Copper has been in popular use for thousands of years, by many ancient civilizations.

Copper is immensely popular for its durability - but that’s not all. Copper Bathtubs and Copper Kitchen Sinks are visually pleasing, adding a rustic elegance to your decor. 

Here are some reasons why you should seriously consider buying copper vessels, bathtubs, or sinks:

1. Ease of care:

Convenient maintenance is an important factor in our busy lives, and copper fits the bill. Since sinks and bathtubs are generally used every day, they don’t require a lot of effort to be cleaned and preserved. 

2. They age well.

The external appearance of copper changes with time- but for the better. The hue and color of copper sinks and bathtubs naturally deepens over the years, making it more attractive. 

3. They have self-healing properties.  

A scratch on the surface of your sink or bathtub will disappear on its own; such is the charm of copper- it heals itself. Any mark found will eventually blend into the original color of the bathtub over time.

4. They don’t rust.

One of the reasons why copper bathtubs and sinks are a great option in wet spaces is because they will not rust. Unlike other metals, copper develops a protective coating or patina - saving it from corrosion and damage over even extended periods of time. This property is highly visible on monuments like the Statue of Liberty, and is a big reason copper is often used in monuments and artifacts.

What has this to do with bathtubs and sinks? 

Noted below are various health benefits associated with the use of copper sinks and bathtubs:

1. Antibacterial.

Bacteria are said to survive for a shorter duration on the surface of copper as compared to other metals like stainless steel. Having a copper bathtub or sink thereby lowers your need for disinfectants and lowers the risk of bacterial infection, making them a safe and valuable addition to your home.

2. Provide Skincare.

Copper is great for the skin and many skincare products include it in their ingredients. Regular contact with your copper bathtub will transfer small amounts of copper to your body. Furthermore, letting your water rest in the bathtub for around four hours will infuse the water with copper’s best properties. A daily bath in a copper bathtub can lower skin irritation, heal wounds faster, and more!

3. Good for Hair

Apart from skincare, copper is also a good source of nourishment for the hair, especially the scalp follicles. So, washing your hair in copper bathtubs is an easy way to add another step of care to your daily routine. 

 

Copper gives your home a classy, sophisticated look, alongside impressive general and medicinal benefits that cannot be provided by alternatives. Browse through some of the best locally crafted copper bathtubs, sinks, and vessels in India and switch to a lifestyle that combines luxury with functionality.

Early beginnings: The History of Copper

For thousands of years now, humans have found evidence to support the idea that copper played a massive role in the storage and preservation of food and water. Ancient texts have established that our ancestors were well aware of copper’s antibacterial properties – suggesting that they adopted the practice to safely store their consumables and reduce the risk of infection.
While this practice was very much an effective one, modern advancements in science and purification technology mean that we now have alternate storage methods – be it through chemical preservatives, UV filters, RO Purifiers and the like. The storing of water in metal containers may now sound redundant – but is this the full truth?

The simple answer is no. While copper is absolutely effective as a container to keep things clean, its benefits rise well above this one function. Copper has a host of positive properties, infused or transferred to your water from the host container. Research has long proven that this copper infused water has a host of positive effects on your body, apart from keeping copper deficiency and its effects at bay. In a world where clean drinking water is the number one priority, copper offers a simple solution to keeping water nutritious and healthy – while combating a host of potential bacteria and viruses.

So, with this research and knowledge in mind – would our ancestors have switched away from copper vessels to alternate options?
With the benefits copper has to offer over and above clean storage, the answer is probably no. Copper has rightly always been, and will continue to be, the most effective solution to healthy consumption of water.

Health Properties of Copper

Like Iron, Copper is a key trace element in the human body and does not self generate. That is why we need to ingest it in our daily diet. Our current diets are mostly unbalanced for nutrition. In any case, the best way to consume nutrition is through natural sources instead of chemicals.

Drinking water that is stored in a copper vessel for a few hours helps us consume some of our daily copper needs.

This is vital as copper forms a vital cog in a host of bodily functions, from producing enzymes for energy production to maintaining our metabolic rates and healthy tissue.


Copper Deficiency can be a source of several health issues.

Often genetic factors like malabsorption can also play a role – but this instance might dictate the need for medical intervention as opposed to just increasing copper intake, as our bodies have difficulty in incorporating and absorbing copper from its sources. This lack of copper can then further lead to impaired immunity, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, etc.

 

The fix is sometimes as easy as a glass of water.

While this serves to keep your water clean and bacteria free, copper infused water comes with its own benefits that have been well documented over the years.

Alkaline water is a proven healthy source for copper. The process of making alkaline water is as simple as storing your water in a copper bottle overnight or for a set number of hours. Allowed to rest, the water will infuse itself with the protective properties of copper – allowing you to enjoy a glass of water that is as refreshing as it is healthy.

Alkaline water is known to aid digestion, weight- loss, fight infections and diseases – and this is just the tip. From anti-ageing properties to its effects against cancer, the full medical benefits of copper are still being studied. What is certain is that copper isn’t going away anytime soon, and for good reason.

Copper Vs Bacteria and Viruses

Recent studies during the pandemic have further served to boost copper's impressive portfolio in fighting disease and harm. A recent article published in the ‘Advanced Materials and Processes’ section of ‘Digital First’ covered the effects copper surfaces can have in combating the novel COVID virus. According to studies, viruses lose all infectious qualities within minutes of exposure to an active copper surface – suggesting there is an increased scope for the usage of copper in fighting this and future pandemics as well. This was accompanied by the irreversible destruction of the viral RNA – doing away with the invader for good and leaving it unable to progress to a new host to wreak havoc. Further studies and refinement are yet required as scientists fully understand the nuances of different strains as well as environmental conditions that can have an impact on this dynamic. What is certain is that it isn’t surprising to see copper associated with yet another positive benefit – it’s simply in its nature.

Copper isn’t just good for you – it’s good for the artisans behind the craft.

Kaarigar features a host of copper products dedicated to your everyday health and wellness, as laid out in the article above. But all our products are handmade and sourced directly from traditional artisans back in India – ensuring they’re given fair value for the outstanding work done with this regenerative metal.

Copper is clearly a popular metal to work with, as studies have shown. A host of companies have therefore taken to providing copper products at cheaper prices. What isn’t visible to the eye is that the copper is generally substandard – and thus may eventually do more harm than good.

From water bottles to give you refreshing alkaline water, to copper ornaments and bracelets, Kaarigar sources nothing but the best for you – ensuring that you benefit from copper’s vibrant properties, while traditional artisans continue to remain motivated and supported enough to carry on working with copper – pouring a millennia of skilled craft and health benefits into the rustic product before your eyes.

Interested in browsing through our handmade copper products? Follow the link to begin your Kaarigar journey, today!

Artisans- craftspeople that produce art and craft through their hands- create change, feed culture, and make the world a better place. Their art tells their stories. And we make sure those tales are heard. Kaarigar- the artisan- is central to us. Hailing from countries known for their excellence in handcrafted items, whether ayurvedic water vessels or creations in wood, fabric, metal, and stone, we wanted to give back to the community. Now, you can too.

 

The thought behind Kaarigar

The artisans that put their heart and soul into the creation of wonderful crafts often remain underpaid despite their hard work. These meager earnings in this industry are unfair and a threat to the culture and heritage of the country. After a visit to India, we realized the unfair pricing charged by retailers- and Kaarigar’ was thus born with a mission to change that. After interacting with several artisans across the country- we developed a brief understanding of their needs and wants, and revolved our work around that. Kaarigar was formed to promote the handiwork of Indian artisans globally.

 

Why choose Kaarigar

With the boom in industrialization, we saw a rise in demand-and craftspeople were unsuccessful in keeping up with corporates that use high-tech equipment and machines, resulting in the loss of their livelihood and professions. To safeguard jobs and bring authentic handmade designs to the people, Kaarigar has created a platform for everyone to discover products ranging from pure copper water bottles and the best Tibetan singing bowls to copper pitchers. These products are made using the highest quality raw materials and techniques passed down by generations of skilled crafters.

 

 

 

Promoting local artisans

Supporting craftspeople builds community, increases livelihood, and gives the creative, skilled crafters a fulfilling purpose. These artisan clusters meticulously create a range of products and we show them to the world. So every time you shop with us, you help and support a community of crafters and encourage them to keep their legacy going. At Kaarigar, we are dedicated to the betterment and upliftment of local craftspeople, providing them both improved working conditions and value for their efforts. Our entire collection, from pure copper vessels to bronze idols and more, is essentially handmade in India. And our buyers purchase directly from the artisans.

Superior quality handicrafts

Reliable and durable, our handmade products are a must to add to your everyday lives. They have smart designs, intricate craftsmanship, and a personal touch of rich colors and textures backed by the best materials. Aesthetic and functional- these crafts make for beautiful daily use handicrafts. And you can explore them on our website. But before you head there, here are a few insights into why our products stand out-

Keeping all these things in mind, we craft top-of-the-line products with the help and expertise of artisans and provide you with a range of handcrafted collections to choose from.

Doing our bit towards the community gives us immense pleasure. Empowering our Indian artisans through employment helps them progress and continue touching lives with their traditional arts and techniques. It keeps the legacy of their clusters alive. At Kaarigar, the artist comes first, and then their art. And by choosing to buy our products, you’re doing the right thing by your country's craftspeople. Every purchase you make amounts to something, and we are glad that you want to be the initiator of change.

The mystery surrounding the origins of Singing Bowls persists. For centuries, monks and priests used the bowl almost exclusively in ancient religious practices and ceremonies - but we can't be sure that this was their original purpose. After all, while these bowls were popularized by Buddhist monks around 600 B.C, Monks are known to have used bowls for collecting and eating meals. It is not clear how they graduated from there, to creating vibrations that cleanse energy. Historians suspect the first bowls originated 2000 years before that in Ancient Mesopotamia! Their history has since been lost to the ravages of time, leaving us unable to confirm how they used their bowls. Sound, however, has always played an influential role in ancient rituals - from chanting to accompanying instruments. The fact that singing bowls produce a sonorous, soothing tone suggests that they were incorporated into ceremonies right from the time of their invention. 5000 years on, and singing bowls are as popular as ever, taking their place both at religious ceremonies and simple meditation and healing sessions. 

Singing bowls and healing: A match made in heaven.

The East had always believed and practiced the power of spiritual and physiological healing. Cultures across countries share different versions of a central belief - a healthy body consists of balanced energy (or Chakra). These chakras can be manipulated in various ways when thrown out of balance, helping the stricken individual recover naturally and quickly. 

Sound therapy is one such method. At its core, energy is believed to be composed of simple vibrations. For thousands of years, it was thought that manipulating sound around us to form frequencies that matched those of our bodies would help restore balance, and therefore health. If nothing else, sound proved to be relaxing when played at the right frequencies, generating brain activity and waves that actively help meditation and produce a host of positive side effects. 

Just like all treatments, some are simply more effective than others. When singing bowls would have first started to appear in the East, the meditative tone it produced would have caught on in no time at all. Temples and monasteries across the region used bells and gongs all the time - the instrument in question wasn't always sacred. It was the sound it produced. The best Singing Bowls offered tones that reverberate richly through the air, waves of calming sound resonating outward from the palm of their hand. It wasn't long before these beautiful bowls started to appear in households in place of gongs, with large bowls produced for monasteries or therapy classes on occasion.

The types of Singing Bowls

Singing bowls can generally be played in one of two different ways - tapping or circling the bowl. The composition of the bowl and wand used can change or enhance the sound produced, with different materials producing different vibrations. Bowls today are being produced with everything from crystal to brass . Some traditional handmade singing bowls were produced with an alloy made from up to seven metals! But when it comes down to it, these antique singing bowls should be judged on the sound produced first - and aesthetic qualities after. Handmade Tibetan singing bowls are generally made from a mix of metals    and produce some of the best vibrations and tones. Singing bowls can also be either handmade or sand cast. Although sand cast bowls do render satisfactory vibrations, they cannot match the soothing quality of handmade singing bowls. It takes teams of these talented artists to craft a single bowl, hammering a patty of the metal alloy into shape before smoothening the edges and working the interior. Experts will always be able to identify a handmade, hammered singing bowl from the indents and shaping of the metal. More importantly, Handmade Singing Bowls carry the good energy generated by the passion and hard work of the artisans, passed into your home.

The great crossover: How Singing Bowls went West.

As the world slowly opened up to easy travel, trips to the other half of the world became increasingly common. But before this was possible, this type of trip might have truly been a once-in-a-lifetime occasion - if even that. The secrets of the East were hard to access - and held mystery and mysticism for those accustomed to a different philosophy and way of life. However, secrets only remain hidden for so long. Meditation and yoga have always been attractive forms of therapy to the western world, with many making the trip to places like India to find meditative peace - not content with simply practicing at home. 

Many people thought yoga was a passing fad - a strange ritual that was popular because it was different. But these are real practices with documented benefits. Over time, the healing offered by these ancient methods won over more people, and yoga was here to stay. With a growing belief in eastern medicine and practices, popular artifacts like singing bowls started to generate demand, often shipped across the world at great cost to ensure authenticity and quality. 

Today, fortunately, one doesn't have to go to this extent of trouble to get an authentic antique bowl for themselves. Certain reputed sellers source the material for the bowl before turning it over to traditional artisans to craft. The best Tibetan singing bowls are shipped to customers no matter where they are - allowing you to procure a piece of history and culture at a fraction of the cost it would have taken just a few decades ago, while still supporting the artists behind the craft.

The origin of shawls in the world can be traced back more than 700 years. The first record comes from the Mughal period. By the 16th Century the Kashmir shawl industry was well-established. Mughal Emperor Akbar promoted the manufacture of shawls in Kashmir. He presented a gift of Kashmir "jamawar" shawl to the Queen of England.

The name Pashmina comes from pashm, the Persian word for wool. This wool comes from changthangi or ladakh or pashmina goat, a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitude of the Himalayas.

Due to the extreme weather conditions, the pashmina goats grow a special fur during winter. This fur is shed during spring and the fleece is caught on thorn bushes. Villagers scour the mountainside for the finest fleece to be used.

                           The Pashmina Goat - image courtesy: kashmir-rose.com

The winter fur that the goat grows is 1/6 the thickness of human hair. It is so fine that it cannot be spun by machines, so the wool is hand-woven into shawls, scarves, wraps, throws and stoles for export worldwide. The workmanship is so intricate and time consuming that some embroidered shawls take 2 to 4 years time to create.

 At Kaarigar we source the finest collection of pashmina directly from the artisans in Kashmir. 

In every shipment we put together we try to include a few items that aren't typically found in Vancouver - a 'Kaarigar Experiment' if you like. More than uniqueness - what we look for is an item with an engaging story that our clients can connect with. On this occasion it's the turn of the humble tiffin. A tiffin, or dabba (DUH-bah), is a simple lunchbox made up of stackable stainless steel compartments. While they're common throughout India, Bombay is where the tiffin has truly left it's mark. In Bombay, a hot meal for your office or school lunch is not seen as a luxury but a necessity. Moreover, Indians are notoriously picky when it comes to food (just ask). Home cooking is king here. This is where the tiffin comes into play. Every weekday morning in Bombay, a delivery system unlike any other on the planet swings into action. The system's goal: pick-up, deliver and then return each lunchbox on-time - a monumental task given the traffic, weather and number of tiffins. The people that take on this challenge are known as dabbawallahs - literally: box-carriers. They make their rounds of Bombay's neighbourhoods after the morning commute, collecting freshly prepared tiffins. Through a combination of bicycles, railway trains, a simple coding system and a handful of sorting checkpoints, the dabbawallahs are able to deliver a hot home-cooked lunch to schools and workplaces across the city. After lunch, the process is reversed and the empty lunchbox is returned home. The most remarkable aspect of the dabbawallah system is its unprecedented success rate - a recent study found that a tiffin is late or goes missing roughly once in every seven-million deliveries. This success rate is even more impressive considering that the dabbawallahs have a low level of literacy and that Bombay has a high level of road congestion. More recently, the system has gained recognition from the international business community and fame from Bollywood (see the movie 'Lunchbox'). Come by and pick out your own piece of this story.

 

The Singing Bowl, also called a Himalayan bowl, is known to be used by Buddhist monks since 600 B.C. It is most commonly known for sound therapy and space clearing, but there are other uses for it. The singing bowl can be used to balance our chakras, reduce stress and even sound massage. 

The sound produced by the singing bowl is that of the AUM –  the absolute. There are two basic ways of playing a Singing Bowl, you can either strike it with the wooden wand for percussive, pulsating tones; or you can encircle the edges repeatedly with the wand for a sustained effect.  Resting the singing bowl upon the palm of your hand will usually enable you to appreciate the experience to a greater depth than placing the bowl on a pad.

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In every shipment we put together we try to include a few items that aren't typically found in Vancouver - a 'Kaarigar Experiment' if you like. More than uniqueness - what we look for is an item with an engaging story that our clients can connect with. On this occasion it's the turn of the humble tiffin. A tiffin, or dabba (DUH-bah), is a simple lunchbox made up of stackable stainless steel compartments. While they're common throughout India, Bombay is where the tiffin has truly left it's mark. In Bombay, a hot meal for your office or school lunch is not seen as a luxury but a necessity. Moreover, Indians are notoriously picky when it comes to food (just ask). Home cooking is king here. This is where the tiffin comes into play. Every weekday morning in Bombay, a delivery system unlike any other on the planet swings into action. The system's goal: pick-up, deliver and then return each lunchbox on-time - a monumental task given the traffic, weather and number of tiffins. The people that take on this challenge are known as dabbawallahs - literally: box-carriers. They make their rounds of Bombay's neighbourhoods after the morning commute, collecting freshly prepared tiffins. Through a combination of bicycles, railway trains, a simple coding system and a handful of sorting checkpoints, the dabbawallahs are able to deliver a hot home-cooked lunch to schools and workplaces across the city. After lunch, the process is reversed and the empty lunchbox is returned home. The most remarkable aspect of the dabbawallah system is its unprecedented success rate - a recent study found that a tiffin is late or goes missing roughly once in every seven-million deliveries. This success rate is even more impressive considering that the dabbawallahs have a low level of literacy and that Bombay has a high level of road congestion. More recently, the system has gained recognition from the international business community and fame from Bollywood (see the movie 'Lunchbox'). Come by and pick out your own piece of this story.

This hilarious article was written by an ​ 

Architect from BaaN, Netherlands who spent two years in Hyderabad.

For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive on Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar, where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer.

Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows:

Do we drive on the left or right of the road?

The answer is "both". Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the intended direction. Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation, the other drivers are not in any better position.

Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back. Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.

Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts), or, just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar.

Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rain ​ ​
waters to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage.

Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, ​ 
often meeting with success.

Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton's laws of motion en route to school. Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.

Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often "mopped" off the tarmac.

Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.

One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives. Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive, as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical; I must add a positive point also. Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed breaker"; two for each house.

This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left un tarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.

Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience (for those with the mental makeup of Genghis Khan). In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes. Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously. Of course, all this occurs at night, on the trunk roads. During the daytime, trucks are more visible, except that the drivers will never show any Signal. (And you must watch for the absent signals; they are the greater threat). Only, you will often observe that the cleaner who sits next to the driver, will project his hand and wave hysterically.

This is definitely not to be construed as a signal for a left turn. The waving is just a statement of physical relief on a hot day.

If, after all this, you still want to drive in India, have your lessons between 8 pm and 11 am-when the police have gone home and The citizen is then free to enjoy the 'FREEDOM OF SPEED' enshrined in our constitution.

Having said all this, isn't it true that the accident rate and related deaths are less in India compared to US or other countries!

NAMASTE

Yoga has become widely practiced worldwide. In the United States with growth to more than 20 million people since 2002. According to the U.S. News & World Report in 2015, yoga practice showed more growth than any other natural health therapy   

 The mention of the word "YOGA" conjures up images of super fit people posing in sometimes impossible looking "Asanas". Much of these poses do not exist in the real yoga. You do not have to be able to achieve these fancy poses to be considered a yogi. The core principle of yoga is to align your life to be in harmony with Mother Nature and be a good human being. 

The birth of yoga originally comes from the Vedas (ancient Hindu scriptures), which dates back between 4,000 to 5,000 years. Vedic knowledge was passed down from teacher to student through perfect memorization in the way of verses and poems. But it wasn’t until the second century B.C. that a sage named Patanjali outlined what is known today as the Eight Limbs of Yoga. 

 

An Overview of the Eight Limbs (Ashtanga) of Yoga 

 Here’s a brief overview of each of the eight limbs:

1. The Yamas are rules of moral code and include ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), bramacharya (sexual restraint), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
2. The Niyamas are rules of personal behavior including saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (discipline or austerity), svadhyaya (spiritual studies), and Ishvara Pranidhana (constant devotion to God).
3. Asana refers to yoga postures but in Patanjali’s initial practice, it referred to mastering the body to sit still for meditation. The practice of yoga asanas came about eight centuries later, which helped disciples ready their bodies for meditation.
4. Pranayama are yoga breathing techniques designed to control prana or vital life force.
5. Pratyahara means withdrawal of the senses.
6. Dharana refers to concentration.
7. Dhyana is the practice of meditation.
8. Samadhi is merging with the divine.

As you can see, Asanas is just one small part of the way of life that has been prescribed. We do not see the 7 other key pillars being either practiced or taught. Try to incorporate these steps into your life and you will feel a sense of contentment.

We are unable to elaborate on each of the 8 Ashtangas here but there is enough information available on the web.

We are vulnerable to unethical marketing especially when it involves a science that is foreign to us. 

Comments/Opinions welcome.