Tratak - intense concentration on an outside object

Tratak has many potential uses, but the word may simply be translated as (intense) concentration. Actually it means an unbroken gaze or attention fixed on an object, a steady gazing at a particular point or object without winking - looking at or into it.

The object need not be material, it could be a thought, an inner symbol, a psychic center, etc. Though this is one of the six purificatory exercises, it is mainly intended for developing concentration and mental focusing.

Tratak is included both as a part of the Hatha Yoga as a cleansing process, and it is very useful for students of Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga. This practice helps also to improve eyesight.

Through Tratak, you increase your ability to hold your mind on one thing, concentrated, as long as possible. This not only builds up concentration but also willpower and the ability to use your energy and yourself economically. (But this should be done in an easy, relaxed way.)

There are three reasons for using Tratak:

1. Therapy. Relaxation and eye exercise. If you use Tratak as an eye exercise to
strengthen your vision and get rid of glasses, you would do it slightly differently from the description that appears later in this chapter. Certainly you would also use a candle, but instead of closing your eyes before tears come, you would keep them open as long as you can and try not to blink even when tears stream down your cheeks. But rest your eyes and close them now and then. To improve your eyes, you should do Tratak for five to fifteen minutes every day.

Other eye exercises recommended in connection with Tratak are: Move your eyes by looking up and down and from side to side without turning your head, look at objects close by and far away, roll your eyes and then rest them by covering them with your palms which you have first rubbed quickly together so that they are warm. Also Neti, nose cleaning helps.

By arresting the unconscious movements of the eyes, tensions are released in the brain.

Paul McCartney Teaches Yoga for Our Eyes, exercises to strengthen the eye muscles and improve sight

2. Concentration. Tratak can be used to attain greater calm and concentration for studying, work, etc. - and to attain higher ‘powers’, such as in Prana Vidya (knowledge of energy currents in the body), healing of yourself and others by directing this psychic energy and concentrating on tense and diseased areas (see also the previous chapter on Pratyahara).

Tratak gets rid of fatigue and results in natural, effortless concentration.
We have called this chapter ‘Inspired Interest’. With this kind of concentration, you need only decide to do something and direct your attention to it; then in a natural way you will be absorbed in the work in question. The work also becomes fun and satisfying.

3. Meditation. Tratak is used for its own sake and as a preparation for more extensive techniques. Many other Yoga and meditation exercises are enriched by the use of Tratak, which makes the mind sensitive and receptive to finer states.

Outer Tratak, Inner Tratak

There are two kinds of Tratak: outer (Bahir Tratak), gazing on an outer object, image, etc., with open eyes; and inner (Antar Tratak), ’seeing’, gazing or directing one’s attention to an inner object without using ordinary sight, usually with closed eyes.

The first exercise could be said to be a combination of inner and outer Tratak, but we will call it outer because the object we see afterwards with closed eyes, the candle flame imprinted on our retinas, is so coarse that it must be considered outer.

After Tratak it is good to do a ‘little deep relaxation’, to meditate and merge with your personal symbol.

A couple of practical remarks before the exercise:

The room you sit in should be dark with the exception of the candle you use. If you wear glasses, take them off before you start. Finally, and very basic: two seemingly contradictory elements enter into the meditation. We call them straining and relaxing, gathering and dispersing the attention field; holding back and totally giving oneself. The two poles are a basic premise for working on attention. The whole work takes place between these two. When do you do one and when the other?

It could easily lead to inner conflict, if you’re not aware of the problem. In Tratak you must be able to sit relaxed and do the whole exercise like a game, and on the other hand you must stick to the exercise and do it precisely without blinking or moving. Don’t overdo it, do it at the most for fifteen to twenty minutes once a day.

Outer Tratak

Sit right in front of a lit candle. The flame is at eye level or slightly higher and the candle is three to four feet away from your eyes, find the right distance for yourself, the level of your eyes and the candle flame should be in a horizontal line. Your back should be straight and your body motionless as long as you hold this position. Make your body completely calm. Experience the body’s form the whole body, until you are one with it. Hold that a while - the whole body.

Observe the breath in your nose. Feel how air goes in and out of your nose. The natural breath in your nose. Stay with that a while.

When you feel calm, open your eyes and look into the flame.

Look at the little glowing point at the top of the wick. Look at this point without blinking - look as long as you can - without
straining -without blinking -until tears come, or just before tears come.

When you feel a need to close your eyes, do it, but don’t move.

Sit completely calm and motionless, with closed eyes and look at what appears on your retina when you have closed your eyes.

After a moment a light point is sure to appear.

This is the print of the flame on your retina you see now a little star a glowing point.

Look at it as long as you can.

Does it move?

Let it move up to the center between your eyebrows, look at it there. If it wanders elsewhere, do not follow it. Keep it at the eyebrow center as long as you can.
Sometimes the point vanishes then appears again and then disappears.

And the point or background may change colors perhaps the point turns black and the background light, go on looking at it until it disappears.

How to do yoga

How to do yoga is an introduction on the practice of yoga, including the benefits derived therein, the instructions for several exercises, and the attitude of diet. If you have been “on the mat” for years, and have “down dog” down pat, you know there are a many yoga positions and poses built to improve posture.

How to do yoga asanas

Yoga asana (posture) is an ancient eastern exercise that is valuable in today’s chaotic society. Yoga is not only a simple workout regime, but rather it is a complete method of exercise that serves to rejuvenate the body. Yoga is very similar to stretching and is usually performed in a series of movements; today the movements are rather quick in comparison to old yoga schools. Together with a healthy vegetable and whole grain based diet, yoga can improve your quality of life.

For example back and neck pain can often be helped with the right approach to yoga, because yoga is a mind bodywork out system based on poses and the achievement of peace of mind. It is not merely touching the toes, or making a headstand, or folding into a pretzel. Yoga positions have a lot of benefits such that it aims to improve posture and give a straight figure.

Sometimes, it can be a long time we notice our selves in a crooked figure, and if we do anything about it, expect to have a crooked bone in the future.

How to do yoga practice

Practice yoga at your own capability; do not stretch more than is comfortable. Yoga positions are good to strengthen the body giving focus to the thighs, knees and the ankles. If you get uses to practicing yoga positions everyday, it is expected that your bones respond immediately.

Practice keeping the whole series of yoga poses smooth, flowing and even. Practice up to ten, twelve rounds and then relax in the dead pose. Practiced in this sequence, of neck, spine, and leg exercises, yoga should impart a wonderful feeling and a general improvement in overall health. Practice yoga in a quiet spot, where there is fresh air and, if inside, cross ventilation either at sunrise or sunset.

The abdomen and the buttocks is considered a major turn on for both genders. For the male, it is ideal to keep up a good abdomen of the abs. This makes it more appealing to the women.

Having a good butt matters to some women too, a lot of them are practicing in order to gain a lot of figure and shape in their body.

Yoga positions amazingly relieve sciatica. These are some pain that cannot be prevented. If you do yoga once in a while and even regularly, perhaps you will not feel any back or muscle pain.

Here are some techniques on how to maintain a good yoga position. Just follow these steps in order for you to fully understand yoga positions and be able to execute it in the proper manner.

1. You should stand with the bases of your big toes touching and the heels should be slightly apart. You must lift and spread your toes slowly and the balls of your feet too. Then after, you need to lay them softly down on the floor. Rock yourself back and forth and even side to side. You may gradually reduce this swaying to maintain a standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on your feet.

2. Hardening your thigh muscles and then lifting the knee caps is next. Do it without hardening your lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to make stronger the internal arches, then picture a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs up to your groins. From there through the core of your neck, torso, and head, and out through the crown of your head. You should turn the upper thighs slowly inward. Make your tailbone longer toward the floor and raise the pubis in the direction of the navel.

3. Push your shoulder blades into your back, then broaden them crossways and discharge them down your back. Without roughly pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling. Broaden your collarbones. Suspend your arms alongside the torso.

4. You should balance the crown of your head unswervingly over the middle of your pelvis, with the base of your chin analogous to the floor, throat soft, and the tongue broad and plane on the floor of your mouth. Make your eyes look softer.

5. Tadasana is usually the initial yoga position for all the standing poses. Applying Tadasana is useful especially in applying the poses. Staying in the pose for 30 seconds up to 1 minute, then breathing easily keeps it satisfactory.

Just follow these simple figures and you are sure that you are doing the right yoga positions.

Yoga meditation - Relax Through Meditation

In the frenzied lifestyle people live in today, you have to consider that this overactivity lifestyle is bad for your health. Recent studies have found that stress contributes to heart diseases and high blood pressure. You have to consider that because of the help of stressful lifestyle that people live in today, stroke and heart diseases have been considered as one of the deadliest diseases plaguing today’s society.

Yoga meditations can completely relax your body and mind and it can also make your brain more alert and make your heart relax.

The stressful lifestyle that people live in today, stroke and heart diseases have been considered as one of the deadliest diseases plaguing today’s society.

This is the reason why you should learn how to relax and take care of your body. You need to consider that your body needs rest from time to time. It cannot handle too much work for too long. If your body is yelling out that you have had enough work and is saying that it is tired, it probably is. With 5 minutes of relaxation, you can revitalize your body and get it ready for another batch of work.

Although yoga exercising can also help in preventing heart diseases, you have to consider that it is just not enough. You also need rest and relaxation. Besides, if you are stressed out, you won’t be able to work at your peak efficiency. Your brain function is also overwhelmed by stress and you will not be able to think clearly if you are overstressed. This is why you need to relax. Besides, what’s the point of working if your brain and body don’t function well-enough?

Today, one of the most helpful ways to relax is through yoga meditation. Although yoga meditation have been practiced thousands of years ago, you have to consider that recent studies have found and has proof that yoga meditation can indeed relieve stress and give you that extra boost of energy you need.

What is kundalini yoga?

Kundalini yoga is known as one of the most powerful types of yoga. Sometimes it was called the mother of all the Styles of Yoga. This type of yoga awakens the energy at the base of our spine which is known as the Muladhara Chakra.

The word Kundalini was derived from kunda which means coiled. Kundalini Sadhana is described to be the coiled energy that looks like a serpent, hence a coiled serpent, which has three and a half coils which are resting at the bottom of the spine. The three coils in Kundalini Yoga are known as the three Gunas which are the Sattva, Rajas, Tamas. The Vikritis represent the half coil.

So Kundalini yoga is the power, in the form of a coiled serpent, residing in Muladhara Chakra, the first of the seven Chakras, the other six in order being Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Visuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara.

From an anatomical point of view, kundalini is located in the perineum region of our body. For the males, it resides between the testicles and the rectum. For the female, it is between the clitoris and the vagina.

What is kundalini yoga? Kundalini Yoga is also known as the symbol of the union of opposites. The male power is known as Siva and Sakti is female. They are the fundamental resource of power and energy when they are united. The union of Siva and Sakti occurs in the brain and from this comes the sense of feeling and affection, energy, love.

Kundalini is often represented in art, literature, and stories as a serpent or snake, and as such it had many definitions: Kundalini as a perfect fruition of Life: the energy of soul; the energy of the cosmos within each individual; creative energy, the dormant energy within us that expands our awareness; the greatness of which we are each capable; enlightenment manifestation and liberation; the source energy of the entire world of form; Kundalini is music and color, the awareness of the higher self; a condensed, primal force, similar to the potential energy found in water; a healing force, the formative, biological energy dormant in our bodies; the science of raising one’sconsciousness to higher levels; the energy of life, or the Divine, as it is experienced in the individual; the creative energy that initiates puberty; Kundalini is the energy, the life force.

Kundalini Yoga gives reward to Yogis who maintain unity awareness and spiritual transformation. The Kundalini produces a hissing sound when it is awakened. It sounds just like a beaten serpent as it goes from the Muladhara Chakra to the Brahma Nadi and to the Sahasrara Chakra.

If you are curious about Kundalini Yoga, it is good to know the path it takes. One thing you need to understand is the Nervous System and the Spinal Cord. These two are the main focus of Kundalini Yoga. It targets your Spinal Cord and the Nervous System.

The Nervous System as we all know is the main control or the center of our body. The Nervous System is responsible for the imaginations, thoughts, intelligence and memory that we have. The Nervous System composes of the brain, the nerves and most especially the Spinal Cord which gives us posture and stand. The Spinal Cord is made up of delicate nerves and tissues that is why we need to take care of it. Kundalini Yoga will be the most appropriate practice for this.

The infamous Kundalini awakening is not that easy to learn. It is also something that we can find or learn in books. If there was, you might be confused or perplexed in learning the process. If you want to master Kundalini awakening, it should be based on experience. After series of trials and sessions, you will find out that Kundalini awakening took place and it was all because you were just too eager and concentrated to learn it. Awakening the Kundalini is the first step towards enlightenment.

Now what you have to do is grab that amazing concentration and start working on your Nervous System and Spinal Cord. If you want to stay healthy and maintain a good posture, Kundalini Yoga is just waiting for you to practice it.

Women's Travel Programs

Women only please! Mothers, daughters, best friends and sisters...we have the vacations for you. Feeling adventurous, or in need of some pampering, we have ideas, and itineraries for any mood, or personal quest.

These packages are designed for small group travel. Traveling solo? We can assist you with finding an existing group whose interests match yours! Or, if you have a small group of your own, allow us to help you design the trip of a lifetime for all involved.

Group travel for women offers a myriad of opportunities to see the world, trek a few mountains, shop in Paris, or offer a helping hand on a Volunteer Vacation. We look forward to working with you, and help expand your personal horizons, and to provide you a journey that allows you engage in this fascinating, breath-taking world.

WOMEN'S COSTA RICA RETREAT: REFLECTIONS ON OURSELVES

Costa Rica: 6 Night Mind, Body and Spirit Program: Reflections and Attraction Thinking with Dr. Susan Schliff: March 4 - 10, 2008: Imagine...immersing yourself in nature with all the amenities of an intimate mountain retreat on 8 acres of Costa Rica Rainforest.

A gathering retreat for women only offering, breathtaking views, an ideal climate, private casitas, delicious organic foods, daily Yoga classes, and a place to explore the real Costa Rica, all to renew your spirit. This package includes meditations and the Discovery Series of the Law of Attraction Thinking and Reflection classes with the renowned Dr. Susan Schilff, eco-tours, including horseback riding and more. This program is designed for a small group of women only. Reserve your space today. Land pricing $1895 per person based on double occupancy.

SURF AND YOGA RETREATS IN MAUI

These 7 Day/ 6 Night Surf and Yoga Retreats are a one of a kind premiere experience on the magical island of Maui combining activity and adventure, rejuvenation and community among like-minded women. Located on the beautiful island of Maui, this yoga vacation for women provides you with quality staff, healthy and delicious food, surf/yoga instruction and other exciting wellness additions to our daily program. Also enjoy excursions exploring the rain forest of Iao Valley, hiking the historical Lahaina Pali trail or snorkeling in some amazing spots on the west side of the island. Land Prices from $2025 per person. Code #SW07

2008 Dates: April 6 - 12, April 13 - 19, August 17- 23, and August 24- August 30.

BAJA MEXICO: OBTAINING CLARITY

Women's Baja Retreat: 2007 Dates TBA: 7 Day / 6 Nights: If you are a woman in the process of making changes in her life and want to take the time to deeply explore the issues surrounding your circumstances, this is a journey you cannot miss. We've designed this journey to afford nine women the opportunity to explore what is keeping them from creating the most incredible dream and living their perfect life. In this remote natural reserve in the magical Sea of Cortez, uninhabited by other humans, we are given the glorious opportunity to see ourselves clearly, free from the distractions of our daily lives. Land Prices per person $1927. Code JOS #14

WOMEN'S RETREAT TO SANTORINI: EXPRESSING THE DIVINE GODDESS

June 2008 - Dates are coming soon! 7 Days / 6 Nights: Led by Sheri Rosenthal, DPM


Are you ready to make a change but don’t know where to begin? You’re not the only one! Taking a spiritual journey is a wonderful way to begin to have clarity about yourself and your life. This will be an active trip as there are many steps on this island to navigate since the towns are built vertically into the side of the volcano's caldera! The food is incredible and we even have access to full spa services for our weary bodies. So bring your hiking shoes, a journal and an open heart. Be prepared for the unexpected, as the magic of this land will take you to places you did not think were possible.

Land Pricing from $1895 per person based on Double Occupancy.

Yoga and Wellness Vacations

Modern day stresses make it difficult to keep a balance within ourselves. A Wellness Vacation is designed to enlighten you, rejuvenate you, and send you home with personal energy and inner knowledge to stay in balance.

Yoga and Wellness Vacations offer everything from Spa Vacations to Yoga retreats, to month long healing programs in India and around the world. Our selection of trips offer a wide selection of Yoga Tours, Yoga Retreats, Yoga Journeys to many destinations including Bali, Japan, Hawaii, India, Thailand, and New Zealand, however; we specialize in Wellness packages and Yoga tours to India and all parts of Asia.

LUX World Travel works with a variety of Yoga retreat centers, schools and practicing partners world wide, and the benefit of this relationship provides our clients with a wealth of unique opportunities providing specialized knowledge and experience in destinations traveled. We can prepare a personalized Yoga Retreat and Adventure vacation anywhere in the world for you with a group of travelers of 2 or more. Also, we can provide private guides and tours promoting Tai Chi and Pilates.

Whether you come for Relaxation & Rejuvenation, Stress Management or a specific health concern, we will create the right program for you, and will cater to your specific needs.

We also offer Ayurveda programs from 7 to 28 days, including Rejuvenation Therapy, Stress Management Programs, Body Purification Therapy, Body Immunization/Anti-Aging Programs, Weight Loss Programs, and Beauty Care Programs.

Let your journey begin through us.

FEATURED TOUR: SPIRIT OF INDIA YOGA TOUR

The Spirit of India: A Yoga & Spirituality Tour of North India: March 15-30, 2008 : Tour Leaders: Michele Labelle is a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher, researcher, and has recently released the CD “Breath of Life”; and Mr. Karampal Singh, our escort, holds a Masters in art history, and has been assisting seekers of wisdom for 30 years.

Mr. Karampal, with his wisdom, has alos been a licensed tour guide with the India Tourism Department since 1984. We're privileged to have him share his unique experience and perspective on the ancient wisdom of India. You are invited to join Michele & Karampal on a trip of a lifetime. Come explore and immerse yourself in the Indian experience that will cause your soul to be touched, moved and inspired.

The Hatha Yoga you will practice has been designed to open the seven major energy centers or chakras. Also learn about the Indian philosophies of Pantajali’s 8 limbs of Yoga. Each day, will have a specific focus to allow your spirit to open to India’s magical diversity. Land Pricing from $2685 per person / based on double.

WELLNESS PROGRAM: INDIA: AYURVEDA TRAINING PROGRAM

India Ayurveda Training Program: 12 days: 2007: A unique program, designed for doctors – Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathic & Homeopathic doctors will have a particular interest - medical practitioners, health care workers and anyone interested in learning more about Ayurveda in-depth. The course will be delivered by our expert panel of Ayurveda physicians and a certificate will be issued at the end of the program. Our Ayurveda Training Program takes place in the land of Ayurveda - Kerala, South India, also known as “God’s Own Country”.

Ayurveda is an intricate system of healing that originated in India more than 6,000 years ago, and is believed to be the oldest healing science in existence today. It is the root of most ancient philosophies and alternative medicines such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Martial Arts and Yoga, and the original source of many modern natural healing therapies. Ayurveda may come from ancient texts, but these principles are just as applicable in our society today, as they were when they were originally recorded in India. Land Pricing from $2250 per person.

North India Yoga Tours

The word yoga means 'union'. Yoga seeks to create balance in life through the asanas, proper diet, rest, meditation, good thoughts and action. The result is an optimum health, wisdom, creativity and peace of mind. Unlike the conventional exercise forms such as aerobics and weight training, yoga brings the mind and body into a mutual state of well-being balance, ease and vibrant alertness. Yoga is useful for achieving fitness in daily life and helps in prevention and cure of many diseases.

Yoga has been practiced in India since time immemorial. Travelers who come to India in search of mental peace and spirituality have achieved their purpose in the form of Yoga. By regularly practicing yoga, one can change its life style in the true sense of the term.

North India offers some great destinations, which are known as the hubs of practicing yoga. Rishikesh in the state of Uttaranchal is known to be the capital of Yoga. It is famous for the Ashrams where you can stay and practice yoga and meditation classes. Shivpuri is another venue of practicing yoga in Uttaranchal. The Shivpuri nature camp is renown for yoga camps along with jungle walks and campfires. Shivpuri also offers opportunity of river rafting on the Ganges.

Yoga helps in rejuvenating mind and soul and brings out the best in a person. Tourists from all across the world have been taking advantage of the Yoga and mediation techniques in India. Yoga Tour in North India includes destinations like Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Shivpuri etc., located in the lap of Himalayas.

Tours North India offers online information of North India Yoga Tours and offers online booking of North India Yoga Tours. For further information and reservation, please fill in the form below

Rishikesh - the Yoga Capital

Rishikesh is nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas along the northern banks of the River Ganga. Rishikesh is popular as a pilgrim destination for Hindus and is also called the land of God. Every year, north India receives spiritual pilgrim travelers in large number who visits destinations such as Rishikesh, Haridwar, and such other places.

Rishikesh is known to be the yoga capital of the world. In the 1970s, the famous music band Beatles visited Rishikesh Ashram to practice yoga under guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The legacy of their short visit still remains in Rishikesh.

There are many residential and non-residential ashrams, resorts and yoga schools in Rishikesh that teaches the techniques of this skill. Visitors from all around the world travel to this part of the country to learn this skill. Yoga courses in a number of different traditions are available to students of all levels at a price that even the budget travelers can afford.

Yoga is one the major tourist puller to Rishikesh along with other things like classes on classical dance forms like Kathak, Reiki healing and so on. The natural beauty of Rishikesh, the temples and ghats are other attractive things that pull tourists to this beautiful destination of India.

Other exciting things to be done at Rishikesh are river-rafting trips, trek to Gangotri-the source of the Ganges, Ayurvedic massages, or relax at the sandy beaches on the banks of the Ganges.

Shivpuri Yoga Tours

Yoga seeks to create balance in life through the asanas, proper diet, rest, meditation, good thoughts and action. Yoga is useful for achieving fitness in daily life and helps in prevention and cure of many diseases. Yoga has been practiced in India since time immemorial. By regularly practicing yoga, one can change its life style in the true sense of the term.

North India offers some great destinations, like Rishikesh, Shivpuri and Haridwar etc., which are known as the hubs of practicing yoga. The Shivpuri nature camp is renown for yoga camps along with jungle walks, river rafting and campfires. It is famous for the Ashrams and resorts that offer yoga and meditation classes. Tourists from all across the world come to India to take advantage of the Yoga and mediation techniques here.

There are many ashrams and resorts in Shivpuri that offers classes and camps on yoga and meditation techniques. These camps also provide residential facility to the outstation visitors and foreign tourists.

Shivpuri can be reached easily by air, rail or road routes. The nearest airport to Shivpuri is in Dehradun at a distance of about 50 km. Dehradun, the capital of Uttaranchal, is well connected with most other important cities by regular flights. The nearest railway station to Shivpuri is in Dehradun. There are regular bus services to Shivpuri from most cities in Uttaranchal and other north Indian states.

Yoga Tours to Haridwar

Yoga seeks to create balance in life through the asanas, proper diet, rest, meditation, good thoughts and action. Yoga results in optimum health, wisdom, creativity and peace of mind. Yoga is useful for achieving fitness in daily life and helps in prevention and cure of many diseases.

Yoga has been practiced in India since time immemorial. People all across the world visit India in search of mental peace and spirituality, which is achieved in the form of Yoga. By regularly practicing yoga, one can change their lifestyle in the true sense of the term.

Yoga Tour in North India offers you to go on a trip to Haridwar in Uttaranchal and many other destinations in North India. Along with recreating yourself in the picturesque beauty of the place, you can get rid of the stress in your life by practicing yoga and meditation.

Haridwar literally means 'gateway to God'. Haridwar is counted amongst the first few towns where Ganga emerges from the mountains to touch the plains.

There are many ashrams and resorts in Haridwar that offers classes and camps on yoga and meditation techniques. These camps also provide residential facility to the outstation visitors and foreign tourists.

Some of the interesting spots that can be visited in Haridwar include the Ghats on the banks of the River Ganges, ancient temples and the famous Har-ki-pauri for aarti in the evenings.

SONOMA FITNESS & YOGA RETREAT

Get your body ready for summer! Our Fitness & Yoga Retreat in gorgeous Sonoma Valley combines fitness, hiking, yoga and nutrition. The goal of the retreat is to help you kick start your way to a great body, a healthier lifestyle and a better you! With the farms and vineyards, rolling hills and stunning Northern California coastline as our setting, the retreat offers a wide variety of challenging outdoor venues to help push and shape your body. At the same time, this all-natural setting will re-energize, relax and inspire the body and mind.

The retreat will take place on a beautiful ranch in the heart of Sonoma Valley, one hour north of San Francisco. In addition to a challenging daily schedule of yoga classes, body sculpting and outdoor fitness such as hiking, the retreat offers a sophisticated nutritional program. All meals and snacks will feature fresh, whole, organic cuisine with an emphasis on local produce, herbs and natural flavors. Meals are prepared by a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef.

ITINERARY

Final Dates TBA Soon

Guests arrive at our ranch in Sonoma Valley, located just one hour north of San Francisco, in the late afternoon. If you are flying into San Francisco International or Santa Rosa airports, Maverick can arrange for your transportation directly to the ranch.

Each day, the program will include the following components:

Light breakfast
Morning yoga sessions
Mid-morning boost (mostly proteins)
Outdoor fitness activity, such as hiking or biking
Lunch
Nutrition workshop
Body sculpting class
Afternoon snack
Relaxation time
Dinner
Evening events and activities, such as dance class

The entire duration of the retreat will take place in Sonoma Valley.

ABOUT THE RANCH

Westerbeke Ranch is the site of our fitness retreat. The lush, tree-filled property features a swimming pool, organic garden, Spanish hacienda dining area, gourmet kitchen, yoga rooms, and meditation space. Guests are housed in small cottages dotting the property. The ambience is country casual, but with luxury bedding.

Yoga classes and most meals will take place on site at the ranch. Much of the fitness programming will take place offsite: for example, nearby hiking trails, biking through wine country as well as a visit to the beaches of Point Reyes National Park.

PRICING & WHAT'S INCLUDED

The cost for Sonoma Fitness & Yoga Retreat is:


$1,925 per person, double occupancy
+$450 per person, single occupancy
Meet/Depart: Sonoma Valley, California


Pricing above is for 2007. Final dates and pricing for 2008 will be online soon.


The fee includes the following:

Accommodations for the duration of the trip

Taxes and gratuities for accommodations

All internal airfare, if applicable, between the arrival city and departure city

All arrival and departure transfers, as specified on the Trip Itinerary & Planner

All transportation that is part of the group itinerary, including boats, private cars, charter buses and trains (if applicable)

All breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, tastings and other culinary experiences as specified on the program's Trip Itinerary & Planner

All pre-planned group excursions, activities and events, including tickets, guides, classes, equipment, meals and transport

Comprehensive travel, medical and baggage insurance


For questions about rooming policies, travel planning, cancellations, terms and conditions, and more, please visit Frequently Asked Questions.

RESERVE TODAY

Availability:

There is currently availability for this adventure.

How to Reserve:

If you are ready to reserve your spot today, simply go to Reserve Now to complete the easy and secure online reservations process.

If you need to speak with a Maverick travel consultant, please contact us via phone (888-628-2386) or email info@maverickadventures.com.

Yoga Camp Of Swami Ramdev In Chicago Article

It is a shame that proper behavior, respect, and ethics do not

make great headlines in the newspapers. Just watch the news, and

read the newspaper for a week, to confirm what makes "good

copy." It will not take long for you to find a dozen, or dozens,

of scandals.


We all make mistakes, and none of us wants to have them in

print, but some are preventable. Here are some guidelines for

Yoga teachers to consider when teaching their students. As a

leader and role model, your ethical behavior will be duplicated

by your Yoga students.


There is no need for an air of superiority within the Yoga

class. Everyone is good at something, so why waste time and

energy trying to impress your students, or the public, about

your ability as a Yoga instructor. If students are attending

your Yoga classes, they are already impressed, so there is no

need to turn your Yoga studio into a "circus act."



If someone does not practice Yoga, or is not a vegetarian,

please do not bolster your ego over the issue. Do not engage in

hostile debates over these issues. There is a time, place, and

method for convincing people about health issues, but hostility

will not convince anyone.



Bias and discrimination are hard habits to break. Sometimes,

these ideas exist within families for generations. Yoga teachers

should accept students, regardless of race, religion, gender,

ethnic origin, age, social status, or any other reason we can

find to be unjustifiably bias.



In the case of age - children who are too young may have a

separate Yoga class, but this depends on the patience of the

Yoga teacher and the group. Some "Mommy and me" Yoga classes run

along smoothly, but some adult Yoga students do not want to be

in a Yoga class with children.



I teach children four years of age and up, but it is

specifically within a "Kids Yoga" class. This is much different

from a typical adult Yoga class, and the circus act I mentioned

earlier might be fine. Do not be surprised to see children

perform difficult asanas, but do not expose them to hazards.



In the course of a week, I teach many Chair Yoga classes, and

these are age specific. However, when seniors show up to a Yoga

class, at a Yoga studio, or ashram, they should be welcomed and

modifications should be taught - if they are needed.



Getting back to discrimination in general: The largest problem

with bias is our history of war crimes, holocaust, atrocities,

and slavery. Discrimination cannot go unchecked, and it has no

place anywhere, especially in a Yoga studio or ashram. If you

teach Yoga to a specific religious sect, that is fine, but do

not speak harshly of those who are not present.


It comes down to the golden rule, which is very universal to

most of the world's religions, and I will conclude this part

with a quote. Most of you will recognize a much similar quote

within your own religion. It does shed light on the wisdom of

our ancestors.



"This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would

not have them do unto you." Mahabharata 5,1517.



? Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Phuket Spas : Thai massage and body treatment information guide.

Vacation at Phuket Spas
Holiday Breaks at Phuket's Most Luxurious Spas

Nourish the soul and give your mind and body a complete break in Phuket's tropical garden spas. Recharge and indulge. Exquisite pampering combined with a wide selection of services and invigorating spa treatments that offer personal rejuvenation and massage therapies from Asia and Europe - all designed to soothe your cares away.

Le Royal Meridien Yacht Club

Located in Nai Harn at the southern end of Phuket Island, and with beautiful views overlooking the ocean, the Royal Meridien Yacht Club offers an superb location to reassess and rejuvenate. Take a 5 day Spa Break which includes four 2 hour spa treatments or massage per person each day. Choose from an extensive menu of body, mind and soul treatments in simple but elegant private suites.

For total bliss stay a little longer and take a 7 day package. Accommodation in junior suites or superior rooms - all with spacious balconies overlooking the sea. You' ll return home a new person..

Holiday Inn Resort Phuket

Discover the secrets and luxury of Asian inspired spa treats at the Holiday Inn's new Aspara Spa. Experience an extensive range of spa favorites which include Tahitian Body Scrubs, Javanese Lulur, Soothing Massage and Fragrant Baths.

Feel your stress and strain slip away with a "U and I" Spa offer. Two nights accommodation in the spacious rooms of the Busakorn Villa with pool view, breakfast for two and a spa treatment for two persons. Body Glow incorporating an invigorating body scrub using marine and plant extracts and a choice of Swedish or Traditional Thai Body Massage. A wonderful break.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

For the full treatment JW Marriott offers it all. Luxurious accommodation in one of Phuket's most relaxing locations, limousine transfers, full buffet breakfast and of course, total spa indulgence. Here, in an ambiance of solitude and luxury, you can enjoy a choice of body scrub (Thai coffee, Salt Radiance, or Javanese Lulur ) followed by a soothing aromatherapy massage in a wonderful 2 day Spa Getaway Package.

For couples, try the Spa Romantic Package - 3 nights of luxurious accommodation, and over 3 hours pampering in a private treatment suite. Start with and aromatic herbal steam sauna, followed by salt radiance body scrub, aromatherapy floral bath, aromatic massage and "natures own" aromatic facial. Aaah...

Phuket Spas and Thai Massage

Phuket Spas offer a retreat into the sensual world. Soothing and tranquil, leave stress behind as you sample the essential oils, exotic herbs and Thai massage techniques guaranteed to nourish your body and feed your soul. Let the centuries old beauty and health treatments from Southeast Asia relax and rejuvenate. It's an experience that you will surely return to, again and again. Check out this section to find the the most famous Spas and Massage Centers offering a high quality spa service with the best price.

Cheraim Spa Village - Phuket Town

Cheraim Spa is a village of contemporary Thai styled pavilions surrounding a pond and water features. Set amongst lush tropical gardens, the atmosphere is one of tranquillity from the moment you arrive.

A comprehensive menu of spa treatments is available for private individuals and groups. Treatments include traditional Thai massage, facials, body massage and body treatments including scrubs and wraps. Our professional therapists will welcome you into Cheraim Spa Village like you are one of the family. Friendly and amiable, they will ensure your time here is one you will never forget. Read more...

Panwa Garden Spa - Cape Panwa

An Exotic day spa garden of all kind offers absolute relaxation therapy, located in on south east of the holiday island. Panwa Garden & Spa treats you with completed packages away from stresses and strains of outside world. With stunning and particular casual herbal garden atmosphere, this is the perfect place to recharge your batteries.

Stepping back to nature and experience real tropical retreat with indoor and outdoor spa facilities designed in Bali style and nice blend to contemporary Thai tradition way.

Spa Treatments

In Asia, health and beauty treatments have traditionally focussed on harmony between the mind, body and spirit - through massage, meditation, and herbal medicine. Based on a combination of Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese principles, still in use today, natural ingredients and simple principles have found a new lease of life in the Asian Spa.

Using pure and natural ingredients to achieve maximum results, many of the herbal treatments used in the spas are directly descended from these ancient traditions alongside European remedies. Whether you are looking to revitalise, soften your skin or or nourish your soul, you'll find the ultimate spa treatment here.

Massage

In both Ayurvedic and ancient Chinese medicine, the beneficial effects of massage have always been recognised. One of the oldest and simplest forms of health care, massage is considered an essential element in maintaining good health and a means of restoring well-being for both the mind and body.

While techniques vary, all forms of massage follow the same principle of restoring natural balance by ensuring the smooth flow of "Chi" - the energy or life force within the body. Whether its a massage from Bali, Indonesia or India using aromatic oils to stimulate the sensory system, or pressure applied along the body's meridians, or a traditional Thai massage which includes yoga postures, you'll notice the difference.

Spa Packages

Take a short break, or reward yourself with 3 or 4 day Spa Package to rejuvenate your body and soul. A therapeutic massage, an invigorating body treatment, a detox, or simply indulgent pampering in some of the most relaxing spas Phuket has to offer.

Great body treatments combined with comfortable accommodation in excellent hotels. Nourish your body, feed your soul!

The Blue Marine Resort & Spa - 3D/2N Spa Retreat Package

Surrounded by tropical forest and beautifully located on a peaceful cliff facing the Andaman Sea, between Patong and Kamala beaches, The Blue Marine Resort & Spa offers a perfect holiday for those seeking rest and relaxation.

Designed in “Contemporary Thai Style” combining Thai interior decor and Western modern standards. Spacious, rooms make imaginative use of soft colours and teak wood. Facilities include 2 pools and a well managed spa. The lively Patong beach area is just a 10 minute drive away.

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort - 4D/3N Spa Package

The graceful Tew Son or casuarina trees sway in the tropical breezes along the front of the Katathani Phuket Beach Resorts which occupies most of beautiful Kata Noi beach.

Tew Son Spa incorporates private and shared Aromatic Herbal Steams and the mesmorising views from our rooftop Jacuzzi of the Andaman sea. So, step in, unwind, and let our exquisite service, the healing touch of our therapists and the unforgettable essence of the spirit of Thailand, restore the lustre of life that you’re searching for.

JW Marriott Phuket - 2D/1N Spa Getaway Package

Mandara Spa at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa offers a haven for guests to rest, relax and rejuvenate. A wide range of traditional and international health and beauty treatments are available, featuring high quality imported products as well as natural products grown in Thailand.

Treatments include a variety of massage styles, herbal wraps and facials, salt scrubs, seaweed wraps, aromatherapy, reflexology and a selection of luxurious fresh water baths. Treatments are available for individual guests or couples.

Spa Resorts in Phuket

Angsana Spa

Laguna Beach Resort Location: Bangtao Beach
Angsana Spa Laguna Beach Resort is nestled in the quieter part of Laguna Beach Resort, located on Bang Tao Bay in Phuket, Thailand. It focuses on the use of aromatherapy and the sense of touch to rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit.

Mandara Spa

JW Marriott Location: Mai Khao Beach

Mandara Spa at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa offers a haven for guests to rest, relax and rejuvenate. A wide range of traditional and international health and beauty treatments are available, featuring high quality imported products as well as natural products grown in Thailand.

Tew Son Spa

Katathani Resort Location: Kata Noi Beach

Set amidst the peaceful and tranquil surroundings at the southern end of the resort, Tew Son Spa is a haven of relaxation and rejuvenation, where the secrets of beauty and balance are at your finger tips.

The Aspara Spa

Holiday Inn Location: Patong

Come. Rejuvenation awaits you at The Aspara @ Holiday Inn Resort Phuket. Discover the ultimate indulgence in pure bliss and tranquility. A Heavenly sanctuary for you to relax, unwind, recharge and rejuvenate.

Palm Spa

Twinpalms Hotel Location: Surin Beach

The "Solitude" Spa at The Mangosteen Resort in Phuket offers the ultimate relaxation and health programs in a beautiful Thai style environment. Enjoy the luxury of your private rooms with a herbal steam bath and a hot jacuzzi, forget the "real World" and the stress of your working life. Recharge your energy with one of the special treatments, perfectly presented by our spa therapists.

Spa Treatments
Beauty & Health

Beauty Treatments

In Asia, health and beauty treatments have traditionally focussed on harmony between the mind, body and spirit - through massage, meditation, and herbal medicine. Based on a combination of Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese principles, still in use today, the ancient herbal remedies, steam compresses, natural ingredients and simple principles have found a new lease of life in the Asian Spa.

Using pure and natural ingredients to achieve maximum results, many of the herbal treatments used in the spas are directly descended from these ancient traditions alongside European remedies. Whether you are looking to revitalise, soften your skin or or nourish your soul, you'll find the ultimate spa treatment here.

Facial Treatments

Traditional treatments from the palaces of Java and the temples of Thailand.

Body Treatments

Detoxifying ocean mud, Javanese Lulur, essential oils.

Massage

In both Ayurvedic and ancient Chinese medicine, the beneficial effects of massage have always been recognised. One of the oldest and simplest forms of health care, massage is considered an essential element in maintaining good health and a means of restoring well-being for both the mind and body.

While techniques vary, all forms of massage follow the same principle of restoring natural balance by ensuring the smooth flow of "Chi" - the energy or life force within the body. Whether its a massage from Bali, Indonesia or India using aromatic oils to stimulate the sensory system, or pressure applied along the body's meridians, or a traditional Thai massage which includes yoga postures, you'll notice the difference.

Spa Packages

Take a short break, or reward yourself with a 5 or 7 day Spa Package to rejuvenate your body and soul. A therapeutic massage, an invigorating body treatment, a detox, or simply indulgent pampering in some of the most relaxing spas Phuket has to offer.

Great body treatments combined with comfortable accommodation in excellent hotels. Nourish your body, feed your soul!

Spa Cuisine
Turn your everyday food into healthy spa food

Asian Golden Muesli - A great start to the day.

Simply mix all the ingredients together, then pour into medium-size bowl. Normal milk can be substituted for soy milk if preferred. You can store the muesli for four hours before serving. Add more milk if too dry and serve with dry sweet papaya or mango and mint leaves.

Koh Samui Spa & Massage

Koh Samui has always attracted those in search of a place to relax and recharge, with many new age centres established years before Spas became mainstream. The alternative venues with liver fasting and meditation are still around, complemented by an increasing number of sophisticated new Spa resorts, many located in hotels.

Asian beauty secrets, traditional massage, de-stressing body treatments...Samui is the place to find them.

Spas in Chaweng Beach

Something guaranteed to provide a relaxing and indulgent alternative to the beach is a treatment at one of Chaweng's many high-quality Spas. You can find many massage, reflexology and beauty salons scattered along the beach road. Most of these have trained staff and provide a great level of service and range of treatments, but for a truly pampering experience in opulent surroundings, try one of the spas attached to the smarter hotels, or an independent day spa.

Tamarind springs

Our proven recipe for relaxation: Take a tropical island coconut grove in the shade of a gently sloping mountain. Tuck a herbal steam room in between two huge rocks. Nestle a cold plunge pool nearby. Surround with lush natural landscape. Fold in an hour or two (or more...) of soothing massage with essential natural oils. Mix thoroughly. Garnish with a refreshing herbal drink.

Repeat many times. Beautifully designed day spa in a spectacular hillside setting. Treatments are centred around massage (with some skin care treatments) and focus on back, neck and shoulders, as well as some fusion oil massage, hot stone massage and sport massage. All are offered in conjunction with a visit to their herbal steam room, which is impressively set between two huge boulders. There's also a café/juice bar and luxury accommodation available in eight spacious villas. Route 4169, Lamai,

Tel. 077 424 221

Health Oasis

The Health Oasis puts an emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, especialy regarding food, rather than a quick fix. Some fairly radical cleansing and liver flush fasts among the diet programs are aimed at steering you in the right direction. The Health Oasis is also known for their blind masseuses, who are very effective in feeling and dealing with tense muscles. A simple , basic and inexpensive set-up in a nice beach location.

Baan Sabai

Located in a charming compound of Ayutthaya style teak houses and salas, next to the beach at Big Buddha. The houses and their well-tended tropical gardens are dotted with Buddha images, terracotta pots and antiques. All the treatments take place with the sound of the waves lapping nearby, which enhances an already very relaxing experience. A wide range of massages, wraps and facials is offered, the standout being the Herbal Steam Massage - a Traditional Thai Massage supplemented with a soothing herbal compress. The houses can be booked for a half or full package of treatments. Big Buddha Beach, Tel. 077 245 175

Samui Dharma Healing Centre

Intense fasting spa run according to strict Buddhist principles offering 7, 10, 14 and 21 day courses. During the programme, fasters complete an elimination fast that includes drinking various nourishing mineral drinks throughout the day, taking a Chinese Herbal Cleansing formula and colonic irrigation. In addition to the fast, each person is given an Iridology consultation with personal physio-nutritional, psycho-spiritual and emotional counselling. Introductory classes in Meditation, Yoga, Qi Kung, Buddha Dharma, Nutritional Healing and Conscious Eating are included in the programmes. Accommodation is available at several bungalow resorts nearby and can be arranged by the spa staff. Lipa Noi Beach, Tel. 077 234 170 or 077 234 031 at Sawai Home Bungalows.

Santiburi Spa

Very decadent and correspondingly expensive day spa nestling in the extensive grounds of the Santiburi Dusit Resort. The spa features four double treatment rooms, private gardens, two steam saunas infused with fresh Thai herbs, and two outdoor jacuzzis shaded by traditional Thai sala's. Massages include Swedish, Traditional Thai, Remedial, Reflexology and Tibetan Energy Balancing, which is unique to Santiburi on Samui. Body treatments include the Santiburi Salt Glow, the Thai Herbal Body Polish, the Dead Sea Thermal Mud Wrap and their signature treatment, the Tropical Enzyme Wrap. Many of the massages, treatments and facials can be combined in packages. Santiburi Dusit Resort, Maenam, Tel, 077 425 031/8

The Imperial Spa

Using all natural Thai oils, fruits and clays, the Imperial offers a comprehensive range of massages, scrubs, wraps and facials as well as manicure, pedicure and waxing services in five elegantly designed treatment suites and a walled outdoor sala. Each room boasts individual features such as a steam sauna, Jacuzzi, deep bath and multi-directional showers to further enhance your visit. Considering the quality of the treatments and the products used, the Imperial Spa also represents excellent value for money. At The Imperial Boat House Hotel, Choeng Mon, Tel. 077 425041-52 ext 8123.

Spa Samui Resort

Spread over two locations in Lamai - one beachside and one in the hills, Spa Samui Resort is now famous worldwide for its fasting and cleansing programmes, and kick-started the whole trend for alternative health spas with its opening in 1992. Fasting packages range from one day to seven days and are augmented by reflexology, meditation and yoga classes.

For the passing visitor there's also massages, including Thaiatsu, Aroma Oil and Healing Clay, facials and other treatments on offer. Their mostly vegetarian restaurant (same menu at both sites) was recently voted one of the fifty best restaurants in the world by an international magazine and serves a huge array of salads and health shakes unavailable elsewhere on the island. Accommodation is available at both locations although the hillside site is much newer and its bungalows are a higher quality than those on the beach. Lamai Beach and Route 4169, Tel. 077 230 976.

Spa here!

Ho Ho Ho-liday Hours!

Wondering if you can visit us after a long day of Skiing/Riding on your Christmas holidays?

The holiday hours have been set for the Radium and Banff Upper Hot Springs. Your muscles will thank you after a long day on the hill! Not skiing? Come in the morning to start your day off right!!

Banff Upper Hot Springs
Banff National Park of Canada

The Banff Upper Hot Springs in Alberta, Canada is a great place to relax and enjoy the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Soaking in this naturally heated hot pool will melt away sore muscles after a long day of hiking, skiing, snowboarding or trail riding. Top off your next mountain adventure with a visit to the Banff Upper Hot Springs or make it a spa vacation.

Radium Hot Springs
Kootenay National Park of Canada

The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia, Canada makes a great destination for a family spa vacation. Gaze up at the rock cliffs of Sinclair canyon from the spacious mineral hot pool to see if you can spot one of the Bighorn Sheep that make this canyon home. The kids will enjoy swimming and diving in the cooler swimming pool while you enjoy a massage at the modern Pleiades Massage day spa. Camping at the Redstreak campground is a short hike away.

Miette Hot Springs
Jasper National Park of Canada

The Miette Hot Springs in Alberta, Canada is the ultimate hot springs location. Tucked away in the Fiddle Valley the Miette Hot Springs offers solitude and relaxation. Many hiking trails begin at the Miette Hot Springs making it the perfect location to hike and soak. Camping and other accommodation are also available close to the Miette Hot Springs. If you are looking to leave the crowds behind and soak up some nature visit the Miette Hot Springs on your next vacation.

Pleiades Massage and Spa
Radium & Banff Upper Hot Springs

Pleiades Massage and Spa operates out of the Banff Upper Hot Springs and Radium Hot Springs. Pleiades Massage and Spa invites you to enjoy a massage, all natural facial, essential oil wrap or a combination of the many wonderful services provided to enhance your well being.

Pleiades Massage and Spa Radium

The trendy and expanded Radium Hot Springs location makes for a perfect spa destination. Combine any of the services with a swim in the outdoor swimming pool or a relaxing soak in our naturally heated mineral bath.

Pleiades Massage and Spa Banff

Pleiades Massage and Spa at the Banff Upper Hot Springs is a perfect place to unwind after a long work week. Located just an hour away from Calgary, Pleiades Massage and Spa is the perfect weekend spa destination. Our services will help you relax and enjoy the Canadian Rocky Mountains

Spa Travel Tips

A spa vacation is a significant investment. What can you do to make the most of your spa vacation? Here are some spa travel tips that will help you have a spa vacation that meets all your expectations.

* There are several different types of spas . Make sure you understand the differences between a destination spa , which offers an all-inclusive "immersion" experience, and a resort spa, which allows you to sample as much or as little of the spa experience as you want.

* Find out exactly what the property means by “spa.” You may be thinking a multi-million dollar facility, and they’re thinking a Jacuzzi and one treatment room.

Look for photos on their website. Find a description of the facilities, including the number of treatment rooms.
* Book your spa treatments when you make your reservations. Don’t wait until you get there! If you wait, you may not get the times or treatments you want…and on weekends you might have a hard time getting in at all.

* If the spa has lots of classes and programs, check their schedule when you’re making your spa treatment appointments. If there is a lecture or class you really want to attend, make sure there are no scheduling conflicts.

* If you want to get the rest and renewal benefits of a spa vacation, try to stay at least three nights.

* If you’re going to a destination spa like Canyon Ranch, stay at a less expensive b & b or motel the night before, then head over in the morning to get a full day of activities in . They’ll let you stash your bags and use a locker til check-in time. You can use the same strategy on the way out.

* If it’s a destination spa with lots of programming, remember, you can’t do everything. Don’t try. Pick a focus based on what you need – pampering and pleasure; health and wellness; spiritual journey, or fitness – and let that guide your choice of activities.

* Arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled treatment so you don't have to rush. Take advantage of the lavish facilities that most destination spa and resort spas have, including saunas, steam baths, and hot and cold plunge pools.

* If you are pregnant or have any other medical condition, let the spa know so they can suggest proper treatments. Pregnant guests should avoid any treatments that involve heat or otherwise raise body temperature.

* Consider taking a fitness class or getting a good workout prior to having a treatment.

* Leave your cell phone and pager behind when you go to the actual spa. A ringing cell phone in the spa is rude to others and defeats the purpose for you. Try to give yourself a break from the outside world.

Spa Glossary

"Abhyanga"

Definition:

A soothing synchronized massage performed by two therapists pouring large amounts of warm herbalized oil in waves up and down the body. It is an Ayurvedic treatment that is designed to help detoxify the body and restore its balance.

Common Misspellings:

abhanga, abyhanga

"Ayurveda"

Definition:

A 5,000-year-old Eastern Indian medicinal philosophy that literally translates as "science of life" from the ancient Sanskrit words "ayur" (life) and "veda" (knowledge or science.) In Ayurveda, health is a state of balance between body, mind and consciousness. Ayurvedic doctors diagnose illnesses and imbalances through darsana (observing the way a person moves, walks and behaves); sparsana (touching) and prasna, (asking questions). The goal is detoxification and restoration of one's overall balance. Treatment includes a prescribed diet, yoga, meditation, and massage to prepare the body for elimination of waste, called agni. Ayurveda is recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective health science.

Also Known As:

Ayurvedic medicine

"Laconium"

Definition:

A laconium is a dry heat treatment room or sauna which lets the body heat up slowly and gently. The room is cooler than a traditional Finnish sauna -- 140ºF versus 175ºF -- and provides a more relaxing, less intense experience.
The laconium is also low humidity, 15-20%, which makes it feel cooler than a steam room set at the same temperature. The purpose of the laconium is to purify and detoxify the body by stimulating circulation.

The laconium is often a luxurious tiled room with heated ceramic couches for relaxing. It usually incorporates light, sound and aroma to stimulate the five senses.

To use the laconium, relax on the couches for 15 - 20 minutes. As the body heats, it will perspire. The laconium is usually equipped with a hose so you can rinse with cool water to refresh and stimulate circulation.

Afterwards, shower with tepid or cool water and rest for 20 minutes before returning to the laconium or going on to another heat experience. Drink several glasses of water.

Contraindications for using a laconium include skin disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, pregnancy, high or low blood pressure, fever and epilepsy.

Also Known As:

thermarium laconium

"Laser Treatments"

Definition:

Lasers are medical devices used to treat a variety of conditions, including unwanted hair, uneven pigmentation, and broken capillaries. The word laser is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." Lasers use a direct beam of radiation that penetrates the deeper level of the skin, called the dermis, and creates a reaction.

"Microdermabrasion"

Definition:

Microdermabrasion is a mechanical form of exfoliation that uses a powerful vacuum to spray microcrystals of aluminum dioxide across the skin's surface. This procedure removes the outermost layer of skin cells (part of the stratum corneum) and stimulates cell growth in the underlying dermis.
Microdermabrasion helps give a smoother, fresher appearance to the skin. It is also used to diminish the appearance of sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, and coarse-textured skin.

Also Known As:
microderm

Mama and Baby Yoga? Never Again.

posted by mihow on January 18th, 2008

I’ve done some dumb things in my time. There was that time I slathered myself in Crisco while living in Raleigh and tried to suntan. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Instead I ended up with second degree burns and skin cancer. There was also that time in college that I did my final Women’s Studies presentation on pornography. That may not sound very stupid except for the fact that my stance was pro pornography. It seemed like a good idea at the time and I still stand by many of the points I made, but that’s a post for another day. That was the only D I ever got.

So, yeah, I’ve done some dumb things and every one of them can be summed up retrospectively with one phrase: “Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Yesterday, I added something to that list. You see, my regular yoga studio (the one I visit four times a week, and I will continue to visit until we move away) offers a Mom and Baby yoga class. “BRING YOUR BABY TO CLASS? What a great idea!” I thought. And so yesterday, I bundled Emory up, put a diaper bag together, grabbed a bottle, and headed out to attend our first ever mother/baby yoga class, because, hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

And it is a good idea. The class is a great idea for mothers with babies who don’t continually need to be talked to and sung to. The class is perfect for mothers who don’t have babies who want to be walked around a lot. And it’s a great idea for mothers who don’t have babies who insist that they stand on two feet all the time. Mothers who breastfeed will feel right at home. Mothers who feed their baby from a bottle will feel out of place. Mothers who use a pacifier will feel badly for doing so. Mothers who have a baby who is forever curious, a baby who refuses to sleep until sleep sneaks up behind him and knocks him out, will have trouble relaxing.

I should have known the moment I saw several other mothers filing into the studio carrying their babies in the Bjorn facing in and covered up entirely with blankets that it may not be a good idea for this mother and baby combination. There is no way Emory would ever allow for such a thing. Emory must face out at all times. Emory doesn’t care how cold it is outside or what wet stuff is falling from the sky, Emory must see what is before him.

But I really wanted this to work and for the first few minutes, I thought that it might. Emory smiled at everyone. “Where AM I?!” his eyeballs asked. “WHAT EXCITING PLACE HAVE YOU TAKEN ME?” I got set up while he looked around, taking everything in, everyone. This could work! And then class began and we were asked to place our babies on their backs. That’s when the teacher broke Emory’s rule number one.

1). THOU SHALT NOT LIE BABY ON BABY’S BACK.

Then teacher did something even more insane; she asked that we let our babies do their own thing for a minute or two while we do some yoga solo. And that’s when she broke rule number two.

2). THOU SHALT NOT IGNORE BABY. IF THOU IGNORES BABY, IT BEST NOT BE WHILE BREAKING RULE NUMBER 1.

But the other babies were fine with this, well, all but two: mine and another baby boy.

There was another boy there at the beginning of class who was doing some pretty killer commando moves across the sheen yoga floor. He could not crawl, but he made a valiant effort getting around. And like a drunk inchworm, he did just that. His mother spent the first fifteen minutes chasing her son around. And then guess what? She left. Just like that, she got up and left. Can you believe that? She is my hero.

My son did not do well with the whole “mama does some yoga while baby chills on the floor alone”. And if I were to guess what Emory wanted to say to me, I’d say he wanted to say the following: “Mom, you took me out today, which I thank you for. I like to see stuff. We entered this cool place and I was surrounded by ladies, and you know how much I like ladies and the longer the hair the better. And some of those ladies had such long hair! And I was happy. But you immediately took me out of the Bjorn, away from all these long haired ladies and put me on the floor? Unforgivable. I shall now scream.”

At one point, in a desperate attempt to actually get some yoga done, I gave him a pacifier. That’s when I felt like I broke rule number one as a mother. While we were doing something interactive work with our babies, Emory let everyone know he was pleased by this and began making screeching monkey sounds. Right after Emory freed one of his ear-piercing screams (through the pacifier, mind you) the teacher said something like, “Was that your little one? Babies normally can’t make that type of noise through a pacifier!” I felt like I muzzled up one of Michael Vick’s pit bulls and brought it to a playdate for a bunch of well-behaved, toy poodles.

spent the majority of the hour and fifteen minutes entertaining Emory, which is exactly what I do every day, only this time we were in public and we were supposed to be doing yoga. I spent the rest of the time fighting off a massive bout of insecurity especially during Savasana (relaxation pose, happens at the very end) when it was suggested that everyone lie on their sides and breastfeed their babies. (I had a lot of trouble and heartache trying to breast feed, which is why I pumped exclusively for 5 months.) Instead of breast feeding, I sat upright with my baby and fed him from a bottle. And whenever the teacher came around and suggested I try and relax Emory began to fake cough, which made me feel like I brought the sick kid to school. The teacher placed a block beneath my arm (very nice of her) and we sat there as silently as we could and listened to a hushed chorus of suckling babies.

Emory and I did not enjoy mama/baby yoga, not at all. Instead, I left more stressed out than I was before I arrived and Emory was upset with me because I didn’t let him run his fingers through the teacher’s long, curly hair. Plus, the car nearly ran out of gas and I left my yoga mat on the side of the road.

This dynamic duo will have to find some other way to bond… like maybe mud-wrestling.

Bad etiquette from beginners sparks yoga rage

By Roya Nikkhah

For thousands of years, yoga has brought inner calm and spiritual peace to its adherents.

Now, however, its followers are becoming exercised over the intrusion of modern manners.

So-called "yoga rage" is on the rise as a surge of new year novices tread on toes both literally and metaphorically.

The ringing of mobile phones, a rush to change before the chanting has finished, feet in faces and elbows in stomachs are all fuelling bad feeling.

Elizabeth Stanley, the director of the Life Centre in west London, said: "Classes are probably around 10 per cent fuller than usual at the moment and, as a result, we get a lot of beginners who are not aware or considerate of those around them.

"That means a higher incidence of mobile phones going off during classes, which always angers the more considerate clients, or people rushing out to the changing room before the session is over, which is deeply unrelaxing, disruptive and annoying for those winding down."

Jane Craggs, a teacher at the Yoga Shala centre in Manchester, said that many of her regular clients were struggling to keep their tempers as an influx of "new year beginners" joined their sessions.

"Classes are absolutely packed at the beginning of the year, so yoga rage is definitely more exaggerated," she said. "The beginners don't realise that yoga is all about self-awareness, so they come into class late, take off their shoes noisily, drop their loose change and step on hands as they try to find a space for their mat which often prompts hard stares and angry muttering.

"The more experienced students can get very edgy about it, particularly if space is tight and they end up with someone's foot in their mouth during a twist because the beginners are not as spatially aware. That is when the elbows come out and there can be a bit of pushing."

Union Yoga in Edinburgh asks all students to observe complete silence in the studio to avert yoga rage.

"It is the only way to prevent classes being disrupted and annoying those who may be deep in meditation," said Victoria Bosso, a teacher at the centre.

With a cult celebrity following including Madonna, who played the role of a yoga teacher in the film The Next Best Thing, and Hollywood stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Roberts, yoga has soared in popularity in recent years.

Nearly three million people in the UK are estimated to practise regularly, a figure that has more than doubled in the past five years and tripled since 1998.

Sarah Lassman, a barrister from south-west London and yoga devotee, takes weekly classes at the Sivanada in Yoga CentrePutney. In recent weeks, her class size has doubled from 15 to 30.

"At the moment the classes are so full that you can't help but notice when your neighbour does something really irritating," she said.

"When someone's mat is rammed up against yours, it is impossible to do moves like the sun salutation where you have to stretch out, and I have seen people giving each other a few shoves to claim their space.

"What really grates is when people leave the class during the chanting at the end so they can be first in line for the changing cubicles. By the end of the class, I am often fuming and less relaxed than when I went in. It sometimes feels more like an anger management session than a yoga class."

Pierre Bibby, the chief executive of the British Wheel of Yoga, the UK's governing body, said "If phones go off and mats are so close together that pupils cannot move properly, people will undoubtedly get angry and teachers need to be strict about not exceeding class capacities."

On the mat: Yoga etiquette

- Be punctual. Do not enter a class more than 10 minutes late if it has already started

- Switch off your mobile phone

- Remove your shoes and jewellery before the class and place out of the way of mats

- Don't bring water bottles into class - they get in the way

- Don't place your mat too near your neighbour's. You should leave enough space for both of you to stretch your arms out standing up without touching anyone

- Don't talk or whisper in class. It is distracting to others

- Make lavatory visits during rest periods; walk around the outside of the class to avoid obstructing fellow pupils' view of the teacher

Yoga: Stretch for Your Health

The centuries-old Indian discipline addresses mind and body. Americans are learning how to pose, stretch, breathe and meditate their way to greater mental and physical health.

By: PT Staff

Yoga, one of today's hottest fitness trends, is a centuries-old Indian practice that tones muscles, builds bone strength and enhances flexibility and coordination. It also fosters a mind/body unity that few exercise programs can offer.

The very word "yoga" comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "to yoke"—in other words, to join mind, body and breath. There are 40 types of yoga, but Americans are most familiar with hatha yoga, which focuses on poses, stretches, breathing exercises and meditation. Other types are more physically demanding and require a greater degree of flexibility to negotiate the pretzel-like poses.

At its most basic, yoga instills a sense of calm and relaxation. Eastern philosophy holds that yoga heals by releasing prana, the body's vital energy. When prana is blocked, illness can result. Western practitioners believe yoga's deeply relaxing breath work allows the body's healing abilities to take over. Research also indicates that yoga helps alleviate the discomfort associated with backache, PMS, headaches and arthritis. And an 11-week-long study conducted at the Pondicherry University in India found that yoga's stress-reducing capabilities worked as well as a hypertension drug in controlling blood pressure.

"Yoga's deep relaxation soothes the nervous system," says Rachel Schaeffer, author of Yoga for Your Spiritual Muscles (Quest Books, 1998). So when things get tough, a deep breath and a stretch may be the best medicine.


Psychology Today Magazine, Mar/Apr 2001
Last Reviewed 30 Jun 2006

Yoga Injuries

An article on “yoga injuries on the rise” was published in Time magazine back in the Fall. I guess the media is still catching onto it because a DC news channel recently ran a story on it. To the average consumer hearing the story, yoga sounds dangerous. And I agree yoga can be dangerous if you don’t pay attention to what your body needs and force yourself into a pose. It can also be hazardous if you take a class from a not so qualified instructor.

With any activity, common sense is required. Would you go out and run a marathon without training? And if you did, you’d miserable the entire 26.2 miles and possibly injure yourself. What happens when you hit the fitness machine at the gym for the first time after being a couch potato for a year? More than likely, you push too hard the first few minutes and then you start to back off because you realize you’re out of shape.

Now consider yoga. Do you think you should be able to do every pose the instructor calls out because it’s yoga and yoga is just stretching, right? Or maybe one time in your life you were a football superstar or slim ballerina and physically you felt you could do anything. If you take a competitive, type-A approach, you’ll force yourself into something your body is not quite ready to do. Yoga is about feeling and easing your body into challenging poses, not forcing. Often, people new to yoga force and this leads to injury.

Now let’s look at how yoga instructors might be to blame. There are more yoga teachers out there then ever and there are multiple certification programs. Some yoga instructors take one-day training programs and then the next day they’re teaching yoga. Unfortunately, this is what happens in most gym environments. Some people take an advanced training program approved by the Yoga Alliance but then they rarely practice themselves. To be a yoga teacher you have to have your own practice. Yoga is about feeling. A good yoga teacher can’t safely teach and preach yoga asana and philosophy without being aware of how the poses fall within their own bodies.

If you’re interested in yoga don’t let the recent news on “yoga injuries on the rise” or “yoga can be dangerous” scare you away. Approach your yoga practice with common sense. Visit your local yoga studio to take classes instead of the gym. Take classes form multiple teachers. Ask what type of training/certification the teachers have and how often they practice yoga.

Most importantly, pay attention to yourself when you’re on your yoga mat. Listen to the different cues the instructor provides when you’re in a pose. Try them all but only stick with the ones that feel good in your body. Listen to your body so you can become aware of good pain that can challenge and exhilarate you vs. bad pain that can injure you. And, don’t fret if the person next to you can twist into a pretzel. That’s their practice, not yours. Your yoga practice is about you.

Essential Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice

Posted in Yoga by Anmol Mehta

Summary: A beginner guide for those who are new to the world of yoga. This guide details the 3 most essential guidelines for doing yoga exercises, as well as lists the other important requirements you should know before starting your practice.

Although there is tons of information on Mastery of Meditation on yoga, I wanted to glean some of the most important information and compile it here for those of you who are beginners or new to yoga practice. This quick reference guide applies to all of you who are just starting your yoga practice and is independent of the type of yoga you are taking up.

Three Essential Guidelines of How to Practice Yoga:

Yoga is not just a series of exercises, poses or movements. As I have pointed out in the article Comprehensive Guide to the World of Meditation, yoga is a type of body meditation. It is meditation in motion. For you to extract maximum benefit from your yoga practice, these three key elements must never by forgotten.

1. Do Yoga Exercises With Full Awareness:

Try to be as aware as possible of every posture and movement you are making during your practice. Check throughout your yoga session, as to where your mind is, and if it has wandered away, gently bring it back and focus again on the poses and the breathing. This is the number one requirement of doing yoga, regardless of whether you are just a beginner yogi or a yoga master.

In addition, if certain feelings or energies awaken within you, bring your attention to them and observe them taking their course as you move through your practice.

2. Never Over Strain When Practicing Yoga:

As the requirement above, this guideline also applies to both beginner yoga practitioners as well as advanced yogis. When doing my yoga teacher’s training course, what surprised me quite a bit, was how often these seasoned yogis were getting injured. Yoga is a journey, it is be enjoyed and the sights and sounds taken in, it is not a competition.


If you are just beginning your practice, you need to give yourself time to gauge your capacity and limits. So start off erring in the side of caution, rather than being over zealous. Learn to listen to your body. As you start to better understand your body and energy, you can start to explore your limits further and increase the challenge you place before yourself. That being said, even as your yoga expertise develops, never forget this important rule and overdo it.

3. Yoga & Breathing Go Hand In Hand:

Don’t forget to breathe! There are 2 aspects of breathing which every beginner yogi should be cognizant of.

First, yoga poses and exercises, generally have some breathing pattern associated with them. This breath component of the yoga posture should not be ignored. The breathing plays a very important role in yoga and in order to get the most out of your yoga practice, employ the correct breathing along with the movement.

Second, pranayama, or the science of expanding and controlling prana (chi/life-force) is a key aspect of yoga and should be an integral part of your yoga practice. So, in addition to developing your physical yoga practice, be sure to also develop your expertise in pranayama. As a beginner, make sure you start off gently, as pranayama is a very powerful science and make steady progress over time.

One final word about yoga breathing. Your breath can be a good anchor to help you retain your awareness when your mind is wondering. So it can go a long way in helping you with meeting the requirement of mindfulness, explained in guideline #1 above.

Other General Guidelines for Beginner Yoga Practitioners:

Having detailed the essential guidelines above, I will provide a bullet list below of some other general guidelines for the beginner yoga enthusiast to reference.

- Don’t eat a big meal at least 2-3 hours before your yoga practice.

- Wear comfortable exercise or other loose clothing so your movements are not restricted.

- Try to do your yoga practice early in the morning if possible.

- Make sure your yoga space is well ventilated.

- If you have medical conditions, select your yoga exercises accordingly.

- Drink plenty of water after practice to wash out toxins released by the yoga sets.

- It is fine to use yoga props to help you, such as blocks, blankets, cushions etc.

- It is fine to use music while practicing yoga, but not during silent meditation.

- If you find a great yoga teacher, awesome, if you don’t, use your inner guru to guide you.

- If is recommended to start and end your yoga practice with a prayer to the Lord.

Yoga Article

Many people that suffer from acne should look into the skin

healing benefits of doing yoga. This relaxing form of exercise
is an excellent way to regenerate both the body as well as the
mind. Now how can yoga help to rid your skin of acne?

Stress is one of the largest contributors to someone
experiencing an acne breakout. When you are tired and stressed
your skin is one of the first things to suffer. Many skin
experts claim that exercise will help rid the skin of acne
however, sweat can cause new breakouts in addition to
potentially making current acne problem worse then they were
before you started exercising.

You will have a very hard workout when you participate in yoga.
The difference is yoga is preformed at a much slower pace then
most other exercises so you are much less likely to work up a
sweat. This pace will allow a person to get a great workout and
by not sweating as much they are likely to have their skin clear
up as well.

In addition to being a low impact exercise yoga is known world
wide as being an excellent way to relax your body. Since stress
is a huge factor being able to lessen the stress in your life
will do wonders for clearing up blemish problems on your skin.
If you keep up with a regular routine of yoga you are likely to
see healthier looking skin in no time at all.

Yoga is a suitable form of exercise for just about anyone of any
age who is suffering from acne. If you are unsure about
beginning a new exercise routine be sure to consult your health
care provider. If you are looking for a great treatment for your
acne problem as well as a fantastic way to get your body and
mind feeling great then yoga is for you.

Yoga: ViniYoga

Founder: . T. Krishnamacharya and his son, T.K.V. Desikachar

Viniyoga is an ancient Sanskrit term that implies differentiation, adaptation, and appropriate application. As a style of practice, viniyoga refers to an approach to Yoga that adapts the various means and methods of practice to the unique condition, needs and interests of the individual - giving each practitioner the tools to individualize and actualize the process of self-discovery and personal transformation.

The emphasis is not on achieving an external ideal form, but on practicing a posture according to one's individual needs and capacity. The emphasis on precise breathing and the introduction of sound into asana practice are also unique features of viniyoga. Krishnamacharya's development of yoga therapy, a major component of viniyoga, came from his knowledge of India's ancient school of medicine, Ayurveda, which he integrated with yoga practice.

Viniyoga is a methodology of teaching that respects the student's capabilities, needs and aspirations. The student is always changing-physically, mentally and emotionally, and therefore, the practice must be adapted in order to continuously increase the student's therapeutic benefits. Some important features of this practice are:

Integrity of the spine. There are hundreds of asanas (postures) in yoga. In viniyoga they use the classic asana as a model and adapt it to attain a specific function, keeping in mind the integrity of the spine. The approach works dynamically in the asana, exploring the range of movement for the greatest opportunity to stretch and strengthen.

This dynamic preparation helps the student to enjoy the deeper benefits of the static asana. Every movement is integrated with the breath. On the inhalation, enjoy energy, motivation and inspiration. On the exhalation, experience calmness, relaxation and stability. When the movement flows with the complete breath, their is a feeling of balance, present and alive.

Sequencing the asanas. When the letters of the alphabet are placed in a particular order they form words, sentences and stories. Similarly, when the postures are put together in certain ways they become more effective, efficient and elegant. A well-sequenced practice is a treasure in the yoga world.

Experience. Viniyoga is suitable for beginning and advanced students. People with common aches and pains, injuries, chronic conditions, pregnant women, athletes and performers, old or young can enjoy the viniyoga experience.

Yoga: Transcendental Meditation

The Transcendental Meditation (TM ® ) technique is a simple, natural, effortless procedure practiced for 15-20 minutes in the morning and evening, while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. During this technique, the individual's awareness settles down and experiences a unique state of restful alertness. As the body becomes deeply relaxed, the mind transcends all mental activity to experience the simplest form of awareness, Transcendental Consciousness, where consciousness is open to itself. This is the self-referral state of consciousness.

The experience of Transcendental Consciousness develops the individual's latent creative potential while dissolving accumulated stress and fatigue through the deep rest gained during the practice. This experience enlivens the individual's creativity, dynamism, orderliness, and organizing power, which result in increasing effectiveness and success in daily life.

The Transcendental Meditation technique is scientific, requiring neither specific beliefs nor adoption of a particular lifestyle. The practice does not involve any effort or concentration. It is easy to learn and does not require any special ability. People of all ages, educational backgrounds, cultures, and religions in countries throughout the world practice the technique and enjoy its wide range of benefits.

Over 500 scientific research studies conducted during the past 25 years at more than 200 independent universities and research institutes in 30 countries have shown that the TM program benefits all areas of an individual's life: mind, body, behavior, and environment.

The research findings include:

- Increased happiness
- Reduced stress
- Increased intelligence
- Increased creativity
- Improved memory
- Improved health
- Reduced high blood pressure
- Improved relationships
- Increased energy
- Reduced insomnia
- Reversal of biological aging
- Reduced crime and improved quality of life in society

The research has been published in such major scientific journals as Science, the American Journal of Physiology, Scientific American, Lancet, the Journal of Counseling Psychology, the International Journal of Neuroscience, the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association, the British Journal of Educational Psychology, and the Journal of Conflict Resolution.

Research indicates that TM technique Meditators on average have the biological age of a person 5 to 12 years younger, as well as significantly reduced incidence of illness and risk of heart disease. Studies also show that TM technique Meditators have warmer interpersonal relationships, less anxiety, increased self-esteem and self-confidence, increased problem-solving ability and greater creativity. The individual spontaneously radiates a purifying and nourishing influence of positivity and harmony in society as a whole.

Yoga: Tibetan Yoga

Tibetan Buddhism derives from the confluence of Buddhism and yoga which started to arrive in Tibet from India briefly around the late eighth century and then more steadily from the thirteenth century onwards. Indian Buddhism around that time had incorporated both Hindu yogic and tantric practices along with the classical teachings of the historical Buddha who lived around 500 BC.

It acknowledged that there were two paths to enlightenment (complete transcendence of identification with the personal ego). One path was that taught in the sutras according to the historical teachings. The heart of sutra practice was based on morality, concentration, and wisdom (not identifying with the personal ego). The other path, which has become the cornerstone of Tibetan variations, was tantric. This practice blended the sutra teachings with techniques adapted from Hindu systems of yoga and tantra.

Tantric systems transform the basic human passions of desire and aversion for the purpose of spiritual development. Rather than denying such primal urges, tantra purifies them into wholesome and helpful forces. It is very much like trying to deal with a wild horse charging towards you. One way is denial: put up your hands and shout out, "stop, stop!" Probably you will be bowled over by the animal.

Another, more clever, approach is to step aside and then jump on its back as it charges past you. In such a case, you have a chance to start coaxing it to move in certain directions, and over time you may be able to direct it into a stable. Truthfully, one needs some skill in both self-control and acceptance if one is to be successful with tantric work.

The most dedicated Tibetan Buddhists seek nirvana, but for the common people the religion retains shamanistic elements. The worship also includes reciting prayers and intoning hymns, often to the sound of great horns and drums. A protective formula of esoteric significance, Om mani padme hum [Om, the jewel in the lotus], is repeated endlessly; it is inscribed on rocks and walls, tallied on prayer wheels, and displayed on banners and streamers.

In addition to a large pantheon of spirits, ghouls, and genii, many Buddhas and bodhisattvas (future Buddhas) are worshiped along with their ferocious consorts, or Taras. The monastic orders include abbots, ordained religious mendicants, novices (candidates), and neophytes (children on probation). The standing of nuns is inferior.