How to Practice Anulom Vilom?

Pranayama, the fourth limb of the Patanjali Yoga sutras, is an ancient breathing technique. It is the skill of understanding, developing, and channelling the vital life force in our bodies. One of the methods of Pranayama practice is called Anulom Vilom, also referred to as Alternate Nostril Breathing.

What is Anulom Vilom?

Anulom Vilom, a classic yogic breathing technique, involves controlling one’s breath consciously by closing one nostril while opening the other. ‘Anu’, in Sanskrit, means “with,” ‘Loma’ signifies “nostril hairs”, and ‘Vi’ means “Virudhha”, thus Anulom denotes “with the hair” and Vilom indicates “against the natural course.”

How to Perform Anulom Vilom?

1. When you’re ready to begin the Anulom yoga, take a comfortable seat on the floor. You can sit in the Sukhasana or Padmasana poses. Even a chair will do if you are unable to sit on the ground.
2. Fold the index and middle fingers inside to form the Vishnu Mudra with your right hand. Use your thumb to cover your right nostril and totally exhale through your left nostril.
3. Through your left nostril, inhale for four counts. With your ring and little fingers, seal your left nostril. Thus, both nostrils are now closed. Hold the breath for eight counts.
4. Now, release your right nostril, keeping your left one closed, and fully exhale to the count of eight.
5. Take a four-count breath through your right nostril. At this point, the left nostril should still be closed. Cover both nostrils and continue to hold your breath for eight counts.
6. Release your fingers from your left nostril while keeping your right nostril closed. Next, let out a long, eight-count exhalation.

This concludes the first round of Anulom Vilom. Continue this breathing exercise for 5-10 minutes.

What Are the Benefits of Alternate Nostril Breathing?

• Anulom Vilom is beneficial for the respiratory system. It enhances lung function and guards against asthma attacks.
• It keeps the heart healthy by increasing the oxygen flow to the cardiovascular system. The regular practice lowers your blood pressure, reduces blockages, and lowers the chance of any heart disease.
• Reduces gut problems such as flatulence, acid reflux, bloating, stomach infections and constipation.
• In addition to healing ear infections, it also minimizes the painful symptoms of sinusitis.
• Balances a person’s emotions and reduces tension, fear, nervousness, and panic attacks.
• Increases focus and other cognitive abilities.

How Frequently Should One Practice it?

Anulom Vilom can be performed every day. Your daily goal should be to accomplish 60 cycles. These can be practised randomly throughout the day and don’t have to be practiced in order.

Safety precautions

Before beginning to practice Anulom Vilom, it is recommended that a person should consider the following factors-

1. Even though there are no foreseeable risks or adverse effects when practicing it, however, it is best to perform it under the supervision of a qualified teacher.
2. Beginners can start practising this breathing exercise for a minute or two in the initial phases and progressively increase their capacity once they have mastered the skills.
3. If practitioners feel dizziness or difficulty in breathing, they should stop practicing it and take rest.

Anulom Vilom pranayama, an ancient breathing technique, can offer a variety of therapeutic benefits. It is appropriate for people of all ages. Pranayama is a regularly taught every day by most yoga schools in India. When one practices it on a regular basis, it helps lower physical and mental stress. It also improves heart and respiratory health. A good yoga student must regularly practice it to enhance their self-control, focus, and awareness. One can go to a 200 hrs yoga teacher training in India to learn it properly as it helps channel positive energy through the body. This positive energy soothes the psyche and reduces the negative consequences of stress. Free radical damage is reversed, and chronic lifestyle diseases are treated with it.

Importance of going on a Silence Retreat in India

Distractions are common in our fast-paced world, and unplugging and slowing down has become exceedingly challenging. Imagine being able to carve out more time for oneself and introspection in the midst of the chaos. That is what silent retreats are for! Silent retreats in India are intended to subdue all of this commotion, allowing you to reboot, rejuvenate, and focus your mind inwards.

There has been a steady increase in the number of people going on silent retreats in recent years to recharge, connect, and align their mind, body, and soul. Our silent retreats in India involve some sessions of yoga and meditation, while the rest of the time, individuals simply unwind in silence and solitude in a place away from cities and other people.

Continue reading to learn more about silent retreats and the benefits of participating in it.

What Is a Silent Retreat?

Silent retreats require participants to commit to remaining silent for a defined period of time. Talking is prohibited during yoga, meal times, meditation, writing, and other activities. By removing distractions and verbal communication, participants can engage in deep contemplation and reflection.

How a Silent Retreat May Benefit You?

Become more mindful

It is often said that mindfulness – the ability to remain fully conscious of one’s emotions, sentiments, bodily sensations, and surroundings – goes hand-in-hand with silent retreats. Silent meditation can boost immune system health, help people with insomnia, and improve their quality of life, according to several studies.

Develop a deeper connection with nature

By eliminating many of the distractions that humans can generate, we’re left with the serene sounds of nature. As a silent retreat often takes place in picturesque, tranquil settings, you’ll be able to fully appreciate the scenery right before your eyes. Your mind gets peaceful, your heart opens, and you become more receptive to experiencing life as you watch the natural beauty around you.

Engage in digital detoxing

Given that no talking is a major premise of silent retreats, this entails saying goodbye to your gadgets. Taking a vacation from tweeting, emailing, social media, news, appointments, and Soap operas can allow your nervous system to reboot. A digital detox will almost certainly improve your attention and efficiency beyond your retreat.

Enhance your ability to deal with challenges

Retreats are the perfect way to focus on your mind, body, and spirit. You bring your attention to your body, checking out different parts, organs, muscles, and joints for areas of tension. As you organize your thoughts, reflect on your priorities, re-evaluate your stressful life, and cope with emotional issues, you turn your attention to your mind and soul.

A Boredom Cure

Most of us have no idea how to do nothing in this age of infinite diversions. We moan about being bored when we don’t have a device to play with. During a Silent Retreat, you may feel bored at first, but you will gradually become more conscious of your emotional state. That will certainly keep your mind occupied! You’ll notice that staying silent brings feelings to the surface that you may have buried, and guess what? As part of your self-healing process, you may ultimately cope with or even befriend them.

More Conscious Eating

Silence is beneficial to digestion during meals. The majority of Silent Retreats place a big focus on eating properly. When you focus on your meal and chew it thoroughly, you eat more slowly and deliberately. You eat less when you eat more slowly because your stomach has more time to assimilate the food and tell your brain when you’re full.

Conclusion

A silent retreat in India can provide us with more than simply a break from modern life’s incessant stream of noise and bustle; it can also provide us with the potential of shifting into a new dimension of awareness, allowing us to find our true selves and live a long, happy, and fulfilled life. Learn more about silent retreats and other meditation techniques from qualified instructors by enrolling in Yoga teacher training in India.

5 Tips to Promote Yourself as a Yoga Teacher

With more people acknowledging the importance of physical and mental wellness, Yoga teachers have greater opportunity to earn a solid living by serving this community. However, with so much potential in the area, there has been a dramatic entry of spiritual guides, meditation teachers, dancing instructors and yoga teachers. With so many practitioners on the market, standing out has become more vital than ever.

Setting up a unique marketing strategy is the best method to stand out in a crowded market. Below we have mentioned a few useful tips on how to promote yourself as a yoga teacher.

1. Know your students

More often, yoga teachers make the common mistake of trying to appeal to everyone. Your classes are specifically designed for certain types of students. Beginner gentle yoga draws a different crowd than hot vinyasa yoga. Therefore, you must have a clear notion of your target audience before applying your yoga marketing strategies.

Make a character profile for your ideal student. Consider their gender, age range, family situation, education level, location, and hobbies. If you are unsure, consider interacting with your current students and ask for their opinions. You could be surprised by the classes or hours that they are interested in.

2. Update your website

Even independent or freelance yoga teachers need to have their own website. Your students might prefer exploring your online presence before attending classes. Besides having a website, it is also important to have an active Facebook and Instagram account as most people are social media fanatics. People often prefer to check their online presence before attending a class. As a result, ensure that your website includes the following:

• Safety measures and health protocols
• Weekly calendar with detailed descriptions of all classes
• Your profile with complete biodata and photo
• Do mention certifications if available
• Instruction manual about things to bring while coming to the class
• Facilities and amenities available
• Your address and contact number

3. Be your authentic self

One of the most significant points to remember is that your prospective yoga students are curious about you. This implies that you must speak about yourself, your talents, your experience, and your goals. It’s important to promote yourself and explain why a student should choose you. Just remember to talk about how you can address their needs rather than focusing just on yourself.

Students are more likely to choose a yoga teacher with whom they connect. As a result, it is important for them to know about your true self. All of the promotional messages that you upload on your website, or Facebook or Instagram should be in your authentic voice. This allows online users to connect with you on a personal level. Talk about your passion and tell them how yoga has changed your life in a positive way.

4. Host special events

Get creative if you want to encourage someone to take up yoga. Consider holding a lesson in a neighboring park or organize a workshop on alignment principles, inversions, or any skill that you are particularly good at. An online zoom session can also create wonders in attracting more students.

Offering a VIP program for your regular students will make them feel appreciated and they might consider encouraging their friends and family members to join your classes. Another alternative is to reward those who bring their friends and family members by giving them money (as a token of appreciation).

5. Post videos on social media

You can give potential students a demo lesson and establish a trusting relationship with them. This will have a significant impact on your marketing efforts and will provide you with several options. Posting videos of yourself performing various yoga asanas will showcase your talents and abilities to the rest of the world.

To be effective as a teacher, you must acquire basic techniques for marketing yourself among your competitors. By joining our yoga teacher training in India, we not only focus on upgrading your yoga skills but also enhance your knowledge on how to be a successful teacher. our yoga school in Rishikesh teaches you on how to be strategic and use fresh yoga marketing techniques like the ones discussed above which will help you gain more students. Consistency in your teaching career might help you market yourself as a teacher and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the subject.

Things To Know About Water Bath Detox Therapy

Since the dawn of time, water bath therapy has been used to treat various ailments. Bathing was regarded as a vital step for maintaining health and preventing sickness in most of the ancient civilizations. Naturopathy water bath therapy refers to baths taken with different water temperatures with the use of natural salts to provide the body with natural therapeutic advantages. Therapeutic baths help to cure several body ailments, including arthritis, constipation, rheumatism, indigestion, and more. The ingredients that are dissolved in water for this therapy are organic. There are different forms of bath therapy for the treatment of different ailments. Some of the baths include immersion baths, hip baths, spinal baths, steam baths, foot baths and more. Water bath treatment comes in many forms, each with its own set of therapeutic benefits.

Importance and benefits of water bath

Water baths are very relaxing and improve circulation in aching and weary muscles when combined with salts. Water baths also cause sweating, which allows the skin to expel toxins. Some water baths also detoxify the body, support blood flow, and restore normal skin function.

Here are some of the essential benefits of water baths.

• Increases energy – Fatigue sets in when one’s body does not get the minerals they require. Naturopathy water baths control stress response and restore vitality in cells.

• Immunity booster – A water bath exposes the patients to highly absorbable minerals, increasing their resilience to illness and disease. Warm baths have been proven to elicit an anti-inflammatory response, which is important for strengthening the body to fend off and battle illnesses and sickness, similar to the effects of physical exercise.

• Balances alkalinity – Excess acidity in the body due to a poor diet can cause essential organs to overwork, forcing them to absorb minerals from the bones and tissue. Water baths are an excellent technique to eliminate excess acid from the cells and restore trace minerals to the body.

• Soothes muscle injuries – Taking a warm bath can help relieve the discomfort by relieving pressure on joints and muscles. It can also aid in the recovery of the body following an injury or surgery. Water baths also relieve muscle spasms and menstrual cramps when combined with warm water.

• Boosts overall health – Water baths improve overall health. Blood sugar regulation, improved cardiovascular health, promotes digestion, repair of damaged cellulite and improved circulation and neuronal function are just a few of the advantages.

• Reduces mucus buildup – Allergies and illnesses can cause a buildup of mucus, which everyone has to deal with at some point. A water bath can not only assist to remove existing mucus, but it can also help to prevent it.

How to take a water bath

A naturopathy water bath is given in a bathtub that is appropriately equipped with an option for both hot and cold water. The bath can be taken at a variety of temperatures, including cold, neutral, hot, graduated, and alternate, depending on the patient’s health. 

• A bathtub is half-filled with hot or cold water to treat a particular problem
• Epsom salt, other natural salt or essential oil required to treat a particular problem is dissolved in the water
• The entire body except the head or sections of the body depending on the ailment is submerged in the water
• The patient is kept for 30 to 35 minutes in the water depending on the concern

Precaution for water bath

Bath treatments are an excellent way to treat a variety of diseases. In each therapy, there are certain techniques, durations, and processes that must be followed.

• Baths should be taken in clean and clear water
• The water should not be reused
• To achieve the intended benefits, the temperature and length of baths should be rigorously adhered to
• The temperature of the body should constantly be measured with a thermometer
• Full baths should be avoided 3 hours after and 1 hour before a meal
• Hip and foot baths should be taken two hours after a meal

Conclusion

Water baths have long been an effective treatment for various disorders, including fever, jaundice, ulcerative colitis, constipation and others. When mixed with natural salts, water baths have beneficial impacts on the human body. Bath therapy of this nature has a specific place in Naturopathy. You can also enroll yourself into our Yoga detox retreat in Rishikesh or join our yoga teacher training courses in India to learn more about Naturopathy treatments and obtain a certification.

Things to Know Before Fasting

Fasting is a doorway leading to a healthy and peaceful life. It not only cleanses the body, but it also cleanses the soul. Fasting is commonly done for medical or religious reasons. Medically speaking, fasting is a metabolic process that develops after food has been digested or after not eating for at least 10-12 hours.

Fasting holds spiritual significance in most religions, as it is thought to be a means of cleansing. Also, when combined with meditation, fasting acts as a powerful toxin remover, a dirt cleanser, a health normalizer, and a restorative, making the body agile and light.

Fasting can refer to abstaining from all foods and beverages, but it can also refer to avoiding meals for a certain number of hours. It is most commonly used to detox and repair the digestive system. Fasting and meditation are practiced in tandem with the belief that they will assist you in improving your spiritual well-being and mental health.

Benefits of fasting

• Boosts immune system

Fasting is commonly recognized as an effective technique for strengthening the immune system which will help your body to do a better job of processing and digesting food. Fasting helps in the prevention of illness and can help you live a longer life. When the body goes without meals for a long period of time, it recycles immune cells to save energy, giving you a new fighting force against infections.

• Reduces inflammation

Medical research shows that fasting can be effective in reducing chronic tissue inflammation. This is due to the fact that fasting stimulates blood sugar management in our bodies. Patients with diabetes are more likely to develop inflammatory illnesses because of high blood sugar, which can be effectively controlled by fasting. Glucose levels are balanced during the fasting process, which may lead to the prevention of type 2 diabetes. It also improves the capacity of insulin to react to sudden variations in blood sugar levels.

• Lowers cholesterol

Fasting is proven to lower triglyceride levels ( a type of fat that provides energy to your body). Increased triglyceride levels contribute to poor cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and pancreatitis. Besides, it accelerates the growth of blood vessels in the heart and regulates the proper flow of blood in the heart, brain, and all other parts of the body.

• Healthy gut

Not only do our minds and bodies require rest, but so do our internal organs. The digestive system is always busy secreting enzymes, processing nutrients, and transferring them to various parts of the body. The gut needs to recharge every now and then in order to function properly. When you abstain from food and drinks while fasting, the intestines and other organs of the digestive system are re-energized, prompting them to perform with increased strength.

• Promotes weight loss

Many experts consider fasting an excellent method of weight loss that allows you to lose weight quickly and with little effort. Intermittent fasting, according to experts, can help people lose weight without forcing them to cut calories or exercise. Because it reduces the need for you to consume large meals, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight by keeping insulin levels low. This aids in the maintenance of muscle tissue and the removal of toxins from your body.

Conclusion

To learn more about fasting and how it can help you lead a better life, enroll in a yoga course in India offered by Chetna Yoga School. For centuries, many spiritual leaders and yogis have considered yoga and fasting as a purification tool to cleanse the body, mind, and soul. Fasting is not a religious practice; rather, it is a means of developing self-discipline and gaining a better understanding of oneself. If you can spare 5 days, you can also check a yoga detox retreat in India which can get you the benefits of yoga along with fasting and will help you feel more energized.

How to Select the Perfect Yoga Teacher Training in India?

If you desire to become a certified yoga teacher or simply deepen your practice, a yoga teacher training in India is just the right course that can teach you the necessary skills and boost your confidence. No matter how experienced or novice you are in yoga, there is no denying the fact that these techniques can completely enhance the health and well-being of practitioners. 

India has some of the finest teachers who understand the true essence of yoga. This is one of the reasons why India is an ideal location for yoga teacher training. Here is how one can find the best Yoga Teacher Training in India by considering the following elements

• Find your purpose

One must clearly define their goals before enrolling. India’s heritage is extremely diverse where one can practice active yoga forms like Ashtanga or Vinyasa yoga to moderate styles like yin or restorative yoga. Thus, you must choose the right style for you. Choose a yoga school offering a style of yoga that you want to devote your time and effort to. Are you looking for ways to improve your practice? Or would you like to teach professionally? These factors will determine what type of yoga style is right for you. Identifying your reasons behind enrolling in a teacher training will help you to stay on track during challenging times. Once you’ve identified your goal, selecting the right yoga teacher training course becomes easier.

• Yoga Alliance accreditation

In order to pursue a yoga career, course certification and recognition are crucial. Therefore, choosing a Yoga Alliance USA-registered school is the right choice for your YTT program. Most of the popular yoga schools in India offer international credentials, which allows one to teach anywhere.

• Experience of yoga teachers

The training becomes more meaningful when you get trained under teachers who can impart their philosophical as well as practical knowledge. You should pick a program where the teachers are highly experienced and professional. The presence of a lead teacher who is well-versed in the diverse yogic traditions will be a significant advantage for the trainees. 

• Size of the group

Researching the class size of a YTTC course is vital before you enroll. Select a group size that is neither too large nor too small. Yoga teacher trainees tend to prefer schools where they can get individual attention. A group size of 20 to 25 is ideal.

• Explore the region

Another important component is choosing the correct location for a positive learning experience. India’s geographical and climatic characteristics are extremely diverse. Different sections of the country have different cultures, cuisines, and heritages. These elements have an impact on your studies and practice. Mountain regions like Rishikesh in the Himalayas are the best places to get started on your journey, while the beaches of Goa are also considered as an ideal place.

• Course length and curriculum

Consider how much time you can spend on your yoga journey before enrolling in a yoga teacher training program. Taking few days off before beginning a 200-hour yoga teacher training course is highly advised. The curriculum is another component to consider while selecting a yoga school. A curriculum should covers a range of yoga styles, meditation, and pranayama, all taught in a structured manner, is more appropriate.

Reflect upon these crucial factors prior to choosing a yoga teacher training in India. Find a yoga school in India that resonates with your soul and you will embark on a mental, physical, and spiritual journey.