Kundalini Yoga is a spiritual and physical practice closely associated with Hatha yoga that is designed to facilitate spiritual enlightenment. More than just a means to fitness, Kundalini yoga is based on the fundamental principle of awakening the seven chakras through breathing, chanting and meditation. The Kundalini is an untapped source of energy thought to sit at the base of your spine like a coiled snake, and it's through the yoga practice that this energy is drawn up. Full enlightenment is thought to be achieved when the energy reaches the Crown Chakra. Kundalini yoga is relatively new to Western society -- it was introduced to North America in 1969 by the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization.)

A Kundalini yoga session involves a series (called kriya) of postures (called asanas,) each done with an emphasis on the breathing process. Sessions also involve chanted mantras and meditation. Though it's a highly spiritual form of yoga, don't expect your Kundalini yoga session to be easy -- the practice is very physically intense.

Want to learn more? Discover other types of yoga.

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Usually, when I do a beginner workout video, I feel a little like a fraud -- I'm not much of a newbie when it comes to most forms of exercise. However, I've never done Tai Chi in my life, so I think I was a perfect candidate for "Element: Tai Chi for Beginners."

"Tai Chi for Beginners" takes place in the same perfectly lovely setting as the other Element videos, which immediately put me at ease (I'm a sucker for a gorgeous view). And the instructor, Samuel Barnes (founder of the Tai Chi Works studio in Beverly Hills), has a strong, soothing voice that, like in the other videos, comes through in a voice over so as not to distract from the movements.

The video is broken into three sections, giving you the options for a short or long session. The first is Qi Gong, which focuses on your breath and energy flow. The other two are both Tai Chi, one giving you step-by-step instructions and the other putting the moves together in a moving meditation.

Devotees of yoga are often divided into two schools -- those who practice for the physical benefit, and those who practice for the spiritual/mental aspect. While I like what yoga does for my body, I definitely fall more into the latter group. Yoga provides a peace of mind that just isn't matched by most other forms of exercise.

Element: Am and PM Yoga for Beginners is right up my alley. It focuses strongly on the mind while giving good instruction on how to move the body.

But, is it the best choice for someone new to yoga? I tried it out and am happy to report my findings!

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Meditation and yoga may not burn as many calories as a tough session on the treadmill, but they might be the most effective activity you can do if you want to lose weight, according to recent studies. Experts believe that relaxing might be the key to successfully battling the bulge because it can help eliminate your cravings for fatty and sugary foods.

The reason why is pretty simple: "By learning and practising relaxation techniques as part of a wider lifestyle change programme, women have effective tools to manage stress and emotions without resorting to unhealthy eating," says Dr. Caroline Horwath of the University of Otago in New Zealand. And, according to the findings, weight loss achieved through relaxation was maintained in the long run -- which is not true of most dieting approaches.

So relax! Of course, by that, we mean take some time to yourself to do something healthy. Relaxing in front of the TV with a jumbo-sized bag of chips doesn't count.

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Have you taken time to meditate during this busy holiday season? Chances are, your answer's going to be a big ole' heck no. Who has time to sit still when there's Christmas presents to be bought and wrapped, cookies to be baked, family to entertain ...

But Oprah's personal medical professional, Doctor Oz, thinks you should take time to meditate on a regular basis. In fact, he believes that meditation is our own fountain of youth. How's that for promising? All you need is five minutes a day -- click here for Dr. Oz's meditation tips.

That's not to say you need only to meditate to stay youthful -- eating well and exercising is still important. His list of anti-aging foods includes blueberries, broccoli, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

(via Fit Celeb)

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Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the holiday season is in full swing. All the hustle and bustle of the season can start to feel quite stressful. To help keep your stress level in check, try dedicating some time each day to meditate. There's no need to say "oohhmm" and sit in the lotus position. You can lower your stress level with a few easy steps:

• Quiet place. Find a spot in your home or outside that's quiet and removed from other distractions.
  
• Music. Play some quiet, mellow music that helps you relax.
• Deep, full breathing. Breathe deeply and concentrate on your breathing.
• Focus. Your mind may wander, but as it does just refocus on your breathing -- this isn't a time to sort through your thoughts, this is a time to recenter yourself and clear your mind of the daily stressors.

Take 10 minutes each day to meditate and you'll see your stress levels reduce. Remember, exercising, eating healthfully, and getting proper amounts of sleep will also help you manage stress.

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Not only are we constantly barraged by noise and air pollution, we're regularly filling our bodies with garbage: chemicals, additives, even poisons. So it's never been so important to cleanse both our minds and our bodies of the toxins we can't seem to escape in our day-to-day life.

But detoxing doesn't have to mean forking out a small fortune at an uppity spa. Divine Caroline offers a number of ways you can give your body a break, naturally:

• Drink lots of water. It flushes the system.
• Sweat, either in a sauna or steam room, or through exercise.
• Meditate or pray regularly, and take deep, cleansing breaths when you do.
• Eliminate electronics from your bedroom.
• Cleanse your body with natural herbs like dandelion and ginger root.

There are plenty more tips where these came from -- head over to Divine Caroline for more detox data.

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Our friends over at Fitsugar alerted me to an important tidbit: September is yoga month across the nation. Thinking back, I realized that September was the month I myself became a yogi five years ago -- maybe it's the month you can become one too?

Here are a number of ways you can honour yoga month in your own way:

• Check out Fitsugar's list of the Top 10 Yoga DVDs and pick one up for you or a friend
• Find a yoga class near you and sign up.
• Already a regular yoga participant? Take a non-yoga friend with you.
• Make time each day for a few moments of meditation or prayer
• Build up good Karma by doing good deeds -- no matter how small or big -- for those around you

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Life Fitness is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Need motivation and guidance to facilitate positive changes in your life? Ask Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis!

Dear Laura:

I am a worrier, a workaholic and when I get home at night, I am so overwhelmed with getting things "done" that I just can't relax. I am overweight, stressed out and basically unhappy and NOT motivated to workout! I would love to bust out of this cycle. Help!

Exhausted in Carrollton, Texas

Dear Exhausted,

Do you ever stop moving? Stop working? Stop running on that treadmill of your life? Did you know that it is "uber" important for you to take small breaks throughout your day? And also did you know meditating daily and getting "present" is something your brain loves and needs in order to stay healthy, happy and ultimately keeps you mentally, emotionally and physically fit? Yes indeed. Researchers agree: You NEED to slow down and give yourself a break!

Let's chat about the human body for a moment shall we? What would happen if you took a well-oiled machine and pushed it to the max day after day? Hmmm? It would not function optimally for eternity. No way. Your body, and more specifically, your brain has its limits! If your brain works and works without taking breaks, you're not giving it a chance to let information flow, and as a result, breakdown occurs. Is this sounding familiar? With high gas prices, a shaky economy in addition to everyday stressors, taking brain breaks helps you in so many ways. Emory University sociologist Corey Keyes says that "a feeling of emptiness and exhaustion is a sign we need to tend to things." My dear "Exhausted". You fit the bill. Let's see if I may help you see the light!

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Walking a labyrinth regularly is good for your health, but probably not for the reasons you think. Most people think labyrinths are a kind of maze that takes thinking and memory to solve, but many labyrinths are just a path that follows a single direction, usually taking the form of concentric circles or a looping pattern. The difference between a maze and many labyrinths is that a labyrinth doesn't have choices, there's only one path in and the same path gets you back out. No dead ends, no tricks, no confusion.

So why is walking one good for you? Because, according to an article in the recent issue of Natural Health, it can be a kind of "moving meditation" that can help you relax, bring you peace, and help relieve stress. There's no trick to doing it right -- just walk in and walk out, at your own pace and in your own way. Wanna try it? Check if there's a labyrinth in your area with The Worldwide Labyrinth Locator.

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Dear Laura,

Recently I have been really stressed. I'm in sales and with the economy the way it is I am making a lot less money than I usually do. Not a good thing. Since I am fairly health conscious I have been working out regularly and trying to eat right. But get this. I have gained about 12 pounds in the last three months. The only thing that changed is my stress went up. What gives?

Best,

Rick M., Clearwater, FL

Dear Rick,

Ah, one of my favorite subjects! Why? I consider myself an "expert" in this area from first hand experience...hey, I am a type "A" personality who, at times, has to really think about taking my stress down a few notches. With about two thirds of our American population to be considered in the "overweight" category many experts attribute this statistic to our high levels of stress as well as poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.

So Rick, here's the deal: Being stressed out all the time may make you gain weight simply for the reason that your cortisol levels are higher than normal. "Messaging" to your brain says, wait a minute, survival is in order, let's store more calories as fat. Hmmm, also blood sugar levels get a bit whacky too. The roller coaster ride your blood sugar is on can cause higher levels of insulin to float around in your body too, in an attempt to level it out. Your brain tells your body via your liver to store more calories as fat, "just because". See, keeping your stress level down will level out your biochemistry, making things work a bit more "normally, so you'll burn more fat calories as fuel. At least in theory.

Here are a few tips on how you can take a "chill pill" which may, in turn, tell your body to ramp it up in the fat burning arena:

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Vanessa Carlton knows how important it is to have a mentor in one's life (hers is Stevie Nicks, who taught her to reach out to other young female musicians), which might be part of the reason she works so hard to stay fit inside and out. The 27-year-old singer/songwriter is not only a successful musician, but she's also an accomplished athlete and and well-balanced individual.

Vanessa jogs as many as five miles, six times a week to stay in shape. She doesn't have a lot of spare time, so when she works out, she wants to "sweat hard." In fact, she participated in the New York Marathon in 2005 when a friend asked her to run it for the Musicians on Call charity. She accepted the challenge and said, "The race itself was a much a mental test as a physical one."

Though she's open to running another marathon, Vanessa has found other ways to relax. She actually went all the way to India to learn to meditate, but found it difficult because she was so active. Now, she practices a walking meditation, and wanders the streets with her dog, occasionally stopping to write down song lyrics that come to mind.

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We've all experienced "brain failure," that embarrassing moment when you can't remember something totally mundane and regular -- like how to spell a simple word or where you parked your car. Having a better memory is something pretty much everybody would enjoy, especially when it comes to doing your best at work. Giving your noodle a boost is something you can do in as little as 30 seconds, so there's really no reason you can't fit an exercise or two into your daily routine. Try one of these exercises from Natural Health to get started:

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Do you resemble a walking zombie in the mornings? Or maybe you're familiar with the 3 p.m. crash and burn? Well, get ready to charge your batteries with Qigong.

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