English Community for students

Is this whale-shaped plane the future of airliners?

Pashkaa — Thu, 07 May 2015 18:58:12 GMT

Airliners have become steadily bigger in an effort to take fit in more passengers and drive down the cost of tickets. Could a new outsized design change the way we fly?
Spotting an Airbus A380 at an airport can still create great excitement. The giant, double-decker plane can seat between 500 and 850 people, depending on how much space is given to space-saving economy class, and how much goes to higher-paying passengers with all that extra leg room. It’s an aviation giant, the biggest passenger-carrying aircraft ever to fly the skies.
“Travelling in the Sky Whale could be like a travelling in your private ‘theatre seat’, enjoying what happens around you; hearing some air flow noise, but feeling safe inside a big and intelligent structure,” Vinals says.
The design would use advanced technologies such as self-repairing wings, swiveling engines to enable a near vertical take-off, and hybrid propulsion.
“The engines and batteries are fed by a turbine inside the wings, like a high-speed and powerful dynamo,” says Vinals.
The design also calls for a system to redirect air flow to intake engines and to control laminar flow – in other words, to reduce turbulence around the plane and reduce drag.
None of these technologies are feasible on a large scale at the moment, but all are possible, says Vinals.
“I did this because I am an aerospace and aviation enthusiast – the technology, development and evolution,” he explains. “I would like to contribute, with my vision, about these.”
Perhaps that vision from someone outside the aerospace industry, without preconceptions, is what is needed to revolutionise plane design. Vinals told me he did “years” and “terabytes” of research. It’s an approach that some in the field appreciate.
For a manufacturer to be able to sell a new aircraft, it has to demonstrate that it is safe. The safety regulations have evolved over a century of manned flight, but with a radical design it would be much harder to demonstrate safety.
“The optimised airplane is like a grand set of compromises, and it’s a colossal exercise to balance everything,” says Drela.
“Airbus went with the huge A380, Boeing put its money on the smaller airplane with 787. And it is not obvious which is the better approach yet.”
But, Vinals says, Albert Einstein might have the last word on this: “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions”.

What would you see in a black hole?

Salomka) — Thu, 07 May 2015 11:19:48 GMT

Something about a black hole just pulls you in. Sure, its gravity is so strong that not even light can elude its grasp. But, there's something else, something harder to pinpoint. Maybe it's a black hole's absolute darkness, a mysterious, infinite chasm that dares you – or even compels you – to venture closer.
When a massive star exhausts its fuel, it collapses under its own weight and implodes into a black hole. Only stars with enough heft – those maybe about 25 times more massive than our Sun – will create one. About one out of every thousand stars in the galaxy is massive enough to make a black hole. The Milky Way has at least 100 billion stars, which means about 100 million black holes are lurking out there in the galaxy. But remember, space is big. Even if you're travelling at the speed of light, the nearest black hole will still take a few thousand years to reach.
But let's say you master interstellar travel, whether via warp drive or wormholes, and you reach one of these black holes.
A trip into a black hole is a one-way journey. Once you cross the event horizon – the point at which light can't escape – there's no turning back. Most likely, you'd die a violent death. If you're not deterred, let's at least explore what we might see if we were to visit one.

Circling the drain
Well, nothing really. A lone black hole is, unsurprisingly, black. If you circle around it, you'll notice that it's spherical, unlike those flat, Acme portable holes in Road Runner cartoons. And if it's spinning – which is likely, as most things in the universe rotate to some degree – then the black hole will be wider around the middle, rather than a perfect circle.

For a more dramatic view, though, zip on over to the Milky Way's centre, the home of a supermassive black hole nearly four million times more massive than the Sun. The black hole's gravity has gathered lots of gas and dust, which has accumulated into a disc that's spiralling into the hole – circling the drain, so to speak. As the material gets consumed, friction heats it up to billions of degrees, producing lots of radiation, and outflows of energy and charged particles.

Bright and clear
So while you can't see the black hole directly, you'd see its shadow, surrounded by a bright ring and crescent. Some researchers worried that some of the gas, dust, and charged particles spewing out of the disc might obscure this dramatic image. To envision exactly what the black hole's shadow would look like, researchers created some of the most accurate computer simulations yet that incorporate all the physics of the gas and gravity around the black hole.

It turns out that the view would remain bright and clear, says Feryal Ozel, an astrophysicist at the University of Arizona who helped produce the simulations. They make for some cool movies but more importantly, they help astronomers anticipate what they will see when they observe the shadow of the Milky Way's black hole for real.

Smashed into smithereens
This spring, the researchers got seven telescopes hooked up and ready to go. By 2017, he hopes to have all of them set up, and people will be able to directly see a black hole. Indeed, getting an image is groundbreaking, he says, and it'll offer the strongest proof yet that black holes do exist (all evidence so far has been indirect, for example based on a black hole's gravitational influence of nearby stars at the galactic centre). Physicists will also be able to make the most detailed observations ever on what goes on around a black hole, allowing them to test the intricate details of Einstein's theory of gravity.

But maybe simply a view isn't enough, and you still want to go inside the black hole. Unfortunately, physicists aren't quite sure what will happen. The conventional hypothesis is that you'd get spaghettified. If you leap into the black hole feet first, your feet will feel stronger gravity than your head. As you approach the hole, the difference in gravity at your feet and your head gets bigger and bigger until you're ripped apart. Soon, this tidal gravity, as it's called, will tear every cell, molecule, and atom in your body into smithereens.

To find out once and for all what happens inside a black hole, you might simply have to go inside one. The problem is you won't then be able to tell anyone what you’ve seen.

Ice cores show 200-year climate lag

ValerieTr — Tue, 05 May 2015 21:36:10 GMT

The Antarctic core provides a comparison with records from Greenland

Scientists have found a 200-year lag time between past climate events at the poles.
The most detailed Antarctic ice core provides the first clear comparison with Greenland records, revealing a link between northern and southern hemisphere climate change.
Scientists found that abrupt and large temperature changes first occurred in Greenland, with the effect delayed about 200 years in the Antarctic.
The study appears in Nature journal.
The paper is the work of almost 80 authors and it is the first time that researchers have been able to pin down the timing of these events during the last Ice Age.
In the 1990s, scientists took ice cores from Greenland that revealed very abrupt and large swings in temperature approximately 20,000 to 60,000 years ago. But it wasn't clear how this influenced global climate change.
The 3,405 metre-long ice core, taken from the centre of West Antarctica, is the longest high resolution ice core. Researchers documented 18 abrupt climate events.
"This record has annual resolution, meaning we can see information about every year going back 30,000 years, and close to that resolution all the way back to 68,000 years ago," explains Eric Steig, professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington, who co-wrote the paper.
"Our new results show unambiguously that the Antarctic changes happen after the rapid temperature changes in Greenland. It is a major advance to know that the Earth behaves in this particular way."

Cores contain a record of past temperature swings

The new core also supports the "bipolar seesaw" effect between poles, meaning that when it's warm in Greenland, Antarctica is cooling, and vice versa.
"The fact that temperature changes are opposite at the two poles suggests that there is a redistribution of heat going on between the hemispheres," said Christo Buizert, lead author on the study and a post-doctoral researcher at Oregon State University.
"We still don't know what caused these past shifts, but understanding their timing gives us important clues about the underlying mechanisms."
During large changes in climate in the northern hemisphere, the atmosphere and ocean transfer the heat around the globe.
The 200-year difference in the timing directly points to the ocean, explained Prof Steig. The atmospheric circulation of heat would have shown up in the Antarctic record in a matter of years or decades.
The team has planned further studies to really unpack the annual resolution seen in the core.
Prof Steig concluded: "We've actually been talking about and planning for this ice core for essentially my entire career.
"I remember an old colleague of mine telling me how we should go to this spot in Antarctica and drill an ice core in 1989 when I was beginning graduate school. And we've only really just finished the work about 25 years later."

Frozen short film to debut ahead of Disney's Cinderella

FoxyT — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 20:06:29 GMT

The follow-up to Disney's Frozen will be screened ahead of Kenneth Branagh's live-action Cinderella in March 2015.

Frozen Fever, a one-off short film, will once again feature Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf the snowman.

Frozen is the biggest animated feature of all time, making more than £800m at the worldwide box office.

The original team behind Frozen Fever will reunite, including directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee,

The plot will see Elsa's icy powers threaten to overshadow her sister Anna's birthday party.

The short will also feature a new original song by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

Voice actors Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff) and Josh Gad (Olaf) will to return to their Frozen roles in the short.

Frozen has become the fifth highest-grossing film in box office history and won two Oscars, for best animated feature and best original song for Let It Go.

The movie, which was released in November 2013, has taken $1.27bn (£809m) worldwide, overtaking Iron Man 3's total haul.

It now stands behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, with $1.34bn (£853m) in global ticket sales.

The animated hit has sold more than three million copies on DVD/Blu-ray and is on track to become the biggest seller of the decade, according to the Official Charts Company.

Cinderella stars Lily James Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter.

Disney announced the film in 2010 following the success of its live-action version of Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton.

Superman v Batman delayed to 2016

Pashkaa — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:02:24 GMT

Superman and Batman's big screen team-up has been delayed by almost a year, film studio Warner Bros has confirmed.
Originally scheduled for July 2015, the superhero set-to will now appear on 6 May, 2016.

A sequel to 2013's Man of Steel, the as-yet-untitled film sees Ben Affleck stepping into the Batman role, next to British actor Henry Cavill's Superman.
It was reported the delay was triggered by Affleck sustaining a leg injury, but that has been dismissed by the studio.

Instead, the release date has been pushed back to "allow the filmmakers time to realise fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story," it said.
The film has recently gained a third superhero - with Fast and Furious star Gal Gadot signed up to play Wonder Woman.

Filming had already started before the announcement, with some incidental footage of an American Football game shot before Christmas.
However, director Zack Snyder was not due to call "action" on the main scenes until spring.

The move away from 2015 means the Superman vs Batman movie avoids a crowded marketplace, with new instalments of The Avengers, Terminator, Jurassic Park and Fast and Furious all scheduled to hit cinemas over the summer.
Warner Bros says it will still make use of the 17 July date, scheduling a new Peter Pan film by British director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) for that weekend.

Meanwhile, Superman's release date had already been earmarked for an as-yet-unannounced film from comic book rivals Marvel - which could mean a superhero stand-off at the box office, as well as on the silver screen.

"We know that there is already great anticipation building for the next superhero film from Zack Snyder, and we are equally eager to see what he has in store for Superman and Batman as they share the big screen for the first time ever," said Warner Bros president Kwan Vandenberg in a statement".

Ed Sheeran is Spotify's most-streamed artist of 2014

ValerieTr — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 23:12:57 GMT

Ed Sheeran scored the most played album on the streaming service

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has been named the most-streamed artist in the world by Spotify.

The 23-year-old has racked up more than 860 million streams on the service, beating Eminem and Coldplay, who came second and third respectively.

His latest album, x, which hit the million sales mark in the UK this week, was played 430 million times.

Katy Perry was the year's most streamed female artist, with Ariana Grande second and Lana Del Rey third.

The Dark Horse singer took the top spot from Rihanna, who held the position for the previous two years,

Spotify said that more than 50 million users listened to 7 billion hours of music in the whole of 2014.

Katy Perry was 2014's most streamed female artist on Spotify

The service's most listened-to track was Happy by Pharrell Williams, which had more than 260 million plays.

British act Clean Bandit were in second position for their song Rather Be while DJ Calvin Harris' came third, with Summer.

Here are some of Spotify's most-streamed charts

Most-played artists
Ed Sheeran
Eminem
Coldplay
Calvin Harris
Katy Perry

Most-played groups
Coldplay
Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
OneRepublic
One Direction

Most-played songs
Happy - Pharrell Williams
Rather Be - Clean Bandit (feat. Jess Glynne)
Summer - Calvin Harris
Dark Horse - Katy Perry
All of Me - John Legend

Male artist
Ed Sheeran
Eminem
Calvin Harris
Avicii
David Guetta

Female artist
Katy Perry
Ariana Grande
Lana Del Rey
Beyonce
Lorde

Most-played albums
x - Ed Sheeran
In The Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
The New Classic - Iggy Azalea
G I R L - Pharrell Williams
My Everything - Ariana Grande

Most-played artists (UK)
Ed Sheeran
Arctic Monkeys
Eminem
Sam Smith
Coldplay

Most-played songs (UK)
Rather Be - Clean Bandit (feat. Jess Glynne)
Happy - Pharrell Williams
Waves - Mr Probz
All of Me - John Legend
Stay With Me - Sam Smith

Most-played albums (UK)
x - Ed Sheeran
In The Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
Wanted On Voyage - George Ezra
The New Classic - Iggy Azalea
G I R L - Pharrell Williams

Australia surfers 'photobombed' by spinner shark

Valerka — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 08:52:51 GMT

Surfers at a competition in New South Wales were in for a surprise when they found themselves in the company of a large spinner shark.
Spectators saw the shark leaping in and out of the water near Coffs Harbour, close to the surfers and swimmers.
The moment was caught on camera by local resident Steph Bellamy, who said the shark "photobombed" her picture.
Surfers evacuated the sea for 10 minutes before resuming the contest, she said, adding that no one was hurt.
The encounter took place at the annual Coffs Harbour Boardriders Club competition at Macauley's Beach, 540 km (340 miles) north of Sydney, on Sunday.
Ms Bellamy said she was taking a photo of the competition when she saw a splash.
"The shark actually jumped twice," Ms Bellamy told the BBC.
"It breached [the surface] once, and it breached again, and that was the shot that I got. It was all in the blink of an eye.
"I could hear people asking 'What was that?'... I didn't realise it was a shark until I zoomed in on the picture."
She added that it was unusual for a shark to swim so close to the coast.
'No one afraid'
She showed the picture to the announcer on the viewing deck, who "got everyone out of the water".
"They stayed on the beach for about 10 minutes, and then went back in and continued surfing," she said.
No one was afraid, Ms Bellamy added. "Everyone was just sort of blown away by it - and everybody wanted a picture of the shark."
"There was no immediate danger, because the shark was obviously chasing a fish, and certainly wasn't interested in our girls out there - thank God!"
The photo has been examined by officials at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
A DPI spokeswoman told the BBC that scientists had identified the shark as a spinner shark.
Spinner sharks are generally found north of Jervis Bay, and can reach a maximum length of 280 cm (9ft).
Ms Bellamy said her photo had been widely shared since Sunday, and the response had been generally positive, although some people had accused her of digitally altering the image.
"That cracks me up - I'm a 47-year-old mum who wouldn't know how to Photoshop to save my life!" she said.[img]http://http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/79440000/jpg/_79440457_coffsshark.jpg[/img]

Yoga

Aries — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:05:05 GMT

Three Yogas

The Three Yogas in the context of monotheistic Hinduism are three religious paths for the human spirit to achieve union (yoga) with Ishvara, Supreme Being, i.e. God. They are
1.Karma Yoga or the Path of Action (karma)
2.Bhakti Yoga or the Path of Devotion (bhakti)
3.Jnana Yoga or the Path of Knowledge (jnana)
These concepts are introduced in the Bhagavad Gita and become extremely popular in the course of the Bhakti movement. They are elaborated upon in the Vaishna Bhagavata Purana.
The Bhagavad Gita had been made practically the only source for the means to moksha with the development of Classical Hinduism in the 8th or 9th century, and Hindu philosophers of the medieval period have tried to explain the nature of these three paths and the relation between them. Shankara tended to focus on jnana-yoga exclusively, which he interpreted as the acquisition( овладение) of knowledge or vidya. He considered karma-yoga to be inferior(второстепенный), and ignores bhakti-yoga entirely. The 12th-century philosopher Ramanuja considered the three yogas by interpreting his predecessor Yamunacharya. In Ramanuja's interpretation, bhakti-yoga appears to be the direct path to moksha, which is however available only to those whose inner faculties(способности) have already been trained by both karma-yoga and jnana-yoga.
A "fourth yoga" is sometimes added, Raja Yoga or "the Path of Meditation". This is the classical Yoga presented in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Patanjali's system came to be known as Raja Yoga or "Royal Yoga" retro-actively, in about the 15th century, as the term Yoga had become popular for the general concept of a "religious path". The systematic presentation of Hindu monotheism as divided into these four paths or "Yogas" is modern, advocated by Swami Vivekananda from the 1890s. They are presented as four paths to God suitable for four human temperaments, viz. the active, the emotional, the mystic and the philosophical.
Karma yoga
Karma yoga or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the process of achieving perfection in action. Karma yoga is an intrinsic(важный) part of many derivative(выведенный) types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga. Karma yoga is often understood as a yoga of selfless (altruistic) service.
Concept
The word "karma" is derived from the Sanskrit kri, meaning 'to do'. In its most basic sense karma simply means action, and yoga translates to union. Thus karma yoga literally translates to the path of union through action. However, in Vedantic philosophy the word karma means both action and the effects of such action. Karma yoga is described as a way of acting, thinking and willing by which one orients oneself toward realization by acting in accordance with one's duty (dharma) without consideration of personal self-centered desires, likes or dislikes. One acts without being attached to the fruits of one's deeds.
Krishna explains that work done without selfish expectations purifies one's mind and gradually makes an individual fit to see the value of reason. He states that it is not necessary to remain in external solitude, or remain actionless, in order to practice a spiritual life, since the state of action or inaction is primarily determined in the mind.
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga is a spiritual path described in Hindu philosophy which is supposed to be for fostering love, utter faith and surrender to God. It is a means to realize God, and is the easiest way for the common person because it doesn't involve extensive yogic practices.
Philosophy
Bhakti is a Sanskrit term that signifies an attitude of devotion to a personal God that is similar to a number of human-human relationships (difference is that in bhakti relationships is soul-Supersoul, soul-God) such as beloved-lover, friend-friend, parent-child, and master-servant.
The Bhagavata Purana teaches nine primary forms of bhakti, as explained by Prahlada:
(1) śravaṇa ("listening" to the scriptural stories of Kṛṣṇa and his companions), (2) kīrtana ("praising," usually refers to ecstatic(восторженный) group singing), (3) smaraṇa ("remembering" or fixing the mind on Viṣṇu), (4) pāda-sevana (rendering(визуализация) service), (5) arcana (worshiping an image), (6) vandana (paying homage), (7) dāsya (servitude), (8) sākhya (friendship), and (9) ātma-nivedana(complete surrender of the self).
These nine principles of devotional service are described as helping the devotee remain constantly in touch with God.
Jnana yoga
Jñāna yoga is the pronunciation can be approximated by "nyaana yoga") or "path of knowledge" is one of the types of yoga mentioned in Hindu philosophies. Jñāna in Sanskrit means "knowledge"
Goal of jnana-yoga
As used in the Bhagavad Gita, the Advaita philosopher Adi Shankara gave primary importance to jñāna yoga as "knowledge of the absolute" (Brahman), while the Vishishtadvaita commentator Ramanuja regarded knowledge only as a condition of devotion. In the Bhagavad Gita (13.3) Krishna says that jñāna consists of properly understanding kshetra (the field of activity—that is, the body) and kshetra-jna (the knower of the body—that is, the soul). Later in the Gita (13.35) Krishna emphasizes that a transcendentalist(трансценденталист) must understand the difference between these two.Sri Ganapatrao Maharaj Kannur emphasizes the significance of knowing self so as to know the supreme(верховный) and that it is essential to vanquish(подавлять) the ego and the identification with the body.

What do you know about yoga as teaching?
Have you heard anything about these three religious paths?
Do you think that yoga as a religion has more important meaning than yoga as sport?
Do you believe that yoga can help find inner harmony?
Do you interested in yoga?

Importance of Yoga in Our Life

Zhgutik — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:02:47 GMT

Importance of Yoga in Our Life

Yoga is important in our everyday life. It strengthens (укреплять) our physical and mental power and has numerous(многочисленный)health benefits. Yoga is a type of exercise which is performed using various types of body postures (положения). You can perform yoga anywhere, since it does not need any special workout(тренировочный)equipments. Start performing yoga exercises regularly and notice how beneficial it is in keeping your mind and body healthy.
Yoga exercises recharge your body with high energy. This helps in the following ways:
• Promotes (способствовать)self-healing (самоизлечение)
• Enhances (улучшать) self-awareness (самосознание)
• Increases personal power
• Helps to attain (достигать) harmony and perfect equilibrium (равновесие)
• Reduces (сокращать) tension (напряжение)and stress in your body by activating your parasympathetic nervous system
Other major Benefits of Yoga Exercises are:
• It reduces blood pressure
• It acts as an anti-aging (предотвращение старения кожи) product
• It reduces sodium (натрий), glucose (глюкоза)and total cholesterol (общее содержание холестерина) level
• It gives energy to the body and enhances (повышает)normal energy level
• It cures diseases related to respiratory (дыхательный)problem
Yoga is just the right medicine for all types of ailments (болезнь), and acts as the best refresher (что-то освежающее) of human body, mind and soul. Yoga exercises help to make a person mentally and physically active. Hence, everyone must start doing yoga exercises daily to remain healthy and fit for the rest of the life.

Do you agree with that yoga can be so useful?
Do you want to try to practice real yoga?
How do you think it is difficult to star practice yoga?
Do you think it is possible to practice yoga without assistance?
How do you think to practice yoga can help you to be full of energy during all day?

I know that this article is too short. But from my point of view, it has short but very useful information. Reading this article we can see all main advantages of yoga. It isn’t so long to bore readers. You can just read the information which you need and want to read. That is why I choose exactly this article!

General Yoga Information

Perilova — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:57:57 GMT

" If everyone practiced yoga, pharmacies would have to close. "

What is Yoga?

The classical techniques of Yoga date back (датируются) more than 5,000 years. In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread (распространяться) throughout the world. The word Yoga means “to join or yoke together,” and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience.

The whole system of Yoga is built on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation. The exercises of Yoga are designed (предназначены) to put pressure (давление) on the glandular (железистые)systems of the body, thereby (тем самым) increasing its efficiency and total health. The body is looked upon as the primary instrument that enables us to work and evolve (развиваться) in the world, and so a Yoga student treats it with great care and respect. Breathing techniques are based on the concept that breath is the source of life in the body. The Yoga student gently increases breath control to improve the health and function of both body and mind. These two systems of exercise and breathing then prepare the body and mind for meditation, and the student finds an easy approach (доступ) to a quiet mind that allows silence and healing from everyday stress. Regular daily practice of all three parts of this structure of Yoga produce a clear, bright mind and a strong, capable body.

Types of Yoga

There are over a hundred different schools of Yoga. Some of the most well known are described below:

Hatha Yoga: The physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques. This is what most people associate with Yoga practice.

Raja Yoga: Called the “royal (королевская) road,” because it incorporates (включает) exercise and breathing practice with meditation and study, producing a well-rounded individual.

Jnana Yoga: The path of wisdom; considered the most difficult path (путь).

Bhakti Yoga: The practice of extreme devotion (преданность) in one-pointed (однонаправленная) concentration upon one’s concept of God.

Karma Yoga: All movement, all work of any kind is done with the mind centered on a personal concept of God.

Tantra Yoga: A way of showing the unseen consciousness (сознание) in form through specific words, diagrams, and movements. One of the diagrams that is used to show the joining of the physical and spiritual bodies is two triangles (треугольники)superimposed (наложенных)upon one another. The downward-pointing (нижняя часть) triangle represents the physical body, or the female aspect having to do with work, action, and movement; the upward-pointing (верхняя часть) triangle represents the spiritual body of support, energy, and vastness (обширность).

Kashmir Shaivism: This Yoga system states that everything in the universe has both male and female qualities. In Kashmir Shaivism, these male and female principles form an equal partnership (партнерство), so interdependent (взаимозависимы)that they cannot be separated. The attraction between them produces the ultimate union of opposites, creating the immense complexity of the universe that we enjoy and celebrate. Unlike other philosophies, Kashmir Shaivism is based in emotion rather than intellect. In fact, Shaivism says that intellectual understanding by itself will never lead us to the realization of the summit of Yoga. The system's great exponents teach that the egotistical intellect blocks our ability to fully experience our individual power.

History of Yoga

No one knows exactly when Yoga began, but it certainly predates written history. Stone carvings (резьба)depicting figures in Yoga positions have been found in archeological sites in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more. There is a common misconception (заблуждение) that Yoga is rooted in Hinduism; on the contrary, Hinduism’s religious structures evolved much later and incorporated some of the practices of Yoga. (Other religions throughout the world have also incorporated practices and ideas related to Yoga.)

The tradition of Yoga has always been passed on individually from teacher to student through oral teaching and practical demonstration. The formal techniques that are now known as Yoga are, therefore, based on the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years. The particular manner in which the techniques are taught and practiced today depends on the approach passed down in the line of teachers supporting the individual practitioner.

One of the earliest texts having to do with Yoga was compiled by a scholar named Patanjali, who set down the most prevalent Yoga theories and practices of his time in a book he called Yoga Sutras (“Yoga Aphorisms”) as early as the 1st or 2nd century B.C. or as late as the 5th century A.D. (exact dates are unknown). The system that he wrote about is known as “Ashtanga Yoga,” or the eight limbs of Yoga, and this is what is generally referred to today as Classical Yoga. Most current adherents practice some variation of Patanjali’s system.

The eight steps of Classical Yoga are 1) yama, meaning “restraint” — refraining from violence, lying, stealing, casual sex, and hoarding; 2) niyama, meaning “observance” — purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance; 3) asana, physical exercises; 4) pranayama, breathing techniques; 5) pratyahara, preparation for meditation, described as “withdrawal of the mind from the senses”; 6) dharana, concentration, being able to hold the mind on one object for a specified time; 7) dhyana, meditation, the ability to focus on one thing (or nothing) indefinitely; 8) samadhi, absorption, or realization of the essential nature of the self. Modern Western Yoga classes generally focus on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th steps.

Yoga probably arrived in the United States in the late 1800s, but it did not become widely known until the 1960s, as part of the youth culture’s growing interest in anything Eastern. As more became known about the beneficial effects of Yoga, it gained acceptance and respect as a valuable method for helping in the management of stress and improving health and well-being. Many physicians now recommend Yoga practice to patients at risk for heart disease, as well as those with back pain, arthritis, depression, and other chronic conditions.

What types of yoga do you like most of all ?
When there was a yoga ?
Do you believe it is a religion or not ?
What are three main structures of yoga ?
Is it interesting for you to know the history of yoga ?
What does the word "Yoga" mean ?
What is the most informative thing for you in this text ?

I've learned a lot of information about yoga reading forum posts and commenting posts or videos, i'm sure, we all learned more about it than before. Of course, it is a very interesting theme, that's why i decided to find something else about it and tell you!