visit and spend time with an expert, at least at first. People can take yoga courses in cities and rural areas all over the world, but it is surely best to do it as near as possible to the place where the art began. Yoga teaching in Nepal is done at yoga centres in good English and other languages by both the locals and some experienced foreigners. 

Yoga-centers

It is not at all important at which level the student is. The best yoga centers are able to offer courses for all levels and at varying degrees of intensity. Some people want to just do half an hour a day, whereas as others are absolutely dedicated to do as many hours as their bodies and instructors permit. Like many physical and enjoyable activities, it is not difficult to do too much too early and cause yourself problems for the next day or days. One must always follow the advice of the expert they pay to instruct them. Some people prefer to fully relax in the fresh mountain air of a country very near to the birthplace of yoga. Therefore, for one of the most popular destinations to learn yoga Nepal is an obvious choice. It is visited by enough students to ensure that there are lots of well-qualified instructors wanting to work there. These instructors and the centres they work for are able to offer yoga courses at many levels and in several languages. 

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Nepal is not the only place to learn yoga, but it is certainly one of the best. It offers so many advantages for both the yoga itself and also for general travel happiness and convenience. The cost of living is low, the quality of air and food high, and there are very little distractions. All in all ensuring a wonderful all-round experience.

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15 min. version of the documentary “Land of the Seekers” directed by Brendan Turrill, shot in Nepal

Living Yoga and Other Hobbies

In the past, many people who had enough free time took up some kind of hobby. Nowadays, with technology and other distractions, hobbies are far less popular. However, some people still collect, make or study things just for fun. One popular kind of hobby is any form of exercise, as it improves one’s health while also giving them a break from daily life. There comes a time in one’s hobby life when they consider taking the next step and making more of the activity than just a hobby. It is not always a success, but if it does work, that person can then lead a very fulfilling lifestyle. For example, to go from a novice or low level in something like yoga, to actually making a living out of it. Now, living yoga might not be every yoga fan’s cup of tea, as it may be oversaturation and therefore no longer a hobby. But for most it would be wonderful to enjoy one’s work so much.

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Imagine doing something that is so beneficial and relaxing for an occupation. To take up yoga teaching would involve more than just quitting a job and starting yoga courses for your customers. It would require reaching a high level of the art in advance, and also performing pure yoga for a reasonable length of time. Then, once the appropriate level has been reached, one can start to teach. Living yoga really would be a great lifestyle in circumstances allowed it. Of course, there are other hobbies which can lead to careers. For example, scuba diving is for most people a sport that can be practised just once or twice a year. But there are also plenty of people who become addicted to it quite quickly and want to move up the ladder of different levels, until reaching Divemaster or Instructor.

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Normally, making a hobby into a career is a big step and it is usually only possible if that hobby can be taught or instructed. Yoga and scuba diving are just two simple examples, but there are plenty of others, such as hang gliding, golf, mountaineering or climbing. Of course, one must bear in mind that to maintain a constant income one needs to have regular customers and this can often require moving away from one’s home town or country. In addition, after a year or two, many people become bored of the activity that they once loved.

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Beginner Yoga for Men

Exercise has become even more important in recent times, mainly due to our lifestyles and diets. Many years ago we didn’t have escalators or lifts or 12-hour days working in offices. In addition, our diets contained far fewer substances that cause the build-up of fat. Combined, these factors cause the need for more exercise. However, exercise is often not fun, can cause injury and is mostly inconvenient. Swimming is the best, but it requires a pool, time to prepare, swim, and shower and change afterwards. Jogging is a good cardiovascular workout, but damages knees and other joints. One of the best solutions was created thousands of years ago in what is now known as India. Yoga is proven to be a wonderfully healthy and effective form of exercise that can benefit experts and beginners alike. Moreover, it can be performed at any time of day and in almost any place where there are two square metres of floor space. For the beginner yoga may appear rather intimidating, but with good advice, some respectful training and a little patience, one can advance swiftly to become proficient, and at the same time healthier.

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Unfairly, yoga is often regarded as a woman’s activity, or only performed by men who are less masculine than those in the gym or on the football field. Those men who are broad-minded enough to at least give yoga a try will soon realize the benefits and be able to perform in the gym, on the football field, or even in the bedroom much more effectively in a very masculine way. Nowadays courses and rooms that focus purely on yoga for men are becoming more available and more popular. Beginner yoga lessons are gentle on the muscles and joints, and do not leave the new students with any form of ache or pain. The improvement process is smooth and gentle and one does not become an expert overnight. Those who try too hard too early will only set themselves back further. This could also be said for any other form of exercise.

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Of course, one needs to learn a little about the activity before trying to arrange their feet behind their head. A good teacher will be patient and understanding. A good school will have plenty of yoga pictures showing examples and a list of yoga workouts for all levels to practise.

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The biggest step, especially for men, is the psychological one that restricts the taking up of yoga. The stigma of being thought of as a leotard wearer or a hippie is far from easy for any man to swallow, but that first hurdle is the only one that is difficult to pass. After accepting that it is beneficial in so many ways and discovering that other men, real men, are already performing yoga to help their performances in other, manly, activities, one can relax and enjoy a long and healthy life.

Yoga Retreats Kathmandu and Yoga Teacher Training Courses in Nepal

Yoga is a traditional practice of mental and physical discipline that originated in Nepal and North India that has become very popular worldwide, especially  in recent times now that western people are more open minded towards Eastern meditative practices.  Though yoga workshops can now be taken in almost every city in Europe and America, for many die hard yoga practicers a yoga retreat in Nepal amongst the majestic Himalayas is the ultimate yoga experience that’s not to be missed. An Everest yoga retreat really is something special.

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal is home to a large number of yoga retreats, yoga workshops, ashrams and wellness centres, offering a large choice of yoga styles, holistic nutrition,  and also yoga TTC (teacher training courses); these are visited by people from all over the world, all eager to improve their mind, body and spirit by practicing yoga in the Himalayas of Nepal, home to the humble Nepalese and proud Mount Everest.

There are already several well established yoga retreats and ashrams in the Himalayas that have Everest as a spectacular background for their classes, and the number of yoga retreats in Nepal is growing yearly as more and more visitors make the trip to Nepal to enjoy and learn from the many yoga workshops and yoga teachers that are based there.

Ashrams are traditionally a religious hermitage, though in modern times they often denote a place for various spiritual practices such as music study or yoga. There are a large number of ashrams in Nepal that specialise in yoga training, and they are typically located far away from human habitation so as to be able to offer the seclusion one needs for such a spiritual form of exercise.

Ashrams and yoga retreats in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal offer a wide range of different styles of yoga in their yoga workshops, so when choosing a yoga retreat one must consider what goals they are hoping to achieve with their yoga practice, and then research what style of yoga will be the most beneficial to them.  Many of them also now offer holistic nutrition.

Yoga workshops don’t just offer training for people who practice yoga, but they also provide yoga teacher training for people that wish to take their yoga skills to a higher level and begin teaching yoga themselves. 

Many of the yoga retreats in Nepal offer full yoga teacher training courses (TTC) in their workshops now and TTC’s are one of the fastest growing branches of the yoga retreats in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Studying a teacher training course at a yoga retreat in Nepal takes students to the next level of the yoga experience introducing new skills, knowledge and awareness of yoga practice, and of course most importantly it teaches one how to pass on this knowledge others.

There is something quite special about being nestled away in the Himalayas of Nepal, on the roof of the world, learning and practicing the ancient art of yoga. Perhaps this is because of the obvious historical association Nepal has with yoga, but there is also something about the Himalayas themselves, the remoteness, being cut off from modern civilization, and of course, beautiful scenery gives the region and Nepal a unique spiritual atmosphere that’s hard to find anywhere else. Whatever it is, visiting an Everest ashram or yoga retreat at Everest is an experience that is not to be forgotten.

A yoga retreat or Ashram in Nepal allows one to take time out from their modern lives and everyday stresses and take the time to focus their attention and concentration on themselves and their physical and mental well being, something that many people forget to do in today’s western society.

The benefits of visiting Nepal for a yoga retreat include the obvious physical benefits of increased strength and flexibility that come with yoga practice, the improved mental state of mind that comes from meditation, and last but not least the very basic relaxation and ‘getting away from it all’ feeling that waking up in the morning and looking out upon a mountain range as impressive as the Himalayas gives you.

Of course a yoga retreat is not only rewarding for the time one visits the retreat, it’s an educational holiday and learning new meditation and yoga techniques at a yoga workshop is a long term benefit that one can take home back to their own country where they continue to use the knowledge they have learned about yoga in Nepal to continue their practice and improve their lives.

Outside of yoga workshops and yoga teacher training courses, a yoga retreat or ashram in Nepal also offers an  amazing Himalayan holiday experience and visitors can partake in a number of other activities such as taking long walks, trekking in the mountains, canoeing, cycling, and bird watching. 

Yoga is considered beneficial for a person’s health for many reasons, including reducing high blood pressure (hypertension), lowering blood glucose levels, lessening the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain and arthritis, and even reducing the symptoms of asthma.

It should be noted though that studies on the medical benefits of yoga are not as comprehensive as they need to be able to have definite proof about the benefits of yoga.   One of the reasons for this is that many studies on yoga are conducted in Nepal and India and only published in foreign medical journals where the standards of the journalists and researchers cannot be checked and controlled. Though these yoga study results regarding direct medical benefits are inconclusive there is a general agreement in medical circles and amongst yoga practicers that yoga is beneficial to one’s health. 

People who practice yoga report better moods, having less tension and more energy after yoga workshops, all giving a better quality of life. There are also the more obvious benefits gained through exercising one’s body with yoga practice such as increased strength, increased flexibility and improved balance.  There are several different styles of yoga and each one has its specific benefits so if you are trying yoga to obtain a specific benefit it’s worth researching what yoga style is going to be the most useful to you.

More information about Yoga retreats and yoga teacher training courses (TTC) in Nepal can be found at Yogi-Nomad.org .

Here are som more links from around the world that you may find interesting:

Yoga Tips And How To Beneficial For Health

Yoga is a way of life, an art of virtuous living or an included system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfect and skillful in India thousands of years ago. Also visits our website herbalcureindia.com

The references to yoga are obtainable in 'Upanishads' and 'Puranas' calm by Indian Aryans in the later Vedic and post- Vedic period. The main credit for systematizing yoga goes to Patanjali who wrote 'Yoga Sutra', two thousand Years ago. 

Yoga Tips

1. To get started, you need to have the urge and self-assurance in yourself. 

2. To practice Yoga, the place chose must be calm, quiet, ventilated, dust free, moisture free and also disruption free. 

3. Before you start practicing Yoga, it is very significant for you to clear your bowels and bladder as well as clean your nostrils and throat of all mucus. You must also drink a glass of lukewarm water. 

4. Yoga clothing should be loose and as comfortable as probable. Form-fitting cotton/Lycra pants and shirts are the best. 

5. Wait for a few minutes and then you can start. 

6. Like all other work outs, you must begin with easy poses, thereafter you can advance to the tough ones. Be logical and systematic. 

7. Remember, to start with your actions should be light and if you feel fatigue in between you must discontinue. 

Yoga for Weight Loss

1. There are various Yoga asana like Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Halasana, Dhanurasana, Veerasana, Trikonasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana which are specially meant for weight reduction. Following few of them frequently will certainly help you lose flab. 

2. Incase you are a thyroid patient and you have unusually gained weight. You must go for Sarvangasana and Matasyasana for examination on the hormonal secretion of your thyroid gland. 

3. Regular Yoga asana done with Sun greeting (Surya Namaskar) is also very helpful in weight reduction. 

4. Regularly practicing Pranayamas for instance Kapalabhatti, Anuloma-Viloma and Bhastrika not only help in weight decrease but equally helps in achieving a better muscle tone and endurance.

Yoga Benefits

1. Yoga is recognized to increase suppleness; yoga has posture that triggers the different joints of the body. Including those joints that are not acted upon with regular exercises routines.

2: Yoga also increases the lubrication of joints, tendon and tendons. The well-researched yoga position exercises the different tendons and ligaments of the body.

3. Yoga also massages all organs of the body. Yoga is possibly the only exercise that can work on through your inner organs in a thorough manner, as well as those that hardly get externally stirred during our entire lifetime.

4. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn reimbursement us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first likely instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.

Asanas, Postures & Exercises

Surya Namaskar – Surya Namaskar means greeting or bowing the sun. Usually all sessions of Yoga asana begin with the 'Surya Namaskar' or sun salutation. It nourishes and energizes the upper part of the body.

Paschimothan Asana (The Forward Bend) – Paschimothan Asana also known as touching toes posture, means stretching the back. It brings flexibility and corrects disorders of the spine. 

Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Yoga-Tips-And-How-To-Beneficial-For-Health-/2248088#ixzz1IdGpDUMO 
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Learn to Teach Yoga in Spain (Yoga TTC)

After several trips to Asia, I have decided to take my next sabbatical to lands a bit nearer to home (UK). Having grown accustomed to warm sunny climates, I think that southern Europe has regained a lot of its charm, now that Asia is inundated with foreign tourists on package holidays, health tourists wanting plastic surgery, and backpackers looking for the cheapest or most uninhabited spot. In addition, Central and Eastern Europe’s bubble appears to have just about burst now that the novelty has worn off, and the cost of things has increased along with the number of drunken Brits and Swedes.

Spain looks to be great value this summer and a four-week trip can easily include a relaxing (I think) three-week break at a Yoga resort. There are several stages to learn and perform Yoga, from beginners for fun or just to try it out, through advanced, instructor and level-two instructor. Like many activities such as this, there will always be those who try it once or twice and give up, some who make it a hobby, and others who go all the way and make a career out of it. To be honest, I can’t see myself becoming a level-two Yoga instructor, well at least not this year. However, if anyone wants to learn to teach Yoga in Spain (TTC) then there are several options of professional Yoga training centres, specifically and surprisingly on the island of Ibiza. It is important to use a training centre that has a reliable and easy-to-check set up and history, especially in Asia, near the roots of Yoga. Additionally, a place that doesn’t have too many students on each course, to enable each one to get lots of good attention and plenty of personal instruction is essential before you part with over one thousand Euros.

So, Spain it is, and probably Ibiza, although I will have to exercise a lot of self control to get myself safely past all the bars, clubs, parties and sexy bodies distracting me from the beach. I hope that my joints are up for a bit, no a lot, of stretching. It has been a while since I last sat down and did any serious meditation or Yoga. The course to become an instructor is my main goal this time, but I am still not quite sure how far I will get, nor how beneficial the career move will be. However, the price is good, including accommodation, and the physical and psychological benefits that I will receive are going to be priceless.

 

Lovely Places to Learn to Teach Yoga

What a contrast! A peaceful, spiritual activity such as Yoga performed, even taught on a loud, buzzing and energetic party island that is Ibiza. Well, firstly, it's absolutely true and secondly it is not as ridiculous as it may seem. If you have ever heard of Koh Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, you will know that it is famous for its wild full-moon parties, rife with hard and soft drugs, and strong local whisky mixed with Red Bull. Well, in fact, this madness only happens every two to four weeks (they also have new-moon parties, which are not as big) and only happens on a small peninsular at the South West tip of the island. For the rest of the month, Koh Pha Ngan's party beaches are quite peaceful, and the rest of the place is serene and unaffected all year round. It's an ideal place to take the family, have a romantic break, or lose yourself in your own company on a deserted beach. However, I digress. This is about Ibiza and learning Yoga there.

 

Ibiza is about twice the size of Koh Pha Ngan in Thailand and, as everyone should know, is located in the West of the Mediterranean Sea. Yes, it has a reputation as a hub for party goers aged between 17 and about 30, but there is a lot more to it than that. Its size, and party revellers' apparent inability to travel far from wherever they finish drinking or dancing and to wherever they fall in an unconscious heap allow Ibiza to offer so much more than what most of us are aware of. Now, some may question the likeliness of a person who is keen on Yoga going to such a place as Ibiza, but there are plenty of reasons, opportunities and evidence. Yoga is a wonderful way to wind down and clear one's mind (and possibly one's) body of the nasty things that a night out can inflict. However, there are valid professional reasons to go there and perform Yoga, too. For example, someone who has already completed level one as a Yoga instructor, say in Nepal or other parts of Asia may be looking for somewhere nearer to home or a different climate to do the 300 hour course for level two.

 

Learn to Teach Yoga in Ibiza (Yoga TTC), and you will become certified and proficient within just a few weeks. The best training centres will accommodate you within their complex and keep class sizes down to a maximum of twenty students to ensure the personal touch.

 

It really is a wonderful island, there are always good deals for flights to get there, and the quieter parts of the island are as idyllic as you can ask for anywhere with an airport. Now, Yoga enthusiasts can learn to improve their skills, become a level one teacher, or make the step from level one to level two all in Ibiza, Spain.

Improve Your Health With A Thai Massage

Yoga comes from several religions in the area, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Its name also has different meanings in several languages. And, as mentioned before, there are plenty of reasons for doing it. Traditionally, believers in whichever religion perform yoga to discipline their minds and bodies and become closer to their god or gods. Nowadays, the activity happens in modern air-conditioned gyms and is taught and performed by those from all walks of life including professionals and housewives. In Buddhism, for example, it is used in some mild forms when meditating. In Thailand, there are plenty of people who do yoga, on a serious or very relaxed basis, to improve their health or even just as an easy thing to do at the fashionable gym. Thai massage the lazy person's yoga, is maybe an extreme way of doing nothing while having your body put through some gentle therapy and exercise. It would be wrong to totally disregard Thai massage as a therapeutic, easy exercise, as there are plenty of benefits of a good Thai massage, but one needs to make sure it is administered properly. Otherwise, there could be no benefit, or even some negative affects.

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To call Thai massage a lazy person's yoga would probably be fair for those who know what they are talking about, but the phrase should not be overused to make Thai massage appear either a waste of time, or a viable alternative. Yoga is a very old, religiously traditional activity. It has been so popular in the East that those in the West have taken it up. Thai massage has also been around for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years and it too is connected to religion with its use in Buddhist meditation. One of the main differences being that one you can do alone, and it probably stimulates blood flow and improves discipline more than the other, which requires a masseur or masseuse and the recipient can relax, do nothing or even sleep.

Staying Fit With Yoga

"That can't be at all comfortable," "It's just for girls," "Have you found your other self yet?" and "Have a wash, you hippie," are all phrases that could be unfairly said to those people who practise Yoga. However, it could probably be guaranteed that the vast majority of the people making those remarks have never taken the time to do a little research or even ask a few questions about exactly what Yoga is. Originally from South-Central Asia and dating back several thousand years, Yoga helps to control the discipline of one's physical body as well as the mind. Yoga has proven benefits for the mental and physical health of those people who practise it properly on a regular basis. For people who just do it for fun, or in an attempt to keep up with the latest craze, there are minimal benefits, but rarely is any harm done, as long as the Yoga is performed properly.

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Nowadays, Yoga is practised in Asia, and all over the rest of the world. It would probably be fair to say that its roots are still firmly in the Indian region, where it is used in Hinduism and Buddhism. A little further east is an extremely popular place to study about Yoga for both recreational and spiritual purposes. For example, many people learn Yoga in Thailand. Thailand is conveniently situated between the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea. Thailand has islands with pristine beaches, mountains and good shopping, to complement its warm year-round climate and wonderful cuisine. To learn Yoga in Thailand requires little more than some preparation and plenty of open-mindedness. Some learn it to help them relax, others learn it to aid recovery from some kind of ailment, and others still just learn it for something to do. There are also financial benefits. In the West, fees for professional and qualified Yoga teachers are not unsubstantial and there is a growing market. Therefore, as a career move, there is a lot of sense in wanting to learn Yoga in Thailand, while enjoying a beach or trekking holiday, or meditating in a temple. Going home to Europe, America or Australia could be the beginning of a new business venture or an extra service of a present practice, such as massage or acupuncture.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons to visit Thailand, and probably as many reasons to learn to practise or teach Yoga. Added together and bearing in mind the wonderful holiday opportunities as well as the low cost and new experiences, and it is easy to see how beneficial it can be to learn Yoga in Thailand. You never know, it could result in a whole new you!