A yoga library of knowledge

Ananda Meaning: Bliss in Yoga, Vedanta and Buddhism

Ananda Meaning: Bliss in Yoga, Vedanta and Buddhism

Ananda (Sanskrit: आनन्द, ānanda) means bliss, or deep joy. In yoga and Vedanta it names a happiness that does not depend on anything outside you, and the Upanishads use it to describe the nature of Brahman, the ultimate reality. It is also a common name in India, the name of the...
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Yoga Lingo
Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose): How to Do It Step by Step

Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose): How to Do It Step by Step

Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose) is an arm balance in which you hold your body in one long line on the side, supported by one straight arm and the outer edge of one foot, with the other arm reaching up. It works the obliques, the side of the hip and the supporting shoulder all at once. Most people...
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Yoga Asanas
Ardha Kurmasana (Half Tortoise Pose): How to Do It Step by Step

Ardha Kurmasana (Half Tortoise Pose): How to Do It Step by Step

Ardha Kurmasana (Half Tortoise Pose) is a kneeling forward bend: you sit on your heels, stretch your arms overhead with the palms together and fold forward until the little fingers and the forehead rest on the floor. It is one of the 26 poses of the Bikram (Hot 26) sequence, where it comes...
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Yoga Asanas
Benefits of Meditation: 12 Science-Based Facts, Checked

Benefits of Meditation: 12 Science-Based Facts, Checked

The best-supported benefits of meditation are modest drops in anxiety, depression, stress and pain. A 2014 review of 47 trials in JAMA Internal Medicine found that eight-week mindfulness programs improved all four by a small to moderate amount. Many other popular claims, from a bigger brain to a...
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Meditation