Relieving Stress with Yoga and Meditation

All impressions and reactions are known as 'mental fluctuations' or 'thought-waves', and yoga is the control of thought-waves in the mind. - Patanjali

Yoga refers to the system of practices that help to control the mind, body and the soul. There are many styles and patterns of yoga and each pattern is oriented towards exploration and development of mind, body and soul. It is a holistic path that leads to a sense of peace and well-being. Through different poses (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana), yoga makes the practitioner aware of his inner self. The practitioner achieves highest potential and experiences perennial happiness. Through the practice of yoga, one becomes aware of the interconnectedness between his/her emotional, mental and physical levels. This awareness leads to an understanding of the more subtle areas of existence. Yoga aims to help an individual to fuse together the material (annamaya), physical (pranamaya), mental (manomaya), intellectual (vijnanamaya) and spiritual (anandamaya) levels within him/her.

Meditation (Dhyana) is one of the important principles of Yoga. It is the seventh limb of the eight limb Patanjali Yoga Sutra. Meditation implies focusing mind’s energy at one point to create a deep state of relaxation and tranquility. Meditation helps in achieving the strength of will. It helps to connect one to his/her actual “self”. Meditation calms one's mind, enriches concentration leading the meditator to a heightened level of awareness. It eliminates the veils of life, cleanses the mind and the soul and make an individual realize that God is the ultimate truth. Through meditative practices, a person can reach a state of emotional bliss.

Music has a universal appeal. Human body, mind and soul are extremely sensitive to music, sounds and vibrations. Music and sound can influence mental aspects and processes in a human being. Music can create a flow of melody which induces concentration in the listening mind. Since ancient periods, musical instruments were used as a training support for yoga practices and meditation. In recent times too, music invokes strong mood that helps one to concentrate. Today, many record label companies offer DVDs and CDs which contain chants and hymns for daily morning prayers and yoga and meditation. These Yoga DVDs contain enchanting mantras which penetrate in the deeper layers of the human mind helping him/her to merge with his/her actual 'self'.

Spirit Voyage is one such record label company which guides you in a journey of spiritual insight. With its Yoga Music CDs and DVDs, the company infuses inspiring and devotional thoughts within an individual. Experience the bliss and delight and sooth your inner self with the Kundalini Yoga Music from Spirit Voyage. Artistes who have lend their voices in Spirit Voyage Yoga DVDs have a deep spiritual connection with their music. The meditation music from Spirit Voyage will create a calm ambiance and help you get rid of all negative thoughts. Rejuvenate your senses as you listen to the sacred hymns and mantras sung and chanted by artistes like Mirabai Ceiba, Snatam Kaur, Wah, Deuter, Dev Suroop Kaur Khalsa and many others.

Spirit Voyage does not only offers yoga music CDs and DVDs, but also brings various kinds of yoga accessories like yoga rugs, malas and jeweleries, yoga cushions and many more. The yoga clothing offered by the company is made of natural fabric. The elasticity of these clothing allow the practitioner to perform yoga poses as well as meditation with utmost ease. The company also offers Yogi Tea. The yogi tea is made with organic ingredients and is an addition to a healthy lifestyle. Spirit Voyage offers exclusive collection of best Yoga books including Kundalini Yoga books, General Yoga Books, Health and Wellness Books. Selected from paths of Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, and Sivananda Yoga, these different yoga books contain in-depth instruction, information and images that will help you practice yoga with utmost perfection.

Today, in daily grinds of life, we undergo severe mental pressures and we often tend to lose our focus. Practice of yoga and meditation helps to comfort the mind and sets it up to concentrate on a stable entity. Asanas and dhyana help to channelize the mind and soul and lead them to a spiritual insight. Fluctuations of the mind ceases and one discover the all-encompassing stillness of mind. The individual attain a state of extreme peace and calmness, improve concentration level and increase his self awareness. According to the classical Yoga texts, one must go through several stages, to attain true states of meditation. The stages are concentration, contemplation and then ultimately absorption. Meditation helps to control tensions and relieves an individual from stress and finally guides him/her to the spiritual insight. Meditation weakens those elements of the mind which leads to negative thoughts. It helps to maintain and control the thought processes of the mind and helps to concentrate on a single point. By ceasing the fluctuations of the mind, meditation leads to the equilibrium of mind. Practicing meditation helps one experience a serene state of mind, which in the process, liberates him/her from anxiety, depression and stress.

By integrating body, mind and spirit, yoga offers emotional stability and clarity of mind. The negative thoughts are effaced and the practitioner experiences a positive vibe from within. The material attachments of life becomes less important as the mortal can connect himself to the universal whole. With proper breathing exercises (Pranayama), the energy within a human being is controlled and helps the individual to maintain health and promote evolution. Pranayama, coupled with yoga practice and meditation reduces everyday stress levels and boosts up the feeling of joy and serenity. With different yoga poses, the muscles of the body are relaxed and the heart beat and blood pressure is controlled. The physical and mental benefits of yoga provide a natural counterbalance to stress, and strengthen the relaxation response in daily life.

Yoga and meditation are steady and comfortable ways to free oneself from pessimism, obsession, greed and lust. Rather, yoga and meditation practice leads a way for reaching a spiritual high, when a human being can identify his actual inner self and realize the divine connection of oneness with the Supreme.