Laser hair removal is growing faster than ever. The amount of customers looking for this service is soaring. All you have to do is look at the amount of specialists that are popping up everywhere. These people are not doing this for nothing. If they were not getting business they could not stay open. In my hometown alone there have been 5 new places to open up in the last 7 weeks. I stop in at a couple of them to ask how the business was doing, I did not have to ask it was apparent by the customers who were there and did not have a place to sit.

The allure of laser hair removal is obvious, it is just a lot more convenient for you. Maybe not the when you have to visit the specialist. But, Every time you do not have to shave, pluck, or wax it pays dividends. This is what is leading to the overwhelming popularity of the procedure.

There is another benefit. That is the psychological effect. This is more specifically describes as the improved self esteem you get from knowing that you are looking your best all the time. you are not caught off guard.

Ayurveda and yoga are sister sciences born from the philosophical and spiritual traditions of India. One of the major philosophical foundations for both Ayurveda and yoga is Samkhya philosophy. This is one of the reasons why both sciences are so closely related in their concepts and complement each other. Yoga means “union” in the sense of union with the Divine. In this sense, yoga is the path and goal of all human existence, that is, the realization of the Self as our true, inner nature.

In the West yoga has come to mean only hatha yoga or yoga postures (asanas). In fact, this is only one aspect of the yoga system. There are different yoga paths, but they all have the same ultimate goal: the union, or rather re-union, with our divine nature. In other words, what we call Liberation, Self-realization, or Enlightenment. This cannot be achieved without deep states of meditation leading to Samadhi, or merging with the Supreme Consciousness.

The various paths of yoga are not mutually exclusive, they are actually interconnected, but they may emphasize different aspects of yoga and may differ in certain techniques. The sage Patanjali was the first to systematize the philosophy and practice of yoga into an eight step system called Ashtanga Yoga. This is the most comprehensive school, in that it embraces many aspects of other systems.

Ashtanga Yoga (Eight Limb Yoga). The eight limbs of yoga are:

1. Yama, or 5 moral restraints : ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy or sense control), apraigraha (non-covetousness). 2. Niyama, or observances: saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity), swadhyaya (study of scriptures), and Ishwara pranidhana (surrender). 3. Asanas: body postures. 4. Pranayama: breathing techniques for the control of prana and the mind. 5. Pratyahara: withdrawal and control of the senses. 6. Dharana: concentration. 7. Dhyana: meditation. 8. Samadhi: superconscious state. Here non-duality or oneness is experienced. This is the deepest and highest state of consciousness, where body and mind have been transcended and the yogi is one with the Self or God.

Hatha Yoga (Forceful Yoga). Basically, the first 4 limbs of the Ashtanga system are considered hatha yoga. The main focus is the physical and energetic purification and training. Its goal is to bring the physical body into a perfect state of health so the soul has a fitting vehicle of expression to work through.

Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga). This is another name for Ashtanga Yoga and its focus and goals are the higher limbs of yoga –concentration, meditation, and Samadhi– also known as samyama. It includes systems such as siddha yoga, kriya yoga, laya yoga, sahaja yoga, and others.

Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion) is the path of devotion to the Divine. It is pure selfless love from the heart. The relationship between a bhakta and God is very internal and cannot be described with words. Devotional chanting (kirtan, bhajans), prayer, worship, ritual, and mantra repetition (japa) are important aspects of this path, since they keep the mind of the devotee continuously focused on God.

Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action) is the path of selfless service. For a karma yogi, any activity of human life is an opportunity to serve God. The key to Karma Yoga is the performance of right actions and service for their own sake, without attachment to the end results or a sense of ownership of what is being performed.

Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Wisdom) is the path of knowledge. Taking the philosophy of Vedanta the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its own nature. He uses viveka (discernment or discrimination) for moving from avidya (ignorance) to vidya (knowledge). He discerns that the world as perceived by the senses is not real, but an illusion of the individual ego or “I-sense.” Before practicing Jnana Yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated the lessons of the other yogic paths. Without selflessness and love of God, strength of body and mind, the search for self-realization can become mere speculation.

Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini is the dormant energy that lies at the base of the spine. Most realized teachers have agreed that awakening and raising the Kundalini Shakti (or Kundalini energy) to the crown chakra is essential for enlightenment. Various types of raja yogas have this aim and focus, so they may be also be referred to as Kundalini yoga.

Dhyan Yoga (Meditation) is the practice of turning the attention from outer awareness to inner concentration. It is considered the ultimate medicine, as it slowly but surely removes energy blocks, increasing the energy flow, promotes relaxation and peace, and burns deep impressions and negative tendencies in the mind, which according to yoga and Ayurveda are the real cause of suffering.

? Blue Lotus Ayurveda, LLC. No reproduction allowed in whole or in part without written consent.

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Visit www.BlueLotusAyurveda.com and AyurvedaYogaShop.com for information on Ayurveda and Yoga, Panchakarma, and all our services and therapies, plus articles, recipes, products and tools for your alternative and healthy lifestyle…

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Laser hair removal can be a very effective means of removing unwanted body hair and keeping it off for a very long period of time, if done properly. This is the main reason why it is so expensive. If you are looking to get it done cheap, you will be in for a very disappointing surprise.

Laser hair removal is generally applied in any area except adjacent to the eye. However, keep in mind that the bigger the area of the body you wish to apply this treatment, the higher the costs will be.

The areas that are most commonly requested are; the upper lip, neck, face, underarms, back, chest, abdomen, legs and bikini line.

Small areas such as the face or bikini line can cost an average of $300 per session. Larger areas such as the legs or back can cost an average of $500 ? $800 per session. Don’t forget that you most probably need multiple sessions for the treatment to really be effective.

Yes, it is expensive. Understand however, that you are paying not only for their expertise, but also for the time and money spent in keeping up with the latest technologies. Last but not least, remember that not everyone will have the same result or need the same number of sessions. It all depends on the color of your hair and skin. People that have light colored skin and dark hair generally make the best candidates.

By repetition of mantras, the mind gets controlled. Then the mantra becomes one with the mind and also with the prana. — Sri Ramana Maharshi

The effect of karma can be counteracted to a great extent by Japa. — Sri Sarada Devi

Japa is a fundamental and powerful aspect of traditional Yoga, as it relates directly to Pratyahara, or the limb of yoga that has to do with the withdrawal of the senses. The practice of japa harnesses inner energies and helps to quiet and still the mind. By definition, japa is the repetition of a mantra, or word of power, traditionally performed with a mala (rosary, or prayer beads) to keep count.

Yogic practices such as japa energize the vital force, still the mind and purify thought patterns and nadis, the subtle energy channels in the body. The Kundalini Shakti (energy of creation) may even awaken through the practice of japa, especially in this time and age, when our fast-paced lifestyle makes meditation so difficult to attain. Japa also attracts positive energies and strengthens the aura. On the physical level, the seven bodily tissues get purified, energy levels increase, stress levels decrease, and the immune system and overall health are improved. Japa fills the mind with sattva (purity) and cleanses the mind of tamas (inertia) and rajas (activity). In this sense, it paves the road towards meditation and achieving higher states of consciousness.

The Three Levels of Japa

There are 3 levels of japa:

Vaikhari - Audible repetition Upamsu - Whispering repetition Manasika - Mental repetition

Vaikhari japa, or audible repetition, consists in repeating a mantra or mantrochar (series of mantras that form a prayer) out loud. This is usually done in a group setting, but can also be done on your own. This level of japa is very good if the mind is highly agitated and difficult to calm down, as it helps to keep the mind focused on what is being repeated. Aside from purifying the body and mind, this level of japa also has an effect on the environment, as the vibrations of the mantra will purify your immediate surroundings.

Upamsu, or whispering repetition, is the middle stage. It is performed either by quietly whispering the mantra or by just moving the lips while silently saying it. It helps keep the mind focused and avoid distractions, and uses less energy than saying the mantra out loud.

The third level, manasika, is purely mental repetition. There is no audible sound or movement of the lips here. All repetition is done mentally. This is considered the best of the three levels, since no energy is used to express the mantra outwardly and all the energy and benefits of the mantra are kept within. The vibration of the mantra will still affect your surroundings, as it permeates your body during the practice, and then you emanate it through your aura.

How to Perform Japa

If you are a total beginner you might want to start with one round (108 repetitions), doing vaikhari, or audible repetition. Once you feel you have mastered that level you can move on to upamsu japa. Or, if you are new to japa but feel confident that you could be successful beyond vaikhari, then you can split the round (the 108 repetitions) equally between the 3 levels. Starting with vaikhari for roughly the first third, then moving onto upamsu for the second third, and lastly for the final third performing only mental repetition, or manasika japa.

Traditionally the mala (rosary, or prayer beads) is draped over the ring finger and rotated around with the thumb and middle finger. The index finger (the ego finger) should no be used to do japa and the Guru bead or sumeru(the extra bead at the top of the mala) should no be crossed over. Doing so reduces the energy of the mantra repetition. Whenever the Guru bead is reached, japa is either completed or continues back in the opposite direction, i.e., in the reverse direction, going back the way you came to your initial bead, without crossing over the Guru bead.

if you use a shorter mala, say a 54-bead mala (+ the Guru bead), you would need to go around the mala twice to complete a count of 108 repetitions (or as many times as needed to complete the number of repetitions you want). Remember, every time you get to the Guru bead you need to flip the mala over so that your thumb and middle finger start counting on the same beads you just passed, without ever crossing over the Guru bead, for the second (third, etc.) part of your round.

Ideally japa should be practiced daily and always with focus and feeling. However, as Swami Sivananda wisely noted, even mechanical repetition of japa has a great purifying effect on the mind, and the necessary emotional intent will come in time, as the purification process continues.

Other Recommendations

* If possible, follow a spiritual teacher from a traditional, bona fide lineage. The teacher will give you the mantra best suited for you or pertaining to the lineage.

* If you have not received a mantra from a teacher, then doing japa of Om or Ram is recommended, as these mantras have been repeated millions of times for thousands of years and carry enormous amounts of energy.

* It is best to stick to one particular mantra, especially if it was given by a spiritual teacher, as the power of the mantra will increase with repetition.

* If you do a mantra for a particular purpose, say a healing mantra when you are sick, do it as an addition to your regular mantra.

* Place a Deity (statue) or a Yantra (geometrical representation) in front of you and light a ghee lamp or candle to invoke the energy of the aspect of the Divine that you are invoking with the mantra.

* Mentally repeat a short mantra, such as Om when you are stuck in traffic, faced with a dificult situation or focusing on a task that does not require a great amount of mental concentration (cooking, gardening, doing dishes, etc.).

? Blue Lotus Ayurveda, LLC. No reproduction allowed in whole or in part without written consent.

About the Author

Visit www.BlueLotusAyurveda.com and AyurvedaYogaShop.com for information on Ayurveda and Yoga, Panchakarma, and all our services and therapies, plus articles, recipes, products and tools for your alternative and healthy lifestyle…

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Intertwining the mind, body, and energy is the primary goal of Kripalu yoga. Those who practice it believe that the body contains energy pulsations in a flow that are called prana, which is sometimes referred to as life force. The idea is that the smallest thought or worry can cause problems with the prana in your physical body. That is why Kripalu is important; it is a way of being aware of the prana and using breathing with thought to prevent blockage or disturbance of the life force in your body. In turn, you will feel an increased level of mental clarity and emotional control.

Boiled down to its essence, Kripalu yoga is about looking at yourself in order to free you. Kripallu yoga followers believe that by simply examining and experiencing physical, emotional, and mental processes, you begin to erase blockages in the prana. In turn, this creates a better flow of life force inside you and invokes a feeling of physical and mental well-being.

Why Kripalu?

Yoga, in all its forms, has been shown to be highly effective in honing the physical human body. This is much of the reason for yoga’s immense popularity. What Kripalu does, though, is use the physical body and yoga’s benefits to it as a vehicle for pursuing the greater good of mental and emotional stability and clarity. Hence, many believe it to be the most complete and beneficial form of yoga. The idea is that as you release your emotional and mental impurity, you increase the amount of prana in your system which in turn also helps with physical healing and performance. Of course, when all yoga practices and meditation are prefaced with techniques, such as the Maharic Seal (Azurite Press), that seal the body’s energy fields from external influences, the experience of self knowledge is both clearer and authentic. Kripalu yoga does not teach this, however.

Many use this popular form of yoga to combine physical fitness with self growth and the empowerment of the self. In Kripalu, you will learn to lead yourself through self-examination rather than through a leader or instructor. In this form of yoga, leadership is there only to help you turn yourself into your own leader. Your sensitivity to self, others, and your own body will increase from the focus you will receive when you look inside. To take it deeper, many believe that you are using your body to as a temple to attract the presence of those powers greater than yourself. Though some may be skeptical, many more feel such presences when led there through their own self-examination.

When you learn Kripalu from an instructor, you will find that it usually does not matter what your level is in yoga. The classes are generally conducted in the same way for new yoga practitioners and veterans alike. The emphasis, remember, is on looking inside yourself and seeing what is there. Though there are postures and a ‘right’ way to do them, you will likely be encouraged to concentrate on your mental state and on increasing the flow of your prana.

Moreover, Kripalu is truly about life change. You will learn to focus on your spiritual well being outside of the classroom as well as while you’re on the yoga mat, contributing to your overall well being and helping you on your way to being the best person you can be.

Kripalu is a unique form of yoga. With emphasis on looking at the self and ridding it of all that has gone awry, this form of yoga is about more than just fitness of the body. It is about fitness of emotions, spirit, and even a little bit of the soul.

About the Author

Rebecca presents yoga articles, like yoga breathing dangers, and vinyasa yoga postures.