Kundalini Yoga was brought into the West in 1968 by Yogi Bhajan. Up until then it was kept secret by monks and yogamasters in the Himalayan region and only passed on if a disciple proved worthy of it.

Yoga - in all its various styles and occurences - is an ancient and ideal technique to reduce stress, insomnia, back pain, nervousness and to boost the immune system, motivation, concentration and contentedness. It is a fully integrated exercise system, which enhances the mind and emotions as well as the body (psyche and soma).

The postures adopted in yoga aim to increase suppleness and strength, while the philosophy and relaxation behind it is designed to alleviate stress and counter negative emotions - at the same time promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Yoga aims to achieve the union of the body and mind in its practitioners and this is brought about by correct breathing, physical exercises and meditation.

Today there are many different forms of yoga, which spring from these three main types…

         1.  Pranayama (breathing technique)
         2.  Asanas (the adoption of postures)
         3.  Dhyana (meditation technique)

The aim of yoga therapy, or treatment, is to increase the flow of vital energy or 'prana' (known as Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM), which flows along energy channels called 'nadis' (meridians in TCM).

Yogic tradition identifies seven major points of concentrated energy (chakras) that can be enhanced through yoga. They are located at the crown of the head, the throat, the solar plexus, the spine, the centre of the forehead (third eye), the heart and the naval.

Each of these chakras (like Chinese acupressure points ), has positive and negative qualities and can be deliberately stimulated or sedated in order to alter the balance of activity of the central nervous system.

A very brief History of Yoga

The word Yoga comes from a Sanskrit word meaning 'union'. Excavations show that the practice originated over 5,000 years ago in India, where the advanced cultures of the Indus Valley attented to yoga as part of Ayurveda - the holistic "science of life".

Yoga was introduced to the West in the 1800's when scholars translated ancient Hindu texts, and it started gaining a higher profile during the 1960's when eastern philosophies grew in popularity. Today it is estimated that more than 500,000 people in the UK alone, practice yoga and a growing number of businesses offer yoga as part of their benefits to their employees.


   

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