More Articles

What Are Hard Style and Soft Style Martial Arts

Self Defense Fashion Comes to the Rescue

What Practically Guarantees Success in a Self Defense Encounter

The Difference Between Karate and Kung Fu

The Shaolin Workout Body and Mind

All About Martial Arts and Other Fighting Styles

Self Defense For Modern Times

Reality Based Self Defense Training 19 Principles That Will Save Your Life

Martial Arts The Number One Way to Combat Bullying

Learning the Modern Dynamics of Judo

Why Train Self Defense Solo

A Personal Safety Weapon To Consider The Self Defense Keychain

Keys Of Hung Gar Kung Fu Mastering

How to Select Your Martial Arts and Self Defense Equipment

How to Study Karate or Other Martial Arts and Still Be Good at Self Defense

Self Defense What You Need To Know

Self Defense Education Three Sure Fire Ways to Teach Your Child About Safety

Real Life Self Defense Starts From

Reishiki the Etiquette of Judo

Why Every Cop Should Study Judo Part 1

Martial Arts Articles Self Defense

The Link between Yoga, Mindfulness, and Weight Loss - Part 2

Author: Paul M. Jerard Jr.

Some of you may still do this, but remember when most people gave thanks, prayed, or said grace at the table? We can still be thankful to our family members or their company, the cook for his or her skill, to those who brought the food home, and to God, or your concept of a higher being, for your existence.

Meals should be for nutrition, bonding, and thanks. Meals should not be "wolfed down," while watching television or while driving in the car.

One of the aspects of Yoga, which is covered in a typical Yoga class, is that of mindfulness in every part of life. You become more conscious of your breathing, posture, speech, what you eat, and much more. Through steady Yoga practice, you learn to live life in the present moment and to appreciate what you have.

Some of us are rich in love, but have little money. Some of us are rich with money and have no one who really loves us. When you look at love or money both can be turned into good or bad situations. It is really up to us, whether we want to make the most of what we have.

Making the most out of simple pleasures is living life to its fullest potential. So, instead of "shoveling" your food away, Yoga students should take the time to enjoy the finer things in life. This is not to say that we should engage in gluttony, but instead to connect with your inner being at mealtime and be mindful of everything. Eat with your family, when possible, and make it a pleasant experience, together, at the kitchen table.

Your inner self or self is sometimes called "atman" or "jiva." This is the "creature" imprisoned within all of us. We all enjoy eating and want to savor every earthly pleasure to its fullest, but mindfulness makes us aware of much more than consumption of food and earthly pleasures. Therefore, mindfulness can be a natural dieting tool at mealtime.

How is this possible? When you see food - give thanks and tune into your senses. You do not have to give thanks verbally, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, but you should make it a mental exercise, before every meal. This will help your spiritual health and slow the pace of eating down.

The senses of sight, and smell, come into play long before your first bite, so take the time to be mindful of them after you have given thanks. Eat for the right reasons. Those reasons should be: your health and your life.

Eating should be nutritionally dense, in moderation, and in the best possible frame of mind. Be mindful of every bite, your digestive process, and all your senses. This pace will slow you down.

Thoroughly chew each bite and sip water during your meal. Yogis, and Yoginis, learn to pace their breath in Pranayama practice. Therefore, you should pace yourself in regard to eating and breathing at mealtime. You should not be short of breath while eating. If you are, you make eating into a stressful situation. You learn to breathe in Yoga class, and you should continue proper breath control at every possible moment.

If you work in a company that doesn't allow time for eating, eat small nutritionally dense snacks, and look for another job. Companies that function, in this way, are killing their employees with stress. This is not a harmonious atmosphere, and the stress will get you too.

Lastly, remember that weight control is not a mathematical formula. There are many intangibles that "fly under the radar." Science cannot yet accurately measure the power of your mind, commitment, and spiritual health.

Yoga is much more than an exercise class. At present, Yoga is the most complete health system known to humankind. Yoga encompasses mental, physical and spiritual health.

There are some Chinese internal martial arts systems that come close, but Yoga is the Mother of most Asian martial arts systems. How is this possible?

Bodidharma, an Indian Buddhist monk, taught a form of Yoga to the monks at the Shaolin temple for health maintenance. Due to his visit, the Shaolin temple became the birthplace of Ch'an Buddhism. Also resulting from this encounter, Chinese Kung Fu was born, and many styles of martial arts have continued to evolve to this day.

There is so much to learn about Yoga that none of us will be able to learn everything in one lifetime. The results of regular Yoga practice, and the lessons in mindfulness taught by a competent Yoga teacher, will help you control your weight and so much more.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the author:

Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in RI. He's a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

More Martial Arts and Self Defense Articles

Before You Buy That Self Defense Product
Self-defense products are gaining in popularity because they are effective against attacks, and they don't take as much time to learn. Martial arts or other self-defense courses are great to learn, but for many people, they take too much time to...read more

How To Empower Yourself With Self Defense
Maybe you were bullied in school, or maybe you live in a rough neighborhood - whatever the case you just want to know how to defend yourself. Self-defense training is a way to take back control of your life, rather than cowering when a dangerous ...read more

Women's Self-Defense - Why Most Programs Are Wrong
Women's self defense issues are constantly in the news and a 'hot' topic for conversations. It seems that everyone from police officers to karate instructors has his or her own philosophy and theories about the how's and why's of self defense for...read more

The 4 Lines of Self Defense
The cry of "Self defense!" is common among those who get into trouble for fighting. Often this is heard from both parties, which makes the statement suspect. Self defense is a complex concept. The defining the word is the easy part. In terms of...read more

Why Martial Arts Is The Best Thing You Can Do To Get Your Child Ready for School This Year
Have you done everything you can to prepare your children for school this year? You’ve probably bought the items on the list of supplies, bought some new school clothes and taken them to the school’s open house to meet the teachers and find their...read more

"10 Powerful Self Defense Tips For Women"
In the USA, every two minutes a woman is being raped. A 1993 survey revealed that 50% of Canadian women have experienced an incident of sexual assault or physical violence. In Australia, 19% of women aged 18 to 24 experienced an act of violence...read more

For Valentine's Day Give The Gift of Self Defense
I received a mailer at the office, an attractive one that, in red and white, decorated with hearts and bows. It is pitching a gym membership for women, offering a Valentine’s Day Special. Of course, it’s a cute idea, and what can be a better way...read more

The Bao Way offer Fitness and Self-Defense
Nashville, TN -- The Bao Way announces the 2005 release of The Bao Way Self-Defense and Fitness Workout DVD series. Until now, women have had no way to learn effective self-defense without years of training. Despite its rapid-fire punches and...read more

Things to Consider Before Buying A Self Defense Spray
So, you have decided to take up jogging in order to shed a few pounds. Because the neighborhood is not what it used to be, you opt to purchase a can of self defense spray. Simple enough, huh? Not necessarily. Consider this :There are three basic...read more

Why Train Self-Defense Solo?
For students who attend our regular classes the information below will be nothing new. Many have heard me pontificate on these points at various times, however, I think it's important to share this information with others to hopefully help them...read more

Notice: These martial arts and self defense articles are gathered from various public sources and are presented "as is" for for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Lo Man Kam Wing Chun Kung Fu Organization. The authors of this site make no claims and take no responsibility regarding the content of these articles.

Wing Chun Las Vegas Kung Fu School | 6366 W. Sahara Ave | Phone: (702) 768-1201