In the United States alone, there are about 12 to 20 million Americans who are practicing yoga.  Global numbers are even bigger.  What is it about yoga that numbers of people practicing it are increasing worldwide?

Aside from developing spirituality, yoga also has health and fitness benefits.  Those who practice yoga would testify better flexibility, lubrication of joints, ligaments and tendons, detoxifying effects, muscle toning, and improvement in balance.  Yoga also uses meditative practices which would bring calmness, positive outlook and enlightenment.

Yoga tours are yoga retreats, but other than that it improves how yogis and a person would be able to relate to the inner-self and the supreme entity. In a yoga tour, there would be activities, workshops, expeditions and different kinds of entertainment which would enrich your experience with yoga and its benefits.

Some yoga enthusiasts would find that it is a great opportunity to travel and experience a different culture while on a weight loss program.  Yoga tours in India would allow you to enjoy food even if you are on a weight-loss trip.  Those who participate on yoga tours would also be able to enhance their own and learn new techniques.  There are yoga tours which would make certain that the experience remains to be personal or family oriented.

India would have popular spots for yoga tours. Aside from visiting, these places are alos venues where you could enrol for advanced yoga classes which usually last one month and more.  They are the following:

• The Iyangar School located in Pune is a great place to visit.  They would also offer month-long courses but would require a fee and at the same time would undergo a selection process.  This school teaches advanced yoga and would teach students to adapt their exercises on the environment.

• Another school which offers classes would be the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore. The program can last for one to six months.  The yoga practices used here would require fast paced movements and coordinated breathing.  This institute is also known among foreigners who are seriously into yoga.

• The Krisknamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai is another popular spot for those yoga practitioners who do the gentle yoga.  Classes would usually last for  two to four weeks and would also require  a fee.

• Another yoga school which is situated in a near the woods and forests outside Kerala would be Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram.  They would often offer yoga vacations which lasts for two weeks to a month.  There are special fees that would also have to be paid to gain acceptance in the school.

• The institute in Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh can be found near the Ganges river.  There are many foreigners who are visiting this school to learn about  yoga courses in English.   The same with other schools there is a corresponding fee, but it would cover the room you’ll be staying in.

Indian vacation does not only have to be about getting the postcard-like photos, but it can also be spiritual and at the same time for the betterment of your inner-self.

Today in the fitness industry one of the swiftest
growing movements is the great art and practice of
yoga.

In case you have been out of touch with what has been
happening for the past couple of years, yoga is
sweeping through aerobics studios and health clubs all
across the United States and if finding acceptance as
a fitness activity as well as a means to balance the
energy of the body and reduce stress and thereby
restore a feeling of calmness.

There are a variety of types of yoga. There is Iyanga
yoga which is excellent for beginners. It is graceful
and fluid. It is not physically demanding and
therefore great for people who are not that
athletically inclined.

There is also Ashtanga yoga which is extremely
physical and intense. This is a great activity for
strength, fitness and endurance. It is truly the
mother of the “power yoga” classes.

The third kind of Hatha yoga is called Vini yoga. This
type of yoga is usually performed on a one-to-one
basis with an instructor. Vini yoga is more relaxed
that the two previous forms.

It is therapeutic, restorative and is based on one’s
individual breath. This means that the length of a
movement is determined by the ability of the
individual to inhale and exhale fully.

It seems that many postural imbalances are due to
breathing restrictions. Vini yoga is based on the
premise that the body’s energy is more balanced if you
are able to balance your breathing.

When you improve your breathing you not only improve
your posture, but you improve your overall energy and
develop the sense of being centered.

Raja means kingly or royal. This form of meditation is
based on bringing the mind and emotions into balance
or harmony so that your attention may be easily
directed on the object of your meditation or on the
Lord directly.

Life force is generally a movement up and down the
spine so that it becomes balanced and the emotions as
well as the mind are serenely content.

Awareness is then directed to move forward into a
point that is located in the center of one’s lower
forehead. This meditation point, which is also called
the ajna, or third eye, is located about 1 half inches
above where the eyebrows meet.

When the energy becomes balanced throughout your body
and brain and moves effortlessly into the area of the
ajna, calmness seems to overtake your mind.

Certainly your mind is not passive but it frees itself
from the meaningless worries, thoughts and clutter of
the subconscious mind.

You derive a pleasant sense of well being in this
state and your mind seems to be filled with a velvety
darkness.

As your consciousness courses toward your third eye,
different pastel colors appear in your forehead. There
are sumptuous, glorious pinks, whites, indigos,
purples, yellows, blues and green that take their turn
in your forehead.

As your life force becomes stronger and more
concentrated you may think you see lightning,
fireflies or moonlight. This whole process is getting
you ready to experience your true nature.

The person who practices raja yoga in its purest form
lives in bless with the will completely surrendered to
God.

Dru Yoga is a potent and graceful form on yoga. It is
based on directed breathing, soft flowing movements
and visualization. Its foundations were set in ancient
yogic tradition.

Dru Yoga works on the body, spirit and mind. It
improves flexibility and strength, creates core
stability, builds a heightened sense of positive
thinking, is deeply relaxing and rejuvenates your
entire being.

Dru Yoga was designed to be practiced by people of all
different fitness levels, different abilities and all
age groups. This is a style of yoga that can quickly
be picked up or you can learn more about it over your
lifetime.

Dru Meditation

If it has been one of your goals to learn how to
meditate in order to feel that inner calmness or to be
a stress reliever, then try Dru Meditation! The Dru
approach to meditation will help bring you balance no
matter what or how you are feeling.

If you seem to be agitated, Dru meditation will help
to bring you a feeling of calmness. If you feel
exhausted, this form of meditation will give your
energy.

It will bring peace to your spirit if you are feeling
anxious. The most important thing that Dru meditation
will do for you is to bring you to that still place
within you, with its sense of achievement, fullness
and deep healing properties that only meditation and
yoga can bring.

If you really want to learn Dru meditation, the best
way to do this is to attend a workshop or a meditation
retreat in your area. If you are not able to do that,
you might try a guided Dru meditation that is
available on CD.

You will find that Dru meditation can help alleviate
fatigue and stress and bring you focus and calm. If
only you can do ten minutes daily of meditation, it
will make a great difference.