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Platinum
Psychonautical Engineer




Registered: 06/04/08
Posts: 7,575
Loc: New York
Last seen: 5 months, 3 days
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Yoga
#12054416 - 02/18/10 02:29 PM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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I've always wanted to try it, but never do. I'm not afraid to, just nervous I guess. My ego is telling me no, but my soul is tellin me yes. I don't know anyone who does it, I don't know if that's good or bad. Well, I do, but nobody who lives near me. On one hand, knowing someone, they could bring me, but on the other hand... that would only make me more self conscious.
I guess I could do it alone, but there's something to be had from doing it with a teacher present, and with other people in the room to really get the energy flowing.
For you guys who do yoga, did you feel like this before you started? I also feel like it's easier for girls to do yoga, again... more ego issues IMO.
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NastyDHL



Registered: 04/04/08
Posts: 3,586
Loc: New England
Last seen: 1 year, 11 days
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Quote:
Platinum said: I've always wanted to try it, but never do. I'm not afraid to, just nervous I guess. My ego is telling me no, but my soul is tellin me yes. I don't know anyone who does it, I don't know if that's good or bad. Well, I do, but nobody who lives near me. On one hand, knowing someone, they could bring me, but on the other hand... that would only make me more self conscious.
I guess I could do it alone, but there's something to be had from doing it with a teacher present, and with other people in the room to really get the energy flowing.
For you guys who do yoga, did you feel like this before you started? I also feel like it's easier for girls to do yoga, again... more ego issues IMO.
been there dude.
one night i decided i'd go the next morning, bright and early. went with my roommate a bit late but the instructor saw us and invited us in and it was the best fucking thing for me.
i don't want to try and explain its benefits but its an all encompassing exercise in discipline and strength
the peace of mind was amazing. coupled with my relaxed and fluent body, i made it to 16-17, then 34-46, then 44-47, before making my final 53 free throws (basketball) finishing at 97 for 100.
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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Your thinking of "Yoga" in the Western sense - hatha Yoga, the Yoga of Postures. Although it can be very rewarding, most Westerners leave the more important mind component out. All true Yoga, which there are many types, deals primarily with the mind. You can start by just laying in your bed and focusing on your breath. There have been many great threads on meditative techniques such as this one: http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/11425393#11425393
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Platinum
Psychonautical Engineer




Registered: 06/04/08
Posts: 7,575
Loc: New York
Last seen: 5 months, 3 days
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meditation is one thing. like for example, theres this place up the road that has Kundalini yoga on tuesday nights. one of my friends really enjoys bikram.
not really talking about meditation in the sense youre referring to. I mean postures and whatnot.
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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Quote:
Platinum said: not really talking about meditation in the sense youre referring to. I mean postures and whatnot.
Well, the point of the postures is to facilitate a meditative state, a union of body and mind. As I said, the majority of Westerners miss this important point, and are essentially stretching.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_yoga
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Platinum
Psychonautical Engineer




Registered: 06/04/08
Posts: 7,575
Loc: New York
Last seen: 5 months, 3 days
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I understand that, I do meditate.
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
Platinum said: I've always wanted to try it, but never do. I'm not afraid to, just nervous I guess. My ego is telling me no, but my soul is tellin me yes. I don't know anyone who does it, I don't know if that's good or bad. Well, I do, but nobody who lives near me. On one hand, knowing someone, they could bring me, but on the other hand... that would only make me more self conscious.
I guess I could do it alone, but there's something to be had from doing it with a teacher present, and with other people in the room to really get the energy flowing.
For you guys who do yoga, did you feel like this before you started? I also feel like it's easier for girls to do yoga, again... more ego issues IMO.
it always boggles my mind that so many western men have this gender based insecurity about practicing yoga postures. mainly because it's a practice that was started like 5,000 years ago in India and was practiced by ONLY men, for a very long time.
if i were you i'd tell your ego to HUSH, and listen to your intuition.
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Fisherman
Tchee'ik


Registered: 10/06/08
Posts: 1,342
Loc: Glrrrrrrr!
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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I say dont care dude, there's a reason this is a friggin immaterial world and doin fitness doesnt do shit to ya.
Jesus, somebody eat their dick already.
>.>'
Tried yoga, didnt cut it.
-------------------- EVERYTHING IS DRUGS
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deCypher



Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Quote:
yogabunny said: it always boggles my mind that so many western men have this gender based insecurity about practicing yoga postures.
I never quite realized this existed until you pointed it out.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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Quote:
Platinum said: I understand that, I do meditate.
I know a dude that goes to the Yoga classes at our school. Most likely to be 90%+ girls there, but I'd say fuck it who cares.
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MOTH
Wild Woman


Registered: 06/06/03
Posts: 23,431
Loc: In the jungle
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Quote:
yogabunny said:
Quote:
Platinum said: I've always wanted to try it, but never do. I'm not afraid to, just nervous I guess. My ego is telling me no, but my soul is tellin me yes. I don't know anyone who does it, I don't know if that's good or bad. Well, I do, but nobody who lives near me. On one hand, knowing someone, they could bring me, but on the other hand... that would only make me more self conscious.
I guess I could do it alone, but there's something to be had from doing it with a teacher present, and with other people in the room to really get the energy flowing.
For you guys who do yoga, did you feel like this before you started? I also feel like it's easier for girls to do yoga, again... more ego issues IMO.
it always boggles my mind that so many western men have this gender based insecurity about practicing yoga postures. mainly because it's a practice that was started like 5,000 years ago in India and was practiced by ONLY men, for a very long time.
What she said.
Practicing asana, physical postures, has helped me bring yoga into every aspect of my daily life. It's helped me realize that everything is part of yoga.
My life flows so much more smoothly when I practice. In fact I need to practice daily for this reason. But I started just with one class, to see how I liked it.
I felt like you Platinum...it took me forever to get into a class because I was anxious about what would happen. ...I'm not a guy, but I have my own share of insecurities.
Overcoming this to go to class and finding out what my body is actually capable of, and accepting and having compassion for my body for where it's at each day, and sometimes being surprised when it can do more then I expect, is a very nourishing and therapeutic experience. Plus I love the exhilaration and the peace, the power and the grace, the gentleness and the edge, which is available in every pose. It's neat...I see my mat as a magic carpet now, a safe and special place where transformation happens. The cool part is that I can take what happens there, everywhere...everything becomes part of it. The mat is a mirror...
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shivas.wisdom
בּ




Registered: 02/19/09
Posts: 13,424
Loc: Turtle Island
Last seen: 7 minutes, 3 seconds
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Yoga is worth it, but I will second c0sm0 in saying that yoga is often misunderstood-- and this is probably what leads to hesitation, or the thought that 'yoga is for girls'. Yoga is about about creating a balance throughout all your bodies [Annamaya kosha-- the material body, Manomaya kosha-- the mental body, Pranamaya kosha-- the vital energy body, Vijnanamaya kosha-- the psychic/higher mental body, Anandamaya kosha-- the transcendental body].
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha is a great book to purchase if you are interested in yoga. It explains many positions in an encyclopedic way, allowing you to build your own routine or use it along with a teacher. It has chapters dealing with the main elements of yoga [asana, pranayama, mudra, and bandha], but I'll give a basic intro for each element.
Note: the majority of western yoga focuses exclusively on asanas, with maybe a little focus on pranayama too-- but misses the greater picture imo.
Asana: Raja yoga equates yogasana to the stable sitting position. In this context, asanas are practised to develop the ability to sit comfortably in one position for an extended period of time, an ability necessary for meditation. Hatha yoga, however, found that certain specific body positions, asanas, open the energy channels and psychic centres. Developing control of the body through these practices enabled them to control the mind and energy. Yogasanas became tools to higher awareness, providing the stable foundation necessary for the exploration of the body, breath, mind, and higher states.
Yogasanas have often been thought of as a form of exercise. They are not exercises, but techniques which place the physical body in positions that cultivate awareness, relaxation, concentration, and meditation. Part of this process is the developement of good physical health by stretching, massaging, and stimulating pranic channels and internal organs, so asana is complementary to exercise. Before the difference between the two can be understood, it is necessary to know that exercise imposes beneficial stress on the body. Without it the muscles waste, the bones become weak, the capacity to absorb oxygen decreases, insulin insensitivity can occur, and the ability to meet the physical demands of sudden activity is lost. There are several differences in the way asana and exercise affect the body mechanisms. When yogasanas are preformed, respiration and metabolic rates slow down, the consumption of oxygen and the body temperature drop. During exercise, however, the breath and metabolism speed up, oxygen consumption rises, and the body gets hot. Yoga postures tend to arrest catabolism whereas exercise promotes it.
Pranayama: Pranayama is generally defined as breath control. Although this interpretation may seem correct in view of the practices involved, it does not convey the full meaning of the term. The word pranayama is comprised of two roots: prana and ayama. Prana means 'vital energy'. It is the force which exists in all things, whether animate or inanimate. Although closely related to the air we breath, it is more subtle than air or oxygen. Therefore, pranayama should not be considered as mere breathing exercises aimed at introducing extra oxygen into the lungs. Pranayama utilizes breathing to influence the flow of prana in the nadis, or energy channels, of the pranayama kosha. The word yama means 'control' and is used to denote various rules or codes of conduct. However, this is not the word which is joined to prana; the correct word is ayama, which has far more implications. Ayama is defined as 'extension' or 'expansion'. Thus, the word pranayama means 'extension or expansion of the dimension of prana'. The techniques of pranayama provide the method whereby the life force can be activated and regulated in order to go beyond one's normal boundaries or limitations and attain a higher state of vibratory energy and awareness.
Mudra: The Sanskrit word mudra is translated as 'gesture' or 'attitude'. Mudras can be described as psychic, emotional, devotional, and aesthetic gestures or attitudes. Yogis have experienced mudras as attitudes of energy flow, intended to link individual pranic force with universal force. The Kularnava Tantra traces the word mudra to the root mud, meaning 'delight' or 'pleasure', and dravay, the causal form of dru, which means 'to draw forth'. Mudra is also defined as a 'seal', 'short-cut', or 'circuit by-pass'. Mudras are a combination of subtle physical movements which alter mood, attitude, and perception, and which deepen awareness and concentration. A mudra may involve the whole body in a combination of asana, pranayama, bandha, and visualization techniques, or it may be a simple hand position.
Bandha: The Sanskrit word bandha means to 'hold', 'tighten', or 'lock'. These definitions precisely describe the physical action involved in bandha practices and their effect on the pranic body. The bandhas aim to lock the pranas in particular areas and redirect their flow into sushumma nadi for the purpose of spiritual awakening.
Yoga is definitely a beneficial practise-- I recommend. I think once you have a better understanding of what yoga actually is [instead of the western focus on asanas as a physical stretching exercise] than you will probably be much more comfortable getting your yoga on.
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EternalCowabunga
Being of Great Significance


Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 7,152
Loc: Time and Space
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Re: Yoga [Re: MOTH]
#12054989 - 02/18/10 04:04 PM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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yoga was awesome for me last year, it really helped me focus and rise to a higher state of consciousness. I took a yoga class and about 20% of the class was guys, I didn't feel uncomfortable at all, but I was pretty open minded going into it. I had wanted to learn Yoga for a while, doing some Yoga by myself from watching DVDs my sister had bought that I borrowed from her.
I say go for it, the benefits I got from yoga were plentiful. I no longer do yoga at the moment but I'm going through a weird patch and yoga hasn't been helping me lately, but it could be just the thing for you. If you meditate than yoga will just come naturally IMO, just go at your own pace.
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Fisherman
Tchee'ik


Registered: 10/06/08
Posts: 1,342
Loc: Glrrrrrrr!
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Lol, get yo yoga on, niggas
-------------------- EVERYTHING IS DRUGS
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JCoke
dream observer



Registered: 02/17/04
Posts: 1,229
Loc: maryland
Last seen: 9 years, 21 days
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Re: Yoga [Re: MOTH]
#12055005 - 02/18/10 04:06 PM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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just drop the ego's desires and meditate while doing yoga asana's, you have the potential to unite with the divine, and the potential for enlightenment, which is really worth working for.
-------------------- hello, your name is life on earth ------------------------------------
"I traveled a long way seeking God, but when I finally gave up and turned back, there He was, within me! O Lalli! Now why do you wander like a beggar? Make some effort, and He will grant you a vision of Himself in the form of bliss in your heart." -the saint of the Kashmir Shaivism tradition: Lalli.
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LbDub


Registered: 10/24/07
Posts: 1,647
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
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Quote:
NastyDHL said:
been there dude.
one night i decided i'd go the next morning, bright and early. went with my roommate a bit late but the instructor saw us and invited us in and it was the best fucking thing for me.
i don't want to try and explain its benefits but its an all encompassing exercise in discipline and strength
the peace of mind was amazing. coupled with my relaxed and fluent body, i made it to 16-17, then 34-46, then 44-47, before making my final 53 free throws (basketball) finishing at 97 for 100.
Holy shit dude. That's some good pro-yoga RL experience right there. 97/100.. you could definitely count on 1 hand the amount of current NBA players that could do that(and I mean shooting 100 FT's, not their game average).
I myself am a guy, and have only dabbled with yoga a bit, but feel like I should try it out again. I may still have some links saved in my favorites.. hmm.
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DimensionX
King of Birds


Registered: 09/26/07
Posts: 5,486
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 2 years, 1 day
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Re: Yoga [Re: LbDub]
#12055413 - 02/18/10 05:10 PM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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How about learning Yoga from a book? Is this possible and worthwhile?
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JCoke
dream observer



Registered: 02/17/04
Posts: 1,229
Loc: maryland
Last seen: 9 years, 21 days
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Quote:
DimensionX said: How about learning Yoga from a book? Is this possible and worthwhile?
Yoga: the path to holistic health by B.K.S Iyengar.
that is a really good book that touches the spiritual aspects and the positions to take up, highly recomended.
i think books can help but I wanna try and find a teacher.
-------------------- hello, your name is life on earth ------------------------------------
"I traveled a long way seeking God, but when I finally gave up and turned back, there He was, within me! O Lalli! Now why do you wander like a beggar? Make some effort, and He will grant you a vision of Himself in the form of bliss in your heart." -the saint of the Kashmir Shaivism tradition: Lalli.
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shivas.wisdom
בּ




Registered: 02/19/09
Posts: 13,424
Loc: Turtle Island
Last seen: 7 minutes, 3 seconds
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Quote:
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha is a great book to purchase if you are interested in yoga. It explains many positions in an encyclopedic way, allowing you to build your own routine or use it along with a teacher.
This is the book I use. I don't plan to ever get a teacher-- my only teacher is Shiva, the mahayogi.
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DimensionX
King of Birds


Registered: 09/26/07
Posts: 5,486
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 2 years, 1 day
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So you've made good progress without a teacher?
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