Western Researchers are currently studying the healing effects of beta-endorphins released during yoga and meditation that may be curing people of everything from asthma, ADHD and high blood pressure to diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cancer. “Ayudervedic healing,” as it’s called, has been in practice for over 5,000 years but didn’t arrive in the United States until the 1970s. The healing is based on three areas — diet, herbs and meditation yoga — particularly “Sahaja Yoga.”

One type of meditation yoga is called Sahaja yoga, meaning “spontaneously born within”. This form of yoga and meditation has been in practice in the US since the 1970s but borrows from ancient religion. Spiritual awakening is encouraged mainly through posture and breathing, relaxation techniques and visualizing energy flow. While some forms of fitness yoga stress physical movement, Sahaja emphasizes spirituality and teaching.

Students of this branch will study the three vertical energy channels within the human body: the sun channel (governing our thought processes), the parasympathetic / nervous system channel (governing our body processes) and the moon channel (governing our emotions). In addition to these three channels, millions of chakras (literally translated from Sanskrit to mean “wheels” or energy centers) are swirling around us, keeping the channels in motion. Chakras can vary from religion to religion, but Sahaja Yoga focuses on several in its yoga and meditation: the crown chakra (pituitary gland / consciousness), the third eye chakra (pineal gland / sleep and awakening), the throat chakra (thyroid / growth and maturity), the heart chakra (thymus / stress and wellbeing), the solar plexus chakra (pancreas / digestion and energy), the sacral chakra (groin / sexuality and reproduction) and the root chakra (adrenal gland / basic fight or flight instincts and kundalini awakening).

Another study is the Raja Yoga tradition (the “king” of yoga or “royal path”), which is heavily steeped in spirituality. Practitioners believe in a serious code based upon self-restraint, quietude, concentration, regulation of breathing, uniting body and mind through action, withdrawing from the senses and studying religious texts. Often retreats are offered (by places like the Margaret Austin Retreat Center in Texas or the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California) to help students immerse themselves in a new way of thinking. Students will learn about the Eightfold Path and the seven chakras, in addition to yamas and niyamas (code of conduct and religious observances, respectively).

Curious parties can go to SahajaYoga.org for more information on the teachers, philosophy and practice of yoga and meditation. If you’re in the California region, another highly acclaimed meditation expert and retreat guide is Deepak Chopra, who can be found at Chopra.com. Also, if you go to Yoga.com’s studio search, you can look up Raja Yoga studios near you. IAYT.org has information regarding healing yoga.

There are many different forms of Yoga that people around the world practice. Some use it primarily for its low-impact workout whereas others love the feel of meditation and concentration required in some of the many poses. Yoga is a great way for those suffering from injury or unused to a cardiovascular workout to begin their path to becoming physically and mentally fit. Exercise is an important part of our daily lives and the added benefit of learning relaxation techniques is enough to entice anyone onto a mat. Find your relaxation and work out by clicking here for more information: Yoga Moves and at Yoga Chairs also at Yoga Meditation