Expansion of your internal/vital/pranic body through the practice of Yoga

When we practice Yoga, our internal body expands beyond the boundaries of the physical body, we create space inside and promote the flow of prana - the vital force. This in tern allows us to open up and allow ourselves to receive more positive events in our life, promotes emotional and physical balance and peace, all this leading to happier life.

A beautiful illustration of the expansion of the internal/vital/pranic body is the shadow on the floor on the images below - a magical reflection of the physical body during Yoga practice:

Anaadi - what is it?

Anaadi is a sanscrit word that means Eternal, something without a beginning and an end.

Eternal, unbroken happiness and peace is what I aspire for my students to realise in their life trough Yoga. This notion is in the core of my Yoga teachings and practice and I use a combination of Asanas, Pranayama, Relaxation, Meditation, Visualisation and advice on healthy diet to facilitate the journey to Self Realisation.

Kayoga at the Mangroves with Noukhada Adventure Company

Description:

Noukhada and Anaadi Yoga have teamed up to provide a rejuvenating Kayoga experience.

Kayoga is a combination of Kayaking and Yoga practice that complement each other at many levels. Yoga helps strengthening and balancing the body and improves concentration and awareness - all playing a major role for a good Kayaking practice. Kayaking on the other hand takes you on a magical journey away from the city - into the Mangroves where only birds and wildlife can be seen and heard – the ideal location for a relaxing Yoga session.

We start our Kayoga with gentle but powerful upper body stretch, balancing and aligning the body posture, and short Pranayama (breathing) practice. This helps loosen up the stiffness around the neck and shoulders, prepares the arms and core for the paddling and improves the body balance in the kayak.

The practice of Pranayama is a fundamental part of Kayoga because it calms the mind, promotes concentration, clear thinking and fast decision making essential in critical situations. It also reduces tiredness and fatigue and enables us to paddle longer distance without stopping.

Equipped with the basic Yoga concepts, we jump into the kayaks and head towards the remote island in the Mangroves where the main Yoga practice is held.

The one hour Hatha Yoga practice is designed to strengthen the body, improve flexibility, moisturise the joints, massage the internal organs, boost the digestion and absorption of nutrients, eliminate toxins and impurities from the body, bring the awareness to the present moment and completely rejuvenate and revitalise the body and mind. We finish the Yoga class in Shavasana (corps pose) where guided visualisation and meditation are used to release brain chemicals that act as natural brain tranquilizers - lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety/stress levels.

Yogis and non-yogis of all levels are welcome, no previous experience is required since the practice will be done in a way that asanas (yoga poses) will be thought at different levels - gentle for beginners and challenging for more advanced practitioners.

Ensure that you wear comfortable and stretchy clothing, yoga mats will be provided, however you can bring your own if you wish.

Details: 

Days: Every Friday at 08:00hrs

Duration: 2 hrs (50% paddling/ 50% yoga)

Price: 170 AED per person

Children - this is not for small children but children 15 years and above, accompanied by their parents, are fine.

A tour starts with a minimum of 4 people but is open to others to join.

If you have less than 4 people, please look at our calender to see what tours are available for you to join.

Sunday Evening Yoga class - Mushrif Park Abu Dhabi

Early morning Yoga Friday 4th November

We had another amazing early morning Yoga session near the Corniche, thank you all for joining and for your contributions towards Maiti Nepal. We have already collected AED 145! :))

Please see below the e-mail I received from Friends of Maiti Nepal for more information on how the donations will be used.

Enjoy a wonderful weekend and Eid holidays!

Namaste!


Hello Neli,

My name is Brigitte Cazalis-Collins. My husband and I have lived in Nepal intermittently for over two decades and founded Friends of Maiti Nepal in 1999. Please see our Mission Statement and visit our web site.

We have just returned from Nepal and just received your e-mail from Maiti Nepal below. We are sorry that we are only addressing it now.

The needs at Maiti Nepal are so numerous that your funds will go to a multitude of needs. The needs to be met are from food, kitchen, soap, towels, winter shoes, winter sweaters, training programs, health care only to name a few.

We wish to thank you for your compassionate offer of help. If you wish to send the funds to FOMN, which is a non-profit corporation recognized by the US government, you will receive a receipt acknowledging your donation and we shall be happy to acknowledge your students. Please let us know if we can be of further help.

Sincerely,

Brigitte Cazalis-Collins
Friends of Maiti Nepal®
501 (c) (3) Massachusetts non- profit corporation
Brigitte Cazalis-Collins - Executive Director Joseph H. Collins - Associate Director
63-6 Commercial Wharf Boston, Ma 02110 USA
Web site: www.friendsofmaitinepal.org
Facebook: http:tiny.cc/rew0k

Sunday evening classes on the Abu Dhabi Corniche

Due to the growing interest, I will be starting evening classes on the 30th October and every Sunday after from 7:30pm - 9:00pm until further notice.

The classes will be free, however participants will have the opportunity to make a small donation to Maiti Nepal - an organisation helping young girls victims of human trafficking.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed during our Friday morning class, we have collected AED 90! :)

Let us send our positive thoughts and best wishes to Maiti Nepal and everyone else helping this world to become a better place. 

Namaste

Yoga class on the Abu Dhabi Corniche

We had an amazing Yoga session on the Corniche this morning, thank you Ella, Marivic, Louay, Sunil and Sameer for joining!

The donations from the class will be send to Maiti Nepal http://www.maitinepal.org/ to help them continue their amazing work on rescuing and helping young girls victims of Human Trafficking.

I hope to see you all next Friday!

Yoga Classes on the Beach - Abu Dhabi Fri 28 Oct 6am

Five points of Yoga - 1. Proper Exercise

Proper Exercise acts as a lubricating routine to the joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons and other parts of the body by increasing circulation and flexibility.

Yoga physical exercise is called 'asana', a term which means steady pose. The aim for advanced practitioners is to hold each pose for a period of time so that they benefit fully from the healing properties of the asanas.

However, initially our aim is to increase body flexibility, in particular increasing the strength and flexibility of the spine - therefore increasing circulation and delivering plenty of nutrients and oxygen to the nerves.

Asanas also work on the internal organs by massaging them, flushing accumulated toxins and old blood out and letting a flow of fresh blood in. By performing asanas the endocrine system - glands and hormones - is rejuvenated, helping to balance emotions and improve the mental outlook in life.

Hand in hand with asanas, we practice deep breathing and concentration of the mind. This helps us detach the mind from the objects of the senses and draw it inward, free it from all distractions and keep it under control.

Asanas are not just a set of physical exercise that keeps our body fit, practicing asanas goes beyond the surface of the physical body into the locomotor, nervous, hormonal, respiratory, cardiovascular and digestive systems. Rejuvenates and revitalises all aspects of our body and mind.

Keep your dreams alive

Keep your dreams alive. 

Understand that to achieve anything, it requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. 

Remember all things are possible for those who believe!

My dream is slowly turning into a reality, what a wonderful experience the YTT with Devdasji has been! Truly inspirational Teacher and a Guru!

Eternal Bliss - the ultimate destination

“Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination.”

Swami Sivananda

Something to think about....

“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”

Yoga Classes on the Beach - Abu Dhabi ... cont.....

Namaste!

Yoga on the Beach Abu Dhabi will start running at the beginning of October 2011! :)

Please register your interest and preferable timings - morning 6am - 7:30am or evening 7:30pm - 9pm.  

The first 5 people to join Yoga on The Beach will receive a voucher for 3 Free Regular Classes from Anaadi Yoga! 

We already have Sunil and Shazia who registered and I am sending their vouchers, congratulations! Only 3 vouchers for give away left, so hurry up :).

See you at the Corniche!

Yoga Classes on the Beach - Abu Dhabi

Do you want to be healthier, happier and more balanced? Why don't you join us for a rejuvenating, revitalising and toning Yoga Practice on the beautiful beach of Abu Dhabi?

By joining us, you will also support your local community because all donations from the class will be given to a selected by us charity!

Get active, be benevolent!

Contact me for more information.

Namaste!

Karma - are we in control of it?

Thinking is the real Karma. It materialises and becomes an action.

If you allow the mind to dwell on elevating thoughts, you will develop noble character. If you entertain negative thoughts, you will develop a base character.

You saw an action and reap the habit. You saw a habit and reap a character. You was a character and reap a destiny. Destiny is of your own making. Your Karma is in your hands!

The Way to Success

'Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.'
Swami Vivekananda

The Influences on Man's Freedom of Action

'... Environment is stronger then willpower. If you want to be spiritual, seek good company and don't mix with those whose bad habits may wrongly influence you.' Sri Sri Paramanahsa Yogananda

Beautiful Truth Within Yourself

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – Buddha

Why practice Yoga?

Our bodies are naturally going through a cycle of birth, growth, change, decay and death.

The growth period is up to age of 18-20, this is when the rate our cells rejuvenate is higher then the rate our cells decay. Between the age of 20 to the age of around 35, our bodies maintain equal proportion of producing new cells and destroying old ones. After the age of 35, the decaying of cells takes precedence and our bodies start encountering illness and despair.

The Yogic philosophy says that we are not simply born to be subject to suffering, disease and death - there is much greater purpose to life. However the spiritual search of life's purpose requires keen intellect and strong will - and these are products of healthy body and mind.

The integral system that was developed to keep the physical and mental bodies strong is Yoga and the main elements include:

Proper Exercise - Asana

Proper Breathing - Pranayama

Proper Relaxation - Savasana

Proper Diet - Vegetarian

Positive Thinking and Meditation - Vedanta and Dhyana

In the coming days we will be looking into each of these aspects and discuss them in details.