Yoga Biz Thrives Despite Economy

October 24, 2011


While people everywhere are struggling to make ends meet yoga businesses continue to thrive, according to a recent report by CNNMoney.

Low operating costs and growing demand are fueling the success of yoga studios, many of which are mom-and-pop operations that simply want to share yoga with their communities. Of course, the still-struggling economy and high unemployment rate are also good reasons for people to look for ways to manage stress and do some soul searching.

The yoga and Pilates studio industry is expected to hit $6.5 billion by the end of this year, which is an expected annual sales growth of 9.5% between 2006 and 2011 according to reports by market research firm IBISWorld.


But studio owners aren’t the only ones making a profit from yoga–just ask Asheville, North Carolina, entrepreneur Jason Scholder. Scholder is on track to make $1 million in annual sales by 2013 with his innovative yoga prop the Three Minute Egg, according to a recent article in the Asheville Citizen-Times. An alternative to traditional yoga blocks, the Three Minute Egg fits the natural curve of the spine.

“I would like to see the Three Minute Egg in every yoga studio, in every Pilates studio, in every chiropractic office and physical therapy office in the world,” he told the paper.

At the rate the industry is growing, it might be hard to keep up.

Has the economy impacting how much you’re willing to spend on yoga classes and products?

Yoga Classic: New & Improved

Leslie Kaminoff never expected his humble yoga book to make a splash in 2007. But that’s not what happened. The book, Yoga Anatomy, co-authored with Amy Matthews, sold out its first printing in a month and shot to Amazon’s Bestsellers list, where it’s been ever since. The book is in its eighth printing, is sold around the world, with over 200,000 copies in print.

This week, the second edition of the book has been released. We talked to Kaminoff, also the founder of The Breathing Project, about the book’s makeover:

Buzz: Were you surprised that your book has become such a classic?
LK: Yes, we had no idea how popular it would be.

Buzz: How is the 2011 version different?
LK: We’ve added some things that we didn’t add because of previous space and time constraints. Amy has always been the coauthor, and now she’s acknowledged. There are two brand new chapters, and a lot of new material based on the feedback we got. We tried to be clearer and make it easier to navigate.

Buzz: Do you think it’s even more relevant today?
LK: More and more people drawn to therapeutic work, whether students or teachers, so we’ve noticed quite a lot more demand for higher quality anatomical information than people get in their regular teacher training programs.

Buzz: What do you make of the book’s popularity? 
LK: Anatomy cuts through a lot of the secular conversations that tend to go
on in all of the different schools of yoga. The one thing we all have in
common in our body. The function of the body is universal.

Buzz: What is your goal for the book?
LK: To be a resource for students and for anybody who works with the body. My greatest hope is for it to continue what it’s been, a success far beyond what anyone imagined.

Yoga Film Wins Documentary Award

November 16, 2011
A few months back, we reported on the film YogaWoman, narrated by Annette Bening, which highlights how a new generation of female teachers are re-creating yoga in our the female image: flowing, nurturing, community-based, and activism-focused.
Here’s more news about how the film has captured audience’s attention around the world: Since its release in September, Yogawoman has been selected for seven film festivals and been screened over 500 times around the world, from New Zealand to Japan throughout Europe and the US.
Last month, the film won an award for best Feature Documentary at the Off Shoot Film Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The film shows no signs of slowing down: It will show a the 2011 New York International Film Festival and the Traveller’s Three Elements Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland.
Filmmaker Saraswati Clere isn’t surprised about how the film has taken off. She tells Buzz: “In 1938, Krishnamacharya, the renowned yoga master from India, said; ‘It’s the women who will be carrying yoga forward to the next generation.’ These days, it’s female yoga teachers who are taking the lead and revolutionizing the face of yoga. I think this phenomenon of woman stepping up leadership roles is very timely. I was thrilled to see that the Nobel Peace Prize was shared between three inspiring woman leaders.

Beginners Yoga - Top 8 Tips

Those who are new to yoga practice can often find it quite difficult to settle in. It feels like you have to learn a whole new language as well as learning to control and manipulate your body into the various poses, called "asanas". Yoga is not just difficult for beginners, it's also challenging for long-term practitioners. As one advances in yoga, the challenges change in their nature, but they are there nonetheless. Remember, the reality is that yoga is a "practice", and you will get better in time. The following tips will allow you to begin to practice and understand more about yoga at home. So where do you practice?

You Need Your Space

It is vital to find a proper space to practice yoga. If you are starting at home you will have a small disadvantage in that you need to create a space for your practicing, where in a yoga studio, it is already done and the space is maintained for that only. A reasonable space should be set aside so that you are not going to have to keep adjusting the area around you all the time when you are trying to focus on your moves. There is some equipment that is also very useful to help you practice.

Yoga Mat

One piece of equipment that is very important to your successful practice of yoga is a yoga mat. This is to help support your efforts by preventing injuries from hard or rough surfaces, and will also give a comfortable and gripping surface for doing the poses. You don't need much equipment for your yoga practice so don't skimp out on the mat, get a high quality sticky one. Remember, you will probably be using it for years to come. It will make all your practice more successful.

Practice Relaxation

For the modern versions of yoga that most people practice, relaxation techniques are very important and need proper attention to get right. Daily practice will help you to get used to performing these correctly. You can get guidance from some of the many good yoga books available today.

Reading Feeds Your Mind

Reading is important in yoga to be successful, just as it is in any endeavour. Experts say that rising early and doing just one half hour of reading in your field of activity will at least double your level of achievement in your attempts. You will be getting some solid up to date ideas and inspiration when the progress seems slow, as is inevitable in any endeavour that requires discipline. Traditional yoga texts called Sutras and Shastras were written in the Sanskrit language.

Sanskrit - The Mother Of All Languages

You could study Sanskrit if you like, but be warned, it takes on average 12 years to get the grammar down, so don't expect to be an expert in short order or you may be disappointed. There are many texts that you could study with a focus on Hatha yoga for the external movements, but they are limited in their understanding of the real higher purpose of yoga. According to the most learned and dedicated practitioners, to understand the topmost goals of yoga you will need to study the text called "Bhagavad Gita - As It Is" by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. This text was written 5000 years ago in India in Sanskrit, and has the real detailed understanding of the yoga process from the highest level of understanding.

Don't Forget To Breath

When doing Hatha yoga, it is important to take breaks to get your breathing to allow you to move on. The breathing process of yoga is technically called "Pranayama", and is in fact a separate rung of the yoga ladder that comes after Hatha, although most schools and authors today teach them together.

Sleep Well

Remember to get a good nights rest each night when practicing yoga. As the old saying goes; "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". The reason that good rest is important is that it allows the intelligence to become stronger and clearer, and this is vital to good yoga. In the Bhagavad Gita it is explained that "one cannot be a yogi if he eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough".

Be Positive

Negative thoughts will cloud your mind and spoil your progress. One needs to continue with an attitude of expecting success, to make progress. As all advancement in purifying our consciousness through yoga is based on divine inspiration, we need to positively expect to get this mercy, and wait patiently for it.

These tips should enable you to move forward more easily in your yoga practice if you apply them in your life. Good instruction is useless to a man who cannot "hear", so please try to understand the higher meaning of yoga beyond the external poses. The purposes of the poses is to control the mind and ready it for the submissive reception of higher knowledge, they are not the goal in themselves. If your teacher or book is presenting the movements as the goal, then you have found what is called a "Bogie Yogi", and they should be rejected for a better one.

If you want to learn more about yoga in Dublin and it's purpose, then head over to the yoga Dublin website for a free 21 day yoga mini course.

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Kids Yoga Relaxation Techniques

Although many people may not think of Yoga as child-friendly, most studios offer classes for youth; especially since scientific studies have concluded that Yoga practice leads to improved grades in school and decreased behavioral problems in children.

One reason for these positive results of Yoga practice, in children, is that the Yoga practice improves the physical body and it also contributes to better overall mental and emotional health. With the exploding numbers of children who are diagnosed each year with ADHD, or other anxiety and behavior disorders, Yoga offers a safe, healthy alternative to siphon off excess energy while providing practitioners with coping and anxiety-blocking tools that improve mental health.

Yoga can benefit healthy children, too, especially very active and creative young people. A typical Yoga session for kids includes a faster-paced warm-up that is usually flow-based to begin the series, and this slowly transitions into a quieter, more meditative pose series to allow deeper, physical stretching and increased mental focus.

Relaxation Techniques for Children

As the session begins to wind down, some children have a difficult time transitioning from a fun and fast style of Yoga into a slower, quieter style. The importance of this cool-down series cannot be underestimated. Children should leave their Yoga practice more relaxed, physically and mentally, and this cannot be accomplished if the class is unable to settle down.

Techniques, to help kids relax in Yoga, include storytelling, which can be adapted in many ways to the slower pace necessary for relaxation. Stories can be read at a more leisurely tempo, with an altered or hushed tone of voice. This method can even serve as a subconscious signal to the children that it is time to slow and quiet down.

Another excellent suggestion for better relaxation is to engage the children's imaginations. A Yoga session, that consistently ends with a trip into an imaginary or solitary place that kids imagine, under an Yoga teacher's direction, can help them release stress or worry. Some Yoga instructors direct children to think about putting each of their problems into an imagined hiding place, like a cookie jar in their grandparents' home. A method like this, allows young people a feeling of control over troubling situations in their lives.

The best way an instructor can help kids relax in a Yoga class is to direct the energies of their bodies by engaging their minds. Once children make the transition from the faster-paced Yoga, that usually leads off their session, they can leave their practice relaxed and ready for anything.

© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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Teaching Yoga to Young Athletes

Yoga can be of great benefit to young athletes, particularly for its ability to connect mind and body. Athletes, especially those in high school and college, tend to use and often to abuse their bodies. They do not realize that their bodies are absorbing the entire trauma of sports and lifting and conditioning, yet yoga helps connect athletes to their bodies in a way, which enhances appreciation and relaxation. Yoga also increases flexibility, which aids in injury prevention, and improves static strength, which complements an athlete's training routine. The deep stretching of muscles and joints an athlete will practice in a yoga session can also ease pain associated with physically challenging practices.

Five Tips for Teaching Yoga to Young Athletes

1. The first thing instructors must emphasize is that yoga is not a competition, but rather it is an opportunity to heal and strengthen the mind-body relationship. Athletes' competitive nature might push them to try poses before they are ready to, so yoga teachers should encourage athletes to focus on pose and technique mastery before advancing.

2. Yoga instructors should also expect athletes to achieve correct form, where flexibility allows, faster than an average student. Athletes, especially those who are young, have a strong kinesthetic intelligence and so are naturally better balanced with better hand-eye control than non-athletes. Their relationship to sports has also prepared them for the need to practice good technique in order to receive maximum benefits of practice.

3. Flexibility, especially in knees and lower back, will be an issue in athletes. Teachers must be willing to adapt yoga poses and encourage students to continue pushing to touch toes despite tight hamstrings and inflexible hips.

4. Yoga teachers should also be prepared to teach deep breathing techniques, working with athletes closely until their breathing synchronizes with their movements. This can be a difficult process for the students, especially given the fact that they have been taught to breathe differently while lifting weights or doing activities related to their respective sports.

5. Relaxation will be a new experience for athletes, and it may be one they resist. Athletes are required to push their bodies until the end of practice or conditioning or strength training. It is very common for them to ignore the needs of their body once out of the gym or off the field. Their cool-down stretches might be minimal, especially if their pain is limited that day. Teachers will want to emphasize the necessity of relaxation poses to encourage in young athletes the balance and mind-body awareness that yoga offers.

© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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3 Ways Yoga Makes You Feel Younger And Stress Free

Yoga isn't just for just hippies anymore. It has broken through the mainstream and become a fantastic lifestyle for those that choose to practice it regularly. As someone who enjoys yoga I am asked a number of questions about it. So I wrote this article with the hopes of adding some enlightenment to those seeking out this lifestyle change. Of course I can't answer every question in just one article because yoga encompasses so much more than words can describe. But if answering a few questions leads you to try it out for yourself then that makes me happy.

So what are the common questions I get asked about yoga?

Invariably the number one question I get asked is will yoga help with weight loss. The answer is a resounding yes. Clinical studies have proven that those that do yoga regularly lose more weight than those that don't. Now honestly yoga isn't the biggest factor in your weight loss, but doing yoga promotes a healthier lifestyle. It makes you want to eat better and take better care of your body. The more you become in tune with your body the less likely you are to ruin it with junk food. But yes, even the postures will help with calorie burning.

This may not be true for every single person, but for most people yoga is a great form of weight loss.

Another question I get asked is why you would choose to do yoga. My favorite answer for this, especially as I get older, is the increased flexibility that yoga provides. You know the feeling. The feeling of difficulty climbing stairs or bending over to tie your shoes. Let's face it, getting older just plain sucks. But one of the main reasons getting older sucks is because you are not as flexible and agile as you once were. This is what yoga helps. This is why yoga is often referred to as the fountain of youth. If you practice yoga you will notice throughout your day that your body responds better and without so much soreness. I find the flexibility is more important to me than any weight loss.

So flexibility is one of the most important things yoga provides.

Another answer I have for why I do yoga is for stress relief. Modern times can be very stressful. It seems like the pace of day-to-day life is accelerating. Dealing with your job, your kids, the phone calls, the crazy schedules, it all adds up to a lot of stress. The meditation involved in yoga truly allows you to focus and unwind. I find yoga to be a great balance to all the stress in my routine. And as you know it's been proven that increased amounts of stress leads to health risks such as heart attack and strokes. So anything you can do to reduce your level of stress is worth its weight in gold.

There are many more physical benefits and mental benefits to doing yoga, but I find these three to be the most important to me. When I am in a posture I find difficult, I try to remember these three point and that allows me the strength and determination to get through it. Yoga really is a life changer. I highly recommend you try it for yourself. Try taking a class or at the very least an online yoga course so that you can feel comfortable doing it in your own living room.

Click here now to learn more about the: Physical Benefits of Yoga

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Teaching Yoga to Balance Emotional Flow

Yoga students come to our classes seeking practical solutions to life's daily problems. If one becomes overwhelmed by negative emotional energy, this can cause chronic stress, anxiety attacks, and many more health problems. When we decided to become a Yoga instructor, we realized that many people need help to reach optimum health. In the holistic sense, health is physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Yoga is one of the oldest and most effective means of balancing the daily flow of emotions, and its benefits extend far beyond the mat or the meditation cushion.

Imagine the following scenario.

You are stuck in traffic, and you were supposed to pick up the kids at soccer practice ten minutes ago. To make it to tonight's seven o'clock meeting and see that the homework is done, you are going to have to grab fast food on the way. You tense your muscles and hold your breath as negative thoughts race through your mind. You get angry and then you feel guilty. By now, you probably have an aching head and tight shoulders, and you still have not moved your car.

There is not much we can do to change our fast-paced lifestyles, but we can alter the way we react to stressful situations. Contemporary energy medicine is finally recognizing what swamis knew thousands of years ago. Our thoughts and feelings do one of two things: create blockages or enable the flow of energy throughout our bodies. It all depends on our reactions.

When faced with negative emotions, our first impulse is usually to suppress or deny them, but not expressing positive feelings can create problems, as well. Regardless of whether it is joy, fear, anger, or bliss, holding feelings inside makes it difficult to fully live in the present moment.

Yoga addresses this problem by synchronizing breath and motion. Flow Yoga, also known as Vinyasa, sometimes encompasses several Yogic styles and concentrates on accompanying each movement with either an inhalation or exhalation. Focusing on the breath also helps to gauge the length of time spent in each asana, or pose, and creates a dance-like synchronization of movements that prepares the mind and body for meditation.

Our mental, emotional, and physical health, are intricately connected to our breath. Our reactions to what we see, feel, and hear, are reflected by the rhythm of our breathing. We cannot disconnect our breathing from our senses, but we can use this to our advantage. When teaching Yoga classes, emphasize the power that pranayama and everyday breathing have over one's emotions.

The answer to emotional distress does not comes through detachment, but through allowing and observing emotions. To become the observer, allows one to seek a rational solution, rather than be buried by waves of emotion. Through Yogic meditation, we can become witnesses to our thoughts and actions, allowing our emotions and our lives to flow more freely.

© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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What Doctors Should Know About Yoga

Yoga is being studied more and more, following an explosion of interest in it over the last ten years. As a result, experienced practitioners feel gratified that their claims of derived benefits have been and will continue to be substantiated by science. However, not everyone in the medical community is on board, and there are a few things to keep in mind when talking to doctors about yoga.
Tips for Discussion
Unless your doctor actually practices yoga, the chances are high that he or she will view the discipline with a suspicious eye. Thus, it is smart to keep the discussion within the scientific realm and avoid mention of chakras, asanas, pranayama and the like. Not only will this introduce unfamiliar vocabulary to your physician's ear, but it will also fuel any suspicions he or she has about the practice we cherish, calling to mind ideas of witch doctors and alternative natural remedies that promise to work magic. Even if you believe in this stuff, most doctors prefer a Westernized view of medicine and many scorn the idea of alternative medicine.
This brings up another avenue of caution. In your discussion with your doctor about yoga, stress its function as complementary medicine instead of alternative. Studies have proven the medical value of yoga practice alongside traditional avenues of healing like medicine. Emphasize these studies, differentiating between the healing benefits of a yogic lifestyle, particularly as quality of life enhancements or as a form of physical therapy, and the healing properties of medicine. Be sure that you give your doctor no reason to feel competitive, threatened or defensive about his or her own medical practice and its relation to yoga.
What Doctors Should Know
Doctors should be increasingly aware of studies done about the relationship of a yogic lifestyle to their own field of practice. If you have a good relationship with your doctor, bring study results with you if your doctor has not yet researched the benefits of yogic practices.
Yogic practices are designed to foster improved strength and flexibility in the physical body, and the benefits derived from its breathing and meditative techniques are also proven to decrease stress and tension.
Yoga is especially effective as an aid to improving psychosomatic illnesses like anxiety disorders. Yogic philosophy's holistic focus emphasizes treatment of the root problem, rather than just its symptoms.
Explain to your doctor that yoga is not just about meditation and deep breathing, and asana sequences can work as physical therapy for people with injuries, persistent inflammation or chronic pain.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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Yoga Poses for Surfers: Increasing Core Strength

Yoga in its physical form and surfing are kindred activities. Much of what we do in Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Power Yoga complements surfing. For those of us who live in cooler climates, we have two surfing seasons: Surfing on the ocean during warm months and snowboarding down the side of a mountain during the cold months. Either way, asana, pranayama and meditation, are spices of life. Surfing is not for everyone, but it is another form of spice.
If you live on or near a beach, surfing is one of the quintessential summertime activities. Board surfing is a great summer activity that is incredibly fun and challenging. Water sports of all kinds afford us the opportunity to be out in the sun and on the water during the warmer months. Many avid surfers find that being out on the water and in nature helps them be in touch with the natural rhythms that surround us all the time. The sport of surfing is also quite challenging and helps to develop strength, coordination and a honed sense of balance.
There are a number of Yoga asanas that help to optimally prepare the body and mind for surfing. Strong abdominal muscles will help you to maneuver your board well, even in the roughest surf. Ashtanga Yoga offers a variety of transitional poses that help to strengthen core muscles, including jumping back into Plank Pose. Arm balancing postures, such as Handstand and Crow Pose, will also strengthen your core. Navasana or Boat Pose is a very effective seated Yoga asana for developing strong abdominal muscles.
Modified Boat Pose
Boat Pose is usually practiced toward the end of a Yoga session or class and prior to Final Relaxation Pose. It may also be practiced as a "stand alone" Yoga asana. To practice Modified Boat Pose, come to a supine position on your Yoga mat. With your next inhale; slowly raise your legs until they are perpendicular to your mat. Keep your feet together and your toes flexed. Extend your arms parallel to the floor at hip height with the palms of your hands facing away from you. Keep your fingers together and pointed towards the sky.
Hold this pose for 1-2 minutes. Pulsing gently with each exhale in order to increase the strengthening aspect of this Yoga asana. When you are ready to come out of the pose, with an exhale, slowly lower your feet back down to the Yoga mat and rest in Shavasana for several minutes. If you wish to increase the intensity of Modified Boat Pose, you may wish to incorporate a series of three to five slow, deliberate leg raises into the sequence prior to Final Relaxation Pose.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/

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Teaching Yoga for the Waistline

Many women strive for that beautiful, slim waist seen on models, television actresses, and even important historical figures and actresses. The desire to have or maintain a narrow waist has been a part of lives for many years. Women will go to great lengths to get it, like sit-ups, weightlifting, jogging, aerobics and more. You might not automatically think of yoga when you think of a slim waistline, but many of the poses tighten the core while slimming the waistline, too. Even some men can benefit from a slimmer waistline. Try a few yoga poses to stretch, strengthen and lengthen the muscles around the waistline.
Triangle Pose
Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Turn one foot out about 45 degrees. Extend both arms up to shoulder level and bend to the side from the waist and hips, reaching out and down toward the turned-out foot. Rest the bottom arm on the calf, ankle or floor. Extend the other arm up toward the ceiling, letting your gaze follow the upper fingers if it is comfortable. Hold for a few breaths, and then repeat on the other side.
Boat Pose
Begin in a seated position. Rest your arms beside your hips for balance as you pull your knees into your chest. Lean back onto your hips and find balance. Stay in this position, or continue by extending the legs out to form about a 45-degree angle. Extend the arms straight out, palms facing down. Hold for a few breaths and release.
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
In a seated position, pull the knees so the feet rest flat on the floor. Bend the left leg, resting it on the floor. Bring the left foot to rest under the right hip. Step the right foot over the left leg to rest on the floor with the right knee pointing up toward the ceiling. Exhale as you twist your body to the right. Bring your right hand to rest behind the body, palm flat. Bend your left arm, placing the elbow on the outside of your right thigh near the knee. Keep your gaze where it is comfortable, either to the left or right of the body. Repeat on the other side.
Revolved Head-to-Knee
Sit with the legs opened wider than shoulder width. Bend the left leg in while keeping the right leg extended at about a 45-degree angle. Rest the right arm along the side of the right leg, palm facing up. Inhale, and then exhale as you bend to the right side, reaching the left arm up and over the torso. Repeat on the other side.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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Yoga and the Four Gateways of Speech: Is It True?

Ultimately the goal of all Yogic practices is oneness with the divine pulsation that flows through and underlies the very fabric of the universe. According to Maharishi Patanjali, this oneness is known as Samadhi or the state of enlightenment. On the Yogic path there are a number of prescribed actions and behavioral injunctions. These actions and cessation of other actions are detailed in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. As we walk a Yogic path to the best of our interest and abilities, we will be able to harness and embody more and more divine luminosity.
In our daily interactions with others, there is an ancient Sufi practice that is often employed by spiritual seekers. This practice consists of four contemplative questions before engaging in conversation. The questions are known as the Four Gateways of Speech: Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary? Is my Timing Appropriate? An uplifting practice is to allow these four questions to percolate in the back of your mind as you go throughout your day. We all affect each other with our thoughts, words and actions. Words that are uplifting will not only uplift other people, they will also uplift your own heart and spirit.
Take the example of an unpleasant exchange or interaction with your spouse, partner, child or coworker. Before approaching this person, take a few moments of quiet contemplation to determine what actually transpired and what was really said. Often our emotional reactions to unpleasant events are colored by the stories we attach to the other person's words and actions. In other words, our memory of the exchange is often colored by the subjective context from which we view the interaction.
By pausing to sort out what is true, you will be able to more accurately gauge what really happened between the two of you before you approach the other person. In this way, you will not unnecessarily escalate negative feelings and will be able to see more clearly you own part in the exchange. This clarity will help to diffuse the situation and will support clear communication between the two of you, ideally ameliorating any hurt feelings and misunderstandings in the process. We all long for love, the more we are able to meet in the soft space of an open heart, the more our hearts will open and the exchange of love will increase, uplifting both ourselves and the people around us.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/

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How Yoga Benefits Pregnant Women?

The art of yoga helps you stay fit, both psychologically and physiologically. Not only does yoga relieve the stress and improve your level of concentration, but it also confers many benefits on the health of the exercisers by improving blood circulation, decreasing cholesterol levels, improving cardio-vascular efficiency, normalizing blood pressure, and improving physical strength and stamina. Moreover, prenatal yoga has been shown to lead to a healthy pregnancy by many researchers.
1) Yoga builds strength which in turn helps women carry the added pregnancy weight.
2) Regular yoga sessions have been reported to relieve the low back pain associated with pregnancy. Prenatal yoga poses such as half-moon pose, cow face pose and pigeon pose strengthen the back muscles, which in turn help take the pressure off the lower back due to increased uterus size.
3) Yoga helps relieve the irritation of the sciatic nerve during pregnancy.
4) The breathing and stretching techniques in yoga help relieve stress and keep the mind of a person fit by normalizing the production of hormones in the brain. This, in turn, positively affects the health of both mother and fetus.
5) Different poses of yoga help pregnant women open their hips for childbirth. Moreover, they also help them cope with pain and ease childbirth by strengthening the muscles used in delivery.
6) Stretching and breathing exercises promote circulation of blood throughout the body. This, in turn, increases the supply of oxygen to vital body organs including uterus, thus promoting general well-being for both mother and fetus.
7) Yoga makes a great way for prenatal women to avoid the weight gain during pregnancy. Numerous yoga poses have been shown to lower the amount of cortisol in the body. This aids in fat burning and weight loss.
8) Breathing exercises such as Victorious Breath help improve the function of lungs and improve cardio-vascular efficiency in the pregnant women. Breathing also relaxes mind and body in high-stress situations.
9) Some types of pranayama, meditative practices and restorative asana have been shown to reduce inflammation, promote quality sleep, tone the muscles and improve strength of the musculoskeletal system.
10) Prenatal yoga reduces blood pressure and benefits the endocrine and excretory systems. It increases endorphin production in the brain which helps the body naturally reduce the sensation of pain.
11) Some yoga postures stimulate the pituitary gland to increase the production of prolactin, which is a hormone that aids in the production of milk in breast feeding mothers.

Prenatal yoga is the best and one and only option to fight any physical, mental or emotional disorders. Yoga in general has many health benefits. Prenatal yoga is specifically designed for pregnant women to help them through their 9 month journey.

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Therapeutic Yoga for Back Pain

Back pain can take over every aspect of your life, making even day-to-day existence a chore. Many people turn to doctors and medications to relieve back pain, but there's actually a much simpler solution. There are many yoga poses that will stretch the back and leg muscles to relieve discomfort. Yoga is more than a temporary solution; it provides long-term results for as long as you continue your practice. Even beginners can perform simple stretches for nearly instant results. If you've never tried yoga before, it's definitely worth a shot at relieving the discomfort and added stress that back pain can bring.
Causes of Back Pain
Chronic pain in the back can be misleading, because its root cause might actually be weak abdominal muscles, tight hamstrings, or just a general lack of flexibility in all of your body's muscles. In order to get your back feeling better, your body needs overall stretching and strengthening. Long, lean muscles will support your frame and eliminate extra pressure on your back. The hips, spine, and legs being out of alignment with each other might also cause back pain. All yoga poses work to bring the body back into proper alignment, thereby reducing or eliminating back pain.
Standing Forward Bend Posture - Uttanasana
The forward bend is a wonderful pose to release and stretch all the muscles in the back of the legs and thighs. It can also be invigorating for the mind, as it renews the blood supply to the brain upon coming out of the pose. To perform a forward bend, stand with feet about hip width apart with the toes pointed forward. Reach up with both arms, then tip forward and down from the hips. Release your head and neck, allowing your body to hang with your torso touching your thighs. Hold each elbow with the opposite hand. Breathe deeply and slowly, allowing all of your muscles to release. When you're ready to come out of the pose, slowly lift your torso up, keeping your spine straight. Allow the blood to flow back down your head, neck and spine before going into the next pose.
Wall Plank Posture - Half Chair Pose - Ardha Utkatasana
The wall plank is similar to the forward bend. Stand in front of a wall, so your outstretched hands will be able to rest flat on the wall. Firmly plant both hands with the fingers flat and pointing upwards. Step slowly back from the wall, bending from the hips, until your back is flat. Your body will form an L-shape. Elongate the spine by lifting the navel in towards the spine. Breathe deeply and slowly, holding the pose for as long as it feels comfortable. Slowly lift your torso up to release the pose.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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Different Styles of Yoga in All Parts of the World

Yoga is a Hindu practice of physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is attaining of a state of adept devotional awareness and composure. The word is associated with contemplative practices with religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The goals of yoga are diverse and range from improving health and physical awareness. As to date there have been many adaptations of this mental exercise from all over the archipelago. Yoga has many positive results like; it will make you stronger, faster and more capable in your body. Yoga has been proven effective by many people already. Even celebrities can attest that yoga is helpful; Michelle Williams, Heather Graham, Adam Levine, Alexandra Ambrosio, Jon Bon Jovi and Miranda Kerr. For Miranda Kerr, after giving birth to her daughter Giselle she credited yoga for losing weight. With Adam Levine, Yoga carves you into a different person and gives more strength. Jon Bon Jovi 48-year-old rocker he found yoga the new exercise of choice that have made him a gym to yoga enthusiast.
You can see different styles of yoga in all parts of the world from India where it originated there are Hatha, Ashtanga, Kundalini and Iyengar. Hatha, described as forced yoga or abstract meditation forcing the mind to withdraw from external objects. Ashtanga is a vigorous yoga exercise. The practice includes four main parts and a set of inverted asanas, called as the "finishing sequence" Kundalini Yoga means coiled it covers almost all aspect in aiming for perfect meditation. Iyengar Yoga is commonly known for using props like belts and blankets. Iyengar Yoga is focused on details and body framework.
In the Philippines, laughter yoga is the widely practiced yoga style. Laughter is nature's best and fastest stress buster. Laughter yoga firmly believes that everyone is an extended family. As what is the popular saying goes laughter is the best medicine. Laughter uplifts our spirit, makes us feel good and improve our behavior towards others. With chanting in unison and breathing it gives us more chance in developing our well-being. Laughter is special if shared with family and friends. According to surveys the happiest people in the world are from the Philippines. This yoga style is commonly practiced by many people. Laughter has many positive and great healing effects.
In the United States of America, Kriya Yoga attributed for mental direction especially on six spinal centers. For Americans, different yoga styles in all parts of the world adapted and lived upon. It has played an important role in shaping and forming their physical and mental exercise. It has also sharpened their skills in training, dedication, passion and devotion to sports. They aim to show the people that they are passionate enough in developing their health and mental alertness.
In Canada, one of common yoga style is Ananda, is an effort bring back the Hatha Yoga. The main goal of this yoga style is to increase awareness on students and is highly based on relaxation. A Canadian person is mixed and universal. Their yoga styles depict their love for life and health.
To sum it all different yoga styles in all parts of the world has diversity and the common goal is to established awareness and physical well-being. In spite of the difference their similar mission is to have a quality life for every people and enjoy the beauty of life.

If you are interested to see videos of Yoga, try to check our site in http://yogapracticevideo.com/

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How to Tell Kids Yoga Stories

Teaching Yoga to children can be a challenging and fun experience. Although first-time instructors might feel overwhelmed by the incredible amount of energy one room can hold, preparing ahead of time can make the kids' Yoga class a lot less intimidating for the teacher.
Stories as a Method for Focusing
One excellent way to tame active, energetic children is to use Yoga stories as a tool to guide students throughout the session. Stories can serve a variety of purposes, including getting a child's attention, correcting misbehavior, teaching an important moral or character lesson, pacing the class, and giving young minds interesting material to latch on to.
How to Tell Stories
Some Yoga instructors tell stories, in the beginning of the class, to serve as an attention-getter, or at the end of class, as a call to relaxation; other instructors prefer to weave stories into the entire session. The method a Yoga teacher chooses will probably reflect how long the class is, how energetic the instructor is, the average age of the youth, and how engaged the students are.
Stories should be tailored to the age of the class, as younger children will benefit from simpler, more interactive stories, and older children will prefer more detailed stories that they can apply to their own lives.
One of the best things a Yoga instructor can do with stories is to use props. Kids love practical, tactile helpers, such as bolsters, blankets, and Hoberman Spheres. They can also have a wonderful time with less practical props, like hats, costume jewelry, feather boas, flowers, leaves, and branches. One smart way to utilize these items is to pass them out and have each student demonstrate the use of the prop during a certain point in the story.
Most young people have no problem following the instructor's lead into asanas during story telling, but visual aids can also be a great resource for keeping kids' attention. One easy way to do this is to bring in books with colorful illustrations to display, reserving one page of the story for each pose.
Creating Incentives As Positive Reinforcement
Another fun way to enhance the story is to find a felt board, which are available at any teacher supply store, and enlarge pictures of some of the students in their asanas. Then create alternative, fun names for the poses and display the new names, which correspond to the story, on the story board, along with a picture of different children performing a variety of Yogic techniques. Children will feel proud about getting their pictures on the story board and will enjoy the task of coming up with new names to go with the stories you tell.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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Yoga Poses for Surfers: Improving Stamina

Many practitioners enjoy cross training between their Yoga practice and a diversity of other athletic activities. In the summertime or in areas that are warm year round, water sports are very popular. Activities such as surfing, sailing, wind surfing, kayaking and body surfing are all very popular. Surfing is a water sport that offers the simplicity of being surrounded by the ocean and depending on the surf, a ferocious physical challenge.
Whether you are new surfer or a seasoned surfer who is interested in surfing the bigger waves, asanas can help you improve your balance, muscular stamina and mental concentration. These skills will help you to excel in the sport of surfing to the best of your ability and experience. Power, Ashtanga and Bikram Yoga practices offer a flowing style of Yoga that is quite challenging and builds strength and stamina rapidly when practiced several times a week. These vinyasa based sequences link together various postures within the basic framework of the Sun Salutation. Ujjayi breathing is usually practiced during these types of Yoga in order to increase energy, endurance and the ability to focus.
Eagle Pose - Garudasana
Eagle Pose is one of the classical standing asanas that is included in Ashtanga and Bikram Yoga routines. This pose will increase your balance, coordination, ability to concentrate and your leg strength. It also helps to release tension throughout the shoulders, arms and neck. Eagle Pose is generally practiced after the Sun Salutations and standing Yoga asanas.
To practice Eagle Pose, come to Mountain Pose at the front of your Yoga mat. Take a moment to pause and notice the distribution of weight between your feet. Play with your balance until you feel evenly grounded on both feet. With your next inhale, bend your right knee and raise your right leg to hip height. Raise your arms to shoulder height. With your next exhale, wrap your right arm underneath your upper left arm and bring your palms together while bringing your right leg on top of your left quadricep and wrapping your right shin behind your left calf.
If you have the flexibility, you may want to hook your right toes behind your left calf. Your arms should remain at shoulder height. Optimally, your palms will be pressing flush against each other. To increase the quadricep strengthening aspect of Eagle Pose, sink six inches further down and lean forward a few inches. Keep your gaze steady on a spot several feet in front of you. You may wish to visualize that you are an eagle soaring over a resplendent mountain valley. When you are ready to come out of the pose, exhale and release your arms and legs. Come back to Mountain Pose at the front of your Yoga mat and pause for a moment to feel the energizing and calming reverberations of Eagle Pause. Repeat on the left hand side.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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Yoga Articles

People who would like to gather information and knowledge regarding Yoga should select the right kind of Articles for the purposes of their reading and reference. The right kind of yoga articles will provide them with a clear and comprehensive idea of the different Postures and exercises and the different benefits and advantages which can be attained by doing yoga. The right method of meditation will also be explained in detail in some of these articles.
Yoga is a very ancient science whose origins date back to time immemorial. This is also a form of physical exercise which has been practiced for many centuries by people all over the world and who are able to vouch for its benefits and advantages. It is not possible to experience the benefits of doing yoga within a short period of time. The benefits of practicing yoga can be experienced only after practicing for a certain period of time. People should make sure that they practice their postures on a regular basis.
People all over the world are leading extremely busy and hectic lives and they do not have the time to read articles in order to gain even a surface level of knowledge regarding yoga. They should set aside some time in order to select the right kind of yoga articles in order to gain a certain level of knowledge before they actually start practicing postures. All the methods and tips which have been prescribed in the yoga articles will have to be followed methodically in order to achieve the right kind of results after doing yoga. Most of these articles will contain tips on the different methods which can be adopted for relaxation, concentration as well as meditation. A proper sense of co-ordination and balance between the mind and the body can be achieved when yoga postures are practiced on a regular basis.
People who are unable to set aside any extra time specially for doing yoga feel that they will be able to attain the benefits of yoga by simply going through a few yoga articles. But all the advice which has been given in these yoga articles should be seriously incorporated into their lives in order to reap the benefits. They should be able to believe that it is possible for them to improve after doing yoga otherwise they will not be able to gain the benefits normally gained by practicing yoga.
People who practice yoga on a regular basis will be able to establish a connection between the mind, body and the spirit. Only people who are convinced about this fact will be able to experience the sense of well-being after they have been practicing yoga for a long period of time. Sometimes people are unaware of the changes taking place inside them after doing yoga.

OnlineBestYoga.com helps you to find out all the information about yoga. Get all about online yoga.

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Conquer Rheumatoid Arthritis With Yoga

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also spread to and affect other organs in your body. Those who suffer from the disease are aware of how the pain can interfere with their daily life. At times, the pain can cause exercises to become less enjoyable. At other times, the pain can be excruciating and unbearable. This can cause individuals to avoid exercising or totally abstain from it, leading them to become less active.
The best solution for these individuals to remain active without having to go through the immerse pain is by practicing yoga. Studies have shown yoga is a good form of exercise to relieve the pain from arthritis. Since it is rather low impact, minimal strain is put on the joints. This advantage on its own is already ideal for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. However, it isn't the only advantage.
Yoga strengthens your body and increases your flexibility through stretching. The breathing techniques that are used also helps to free your mind, allowing relaxation. These are further benefits that can aid those who are feeling pain. Aside from that, yoga also assists in promoting better blood circulation to the joints. This prevents inflammation and pain from occurring. In yoga, there are specific poses that caters to an individual's needs. If you are feeling pain in a certain area, you can focus on a pose that is able to target that area.
Let's not forget that practicing yoga allows one to enhance the body's system. By increasing the defence of the immunity system, you will be able to reduce any pain that is brought about from rheumatoid arthritis. In the long run, such pains can be overcome and prevented better.
However, before you decide to practice yoga, always consult your doctor about it first. They are the experts when it comes to health, so we should always listen to their advice. Even after they have provided you with the necessary clearance, you still have to be aware of your own limit. It is always good to push and challenge yourself, but not to the extent of injuring yourself.
Since individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have sensitive joints, it is recommended to start at a slow and comfortable pace. As you progress further, you will find yourself getting used to the sequence and performing them with ease. Always remember not to rush yourself. The full benefits of yoga can only be achieved with a positive attitude of balance and peace.

The author, Tan Ryan, is the founder of OMG Yoga, an exclusive yoga school that provides private yoga classes in Singapore. For more information with regards to yoga classes, please visit http://www.yogasingapore.net/

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Teaching Yoga: Pranayama Connects Mind and Body

Many highly esteemed Swamis encourage yoga teachers and students to practice pranayama daily for its therapeutic rewards. We feel the benefits if we engage in a daily practice of pranayama. Paulji has often said that pranayama is one of the most underrated yoga techniques. After learning these valuable techniques, we must make the time to do them daily, which is as important as brushing our teeth. Many Swamis have videos and books, which give us guidelines for the cultivation of energy by practicing pranayama.
Since the beginning of time, the simple act of drawing universal life energy into the body has represented the basic essence of our being. Whether known as qi, prana, or some other name, this force not only enables life itself; it also balances the conscious and unconscious realms of the body, the processes scientifically identified as the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
In the words of Thicht Nhat Hanh, a priest, writer, and peace activist, "Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts." The practice of pranayama, or Yogic breathing, bridges the gap between the conscious mind and the processes over which the mind has no conscious control.
How does breathing affect the mind-body-spirit connection?
• When we experience stress, our hearts beat faster, our muscles contract, and our breathing becomes quicker and shallower. Over time, this process damages our organs and leads to ailments like hypertension and chronic inflammation.
• Stress also contributes to shallow breathing by restricting the range of motion of the muscles in the abdominal wall. As a result, the exchange of air takes place in the upper chest and lungs, reducing airflow to the abdomen and circulatory system.
• Shallow breathing contributes to anxiety, panic, depression, and poor concentration. Breathing exercises, such as those in Yoga, have the ability to calm the emotions, increase focus, and promote clear thinking.
• Controlled breathing requires mental and physical attentiveness, an action that focuses the mind and makes rumination, distraction and fatigue less likely.
• Spiritual teachings tell us our inhalations and exhalations have different influences on our consciousness. During inhalation, we move closer to our spiritual states, a process strengthened by deeper, longer inhalations. During exhalation, we move back toward reality. To reach the subconscious realm or trance stage, we must slow down our breathing and lengthen our inhalations. With consistent practice, we can carry the results over to our daily lives.
It seems ironic that we need to learn something as essential to life as proper breathing, but this yogic practice allows us to bring more vital life energy into our bodies and increase the supply of oxygen to the bloodstream and brain. Yogic breathing prepares the body for meditation and self-realization. If we are able to regulate our breathing, the union of our minds, bodies and spirits will follow naturally.
© Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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