Archive for September 29th, 2008

Understanding Astanga Ivengar Yoga

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Astanga, or at times spelled ashtanga Yoga is usually taught today by a person named Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, in Mysore, India. He has brought astanga yoga to the west about 25 years ago and still teaches today at 91 years of age. Astanga yoga started with the rediscovery of the old manuscript Yoga Korunta. It talks about a unique system of Hatha yoga as practiced and created by the ancient sage Vamana Rishi. It is believed to be the original asana practice intended by Patanjali.

The Yoga Korunta emphasizes Iyengar yoga, or breath-synchronized movement, where one practices a posture with specific breathing patterns associated with it. This breathing technique is called ujayyi pranayama, or the victorious breath, and it is a process that makes strong internal heat and a profuse sweat that purifies and detoxifies the muscles and organs. This also releases beneficial hormones and nutrients. The breath ensures efficient circulation of blood. The result is improved circulation, a light and powerful body and a calm mind.

There is a proper sequence to follow when practicing Astanga yoga. One must graduate from one sequence of postures to move onto the next. The Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa) detoxifies and aligns the body, purifying it so that toxins are not blocked. The Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana) intensifies the nervous system by opening and clearing the energy channels, allowing energy to pass through easily. The Advanced Series A, B, C, and D (Sthira Bhaga) integrate the grace and stamina of the practice, which calls for intense flexibility.

It’s best to find a properly trained and knowledgeable mentor to train you through this discipline. It is an intense practice that is rigorous, six days a week. You are guaranteed to find inner peace and satisfaction with each breath you take.

Buying clothes as gifts

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Locating the best present for a friend is never a simple task. Sometimes it can be a struggle to find presents for even your best friend. There is so much to consider and I will often find myself thinking will they love it and what does it say about me. The skill is in getting them a present they would like and enjoy. Usually this includes doing some research first although you can typically find most things out by asking some questions.

You often hear all sorts of old wives tales when referring to gifts especially if you are trying to find clothing and accessories. There is an old wives tale that if you buy a girl shoes, she will walk away from you and that buying accessories like a watch can ruin your relationship. Both these statements may or may not be true but I can give some useful advice when purchasing clothes.

First things first, when it comes to buying clothing research first. Make sure to find out the size someone is whether it is bra size, jeans or a basic t-shirt. You should devote a good amount of time to this because if you buy too little then people may be upset but if you get too large a size then that may be viewed as insulting. The next thing to do is to investigate the clothing they already have. This will help you to establish what styles they are into and what clothes work best for their body.

When looking for clothing for teenagers it is important to look at the clothing brands they already have. Young people view clothing differently because it helps to identify who they are. For example there is no point buying some bright Paul Frank clothing for a Goth that wants to have black pvc trousers. Investigate first, you could even enlist the advise of a best friend or girlfriend by asking them if John likes SupremeBeing clothing or if he would like this range of SupremeBeing clothing. If you follow this simple advice then you should be able to find a t-shirt, hooded sweatshirt or jeans that he likes.

 

 

Acoustic and Noise Consultants: Big Noises, Small Ones

Monday, September 29th, 2008

I was having a discussion with a good friend about their job recently and they said they were an acoustic consultant. So what does one of those do I asked?

Apparently an acoustic consultant finds out where industrial noises and so on come from and then, just like a noise consultant, makes recommendations about how to reduce noise levels. The process is associated with vibration too which makes sense because vibration & noise are similar and in fact it takes vibration of some sort to make a noise.

In big industrial locations noise can be a huge concern, both for workers and for people living nearby. In fact environmental noise impact assessments are a substantial part of the job of an acoustic engineer at the moment.

A Noise Consultant can also get involved in some interesting forensic audio work which involves taking a recording of an event and filtering out specific frequencies or background noise in order to pick our such things as voices.

As an acoustic engineer, my friend tends to do consulting work for construction projects but he also works alongside other engineers as part of a project team for large scale industrial developments. That’s at the Big Noise end of his job. At the small noise end, he also works in classrooms and auditoriums to help design and engineer the acoustic signature so that everyone in them, pupils or concert-goers can enjoy the best sound quality.

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