Medical advances sometimes happen in strange ways. Someone finds a fungus in dirty lab dishes and, eureka! penicillin is born. Now a premier Manhattan hospital is turning a cancer-treatment floor over to a world famous fashion designer in the hope that serendipity, science and intuition will strike again.
Beth Israel Medical Center personnel took part in a yoga session at the art studio of Donna Karan's late husband.
A foundation run by Donna Karan, creator of the 'seven easy pieces' philosophy of women's wardrobes and founder of the much imitated DKNY line of clothing, has donated $850,000 for a yearlong experiment combining Eastern and Western healing methods at Beth Israel Medical Center. Instead of just letting a celebrated donor adopt a hospital wing, renovate it and have her name embossed on a plaque, the Karan Beth Israel project will have a celebrated donor turn a hospital into a testing ground for a trendy, medically controversial notion: that yoga, meditation and aromatherapy can enhance regimens of chemotherapy and radiation.
'While we are giving patients traditional medicine, we are not going to exclude patients' values and beliefs,' said Dr. David Shulkin, the chief executive of Beth Israel, noting that a third of Americans seek alternative treatments. 'To make care accessible to these third of Americans, we're trying to embrace care that makes them more comfortable.'
On Wednesday, Dr. Shulkin, who had never done yoga before, joined Ms. Karan and about 60 Beth Israel employees on the floor of her late husband's West Village art studio for an hour of yoga poses, finishing off with 'om' and the recorded sound of bells.
'They didn't teach us that in medical school,' Dr. Shulkin said afterward, still sitting barefoot on his black mat, swearing he had put his BlackBerry on 'meditation mode' and had not checked it. Asked if the yoga had worked, he formed his answer carefully: 'I think the personal touch and the personal attention to a patient absolutely works.'
The husband and wife team leading Wednesday's session, Ms. Karan's yoga masters, Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee, will oversee the experiment. Fifteen yoga teachers will be sent to Beth Israel's ninth floor cancer ward starting in January to work with nonterminal patients, and nurses will be trained in relaxation techniques. Their salaries, as well as a cosmetic overhaul of the ward, are being paid for by Ms. Karan's Urban Zen Foundation, created after her husband and business partner, Stephan Weiss, 62, died of lung cancer in 2001.
While other hospitals in New York and across the country have dabbled in yoga, the new Beth Israel project is broader, better financed and more integrated into the medical protocol, and because of Ms. Karan's concern that it might be dismissed as touchy feely nonsense, it includes a research component. Ms. Karan hopes to prove that the Urban Zen regime can reduce classic symptoms of cancer and its treatment, like pain, nausea and anxiety (thereby cutting hospital stays and costs) and serve as a model for replication elsewhere.
But Dr. Benjamin Kligler, the research director in integrative family medicine for the Beth Israel affiliated Continuum Center for Health and Healing and the research project's principal investigator, acknowledged that the experiment of yoga teachers and their interaction with patients did not lend itself to the random, double blind placebo trials favored in the medical world.
'The truth is, from a very traditional research perspective, that's a problem,' Dr. Kligler conceded, adding that it might be time for the medical establishment to consider a new research model for what he called 'lifestyle interventions.'
Organizers are also wary of the halo effect: Will Ms. Karan's fame taint the experiment? But they are cognizant of the value of stroking people with deep pockets and of celebrity branding: Someday the cancer ward's plaque reading 'Leo and Rachel Sussman Division of Hematology/Oncology' will be joined by one honoring Ms. Karan.
'You have your right column energy and your left column energy,' Ms. Karan said, suggesting that there is room for both.
She traces her commitment to integrative medicine to what she saw as the narrowly limited treatment of her husband, a sculptor, and of Lynn Kohlman, a photographer, model and DKNY fashion director who was still ravishing and dignified despite the staples in her head and mastectomy scars on her chest when she died of brain cancer in September.
Ms. Karan longed for the help of a Marcus Welby, the kind of friendly, wise doctor who seemed possible only on television, and even then in a more innocent era. 'Today everybody's a specialist,' she lamented in an interview. 'We're only one person, even though we have a lot of parts, but everybody takes a piece of us.'
Despite all his high tech medical treatment, her husband could not breathe, she recalled, until a yoga teacher taught him to 'open his lungs.' 'He went from ah ah ah,' she said, mimicking his gasping for breath, 'to aaaaahh.'
'Everybody was dealing with his disease,' she said of the doctors. 'Nobody was looking at him holistically as a patient. How do you treat the patient at the mind body level? Not only the patient but the loved one?'
Ms. Kohlman apparently sensed her illness before her doctors did. Lying on the floor during a yoga session at a beach resort on Parrot Cay, a tiny Caribbean island, she began to shake. 'You're having kundalini rising,' Mr. Yee, the yoga master who is partnering with Ms. Karan at Beth Israel, yelled, running to her side. Ms. Kohlman, who wrote about the experience for Vogue, insisted, 'I have brain cancer.'
She intensified her yoga. 'She asked for it in the hospital,' said Ms. Karan, who practices yoga daily. 'She needed it, she wanted it.'
'This works,' Ms. Karan insisted. 'Now we have to prove it in the clinical setting.'
To do that, she turned to Beth Israel because it is among the handful of hospitals nationwide with full fledged integrative medicine departments. Beth Israel's department is headed by Woodson Merrell, known as Woody, who rides a silver Vespa to his Upper East Side office and who made the obligatory pilgrimage to India in the 1960s. Beth Israel has experimented with integrating mainstream and alternative therapies for eight years, mainly through the Continuum Center, which employs 10 doctors. In the spring, integrative medicine was elevated to department status, just like surgery, orthopedics and the rest.
'A lot of other hospitals have integrative medicine, but it's kind of stuck away in the basement,' said Dr. Merrell, who, not coincidentally, is Ms. Karan's internist. 'People like to think it's not there.' Starting in November, the cancer ward will be renovated by Ms. Karan, the architect David Fratianne and Alex Stark, a feng shui master. The dull beige walls and green linoleum tile floors will be replaced with bamboo wallpaper and cork floors. Nooks and crannies now used for brown bag lunches and naps and crammed with a desultory selection of dusty books will be turned into yoga, prayer and meditation retreats for patients, their families and nurses.
Urban Zen will cover the salaries of a patient 'navigator,' a sort of cancer ward concierge, and a yoga coordinator. The Yees and Dr. Merrell expect that about half the eligible patients will decline to participate. Those who do will find a flexible definition of yoga, with some who are very ill simply getting help to breathe from a yogi who will also manipulate their limbs, rub their feet or simply listen to them.
Last week, two yoga teachers in Karan designed black T shirts printed with white block letters saying, 'The Unstoppable PATH/Patient Awareness Towards Healing,' approached several patients for an impromptu workout.'
Looking like a radiantly healthy creature from another planet, one of the teachers, Shana Kuhn Siegel, sidled up to the bedside of an emaciated 34 year old patient, Natoya Harrison, who insisted on eating her meal of chicken and potatoes before embarking on yoga. Ms. Harrison, who was formerly obese, was hospitalized in a coma caused by complications of a gastric bypass performed elsewhere. What did she miss about life outside the hospital? Ms. Kuhn Siegel asked. 'Not being able to participate in sex, church,' Ms. Harrison said, adding, 'I shouldn't have said those two things together.'
'You can say whatever you want,' Ms. Kuhn Siegel replied. She prompted the woman to talk about her 15 year old son, and asked if she would like to close her eyes. 'I thought you were going to ask me questions,' Ms. Harrison said nervously. 'Why are you trying to put me to sleep? What's your M.O.?'
Noticing the T shirt, she perked up, asking: 'Where can I get one of those?' Ms. Kuhn Siegel promised to tell Ms. Karan that Ms. Harrison would like a shirt, and tried to capitalize on the connection.
'There's a position I can put you in to relieve the pain in your abdomen,' she said. 'It's a position called 'bound angle.''
Ms. Harrison let Ms. Kuhn Siegel manipulate her scrawny limbs, bending and straightening her knees, propping up her head. 'How about a cup of green tea?' Ms. Kuhn Siegel asked.
'Nope,' Ms. Harrison said. 'I think I'm going to throw up.'
Ms. Kuhn Siegel handed her a wastebasket and backed away.
By Anemona Hartocollis
THE LATEST YOGA IN HOSPITAL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Friday, 31 October 2008
Thursday, 30 October 2008
HALLOWEEN YOGA
Youngsters were invited to try their hand at yoga as part of a special Hallowe'en themed morning of free lessons.
YogaBugs has launched its first children's lessons in Bath aimed at giving youngsters the opportunity to explore yoga through adventure stories.
The classes are aimed at youngsters aged between two and a half and seven years old and started with a spooky session.
Bath based personal trainer Laura Marsden has launched the scheme with osteopath Melanie Todd and believes there are many health benefits to the activity
She said: 'We are thrilled to bring YogaBugs to Bath. Yoga improves children's co ordination and balance, builds strength and stamina and promotes healthy sleeping patterns.'
Many yoga postures have very child-friendly names such as dog, surfer and crab, which YogaBugs creatively weaves into fantastic adventures in the jungle, space or under sea.
'It means the children are motivated and inspired to join in without really realising they are practising and benefiting from yoga.'
Classes are continuing and will be run at Bath Library and the Percy Community Centre.
It is hoped that the scheme can be expanded into schools and nurseries.
For more information, email laura@yogabugs.com.
By www.thisisbath.co.uk
THE LATEST HALLOWEEN YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YogaBugs has launched its first children's lessons in Bath aimed at giving youngsters the opportunity to explore yoga through adventure stories.
The classes are aimed at youngsters aged between two and a half and seven years old and started with a spooky session.
Bath based personal trainer Laura Marsden has launched the scheme with osteopath Melanie Todd and believes there are many health benefits to the activity
She said: 'We are thrilled to bring YogaBugs to Bath. Yoga improves children's co ordination and balance, builds strength and stamina and promotes healthy sleeping patterns.'
Many yoga postures have very child-friendly names such as dog, surfer and crab, which YogaBugs creatively weaves into fantastic adventures in the jungle, space or under sea.
'It means the children are motivated and inspired to join in without really realising they are practising and benefiting from yoga.'
Classes are continuing and will be run at Bath Library and the Percy Community Centre.
It is hoped that the scheme can be expanded into schools and nurseries.
For more information, email laura@yogabugs.com.
By www.thisisbath.co.uk
THE LATEST HALLOWEEN YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
YOGA AND ARTHRITIS
San Francisco's Moscone Center is this years' host to the annual American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Related Healthcare Professionals Scientific Meeting, which is expected to draw about 14,000 rheumatologists and health professionals. Over the course of the nearly weeklong conference, some 2,000 scientific papers will be presented, covering therapies in the works and advances into a complex disease that occurs in dozens of forms. Several of the first studies to be released focused on one of the most crippling forms rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease that affects approximately 20 million people worldwide, including 1.2 million Americans. RA causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissues around the joints, as well as in other organs in the body, causing pain and permanent disability if left untreated.
In the United States, the incidence of RA had steadily declined in both men and women from 1955 to 1994. That 10 year trend led researchers to assume that the incidence of the disease was continuing to drop in recent years. But when Dr. Sherine E. Gabriel, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic, and her team looked at more recent data, they found that from 1995 to the beginning of 2005, the number of American women with RA increased by nearly half from 36.4 per 100,000 in the previous 10 years to 54 per 100,000. Over the same two decades, the incidence for men remained virtually unchanged, going from 28.6 to 29.5 per 100,000. The rate of RA in the overall population increased from 0.85 to 0.95 percent. 'These rates would apply to the entire U.S. population,' said Hilal Maradit Kremers, M.D., associate professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic and study co author. 'Based on this new data, the estimated number of people with RA in the U.S. is probably higher than 1.2 million.'
The researchers aren't sure what is causing the increase, but suspect that environmental or possibly hormonal factors may be playing a role. Studies have shown a strong link between smoking and an increased risk for RA, while other studies suggest an association between the disease and diet, alcohol consumption, coffee intake, and body mass index (BMI), but a causal relationship hasn't been proven. Many researchers believe the disease may be triggered by one or more infectious agents, though none have been identified. 'This is a significant finding and an indicator that more research needs to be done to better understand the causes and treatment of this devastating disease,' said Dr. Gabriel.
More news from the conference includes a study by Swedish researchers that confirms previous findings suggesting that RA raises the risk of heart attacks. Marie Gunnarsson, a graduate student at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues used data on 7,954 patients in Sweden who were newly diagnosed with RA and matched them with 38,913 people in the general population. For over 10 years, the researchers followed the two groups, collecting information on heart attacks, heart related deaths and deaths from other causes. After adjusting for other conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, they found that before their RA diagnosis, neither group was more likely than the other to have a heart attack. But after the diagnosis, the heart risks for the RA patients rose steadily. During the first 10 years with the disease, RA sufferers had almost double the number of heart attacks and heart related deaths. 'The fact that there is no increased risk prior to RA diagnosis suggests that there is something in the RA disease itself, such as inflammatory processes, that lead to this increased risk,' Gunnarsson said in a statement. She said measures to reduce inflammation, which has long been linked with heart disease and heart attack risks, may help reduce the heart risks in this population as well.
On a more positive note, scientists from John Hopkins University in Baltimore have discovered that people with RA can greatly benefit from a program of yoga poses, breathing and relaxation. For their study, researchers divided a group of 30 sedentary adults with RA into two groups: one group participated in an eight week yoga program and the other was put on a waiting list and served as the control. Those in the yoga group took two one hour classes per week, with the traditional yoga poses being modified to accommodate for limitations due to RA. Also included in the sessions were deep breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques.
Those who participated in the yoga program had significantly fewer tender and swollen joints than they did before beginning the class. The waiting list group saw no significant changes in their tender and swollen joint counts. 'We have previously reported that yoga helps people to feel better, and we wanted to make sure it wasn't harmful to arthritic joints. So, we were glad to find that there actually seems to be improvement in joint symptoms for RA patients,' said Steffany Haaz, MFA, and recipient of the Arthritis Foundation grant that funded the study. 'The next big question is figuring out how and why yoga might be having this effect, since it is such a multi faceted activity.'
By Madeline Ellis
THE LATEST YOGA AND ARTHRITIS NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
In the United States, the incidence of RA had steadily declined in both men and women from 1955 to 1994. That 10 year trend led researchers to assume that the incidence of the disease was continuing to drop in recent years. But when Dr. Sherine E. Gabriel, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic, and her team looked at more recent data, they found that from 1995 to the beginning of 2005, the number of American women with RA increased by nearly half from 36.4 per 100,000 in the previous 10 years to 54 per 100,000. Over the same two decades, the incidence for men remained virtually unchanged, going from 28.6 to 29.5 per 100,000. The rate of RA in the overall population increased from 0.85 to 0.95 percent. 'These rates would apply to the entire U.S. population,' said Hilal Maradit Kremers, M.D., associate professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic and study co author. 'Based on this new data, the estimated number of people with RA in the U.S. is probably higher than 1.2 million.'
The researchers aren't sure what is causing the increase, but suspect that environmental or possibly hormonal factors may be playing a role. Studies have shown a strong link between smoking and an increased risk for RA, while other studies suggest an association between the disease and diet, alcohol consumption, coffee intake, and body mass index (BMI), but a causal relationship hasn't been proven. Many researchers believe the disease may be triggered by one or more infectious agents, though none have been identified. 'This is a significant finding and an indicator that more research needs to be done to better understand the causes and treatment of this devastating disease,' said Dr. Gabriel.
More news from the conference includes a study by Swedish researchers that confirms previous findings suggesting that RA raises the risk of heart attacks. Marie Gunnarsson, a graduate student at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues used data on 7,954 patients in Sweden who were newly diagnosed with RA and matched them with 38,913 people in the general population. For over 10 years, the researchers followed the two groups, collecting information on heart attacks, heart related deaths and deaths from other causes. After adjusting for other conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, they found that before their RA diagnosis, neither group was more likely than the other to have a heart attack. But after the diagnosis, the heart risks for the RA patients rose steadily. During the first 10 years with the disease, RA sufferers had almost double the number of heart attacks and heart related deaths. 'The fact that there is no increased risk prior to RA diagnosis suggests that there is something in the RA disease itself, such as inflammatory processes, that lead to this increased risk,' Gunnarsson said in a statement. She said measures to reduce inflammation, which has long been linked with heart disease and heart attack risks, may help reduce the heart risks in this population as well.
On a more positive note, scientists from John Hopkins University in Baltimore have discovered that people with RA can greatly benefit from a program of yoga poses, breathing and relaxation. For their study, researchers divided a group of 30 sedentary adults with RA into two groups: one group participated in an eight week yoga program and the other was put on a waiting list and served as the control. Those in the yoga group took two one hour classes per week, with the traditional yoga poses being modified to accommodate for limitations due to RA. Also included in the sessions were deep breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques.
Those who participated in the yoga program had significantly fewer tender and swollen joints than they did before beginning the class. The waiting list group saw no significant changes in their tender and swollen joint counts. 'We have previously reported that yoga helps people to feel better, and we wanted to make sure it wasn't harmful to arthritic joints. So, we were glad to find that there actually seems to be improvement in joint symptoms for RA patients,' said Steffany Haaz, MFA, and recipient of the Arthritis Foundation grant that funded the study. 'The next big question is figuring out how and why yoga might be having this effect, since it is such a multi faceted activity.'
By Madeline Ellis
THE LATEST YOGA AND ARTHRITIS NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
YOGA AND AYURVEDA
For Laura Achurch, it all started with her birthday. The Beaufort resident has been taking yoga classes for about two months now at the Sattva Center for Yoga & Massage at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, but body therapist and owner Xan Paul suggested something different to celebrate her 46th birthday.
'I told him my birthday was coming up, and he said, 'Well, you should get a massage, but you ought to try shirodhara,' Achurch explained.' 'It's extremely relaxing.' I said, 'Sure,' and it was wonderful!'
Shirodhara is a form of yurvedic medicine (traditional medicine native to India) that involves gently flowing warm liquids over the forehead. In addition to being relaxing and therapeutic, shirodhara also has been used to treat insomnia, migraine headaches, eye strain, sinus problems and to reduce wrinkles of the face.
'It's also good for increasing circulation to the scalp,' said Xan. 'I'm not going to say that it will keep you from losing your hair, but people have stated that it does help with the scalp and relaxing the face.'
Xan and his wife, Marina, have been running Sattva since 2006, first operating out of their home before moving to Habersham and finally to 101 West Street Extension, Waterfront Park in May.
'Whenever we do anything new, we like to expose our clients to it complimentary, and so we exposed some people to shirodhara, and we've gotten great feedback from people who have really enjoyed it,' said Xan. 'I love it. Especially in this world that we live in, which is stirred up and can be distracting, it's nice to be brought back center. This is a nice tool to help you do that.'
A Beaufort native who attended Beaufort High School, Xan initially was exposed to yoga because he was interested in improving his flexibility for martial arts. He began his formal yoga training in 1999, was certified in 2003 through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago and has traveled to India several times to continue his study.
'I knew this was something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life,' said Xan.
Xan and his wife both studied under Kusum Modak, considered the founder of Ayurvedic massage and yoga therapy. Marina, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was first introduced to yoga through her mother, Laura Maria Nogueira, who operates a yoga studio in Sao Paulo called Nataraja. The couple met while Xan was visiting Brazil, and they were married in 2005.
Marina said that yoga is big in Brazil and that she was first exposed to shirodhara at her mother's yoga studio.
'It was always in the back of my mind that it would be cool to have shirodhara here, but the traditional way to do shirodhara is more complex,' she said. 'You have a copper vessel, and it's warm oil. It makes a lot of mess.'
Instead of pouring oil or milk, which is sometimes used in shirodhara, Sattva uses warm water with a small, Swiss made instrument that pours the liquid over the foreheads of clients.
'You just have to come prepared to get your hair wet,' said Marina. 'It's a constant flow of water at always the same temperature, so that helps ease the mind. It's like when you first get into the shower and you put your head into the water flow.'
Achurch admitted that she was skeptical when Xan first told her about shirodhara, but her apprehension didn't last long. The treatment is accompanied with an arm, neck, scalp and foot massage, which Xan said increases relaxation.
'When (Marina) first starts, you're like, 'What the heck?'' Achurch said. 'Because you put your head in this little thing, and there's like a fountain that comes over your head. It's just warm water coming down the side of your head. I don't know what it was about it, but I went into my own relaxed little world. While she's doing that, she massages your feet and comes back and massages your scalp. It was probably one of the most relaxing things I've ever had.'
When asked if she would continue shirodhara in addition to yoga, Achurch laughed and said, 'Absolutely, it's in the budget,' adding that she would recommend the treatment to others as well. Achurch first turned to yoga as a way to relieve the pain she sustained from a rib injury lifting weights. She said that yoga worked.
'When people come in with pain and leave without it, that's the most rewarding thing," said Xan. "That's why both of us are in this field. There's nothing more beneficial than helping somebody else feel better, because we all want to be happy.'
Want to relax?
What: Shirodhara treatment
Where: Sattva Center for Yoga &
Massage, 101 West St. Extension, across from Common Ground coffee house.
When: Appointments suggested
Cost: $30 for 30 minutes; $60 for one hour; $20 if added on to any other service
Details: 843 476 2793;
www.beaufortyogamassage.com
By MARK ALLWOOD
THE LATEST YOGA AND AYURVEDA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
'I told him my birthday was coming up, and he said, 'Well, you should get a massage, but you ought to try shirodhara,' Achurch explained.' 'It's extremely relaxing.' I said, 'Sure,' and it was wonderful!'
Shirodhara is a form of yurvedic medicine (traditional medicine native to India) that involves gently flowing warm liquids over the forehead. In addition to being relaxing and therapeutic, shirodhara also has been used to treat insomnia, migraine headaches, eye strain, sinus problems and to reduce wrinkles of the face.
'It's also good for increasing circulation to the scalp,' said Xan. 'I'm not going to say that it will keep you from losing your hair, but people have stated that it does help with the scalp and relaxing the face.'
Xan and his wife, Marina, have been running Sattva since 2006, first operating out of their home before moving to Habersham and finally to 101 West Street Extension, Waterfront Park in May.
'Whenever we do anything new, we like to expose our clients to it complimentary, and so we exposed some people to shirodhara, and we've gotten great feedback from people who have really enjoyed it,' said Xan. 'I love it. Especially in this world that we live in, which is stirred up and can be distracting, it's nice to be brought back center. This is a nice tool to help you do that.'
A Beaufort native who attended Beaufort High School, Xan initially was exposed to yoga because he was interested in improving his flexibility for martial arts. He began his formal yoga training in 1999, was certified in 2003 through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago and has traveled to India several times to continue his study.
'I knew this was something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life,' said Xan.
Xan and his wife both studied under Kusum Modak, considered the founder of Ayurvedic massage and yoga therapy. Marina, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was first introduced to yoga through her mother, Laura Maria Nogueira, who operates a yoga studio in Sao Paulo called Nataraja. The couple met while Xan was visiting Brazil, and they were married in 2005.
Marina said that yoga is big in Brazil and that she was first exposed to shirodhara at her mother's yoga studio.
'It was always in the back of my mind that it would be cool to have shirodhara here, but the traditional way to do shirodhara is more complex,' she said. 'You have a copper vessel, and it's warm oil. It makes a lot of mess.'
Instead of pouring oil or milk, which is sometimes used in shirodhara, Sattva uses warm water with a small, Swiss made instrument that pours the liquid over the foreheads of clients.
'You just have to come prepared to get your hair wet,' said Marina. 'It's a constant flow of water at always the same temperature, so that helps ease the mind. It's like when you first get into the shower and you put your head into the water flow.'
Achurch admitted that she was skeptical when Xan first told her about shirodhara, but her apprehension didn't last long. The treatment is accompanied with an arm, neck, scalp and foot massage, which Xan said increases relaxation.
'When (Marina) first starts, you're like, 'What the heck?'' Achurch said. 'Because you put your head in this little thing, and there's like a fountain that comes over your head. It's just warm water coming down the side of your head. I don't know what it was about it, but I went into my own relaxed little world. While she's doing that, she massages your feet and comes back and massages your scalp. It was probably one of the most relaxing things I've ever had.'
When asked if she would continue shirodhara in addition to yoga, Achurch laughed and said, 'Absolutely, it's in the budget,' adding that she would recommend the treatment to others as well. Achurch first turned to yoga as a way to relieve the pain she sustained from a rib injury lifting weights. She said that yoga worked.
'When people come in with pain and leave without it, that's the most rewarding thing," said Xan. "That's why both of us are in this field. There's nothing more beneficial than helping somebody else feel better, because we all want to be happy.'
Want to relax?
What: Shirodhara treatment
Where: Sattva Center for Yoga &
Massage, 101 West St. Extension, across from Common Ground coffee house.
When: Appointments suggested
Cost: $30 for 30 minutes; $60 for one hour; $20 if added on to any other service
Details: 843 476 2793;
www.beaufortyogamassage.com
By MARK ALLWOOD
THE LATEST YOGA AND AYURVEDA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Monday, 27 October 2008
YOGA TRAINING PROGRAMME
International Yogalayam announces the official launch of their innovative new yoga training program, 3 Weeks of Yoga. Designed for beginners as well as experienced practitioners of yoga, 3 Weeks of Yoga takes a groundbreaking approach to yoga education, making yoga more accessible and more affordable to all.
This pioneering yoga training e course is comprised of 21 lessons, which include 22 videos and over 200 pages of comprehensive training material, delivered in instalments via email over a 3 week period. 3 Weeks of Yoga is designed to take students, step by step, through the various theoretical and practical aspects of yoga. Each lesson contains an easy to follow 'daily practice routine' to help students develop the knowledge and ability to practice yoga on their own.
3 Weeks of Yoga was authored by Yogacharya, Director of International Yogalayam, and Editor of 'The Yoga News,' to help fill a critical gap in the modern world of yoga education. Most yoga classes today focus primarily on physical techniques, without conveying much understanding to students about the nature and purpose of these practices, or about the many other aspects of yoga that also play an important role in health and personal development.
The physical exercises in yoga do have much value for health and wellbeing, but they represent only a small part of what this vast science of yoga is all about. Yoga is a comprehensive science that extends into every aspect of life, and provides a vast array of tools and teachings to help us develop a truly healthy, harmonious, and transformational 'Yogic Life.'
3 Weeks of Yoga, in a step by step fashion, takes students on a journey through this vast and profound science of yoga, helping them to establish a firm foundation of practice in the techniques of yoga, while at the same time providing comprehensive education into the deeper dimensions of all these practices. In addition, this refreshing yoga e course provides a broad introduction to the various aspects of yoga, including its history and evolution, its cultural foundations, diet and healthy lifestyle, the mental and psychological aspects of yoga, and the philosophy and theories behind its powerful practices.
Besides providing a solid foundation of over 60 yoga techniques for the cultivation of an effective, health enhancing, regular daily yoga practice, 3 Weeks of Yoga also includes instruction on purification and basic cleansing practices; some basic practices for purifying and stabilizing the body, mind and emotions; instruction on the hathenas, a special set of yoga practices for expanding and improving the lungs and breathing capacity; a powerful set of re polarizing practices known as polarity kriyas; an exploration of pranayama yoga, the science of 'energy control,' as well as some highly effective daily yoga stress relief and relaxation practices.
For serious students, as well as those who are new to yoga, 3 Weeks of Yoga is a refreshing, enlightening and essential study, providing a valuable resource for greater understanding yoga, and for learning more about all that it has to offer.
For more information about 3 Weeks of Yoga, visit:
http://www.discover-yoga-online.com/learn-yoga-online.html
International Yogalayam is an online yoga educational institute established in 2006, under the direction of Yogacharya, and is dedicated to the propagation and teaching of the ancient science of yoga.
Contact
Email: info [at] discover-yoga-online.com
International Yogalayam: http://www.discover-yoga-online.com
THE LATEST YOGA TRAINING NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
This pioneering yoga training e course is comprised of 21 lessons, which include 22 videos and over 200 pages of comprehensive training material, delivered in instalments via email over a 3 week period. 3 Weeks of Yoga is designed to take students, step by step, through the various theoretical and practical aspects of yoga. Each lesson contains an easy to follow 'daily practice routine' to help students develop the knowledge and ability to practice yoga on their own.
3 Weeks of Yoga was authored by Yogacharya, Director of International Yogalayam, and Editor of 'The Yoga News,' to help fill a critical gap in the modern world of yoga education. Most yoga classes today focus primarily on physical techniques, without conveying much understanding to students about the nature and purpose of these practices, or about the many other aspects of yoga that also play an important role in health and personal development.
The physical exercises in yoga do have much value for health and wellbeing, but they represent only a small part of what this vast science of yoga is all about. Yoga is a comprehensive science that extends into every aspect of life, and provides a vast array of tools and teachings to help us develop a truly healthy, harmonious, and transformational 'Yogic Life.'
3 Weeks of Yoga, in a step by step fashion, takes students on a journey through this vast and profound science of yoga, helping them to establish a firm foundation of practice in the techniques of yoga, while at the same time providing comprehensive education into the deeper dimensions of all these practices. In addition, this refreshing yoga e course provides a broad introduction to the various aspects of yoga, including its history and evolution, its cultural foundations, diet and healthy lifestyle, the mental and psychological aspects of yoga, and the philosophy and theories behind its powerful practices.
Besides providing a solid foundation of over 60 yoga techniques for the cultivation of an effective, health enhancing, regular daily yoga practice, 3 Weeks of Yoga also includes instruction on purification and basic cleansing practices; some basic practices for purifying and stabilizing the body, mind and emotions; instruction on the hathenas, a special set of yoga practices for expanding and improving the lungs and breathing capacity; a powerful set of re polarizing practices known as polarity kriyas; an exploration of pranayama yoga, the science of 'energy control,' as well as some highly effective daily yoga stress relief and relaxation practices.
For serious students, as well as those who are new to yoga, 3 Weeks of Yoga is a refreshing, enlightening and essential study, providing a valuable resource for greater understanding yoga, and for learning more about all that it has to offer.
For more information about 3 Weeks of Yoga, visit:
http://www.discover-yoga-online.com/learn-yoga-online.html
International Yogalayam is an online yoga educational institute established in 2006, under the direction of Yogacharya, and is dedicated to the propagation and teaching of the ancient science of yoga.
Contact
Email: info [at] discover-yoga-online.com
International Yogalayam: http://www.discover-yoga-online.com
THE LATEST YOGA TRAINING NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Sunday, 26 October 2008
A DIFFERENT YOGA WORKSHOP
On Sunday, Oct. 26, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., there will be a special yoga workshop at the Brooks Estate in Medford: 'Yoga and a Walk Through the Woods' will be lead by Judy Scribner Moore, longtime Medford yoga instructor.
'You are invited to join me in a meditative walk through the woods of the beautiful Brooks Estate, with trees, birds, earth, sky and water inspiring traditional and self created yoga poses,' Scribner Moore said. 'The afternoon will include a stop at the Shepherd Brooks Manor for yoga asana and meditation.'
Scribner Moore has been practicing meditation since 1972, yoga since 1983, and teaching both since 1987. She also teaches yoga at the Congregational Church of West Medford, Tufts University, the Medford Family Network, the Wellesley Council on Aging and privately.
The workshop is free and limited to 10 participants.
A donation of $25 to the Medford Brooks Estate Land Trust (M BELT) for its work on behalf of the Brooks Estate, is requested.
Pre registration is required. For more information, or to register, please go to www. yogawithjudyscribner.com or call 781 488 7664.
By www.wickedlocal.com
THE LATEST YOGA WORKSHOP NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
'You are invited to join me in a meditative walk through the woods of the beautiful Brooks Estate, with trees, birds, earth, sky and water inspiring traditional and self created yoga poses,' Scribner Moore said. 'The afternoon will include a stop at the Shepherd Brooks Manor for yoga asana and meditation.'
Scribner Moore has been practicing meditation since 1972, yoga since 1983, and teaching both since 1987. She also teaches yoga at the Congregational Church of West Medford, Tufts University, the Medford Family Network, the Wellesley Council on Aging and privately.
The workshop is free and limited to 10 participants.
A donation of $25 to the Medford Brooks Estate Land Trust (M BELT) for its work on behalf of the Brooks Estate, is requested.
Pre registration is required. For more information, or to register, please go to www. yogawithjudyscribner.com or call 781 488 7664.
By www.wickedlocal.com
THE LATEST YOGA WORKSHOP NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Thursday, 23 October 2008
YOGA FREEDOM IN PRISONS
'I spend every day in a 4' x 6' room. Before I started doing yoga, I felt trapped because I didn't have any room to move around. Now, doing yoga everyday, I've learned that I am free in my mind. Concentrating on the poses, my breath fills me up, and the moment becomes my reality. In the moment, in my mind, I am free. It's made a big difference for me learning yoga here in prison.'
This inmate comment is a good summary of the impact of Living Yoga on prison populations. For those who live behind bars, behind barbed wire, isolated most of the time from one another, from family and friends, and from the community as a whole, practicing yoga has become a welcome respite.
Living Yoga became a 501(c)(3) non profit in 2002 with a handful of volunteer teachers, working at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a medium and minimal correctional institution for women. It has grown over the past six years to include fifty volunteer teachers who teach thirteen classes per week. In addition to Coffee Creek, yoga instruction in Oregon prisons now includes DePaul Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center for Adults, DePaul Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center for Teens, Oregon State Penitentiary, Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (for girls with moms in prison), and Healing Roots Center (for African American women).
The practice of yoga is entirely the responsibility of each person practicing. No one else is to blame for failing, or gets credit for succeeding, as moment to moment decisions are made about how to handle the stress of the postures themselves. Yoga is an agreement to participate in a little bit of stress, the postures, so that we can practice keeping our thoughts as pleasant as possible in the moment. Once it is discovered that we each are responsible for how we look at our own stress, progress can be made on handling all aspect of life more appropriately. This skill is particularly valuable amongst prisoners.
It is the hope of the Living Yoga volunteer teachers that students will become better able to contribute to the communities in which they live now and the community they will re enter. Recognizing that the ability to contribute to the lives around you means first valuing one's own life, Living Yoga teachers make every effort to enhance the self awareness, self esteem and life affirming decision making skills for the students in their programs.
This is an excellent example of bringing spiritual solutions to community problems. It deserves our recognition and support. You can participate in this valuable community resource.
Living Yoga is hosting its annual gala dinner and auction, Friday, October
24th at the Melody Ballroom. The public is welcome. Please visit
www.living-yoga.org for details, or call 503 546 1269.
By Michael Sears
THE LATEST YOGA IN GAOL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
This inmate comment is a good summary of the impact of Living Yoga on prison populations. For those who live behind bars, behind barbed wire, isolated most of the time from one another, from family and friends, and from the community as a whole, practicing yoga has become a welcome respite.
Living Yoga became a 501(c)(3) non profit in 2002 with a handful of volunteer teachers, working at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a medium and minimal correctional institution for women. It has grown over the past six years to include fifty volunteer teachers who teach thirteen classes per week. In addition to Coffee Creek, yoga instruction in Oregon prisons now includes DePaul Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center for Adults, DePaul Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center for Teens, Oregon State Penitentiary, Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (for girls with moms in prison), and Healing Roots Center (for African American women).
The practice of yoga is entirely the responsibility of each person practicing. No one else is to blame for failing, or gets credit for succeeding, as moment to moment decisions are made about how to handle the stress of the postures themselves. Yoga is an agreement to participate in a little bit of stress, the postures, so that we can practice keeping our thoughts as pleasant as possible in the moment. Once it is discovered that we each are responsible for how we look at our own stress, progress can be made on handling all aspect of life more appropriately. This skill is particularly valuable amongst prisoners.
It is the hope of the Living Yoga volunteer teachers that students will become better able to contribute to the communities in which they live now and the community they will re enter. Recognizing that the ability to contribute to the lives around you means first valuing one's own life, Living Yoga teachers make every effort to enhance the self awareness, self esteem and life affirming decision making skills for the students in their programs.
This is an excellent example of bringing spiritual solutions to community problems. It deserves our recognition and support. You can participate in this valuable community resource.
Living Yoga is hosting its annual gala dinner and auction, Friday, October
24th at the Melody Ballroom. The public is welcome. Please visit
www.living-yoga.org for details, or call 503 546 1269.
By Michael Sears
THE LATEST YOGA IN GAOL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA AND AGEING
Several local senior citizens are reaping the benefits of a yoga-based fitness class. The class is offered through Charlottesville's Senior Center.
Participants say the yoga is helping them feel a little younger and move a little easier.
'It just helps to make me feel better and more relaxed,' said participant, Carrie Johnson.
'It stretches parts of my body that I ordinarily don't because as one gets older, one tends to sort of scrunch inside so to speak, so this is really stretching everything,' said participant, Judy Cangialosi.
According to the yoga instructor, the class helps seniors with their limited mobility, longevity, and vitality.
'Yoga works the internal systems. It works the body the mind and the spirit. The spirit is what needs to be developed in the seniors because a lot of them spend a lot of time alone,' said yoga instructor, Edna Jakki Miller.
'This is a good outlet and again being with people is always an incentive to go,' said Johnson.
Miller specializes in fitness training for atypical populations. Miller says the results in these seniors are noticeable
'One time I couldn't sit up straight. I had to prop myself up, but now I can do considerably more,' said participant Joyce Creber.
'We have to help everyone learn how they can move on their own,' said Miller.
The yoga class is held every Monday at 10:30am at the Charlottesville Senior Center.
For more information visit the Senior Center's website at www.seniorcenterinc.org
By Jennifer Black
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Participants say the yoga is helping them feel a little younger and move a little easier.
'It just helps to make me feel better and more relaxed,' said participant, Carrie Johnson.
'It stretches parts of my body that I ordinarily don't because as one gets older, one tends to sort of scrunch inside so to speak, so this is really stretching everything,' said participant, Judy Cangialosi.
According to the yoga instructor, the class helps seniors with their limited mobility, longevity, and vitality.
'Yoga works the internal systems. It works the body the mind and the spirit. The spirit is what needs to be developed in the seniors because a lot of them spend a lot of time alone,' said yoga instructor, Edna Jakki Miller.
'This is a good outlet and again being with people is always an incentive to go,' said Johnson.
Miller specializes in fitness training for atypical populations. Miller says the results in these seniors are noticeable
'One time I couldn't sit up straight. I had to prop myself up, but now I can do considerably more,' said participant Joyce Creber.
'We have to help everyone learn how they can move on their own,' said Miller.
The yoga class is held every Monday at 10:30am at the Charlottesville Senior Center.
For more information visit the Senior Center's website at www.seniorcenterinc.org
By Jennifer Black
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE
Yoga today is no longer restricted to the hermits,saints and sages,it has taken its place in our every day lives and aroused a worldwide awakenking and acceptance in the last few decades.
This was stated by Haryana Governor, Dr. A.R.Kidwai while speaking on the closing ceremony of the 27th National Yoga Championship here on Sunday.It was organized by the Indian Yoga Federation(IYF) from 17 to 19 October at Badminton Hall of City Sports Complex, sECTOR 42, Chandigarh.
He appreciated the efforts of the Yoga Federation for organising such events as they not only promoting and popularizing the yoga among youths but also promoting national integration in the country.
He said that yoga was not restricted to a religion but was a way of life to attain health and prosperity of all human being.The moral and human values of yoga play an important role in managing current social problems like AIDS,terriorism,drug/tobacco addiction and imbalance sex ratio.
He announced discritionary grant of Rs.51,000 for Indian Yoga Federation and released a souvenir of 27 th National Yoga Championship 2008/09.
Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Secretary, Dharamvir who is also President of Indian Yoga Federation said that Haryana was the first in the country to introduce Yoga Scheme in the year 1975 in Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in order to promote this ancient art among youths as well as common masses.
He said that at present, there were 23 Yoga coaches, one Deputy Director and one Assistant Director in the Department who were especially working in implementing yoga programs in the State.He said that IYF had recently signed a momorandum of understanding with World Yoga Fedretaion,USA to provide an oppurtunity to selected yoga players for worldwide exposure and propagation of Yoga in abroad.
He announced discritionary grant of Rs.25,000 for the participants and their tutors.
More than 700 participants from 25 States and Union Territories of India were participated in the 27th National Yoga Championship.
By www.hindu.com
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
This was stated by Haryana Governor, Dr. A.R.Kidwai while speaking on the closing ceremony of the 27th National Yoga Championship here on Sunday.It was organized by the Indian Yoga Federation(IYF) from 17 to 19 October at Badminton Hall of City Sports Complex, sECTOR 42, Chandigarh.
He appreciated the efforts of the Yoga Federation for organising such events as they not only promoting and popularizing the yoga among youths but also promoting national integration in the country.
He said that yoga was not restricted to a religion but was a way of life to attain health and prosperity of all human being.The moral and human values of yoga play an important role in managing current social problems like AIDS,terriorism,drug/tobacco addiction and imbalance sex ratio.
He announced discritionary grant of Rs.51,000 for Indian Yoga Federation and released a souvenir of 27 th National Yoga Championship 2008/09.
Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Secretary, Dharamvir who is also President of Indian Yoga Federation said that Haryana was the first in the country to introduce Yoga Scheme in the year 1975 in Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in order to promote this ancient art among youths as well as common masses.
He said that at present, there were 23 Yoga coaches, one Deputy Director and one Assistant Director in the Department who were especially working in implementing yoga programs in the State.He said that IYF had recently signed a momorandum of understanding with World Yoga Fedretaion,USA to provide an oppurtunity to selected yoga players for worldwide exposure and propagation of Yoga in abroad.
He announced discritionary grant of Rs.25,000 for the participants and their tutors.
More than 700 participants from 25 States and Union Territories of India were participated in the 27th National Yoga Championship.
By www.hindu.com
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Monday, 20 October 2008
NATIONAL YOGA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 27th National Yoga Championship got off to a colorful start with the opening ceremony performed by the Adviser to Administrator UT, Chandigarh, Pradip Mehra, at the Sector 42 Badminton Hall here Friday
The event was marked by an impressive light and sound yoga demonstration by the participants.Declaring the 27th National Yoga Championship open, Pradip Mehra stressed on the importance of yoga and complimented the India Yoga Federation for organizing the National Championship in the city. He also said that the Indian Yoga Federation was set up to guide and nurture the talent of players in this popular discipline.Recently Indian Yoga Federation, headed by Haryana Chief Secretary Dharam Vir, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Indian Yoga Federation, USA to provide an opportunity to the players for getting advanced training under the guidance of international instructors.
The Adviser told audience that even the World Health Organization has recognized yoga therapeutic utility in psychosomatic illness like diabetes, asthma, hypertension. He paid his gratitude to saints like Swami Vivekananda, Shri Aurobindo, Swami Daya Nand and Swami Shiva Nand for helping in reviving and popularizes Indian philosophy including yoga and in end appreciates Swami Ram Dev role in creating awareness in the masses about the utility of Yoga. Pradip Mehra watched, with keen interest, the demonstration by the players. More than 500 participants representing 26 states and Union Territories are particiapting in the Nationals. Mehra was presented a memento of gratitude by the federation. This championship will continue till October 19.
Sarban Singh,Commissioner and Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Haryana. Dr. D. P. Reddy, Principal Secretary, Punjab Govt., Sh. Langayan, Dhanpat Singh, R.S. Verma, Director Public Relations, UT, Chandigarh, S. D. Sharma, President of the Indian Federation and other distinguished guests were also present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion Sarban Singh said that Haryana was the first in the country which introduced Yoga Scheme in 1975 in Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in order to promote this ancient art among youths as well as common masses. He said that at present, there were 23 yoga coaches, one deputy director and one assistant director in the department who were especially working in implementing yoga programs in the State.
By BALBIR SINGH
THE LATEST YOGA CHAMPIONS NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
The event was marked by an impressive light and sound yoga demonstration by the participants.Declaring the 27th National Yoga Championship open, Pradip Mehra stressed on the importance of yoga and complimented the India Yoga Federation for organizing the National Championship in the city. He also said that the Indian Yoga Federation was set up to guide and nurture the talent of players in this popular discipline.Recently Indian Yoga Federation, headed by Haryana Chief Secretary Dharam Vir, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Indian Yoga Federation, USA to provide an opportunity to the players for getting advanced training under the guidance of international instructors.
The Adviser told audience that even the World Health Organization has recognized yoga therapeutic utility in psychosomatic illness like diabetes, asthma, hypertension. He paid his gratitude to saints like Swami Vivekananda, Shri Aurobindo, Swami Daya Nand and Swami Shiva Nand for helping in reviving and popularizes Indian philosophy including yoga and in end appreciates Swami Ram Dev role in creating awareness in the masses about the utility of Yoga. Pradip Mehra watched, with keen interest, the demonstration by the players. More than 500 participants representing 26 states and Union Territories are particiapting in the Nationals. Mehra was presented a memento of gratitude by the federation. This championship will continue till October 19.
Sarban Singh,Commissioner and Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Haryana. Dr. D. P. Reddy, Principal Secretary, Punjab Govt., Sh. Langayan, Dhanpat Singh, R.S. Verma, Director Public Relations, UT, Chandigarh, S. D. Sharma, President of the Indian Federation and other distinguished guests were also present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion Sarban Singh said that Haryana was the first in the country which introduced Yoga Scheme in 1975 in Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in order to promote this ancient art among youths as well as common masses. He said that at present, there were 23 yoga coaches, one deputy director and one assistant director in the department who were especially working in implementing yoga programs in the State.
By BALBIR SINGH
THE LATEST YOGA CHAMPIONS NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Friday, 17 October 2008
PILATES AND YOUTH
A COCKERMOUTH Pilates teacher is celebrating 40 years of teaching an exercise that keeps her forever young.
She prides her youthful looks and supple body on the exercise, which she has practised since her early teens.
Cindy, 59, of Head Mount, Keswick, has been teaching lessons under the name of Lakedance at the Kirkgate Centre in Cockermouth for more than six years.
To mark the milestone she is inviting her students to a meal tomorrow at Tarantella restaurant on Main Street, Cockermouth.
Cindy began training in Pilates during the early 60s while studying dance at the Laban Contemporary Dance Centre in London.
Her teacher was Jean-Claude Pfeffel, an ex student of Joseph Pilates who created the exercise.
Cindy said: 'I'm so happy that I've been able to teach for this long. My body is as supple as it was when I was younger and I pride this on Pilates.'
'If people practised Pilates every day they would notice such a difference in their mobility; it really helps to keep you feeling fit and young.'
She started teaching it in Bristol in 1968 after a career dancing in London stage shows Fiddler On The Roof and Hair.
In 1990 she studied at an osteopathy college in Middlesex to gain a greater knowledge of the anatomy and the spine.
She added: 'Most of my pupils have been referred to me by GPs so it was important to gain a greater knowledge of the skeletal structure and movement of the body.'
She moved to Keswick in 1985 and also runs Lakedance for children, which includes, dance, physical theatre and music.
Those interested in attending classes should contact Cindy on 01768775769.
By www.timesandstar.co.uk
THE LATEST PILATES NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
She prides her youthful looks and supple body on the exercise, which she has practised since her early teens.
Cindy, 59, of Head Mount, Keswick, has been teaching lessons under the name of Lakedance at the Kirkgate Centre in Cockermouth for more than six years.
To mark the milestone she is inviting her students to a meal tomorrow at Tarantella restaurant on Main Street, Cockermouth.
Cindy began training in Pilates during the early 60s while studying dance at the Laban Contemporary Dance Centre in London.
Her teacher was Jean-Claude Pfeffel, an ex student of Joseph Pilates who created the exercise.
Cindy said: 'I'm so happy that I've been able to teach for this long. My body is as supple as it was when I was younger and I pride this on Pilates.'
'If people practised Pilates every day they would notice such a difference in their mobility; it really helps to keep you feeling fit and young.'
She started teaching it in Bristol in 1968 after a career dancing in London stage shows Fiddler On The Roof and Hair.
In 1990 she studied at an osteopathy college in Middlesex to gain a greater knowledge of the anatomy and the spine.
She added: 'Most of my pupils have been referred to me by GPs so it was important to gain a greater knowledge of the skeletal structure and movement of the body.'
She moved to Keswick in 1985 and also runs Lakedance for children, which includes, dance, physical theatre and music.
Those interested in attending classes should contact Cindy on 01768775769.
By www.timesandstar.co.uk
THE LATEST PILATES NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Thursday, 16 October 2008
CHANGING THE NAME OF YOGA
A high school in the state of New York has won approval to offer students a voluntary yoga program, as long as it's not called yoga.
Some local parents complained last month that a yoga program would promote Hinduism and violate the doctrine separating church and state, so Massena High School officials say they will now refer to the practice as 'relaxation.'
'It is still yoga. If opponents feel a name change solves the dilemma, I'm all for that,' Board of Education President Julie Reagan said Wednesday. 'We are basically doing the same thing, we're just calling it something different.'
The compromise was reached during a meeting between Superintendent Roger Clough and several parents. Clough said parents agreed to change the name of the in class program to 'Raider Relaxation' and set up an after school club to give interested students a deeper understanding of yoga. The school's mascot is a raider.
Two teachers began using yoga in their classrooms last year to relieve stress before exams and had approached the school board this fall about letting other teachers use breathing and relaxation techniques in their classes.
Today in Americas
One hundred schools in 26 states use yoga in the classroom to relieve stress, Reagan said.
By www.iht.com
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Some local parents complained last month that a yoga program would promote Hinduism and violate the doctrine separating church and state, so Massena High School officials say they will now refer to the practice as 'relaxation.'
'It is still yoga. If opponents feel a name change solves the dilemma, I'm all for that,' Board of Education President Julie Reagan said Wednesday. 'We are basically doing the same thing, we're just calling it something different.'
The compromise was reached during a meeting between Superintendent Roger Clough and several parents. Clough said parents agreed to change the name of the in class program to 'Raider Relaxation' and set up an after school club to give interested students a deeper understanding of yoga. The school's mascot is a raider.
Two teachers began using yoga in their classrooms last year to relieve stress before exams and had approached the school board this fall about letting other teachers use breathing and relaxation techniques in their classes.
Today in Americas
One hundred schools in 26 states use yoga in the classroom to relieve stress, Reagan said.
By www.iht.com
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
YOGA AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
'We are going to play a fun little game, and it requires concentration,' Patrice Flesch told her yoga students. Holding up her hands, she quickly extended and retracted her fingers. Her students repeated the motion.
John Barnes strikes a yoga pose during a session at Rogerson House in Boston. He is part of a yoga program tailored for people with Alzheimers's, dementia and other memory loss conditions.When Flesch pressed her palms together and sat cross legged, she asked, 'Does anyone remember this pose?'
One student blurted out the answer: 'The goddess pose!'
Words like 'concentration,' 'focus,' and 'recall' figure highly into Flesch’s class: yoga for the memory challenged. Twice a month, Flesch tailors breathing and exercises for people with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other conditions involving memory loss.
Her thinking: By stretching the body, you relax the mind, which in turn makes it easier to concentrate and remember tasks at hand. The class also serves as a social gathering, providing a place to meet other patients, even if they may not remember one another.
Although variations of yoga have been used to relax the sick and frail, Flesch's holistic approach is unique. She treats her students in a way that lends them grace, dignity, and a sense of control over a disease that can often make them feel powerless.
'It's very grounding. It makes you pay attention, which relates to memory,' said Flesch, a commercial photographer and yoga instructor for 35 years. 'The yoga trains your mind to focus. Removing stress helps you be able to concentrate more.'
Flesch owns South End Yoga studio, but her memory classes are held at the Rogerson House, an adult day care and residential facility in Jamaica Plain. Each class enrolls fewer than 10 people, most of whom are elderly.
Yoga has played a role in relaxation and gentle exercise for some people with Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter. In some cases, a caregiver participates with the person. In others, people with early stage Alzheimer's continue their own practice of yoga.
Similar classes have launched recently. In Pensacola, a class called 'Super Brain Yoga' combines movement with breath to energize brain activity for adults with memory loss. In Australia, an Alzheimer's and memory community center began a free yoga class for caregivers and people with memory issues.
A study released last year during the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference on the Prevention of Dementia in Washington, D.C., found that regular meditation can bolster cognitive function for people with memory loss.
Whether they meditate alone or in a yoga class, patients will reap benefits, said Dr. Paula Raia, director of patient care and family support at the Alzheimer's Association's local chapter. As Alzheimer's and dementia ravage the brain, sufferers can become agitated and prone to anxiety. Gradually they experience a loss of memory, intellect and social skills. Their grip on reality progressively slips away.
'The yoga could help the person remain mobile for periods of time,' Raia said. 'That relaxation reaction, as a result of the mindfulness that the yoga promotes, will cause the person to sleep better, be less agitated and more calmer. It's also a social opportunity. They are getting opportunities to meet other people with Alzheimer's so they feel they are not alone. So it’s killing several birds with one stone.'
You have the power
Flesch began teaching these specialized classes 11 years ago after photographing Rogerson House seniors for promotional brochures. She believed that yoga might keep them active, both physically and mentally.
'I thought, 'Wouldn't it be interesting to try and work with Alzheimer's,'' she recalled. 'I went online to research it, and there was absolutely nothing. That made me want to do it even more.'
Flesch alters poses and movements from her traditional yoga to make them more cognitive. She emphasizes hand movements, repetition and chanting. At a recent class, eight people, two in wheelchairs, sat in a circle as soothing music played. Lanky and barefoot, Flesch led the class in a series of poses.
Like a patient schoolteacher, she cheerily nudged the students to stretch their fingers wide and make a fist. 'This pumps blood into the wrists and gets your circulation going,' she explained. 'We are all following a sequence.'
The class performed a gamut of exercises. They rotated their wrists and looped their arms like backstrokes. They also stretched their legs while rotating their ankles. All smiles, the students eagerly followed along.
Near the end of the class, the group executed the yoga warrior pose. They lunged forward, hands pointed skyward.
'Get in touch with all that strength and power inside you!' Flesch roared. 'You have the power! You have the courage! You are in control!'
Her students repeated her mantras. Sister Brigid Courtney, 64, was one of them.
'It's very good to relax and be totally focused on what you are doing,' said Courtney, a member of the Sisters of the Episcopalian Society of St. Margaret's Convent in Roxbury.
Like some of her yoga classmates, her memory loss began with everyday things. She misplaced keys in her bedroom. She tried to brew coffee in the laundry room instead of the kitchen. She forgot why she visited certain rooms in her convent.
'It's kind of nerve racking and frustrating. It takes so long to put yourself together,' said Courtney, her house keys attached to a wristband key chain so she won't lose them.
'I may put something down and not remember where I put it. Sometimes I can't get the right word out of my mouth. I will mix up letters.'
Courtney said yoga has given her some solace. 'It keeps you in touch with your body,' she said during stretches. 'It's a refreshing thing.'
BY JOHNNY DIAZ
THE LATEST ALZHEIMER'S AND YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
John Barnes strikes a yoga pose during a session at Rogerson House in Boston. He is part of a yoga program tailored for people with Alzheimers's, dementia and other memory loss conditions.When Flesch pressed her palms together and sat cross legged, she asked, 'Does anyone remember this pose?'
One student blurted out the answer: 'The goddess pose!'
Words like 'concentration,' 'focus,' and 'recall' figure highly into Flesch’s class: yoga for the memory challenged. Twice a month, Flesch tailors breathing and exercises for people with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other conditions involving memory loss.
Her thinking: By stretching the body, you relax the mind, which in turn makes it easier to concentrate and remember tasks at hand. The class also serves as a social gathering, providing a place to meet other patients, even if they may not remember one another.
Although variations of yoga have been used to relax the sick and frail, Flesch's holistic approach is unique. She treats her students in a way that lends them grace, dignity, and a sense of control over a disease that can often make them feel powerless.
'It's very grounding. It makes you pay attention, which relates to memory,' said Flesch, a commercial photographer and yoga instructor for 35 years. 'The yoga trains your mind to focus. Removing stress helps you be able to concentrate more.'
Flesch owns South End Yoga studio, but her memory classes are held at the Rogerson House, an adult day care and residential facility in Jamaica Plain. Each class enrolls fewer than 10 people, most of whom are elderly.
Yoga has played a role in relaxation and gentle exercise for some people with Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter. In some cases, a caregiver participates with the person. In others, people with early stage Alzheimer's continue their own practice of yoga.
Similar classes have launched recently. In Pensacola, a class called 'Super Brain Yoga' combines movement with breath to energize brain activity for adults with memory loss. In Australia, an Alzheimer's and memory community center began a free yoga class for caregivers and people with memory issues.
A study released last year during the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference on the Prevention of Dementia in Washington, D.C., found that regular meditation can bolster cognitive function for people with memory loss.
Whether they meditate alone or in a yoga class, patients will reap benefits, said Dr. Paula Raia, director of patient care and family support at the Alzheimer's Association's local chapter. As Alzheimer's and dementia ravage the brain, sufferers can become agitated and prone to anxiety. Gradually they experience a loss of memory, intellect and social skills. Their grip on reality progressively slips away.
'The yoga could help the person remain mobile for periods of time,' Raia said. 'That relaxation reaction, as a result of the mindfulness that the yoga promotes, will cause the person to sleep better, be less agitated and more calmer. It's also a social opportunity. They are getting opportunities to meet other people with Alzheimer's so they feel they are not alone. So it’s killing several birds with one stone.'
You have the power
Flesch began teaching these specialized classes 11 years ago after photographing Rogerson House seniors for promotional brochures. She believed that yoga might keep them active, both physically and mentally.
'I thought, 'Wouldn't it be interesting to try and work with Alzheimer's,'' she recalled. 'I went online to research it, and there was absolutely nothing. That made me want to do it even more.'
Flesch alters poses and movements from her traditional yoga to make them more cognitive. She emphasizes hand movements, repetition and chanting. At a recent class, eight people, two in wheelchairs, sat in a circle as soothing music played. Lanky and barefoot, Flesch led the class in a series of poses.
Like a patient schoolteacher, she cheerily nudged the students to stretch their fingers wide and make a fist. 'This pumps blood into the wrists and gets your circulation going,' she explained. 'We are all following a sequence.'
The class performed a gamut of exercises. They rotated their wrists and looped their arms like backstrokes. They also stretched their legs while rotating their ankles. All smiles, the students eagerly followed along.
Near the end of the class, the group executed the yoga warrior pose. They lunged forward, hands pointed skyward.
'Get in touch with all that strength and power inside you!' Flesch roared. 'You have the power! You have the courage! You are in control!'
Her students repeated her mantras. Sister Brigid Courtney, 64, was one of them.
'It's very good to relax and be totally focused on what you are doing,' said Courtney, a member of the Sisters of the Episcopalian Society of St. Margaret's Convent in Roxbury.
Like some of her yoga classmates, her memory loss began with everyday things. She misplaced keys in her bedroom. She tried to brew coffee in the laundry room instead of the kitchen. She forgot why she visited certain rooms in her convent.
'It's kind of nerve racking and frustrating. It takes so long to put yourself together,' said Courtney, her house keys attached to a wristband key chain so she won't lose them.
'I may put something down and not remember where I put it. Sometimes I can't get the right word out of my mouth. I will mix up letters.'
Courtney said yoga has given her some solace. 'It keeps you in touch with your body,' she said during stretches. 'It's a refreshing thing.'
BY JOHNNY DIAZ
THE LATEST ALZHEIMER'S AND YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
TENNIS AND YOGA
I got hooked on tennis when I was 8 and always imagined I'd play the game my whole life. I joined tennis teams, played in local parks, entered tournaments. Nothing made me happier than the feel of my racket smacking the ball for a winner.
But after nearly 40 years of ground strokes and volleys, a rebellious heart muscle forced me to lay down my racket. My passion is now a series of bittersweet memories. When I drive by the courts, I can't help but recall the way my legs bounced in eager anticipation of each serve. 'Great backhand,' opponents would admit, as I pummeled the ball down the line. I'd toss my ponytail and revel in the compliments. I miss not only the game but my own intense desire, to play, to win and, most of all, to do it again the very next day.
My current stamina allows for about 30 minutes of brisk daily walking. The last time I attempted some tennis, I didn't last long. Seeing my exhaustion after just 10 minutes, my partner gave me a sympathetic hug, and we left the court.
Why not try yoga? my doctor, my mother and a host of well meaning acquaintances suggested. 'Well, maybe,' I said, again and again. I've never been known for flexibility.
About a year ago, I finally heeded everyone's advice. Could I even do yoga? I wondered as I entered the well lit studio. Being there brought none of the excitement I'd always felt on the court. The wood floor gleamed, and the mirror reflected my classmates, twisted like peaceful pretzels on their mats. Two rows of lithe, strong bodies. Certainly no one with a compromised heart muscle. I eyed the door longingly as class began.
The warm up was manageable (barely), but we were just 14 minutes into the hour. 'Starting on your stomach, move from cobra to plank,' our instructor told us. Her tone suggested this should be no harder than counting to three. By the time I'd devised a way to get onto my stomach without severe back pain, the class had easily completed the full sequence. Twice. I was left in the yoga dust.
'Go 'restorative,'' a friend urged, after hearing my tale of yoga humiliation. In my new, gentle yoga class, the demands are reasonable. 'Circle your feet slowly,' Edie tells us. She has short blond hair, a generous smile and a pronounced limp. 'And don't forget to breathe.'
Today I walk into class, and a man wearing thick glasses says hello. I've noticed that his triangle pose, like mine, resembles something more like an irregular trapezoid. As I've attempted this pose, Edie's monologues have spurred me on. 'Put your hand near your knee or reach farther down,' she's said many times. 'You get where you get, and that's where you belong.'
I'm early, so I take in the action as I gather my yoga props, a blanket, a bolster and a long strap. The door opens and a student walks in with his Seeing Eye dog. Edie greets them enthusiastically. 'Will you show us the Downward Dog today?' she croons, as the caramel colored pooch sprawls onto the floor.
For many classes, I watched this upside down maneuver known as downward-facing dog. But every time I attempted a tiny push upward, my arms felt weak. I wondered if I'd get dizzy. Women 10 years older than I am were doing the dog. Surely I could get there. One day, I pushed a bit harder, and up I went.
Class begins with gentle stretching. 'Bend slightly forward,' Edie tells us. 'You don't have to go far; wherever you get is the right place for you.'
But this isn't the right place. My jaw aches with frustration. The right place is on the tennis court, running all out and hitting with boundless energy.
Could I possibly discover a new passion in yoga? I study the room, seeking inspiration. I don't find it. But as I observe my classmates, I do notice how familiar they seem. I realize that for about a year now, I've showed up twice each week for this early morning class.
'Stretch your left arm over your head,' Edie continues. 'Lean gently to the left, like a palm tree.'
I can do this. I take a deep breath, slowly raise my arm, and get where I get.
By Rachel Trachten
THE LATEST TENNIS AND YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
But after nearly 40 years of ground strokes and volleys, a rebellious heart muscle forced me to lay down my racket. My passion is now a series of bittersweet memories. When I drive by the courts, I can't help but recall the way my legs bounced in eager anticipation of each serve. 'Great backhand,' opponents would admit, as I pummeled the ball down the line. I'd toss my ponytail and revel in the compliments. I miss not only the game but my own intense desire, to play, to win and, most of all, to do it again the very next day.
My current stamina allows for about 30 minutes of brisk daily walking. The last time I attempted some tennis, I didn't last long. Seeing my exhaustion after just 10 minutes, my partner gave me a sympathetic hug, and we left the court.
Why not try yoga? my doctor, my mother and a host of well meaning acquaintances suggested. 'Well, maybe,' I said, again and again. I've never been known for flexibility.
About a year ago, I finally heeded everyone's advice. Could I even do yoga? I wondered as I entered the well lit studio. Being there brought none of the excitement I'd always felt on the court. The wood floor gleamed, and the mirror reflected my classmates, twisted like peaceful pretzels on their mats. Two rows of lithe, strong bodies. Certainly no one with a compromised heart muscle. I eyed the door longingly as class began.
The warm up was manageable (barely), but we were just 14 minutes into the hour. 'Starting on your stomach, move from cobra to plank,' our instructor told us. Her tone suggested this should be no harder than counting to three. By the time I'd devised a way to get onto my stomach without severe back pain, the class had easily completed the full sequence. Twice. I was left in the yoga dust.
'Go 'restorative,'' a friend urged, after hearing my tale of yoga humiliation. In my new, gentle yoga class, the demands are reasonable. 'Circle your feet slowly,' Edie tells us. She has short blond hair, a generous smile and a pronounced limp. 'And don't forget to breathe.'
Today I walk into class, and a man wearing thick glasses says hello. I've noticed that his triangle pose, like mine, resembles something more like an irregular trapezoid. As I've attempted this pose, Edie's monologues have spurred me on. 'Put your hand near your knee or reach farther down,' she's said many times. 'You get where you get, and that's where you belong.'
I'm early, so I take in the action as I gather my yoga props, a blanket, a bolster and a long strap. The door opens and a student walks in with his Seeing Eye dog. Edie greets them enthusiastically. 'Will you show us the Downward Dog today?' she croons, as the caramel colored pooch sprawls onto the floor.
For many classes, I watched this upside down maneuver known as downward-facing dog. But every time I attempted a tiny push upward, my arms felt weak. I wondered if I'd get dizzy. Women 10 years older than I am were doing the dog. Surely I could get there. One day, I pushed a bit harder, and up I went.
Class begins with gentle stretching. 'Bend slightly forward,' Edie tells us. 'You don't have to go far; wherever you get is the right place for you.'
But this isn't the right place. My jaw aches with frustration. The right place is on the tennis court, running all out and hitting with boundless energy.
Could I possibly discover a new passion in yoga? I study the room, seeking inspiration. I don't find it. But as I observe my classmates, I do notice how familiar they seem. I realize that for about a year now, I've showed up twice each week for this early morning class.
'Stretch your left arm over your head,' Edie continues. 'Lean gently to the left, like a palm tree.'
I can do this. I take a deep breath, slowly raise my arm, and get where I get.
By Rachel Trachten
THE LATEST TENNIS AND YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA FOR FOOTBALLERS
Manchester City midfielder Michael Johnson is having yoga sessions in a bid to cure his nagging pelvic problems.
Johnson, who signed a new five year contract last month, has made just 36 league starts in two years since he made his debut.
In that time the 20 year old has not managed a run of more than 10 consecutive Premier League games in one campaign and manager Mark Hughes told the Manchester Evening News: 'He is still having problems with pain and has not been training with the main group. We are trying to look at all avenues in an effort to settle the problem down.'
He added: 'For quite some time now, he has had pain and irritation from that area which at times has really hampered him, and on other occasions he has been able to manage.'
'Everything is geared to getting Michael fit and well and being able to play and managing the level of pain that he is having at the moment.'
'We hope the breaks in the season for internationals will allow us to take him out of the firing line somewhat.'
By The Press Association
THE LATEST FOOTBALL AND YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Johnson, who signed a new five year contract last month, has made just 36 league starts in two years since he made his debut.
In that time the 20 year old has not managed a run of more than 10 consecutive Premier League games in one campaign and manager Mark Hughes told the Manchester Evening News: 'He is still having problems with pain and has not been training with the main group. We are trying to look at all avenues in an effort to settle the problem down.'
He added: 'For quite some time now, he has had pain and irritation from that area which at times has really hampered him, and on other occasions he has been able to manage.'
'Everything is geared to getting Michael fit and well and being able to play and managing the level of pain that he is having at the moment.'
'We hope the breaks in the season for internationals will allow us to take him out of the firing line somewhat.'
By The Press Association
THE LATEST FOOTBALL AND YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
NEW YOGA STUDIO IN FENTON
Whether or not you have ever tried yoga, there's a yoga class just waiting for you at Dibbleville Yoga.
Located at 302 S. LeRoy St. in Fenton, this new yoga studio was created by Julie Barnes and Becky Titmus, certified yoga instructors, pictured here striking a common yoga pose. Their goal is to share with the community the benefits of yoga. The new studio offers classes in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga seven days a week, and a 'hard core' yoga class for those who want to tone, sculpt or strengthen their body.
Dibbleville Yoga is proud to include monthly donation classes in the schedule to raise money for local, nonprofit organizations. Benefits are scheduled in October for EDEN (Eating Disorders & Education Network); November for Homes for Autism; and December for Adopt A Pet. For more information, call (810)750 7770.
By www.tctimes.com
THE LATEST YOGA STUDIO NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Located at 302 S. LeRoy St. in Fenton, this new yoga studio was created by Julie Barnes and Becky Titmus, certified yoga instructors, pictured here striking a common yoga pose. Their goal is to share with the community the benefits of yoga. The new studio offers classes in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga seven days a week, and a 'hard core' yoga class for those who want to tone, sculpt or strengthen their body.
Dibbleville Yoga is proud to include monthly donation classes in the schedule to raise money for local, nonprofit organizations. Benefits are scheduled in October for EDEN (Eating Disorders & Education Network); November for Homes for Autism; and December for Adopt A Pet. For more information, call (810)750 7770.
By www.tctimes.com
THE LATEST YOGA STUDIO NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
KAHMIC YOGA
The charismatic Yogi G, spiritual funnyman and purveyor of Kahmic Yoga, offers one more session in the Hamptons before his NYC debut. Kahmic Yoga is a one yogi show written and performed by Geoffrey Paul Gordon, Sag Harbor resident, award winning playwright, teacher and longtime yoga lover.
Kahmic Yoga returns to the Meeting House of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork, 977 Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike (directly across from Ziggy's Restaurant) on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. Seats, $15 each, can be reserved by calling 631 899 3181, or purchased at the door.
For information about the New York City performances on Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, please visit donttellmamanyc.com or call 212 757 0788.
Contact: Geoffrey Gordon
Phone: 631 899 3181
Email: geoffreygordon@optonline.net
By www.hamptons.com
THE LATEST YOGA SHOW NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Kahmic Yoga returns to the Meeting House of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork, 977 Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike (directly across from Ziggy's Restaurant) on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. Seats, $15 each, can be reserved by calling 631 899 3181, or purchased at the door.
For information about the New York City performances on Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, please visit donttellmamanyc.com or call 212 757 0788.
Contact: Geoffrey Gordon
Phone: 631 899 3181
Email: geoffreygordon@optonline.net
By www.hamptons.com
THE LATEST YOGA SHOW NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Monday, 13 October 2008
YOGA AND BUSINESS STRESS
Facing the heat of the global financial crisis, Indian CEOs have taken to yoga to beat the stress and restlessness, says a survey.
'The financial crisis, which is leading to higher input costs and credit access virtually getting out of hands of large corporates, have brought 68 per cent of CEOs a complete restlessness in fulfilling their commitments in the last 9 to 10 months,' industry body Assocham said.
The survey, which includes 400 CEOs said that 128 of them got rid off their stress through yoga, gym, cycling, music and morning stroll.
'CEOs remain under tremendous stress and fatigue to deliver desired results and make adjustments both on margins of their top line and bottom line profitability,' it said.
Majority of CEOs said they are under pressure to achieve targets especially when the global economy is facing financial crises and its impact on Indian economy has become visible.
'Doing business as per organisational expectations have severely affected their daily routine in adverse manner and health also,' it added.
However, 25 per cent of the CEOs said they consider stress as a positive instrument to work harder. A significant number of the corporate chiefs are also moving towards ayurvedic treatments like naturopathy, massage, acupuncture and acupressure.
By www.hindu.com
THE LATEST YOGA AND STRESS RELIEF NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
'The financial crisis, which is leading to higher input costs and credit access virtually getting out of hands of large corporates, have brought 68 per cent of CEOs a complete restlessness in fulfilling their commitments in the last 9 to 10 months,' industry body Assocham said.
The survey, which includes 400 CEOs said that 128 of them got rid off their stress through yoga, gym, cycling, music and morning stroll.
'CEOs remain under tremendous stress and fatigue to deliver desired results and make adjustments both on margins of their top line and bottom line profitability,' it said.
Majority of CEOs said they are under pressure to achieve targets especially when the global economy is facing financial crises and its impact on Indian economy has become visible.
'Doing business as per organisational expectations have severely affected their daily routine in adverse manner and health also,' it added.
However, 25 per cent of the CEOs said they consider stress as a positive instrument to work harder. A significant number of the corporate chiefs are also moving towards ayurvedic treatments like naturopathy, massage, acupuncture and acupressure.
By www.hindu.com
THE LATEST YOGA AND STRESS RELIEF NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
IYENGAR YOGA TEACHERS
(Extended Triangle Pose), Arm Back. This is a standing asana in which the legs are kept firm and straight, providing stability for the torso to extend and open. The asana gets its name from the triangular shapes formed by the limbs and trunk.
Standing asanas develop balance, confidence and an awareness of the space within the body. Through focused, steady practice, consciousness becomes meditative and serene.
1. Line up the outer edge of the left foot against a wall and step the right foot about 4 feet away. Align the right heel with the left arch.
2. Straighten both legs. Keep the right leg turned out 90 degrees and the left facing forward.
3. Lift and open the chest while the trunk forward.
4. Inhale, and stretch the right arm up to lift and extend the right side of the body, then exhale and stretch the trunk over the right leg, taking the right hand to the floor (or shin or block, depending on flexibility). Press both feet into the floor and tighten the knees to straighten the legs.
5. Stretch the left arm up and gaze at the hand while working to open the front of the body.
6. With an exhalation, move the left shoulder blade into the body and stretch the left arm back. Keep the left arm aligned with the shoulder while rotating the waist and lifting the chest toward the ceiling.
7. Hold this pose for several breaths, then inhale and raise the left arm. Keeping the legs straight, come out of the pose.
8. Repeat on other side.
By Ray Madigan & Shelley Choy
THE LATEST IYENGAR YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Standing asanas develop balance, confidence and an awareness of the space within the body. Through focused, steady practice, consciousness becomes meditative and serene.
1. Line up the outer edge of the left foot against a wall and step the right foot about 4 feet away. Align the right heel with the left arch.
2. Straighten both legs. Keep the right leg turned out 90 degrees and the left facing forward.
3. Lift and open the chest while the trunk forward.
4. Inhale, and stretch the right arm up to lift and extend the right side of the body, then exhale and stretch the trunk over the right leg, taking the right hand to the floor (or shin or block, depending on flexibility). Press both feet into the floor and tighten the knees to straighten the legs.
5. Stretch the left arm up and gaze at the hand while working to open the front of the body.
6. With an exhalation, move the left shoulder blade into the body and stretch the left arm back. Keep the left arm aligned with the shoulder while rotating the waist and lifting the chest toward the ceiling.
7. Hold this pose for several breaths, then inhale and raise the left arm. Keeping the legs straight, come out of the pose.
8. Repeat on other side.
By Ray Madigan & Shelley Choy
THE LATEST IYENGAR YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA IN NAPA VALLEY
The practice of yoga may be 5,000 years old, but Napa's first Bikram Yoga studio is brand new.
Studio owner Sylvana Carrara moved to Napa just more than a year ago, after working at other yoga studios in San Francisco.
Carrara quickly realized that while there are a number of Bikram Yoga studios in the Bay Area, Napa Valley had none.
'I thought this would be a good place to open a business,' she said.
Buying a building on Jefferson Street in 2007, Carrara spent the last year remodeling the facility from top to bottom. Bikram Yoga Napa Valley opened in early October.
Carrara is a certified instructor in Bikram Yoga, a specific type of practice named after founder Bikram Choudhury.
Bikram Yoga emphasizes exercise, breathing, and meditation in a set of 26 poses or postures. The big difference with Bikram Yoga is that it’s performed in a room set at 105 degrees and with 40 percent humidity.
The heat is said to relax muscles, making the body more flexible. Sweating releases toxins, say supporters. Deep stretching can relieve stress and stimulate muscles, joints and organs. Yoga is said to improve balance, strength, flexibility and stamina.
While some people may wonder how its possible to exercise in such extreme temperatures, Carrara said that the heat helps the body. 'We start with breathing exercises to warm up the body from inside out,' she said. Limbs become more flexible and the body becomes relaxed, as each yoga pose builds on itself, she said. Sweating is part of the process.
Anyone can do Bikram, or Hot Yoga, as it is sometimes called.
'It's for all people, all generations,' said Carrara.
Phillip Feiner of American Canyon said he'd been suffering from arthritis and other ailments for years. Then he found Bikram Yoga.
'I've been praying that a Bikram Yoga would open in Napa, and my prayers have been answered,' said Feiner, 65. 'I thought I was a goner and then I realized I could get a complete workout without hurting myself.'
Since starting Bikram Yoga, 'I feel 20 years younger,' he said. 'My balance is improved, my range of motion, my strength is improved. It's unbelievable.'
Bikram Yoga Napa Valley offers more than just yoga in a hot room.
The facility includes a full kitchen, men's and women's locker rooms with showers, and high tech sound systems in every room. The studio was created using green building practices. 'I'm a big fan of saving the planet,' said Carrara.
Solar panels on the roof power every room and appliance. In the yoga room itself, both solar and gas heat the room.
Classes are held three times a day on weekdays, two a day on weekends. The number of classes will increase as word of the new studio spreads, she said.
Jill Castro of Napa stopped by Bikram Yoga Napa Valley on a recent morning. 'I'm so excited,' she said. 'I've only been doing Bikram Yoga for six months but after the first class I felt mentally energized, more than I ever have.'
'It's more than a physical experience,' she said. Castro eagerly signed up for an introductory special of 10 consecutive days of classes for $20.
Ruth Riffe is a yoga instructor from Eureka visiting the Napa studio. She dispelled a common misconception about yoga.
'It doesn't matter if you can’t touch your toes,' she said. 'You're never too old, sick, or injured to start with Bikram Yoga.'
Carrara, who is from Switzerland, said her goal is to eventually hold five classes a day, 'with lots of clients who want to share beautiful yoga with us.'
More importantly, 'I want to create a community.'
By JENNIFER HUFFMAN
THE LATEST BIKRAM YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Studio owner Sylvana Carrara moved to Napa just more than a year ago, after working at other yoga studios in San Francisco.
Carrara quickly realized that while there are a number of Bikram Yoga studios in the Bay Area, Napa Valley had none.
'I thought this would be a good place to open a business,' she said.
Buying a building on Jefferson Street in 2007, Carrara spent the last year remodeling the facility from top to bottom. Bikram Yoga Napa Valley opened in early October.
Carrara is a certified instructor in Bikram Yoga, a specific type of practice named after founder Bikram Choudhury.
Bikram Yoga emphasizes exercise, breathing, and meditation in a set of 26 poses or postures. The big difference with Bikram Yoga is that it’s performed in a room set at 105 degrees and with 40 percent humidity.
The heat is said to relax muscles, making the body more flexible. Sweating releases toxins, say supporters. Deep stretching can relieve stress and stimulate muscles, joints and organs. Yoga is said to improve balance, strength, flexibility and stamina.
While some people may wonder how its possible to exercise in such extreme temperatures, Carrara said that the heat helps the body. 'We start with breathing exercises to warm up the body from inside out,' she said. Limbs become more flexible and the body becomes relaxed, as each yoga pose builds on itself, she said. Sweating is part of the process.
Anyone can do Bikram, or Hot Yoga, as it is sometimes called.
'It's for all people, all generations,' said Carrara.
Phillip Feiner of American Canyon said he'd been suffering from arthritis and other ailments for years. Then he found Bikram Yoga.
'I've been praying that a Bikram Yoga would open in Napa, and my prayers have been answered,' said Feiner, 65. 'I thought I was a goner and then I realized I could get a complete workout without hurting myself.'
Since starting Bikram Yoga, 'I feel 20 years younger,' he said. 'My balance is improved, my range of motion, my strength is improved. It's unbelievable.'
Bikram Yoga Napa Valley offers more than just yoga in a hot room.
The facility includes a full kitchen, men's and women's locker rooms with showers, and high tech sound systems in every room. The studio was created using green building practices. 'I'm a big fan of saving the planet,' said Carrara.
Solar panels on the roof power every room and appliance. In the yoga room itself, both solar and gas heat the room.
Classes are held three times a day on weekdays, two a day on weekends. The number of classes will increase as word of the new studio spreads, she said.
Jill Castro of Napa stopped by Bikram Yoga Napa Valley on a recent morning. 'I'm so excited,' she said. 'I've only been doing Bikram Yoga for six months but after the first class I felt mentally energized, more than I ever have.'
'It's more than a physical experience,' she said. Castro eagerly signed up for an introductory special of 10 consecutive days of classes for $20.
Ruth Riffe is a yoga instructor from Eureka visiting the Napa studio. She dispelled a common misconception about yoga.
'It doesn't matter if you can’t touch your toes,' she said. 'You're never too old, sick, or injured to start with Bikram Yoga.'
Carrara, who is from Switzerland, said her goal is to eventually hold five classes a day, 'with lots of clients who want to share beautiful yoga with us.'
More importantly, 'I want to create a community.'
By JENNIFER HUFFMAN
THE LATEST BIKRAM YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA FOR CHILDREN
Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today said that yoga should be made compulsory for school students.
After attending a camp organized by yoga Guru Ramdev here, Ramadoss said that the health ministry was talking to the Human Resource Department (HRD) to encourage school student to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
'We are trying to have a national school health programme. That programme will comprise of two parts, one part is of screening all children for diseases like cardiovascular, diabetes, skin disease or ENT problems. Second part would be having a health subject, a mandatory subject where you will have yoga, population issues, HIV, sanitation, hygiene and holistic lifestyle problem that will inculcate into the school children,' Ramadoss added.
Yoga has been vigorously propagated in India by Ramdev who claims to cure illness ranging from cancer to AIDS through breathing and traditional medicines.
Ramdev has a large following amongst the young and old who believe that he has amalgamated spirituality, yoga and Ayurveda.
Over the years, the centuries old Indian practice of yoga which literally means 'union' (of body and mind) has become largely popular in the West and is even patronized by many Hollywood celebrities.
By www.newspostonline.com
THE LATEST YOGA AND CHILDREN NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
After attending a camp organized by yoga Guru Ramdev here, Ramadoss said that the health ministry was talking to the Human Resource Department (HRD) to encourage school student to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
'We are trying to have a national school health programme. That programme will comprise of two parts, one part is of screening all children for diseases like cardiovascular, diabetes, skin disease or ENT problems. Second part would be having a health subject, a mandatory subject where you will have yoga, population issues, HIV, sanitation, hygiene and holistic lifestyle problem that will inculcate into the school children,' Ramadoss added.
Yoga has been vigorously propagated in India by Ramdev who claims to cure illness ranging from cancer to AIDS through breathing and traditional medicines.
Ramdev has a large following amongst the young and old who believe that he has amalgamated spirituality, yoga and Ayurveda.
Over the years, the centuries old Indian practice of yoga which literally means 'union' (of body and mind) has become largely popular in the West and is even patronized by many Hollywood celebrities.
By www.newspostonline.com
THE LATEST YOGA AND CHILDREN NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Friday, 10 October 2008
YOGA AND THE CHURCH
Of the many mailing lists I'm on, the Hindu American Foundation's is one of the more interesting. An advocacy group, they send out regular emails with news stories relating to Hinduism.
One of the regular topics is yoga and they send out updates anytime it's reported that the practice of yoga is spreading in the United States or other non-Hindu countries. As believers that yoga is one of the schools of Hinduism, HAF is also interested in discussions of whether yoga can be practiced apart from Hinduism. They've also been following a story about public school teachers in New York teaching yoga to students to relieve stress before exams.
The Associated Press picked up the story this week after a group of parents and religious leaders said the instruction violates boundaries between church and state:
'We are not opposed to the benefits. We can understand the benefits. We are opposed to the philosophy behind it and that has its ties in Hinduism and the way they were presenting it,' said the Rev. Colin Lucid of Calvary Baptist Church in Massena.
The program does not have ulterior motives, Julie Reagan, Massena Board of Education president, said Thursday.
The story attempts to put the New York practice in context and give the reader some background. Let's look at how well they did that:
A hundred schools in 26 states use yoga in the classroom to relieve stress, Reagan said. Federal funds and grants are available to educators seeking yoga certification, [Reagan] said.
According to a statement on the Web site of the American Yoga Association, yoga is not a religion, although its practice has been adopted by Hinduism, as well as other world religions.
There are more than 100 different schools of yoga, which seeks to bring harmony to the mind and body. The most commonly practiced type in the United States is hatha yoga, which encompasses physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques
That second paragraph is just clunky. It's like saying, 'praying with beads is not a religion, although its practice has been adopted by Catholics.' (Speaking of, one wonders whether there would be an outcry if teachers were encouraging kids to use rosary type beads for prayer, meditation and relaxation.) Even people who oppose teaching yoga in government schools are not saying that yoga is a religion but, rather, a religious discipline. And whether or not yoga can be divorced from Hinduism, to the Hindu it certainly is a religious discipline. But to say that yoga has been 'adopted' by Hinduism is really downplaying the association. The earliest Vedic Scripture mentions yoga. So that adoption, as it were, took place at least 3,000 years ago. And the 'other religions' mentioned by the AP must be Buddhism, which is a descendant of Hinduism.
To the Hindu, yoga unites not just the mind and body, as this article says, but the soul as well. From a Time article last year about an increase in yoga injuries:
'Yoga means bringing together mind, body and spirit, but in Western yoga, we've distilled it down to body,' says Shana Meyerson, an instructor in Los Angeles. 'That's not even yoga anymore. If the goal is to look like Madonna, you're better off running or spinning.'
The worst part about the AP article, though, is that it doesn't speak with any Hindus. Considering how widespread the practice of yoga is in the United States, it's somewhat surprising that its relationship with Hinduism isn't explored more. Sam Hodges of the Dallas Morning News interviewed Swami Mukundananda, who lectured at the DFW Hindu Temple in August and led classes in yoga and they discussed the topic. Certainly there are many Hindus qualified to speak about the matter.
There is a debate about whether yoga can benefit people of different religions or no religion. (Here's a Times (U.K.) article about a yoga instructor who stopped the practice after she converted to Christianity.) But that debate isn't even treated in the AP story. It doesn't really present an informed case for how yoga can be divorced from Hinduism either. It's just a weak story all around.
By www.getreligion.org
THE LATEST YOGA AND THE STATE NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
One of the regular topics is yoga and they send out updates anytime it's reported that the practice of yoga is spreading in the United States or other non-Hindu countries. As believers that yoga is one of the schools of Hinduism, HAF is also interested in discussions of whether yoga can be practiced apart from Hinduism. They've also been following a story about public school teachers in New York teaching yoga to students to relieve stress before exams.
The Associated Press picked up the story this week after a group of parents and religious leaders said the instruction violates boundaries between church and state:
'We are not opposed to the benefits. We can understand the benefits. We are opposed to the philosophy behind it and that has its ties in Hinduism and the way they were presenting it,' said the Rev. Colin Lucid of Calvary Baptist Church in Massena.
The program does not have ulterior motives, Julie Reagan, Massena Board of Education president, said Thursday.
The story attempts to put the New York practice in context and give the reader some background. Let's look at how well they did that:
A hundred schools in 26 states use yoga in the classroom to relieve stress, Reagan said. Federal funds and grants are available to educators seeking yoga certification, [Reagan] said.
According to a statement on the Web site of the American Yoga Association, yoga is not a religion, although its practice has been adopted by Hinduism, as well as other world religions.
There are more than 100 different schools of yoga, which seeks to bring harmony to the mind and body. The most commonly practiced type in the United States is hatha yoga, which encompasses physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques
That second paragraph is just clunky. It's like saying, 'praying with beads is not a religion, although its practice has been adopted by Catholics.' (Speaking of, one wonders whether there would be an outcry if teachers were encouraging kids to use rosary type beads for prayer, meditation and relaxation.) Even people who oppose teaching yoga in government schools are not saying that yoga is a religion but, rather, a religious discipline. And whether or not yoga can be divorced from Hinduism, to the Hindu it certainly is a religious discipline. But to say that yoga has been 'adopted' by Hinduism is really downplaying the association. The earliest Vedic Scripture mentions yoga. So that adoption, as it were, took place at least 3,000 years ago. And the 'other religions' mentioned by the AP must be Buddhism, which is a descendant of Hinduism.
To the Hindu, yoga unites not just the mind and body, as this article says, but the soul as well. From a Time article last year about an increase in yoga injuries:
'Yoga means bringing together mind, body and spirit, but in Western yoga, we've distilled it down to body,' says Shana Meyerson, an instructor in Los Angeles. 'That's not even yoga anymore. If the goal is to look like Madonna, you're better off running or spinning.'
The worst part about the AP article, though, is that it doesn't speak with any Hindus. Considering how widespread the practice of yoga is in the United States, it's somewhat surprising that its relationship with Hinduism isn't explored more. Sam Hodges of the Dallas Morning News interviewed Swami Mukundananda, who lectured at the DFW Hindu Temple in August and led classes in yoga and they discussed the topic. Certainly there are many Hindus qualified to speak about the matter.
There is a debate about whether yoga can benefit people of different religions or no religion. (Here's a Times (U.K.) article about a yoga instructor who stopped the practice after she converted to Christianity.) But that debate isn't even treated in the AP story. It doesn't really present an informed case for how yoga can be divorced from Hinduism either. It's just a weak story all around.
By www.getreligion.org
THE LATEST YOGA AND THE STATE NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Thursday, 9 October 2008
CHILDREN IN YOGA
I just finished reading the Thursday, Oct. 2, article titled 'Massena yoga program is stalled' and I am a bit confused.
I'm a person with a very strong faith, but I don't understand what all the hubbub is about. Today's kids are under an enormous pressure to perform and to excel. What's wrong with giving them a few moments each day to breathe, stretch and relax? Not only does it promote physical well being, but mental as well. Both are needed in today's busy world, and I think it's great practice for the healthy stress management habits that they will need as adults. I know that many places out West have similar programs, and I think it's high time our schools caught up. I can't understand why anyone would be upset about giving our kids some 'chill time.'
It's better than them skipping class, doing drugs to relax, or becoming so stressed that they break down. People seem to be upset because yoga stems from the Hindu religion; however, just because yoga is being taught doesn't automatically mean that the Hindu teachings will be included, or that the kids will run off and become Hindus. I think its time Northern New York broadened its horizons.
By Sharah Burton
THE LATEST CHILDREN YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
I'm a person with a very strong faith, but I don't understand what all the hubbub is about. Today's kids are under an enormous pressure to perform and to excel. What's wrong with giving them a few moments each day to breathe, stretch and relax? Not only does it promote physical well being, but mental as well. Both are needed in today's busy world, and I think it's great practice for the healthy stress management habits that they will need as adults. I know that many places out West have similar programs, and I think it's high time our schools caught up. I can't understand why anyone would be upset about giving our kids some 'chill time.'
It's better than them skipping class, doing drugs to relax, or becoming so stressed that they break down. People seem to be upset because yoga stems from the Hindu religion; however, just because yoga is being taught doesn't automatically mean that the Hindu teachings will be included, or that the kids will run off and become Hindus. I think its time Northern New York broadened its horizons.
By Sharah Burton
THE LATEST CHILDREN YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA - NAKED
I love practicing yoga alone or in a class, with friends or strangers, indoors or outside on the grass, but I'm not so sure I'd ever strike a pose without my clothes. Naked Yoga classes aren't anything new, but lately they're becoming more acceptable.
I'm sure you all have your visions of what goes on in a Naked Yoga class, that it's one big group orgy. Just because people are naked in a room together doesn't mean that the focus has to be on sex. Believe it or not, there are many non sexual reasons people choose to practice without their capris and halters on. Some veteran yogis are looking for a new and different experience, while others are trying to overcome weight or body image issues. Some appreciate the clarity of seeing the instructor's body, and some just like Naked Yoga because it's 'taboo.' Others feel that being naked is very spiritual and healing, and the physical shedding of their clothes allows them to emotionally shed negativity and judgments.
Fit's Tips: If Naked Yoga appeals to you, get info about the class ahead of time. While most classes aren't about sex, there are definitely some Naked Yoga classes offered that may be on the touchy feely side. So if you're looking to have a spiritual experience and definitely not a sensual one, it's best to find out before you show up.
If you're interested in finding a studio that offers Naked Yoga classes read more.
These studios offer classes that are either all male, or all female, or co ed.
By FitSugar
THE LATEST NAKED YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
I'm sure you all have your visions of what goes on in a Naked Yoga class, that it's one big group orgy. Just because people are naked in a room together doesn't mean that the focus has to be on sex. Believe it or not, there are many non sexual reasons people choose to practice without their capris and halters on. Some veteran yogis are looking for a new and different experience, while others are trying to overcome weight or body image issues. Some appreciate the clarity of seeing the instructor's body, and some just like Naked Yoga because it's 'taboo.' Others feel that being naked is very spiritual and healing, and the physical shedding of their clothes allows them to emotionally shed negativity and judgments.
Fit's Tips: If Naked Yoga appeals to you, get info about the class ahead of time. While most classes aren't about sex, there are definitely some Naked Yoga classes offered that may be on the touchy feely side. So if you're looking to have a spiritual experience and definitely not a sensual one, it's best to find out before you show up.
If you're interested in finding a studio that offers Naked Yoga classes read more.
These studios offer classes that are either all male, or all female, or co ed.
By FitSugar
THE LATEST NAKED YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
The O recently published an article on how yoga was being kept out of schools on religious grounds. Denying yoga in public education is a misguided cultural isolationism that threatens to rob humanity of a rightful inheritance. The richness of human experience across history exceeds all attempts at academic description. We can't capture culture in a bottle, it must be experienced. Modernity doesn't make what we've already learned any less important. Our bodies, our nervous systems, the way we sense things and attach meaning to them, who we are in relationship to one another and to our environment, are all a product of our ancestral heritage. We owe it to our future family to preserve in reality the cultural gems of history.
The offended school patrons say yoga is Hinduism, but this is not clear from history. Yoga's earliest preserved writings seem to draw on the Vedas, a large body of writings from ancient India, but in an oral tradition all good things were likely taught as one. The practice of yoga may be found in many parts of the world today, separate and distinct from the practice of Hinduism or any other orthodox religion. Yoga is a process for achieving deeper levels of self consciousness, with the body itself as the vehicle for learning. It is a practice leading to deeper innate human potentials, not a belief system that arises from prophetic source.
Nor, do the offended patrons doubt the beneficial effects of yoga on students, on the contrary, yoga's value is highly respected. It is solely because of an alleged historical connection with a religious system that these benefits are prohibited. All streams eventually reach the ocean; good things benefit us all.
Of what value is an act, justified on religious grounds, that separates what is good for humanity from people? It would be better to have no religion than to be divided by religion. There is more 'church' in the decision to ban yoga from schools than there is 'church' in yoga. Such a narrow perspective is self defeating.
The world has become a small place. Now with internet capacity, we are shrinking even more. We are nearing a time when we will see what the Golden Rule really means, that all of humanity is a single organism on earth. As one organism, we really are doing unto ourselves all the time. Civilization advances, and we would be wise to understand religious allegory as descriptive of those advancements, not restrictions to it's reality.
By Michael Sears
THE LATEST YOGA EDUCATION NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
The offended school patrons say yoga is Hinduism, but this is not clear from history. Yoga's earliest preserved writings seem to draw on the Vedas, a large body of writings from ancient India, but in an oral tradition all good things were likely taught as one. The practice of yoga may be found in many parts of the world today, separate and distinct from the practice of Hinduism or any other orthodox religion. Yoga is a process for achieving deeper levels of self consciousness, with the body itself as the vehicle for learning. It is a practice leading to deeper innate human potentials, not a belief system that arises from prophetic source.
Nor, do the offended patrons doubt the beneficial effects of yoga on students, on the contrary, yoga's value is highly respected. It is solely because of an alleged historical connection with a religious system that these benefits are prohibited. All streams eventually reach the ocean; good things benefit us all.
Of what value is an act, justified on religious grounds, that separates what is good for humanity from people? It would be better to have no religion than to be divided by religion. There is more 'church' in the decision to ban yoga from schools than there is 'church' in yoga. Such a narrow perspective is self defeating.
The world has become a small place. Now with internet capacity, we are shrinking even more. We are nearing a time when we will see what the Golden Rule really means, that all of humanity is a single organism on earth. As one organism, we really are doing unto ourselves all the time. Civilization advances, and we would be wise to understand religious allegory as descriptive of those advancements, not restrictions to it's reality.
By Michael Sears
THE LATEST YOGA EDUCATION NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
NEW YOGA STUDIO OPENS
The Academy of Massage Therapy and Bodyworks has announced the opening of a yoga studio, High Street Yoga & Wellness, on the upper level of its 141 E. High St. location. High Street Yoga & Wellness, instructed by Barbara Kosciewicz, is currently enrolling students for yoga classes Monday through Thursday, 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. and Tuesday evenings, 7 to 8:15. Additional classes may be offered in the future. For more information or to enroll, call 484 366 5120.
By www.pottstownmercury.com
THE LATEST YOGA STUDIO NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
By www.pottstownmercury.com
THE LATEST YOGA STUDIO NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
CUSTOMISED YOGA MATS
Yogamatic.com, in conjunction with Global Green, is offering you a double eco yoga whammy. You can order a fabulous individualized eco yoga mat with a customized design and 5% of the sales go to Global Green. Could it get any better than this? Well, yes it can.
You can order your yoga mat with a custom design or you can choose from the Yogamatic gallery of artists. The company writes that '...we believe that one's 12 square feet of floor space for their yoga, pilates, strength training, or stretching routine should truly reflect one's individual spirit and interests'. William Cawley, owner of Yogamatic, explains that the custom yoga mat came to fruition when 'we noticed a lack of creativity, individuality or personalization in the yoga mat market'.
The Yogamatic mat is a good green choice as they are made from 100% TPE, providing a completely degradable mat that can be disposed of without harm to the environment. The inks used in the customizing process are water based, solvent free, odour free and result in a non toxic finish. The company also offers a free take back service to encourage responsible disposal/recycling. A percentage of the sales go to Global Green, the American arm of Green Cross International (GCI), created by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future by reconnecting humanity with the environment.
Traditional yoga mats containing PVCs and phthalates have recently come under scrutiny due to health concerns. Greenpeace reports that 'PVC can be replaced by a variety of other, less environmentally damaging plastics. However, most plastics pose some risk to the environment and contribute to the global waste crisis. Alternatives are available on the market for the vast majority of all PVC uses'. Numerous more ecologically friendly options exist for yoga mats than traditionally used PVC, eco yogis can choose from jute, natural rubber, cloth, dried grasses, thick cotton and biodegradable options. Green yogis have also advocated for going au natural and using a thick cotton mat or rug.
By GreenMuze Staff
THE LATEST YOGA MAT NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
You can order your yoga mat with a custom design or you can choose from the Yogamatic gallery of artists. The company writes that '...we believe that one's 12 square feet of floor space for their yoga, pilates, strength training, or stretching routine should truly reflect one's individual spirit and interests'. William Cawley, owner of Yogamatic, explains that the custom yoga mat came to fruition when 'we noticed a lack of creativity, individuality or personalization in the yoga mat market'.
The Yogamatic mat is a good green choice as they are made from 100% TPE, providing a completely degradable mat that can be disposed of without harm to the environment. The inks used in the customizing process are water based, solvent free, odour free and result in a non toxic finish. The company also offers a free take back service to encourage responsible disposal/recycling. A percentage of the sales go to Global Green, the American arm of Green Cross International (GCI), created by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future by reconnecting humanity with the environment.
Traditional yoga mats containing PVCs and phthalates have recently come under scrutiny due to health concerns. Greenpeace reports that 'PVC can be replaced by a variety of other, less environmentally damaging plastics. However, most plastics pose some risk to the environment and contribute to the global waste crisis. Alternatives are available on the market for the vast majority of all PVC uses'. Numerous more ecologically friendly options exist for yoga mats than traditionally used PVC, eco yogis can choose from jute, natural rubber, cloth, dried grasses, thick cotton and biodegradable options. Green yogis have also advocated for going au natural and using a thick cotton mat or rug.
By GreenMuze Staff
THE LATEST YOGA MAT NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
YOGA FOR BALANCE AND HEALTH
Engineers used to work in Room 206. They spent their days hunched over desks, designing under bright fluorescent lights.
The desks are gone, replaced by yoga mats. Candles and covered lamps provide the lighting for a dozen women who work quietly through a series of stretches and poses.
'Breathe into it,' said yoga instructor Jill Murphey. 'Let's take the right leg and bring it around the left calf, so we go into a sort of squat.'
Room 206 is now the Barefoot Buddha Yoga Studio, one of about two dozen places in Erie County where you can learn the Downward Dog and Salutations to the Sun. The studio is located inside the Onex Building in the middle of a Millcreek Township industrial park.
Yoga certainly isn't new. It originated in northern India more than 5,000 years ago and has been taught locally for decades. But local instructors say the ancient physical and mental exercise has never been so popular.
'I've been noticing a steady increase in my classes,' said Michael Plasha, owner and instructor of Plasha Yoga at Discovery Square, 10 E. Fifth St. 'We have more than 30 yoga instructors in the Erie area, and the demand is there.'
Local hospitals are offering yoga as part of their wellness services.
Hamot Medical Center offers 10 different yoga classes at the Hamot Wellness Center and Hamot Health Connection, said Terry Seth, a Hamot yoga instructor.
'We have waiting lists for the evening classes, and the daytime classes are full, too,' Seth said.
Why is yoga so popular? John Lehrian, an Erie oral surgeon, said it helps relieve his lower back pain and keeps his abdominal muscles strong.
'A bad back goes with my job,' said Lehrian, 61, who practices yoga at home and at Hamot Health Connection. 'I saw a doctor at University Hospital in Cleveland who recommended increasing the core strength of my body. Yoga allows me to do that with no impact on my joints.'
Doctors, chiropractors and mental health professionals refer patients to yoga instructors for various reasons, said Barefoot Buddha owner and yoga instructor Karen Ducato.
Yoga's fluid moves help increase muscular strength and flexibility, and it helps decrease anxiety, Ducato said.
'The number one reason people come is for stress relief,' Ducato said. 'Most of our clients are Type A people, which surprised me. They tell me that they take yoga because they have difficulty slowing down.'
Kelly Zimmerman spent 90 minutes slowing down during a yoga class at Barefoot Buddha on Friday. It was her third yoga class.
Zimmerman, 31, has tried other exercise classes but wanted something that was going to stimulate her mind and body.
'It's a total package. It helps you connect with your mind, body and spirit,' Zimmerman said. 'It gives me a renewed spirit.'
Zimmerman can be considered the typical yoga student. Most are women between the ages of 30 and 70, Plasha said.
But Plasha and other instructors are seeing more men in their classes, and more younger people.
'I have seen an increase in men (attending yoga classes) from about 2 percent a decade ago to about 20 percent now,' Plasha said.
Members of a local high school football team used to attend one of Ducato's class. They soon discovered that yoga can be a tougher workout than they thought, Ducato said.
'We were doing these special push ups, where you keep your hands close to your body and really work the tricep muscles,' Ducato said. Football players couldn't do the moves 60 year old women could, she added.
Different people desire different things from yoga, Plasha said. Some simply want to relieve back pain and increase their flexibility.
'And that's fine. I offer classes for that,' Plasha said. 'But others have a longing to connect more deeply with their spiritual self, and a longing to reduce stress. We offer classes for that, too.'
Someone who is interested in trying yoga should ask themselves one question before attempting their first pose.
'Why do they want to take yoga?' Plasha said. 'It's the yoga teacher's job to match them up with the best style of yoga, and the best teacher of that style.'
Zimmerman said she can tell the difference in her body after just three yoga classes.
'I think I'm progressing with my flexibility, and I notice that I will now take a minute out of my day and try to get focused and grounded,' Zimmerman said.
DAVID BRUCE
THE LATEST YOGA HEALTH NEWS, BY IT IS YOGA
The desks are gone, replaced by yoga mats. Candles and covered lamps provide the lighting for a dozen women who work quietly through a series of stretches and poses.
'Breathe into it,' said yoga instructor Jill Murphey. 'Let's take the right leg and bring it around the left calf, so we go into a sort of squat.'
Room 206 is now the Barefoot Buddha Yoga Studio, one of about two dozen places in Erie County where you can learn the Downward Dog and Salutations to the Sun. The studio is located inside the Onex Building in the middle of a Millcreek Township industrial park.
Yoga certainly isn't new. It originated in northern India more than 5,000 years ago and has been taught locally for decades. But local instructors say the ancient physical and mental exercise has never been so popular.
'I've been noticing a steady increase in my classes,' said Michael Plasha, owner and instructor of Plasha Yoga at Discovery Square, 10 E. Fifth St. 'We have more than 30 yoga instructors in the Erie area, and the demand is there.'
Local hospitals are offering yoga as part of their wellness services.
Hamot Medical Center offers 10 different yoga classes at the Hamot Wellness Center and Hamot Health Connection, said Terry Seth, a Hamot yoga instructor.
'We have waiting lists for the evening classes, and the daytime classes are full, too,' Seth said.
Why is yoga so popular? John Lehrian, an Erie oral surgeon, said it helps relieve his lower back pain and keeps his abdominal muscles strong.
'A bad back goes with my job,' said Lehrian, 61, who practices yoga at home and at Hamot Health Connection. 'I saw a doctor at University Hospital in Cleveland who recommended increasing the core strength of my body. Yoga allows me to do that with no impact on my joints.'
Doctors, chiropractors and mental health professionals refer patients to yoga instructors for various reasons, said Barefoot Buddha owner and yoga instructor Karen Ducato.
Yoga's fluid moves help increase muscular strength and flexibility, and it helps decrease anxiety, Ducato said.
'The number one reason people come is for stress relief,' Ducato said. 'Most of our clients are Type A people, which surprised me. They tell me that they take yoga because they have difficulty slowing down.'
Kelly Zimmerman spent 90 minutes slowing down during a yoga class at Barefoot Buddha on Friday. It was her third yoga class.
Zimmerman, 31, has tried other exercise classes but wanted something that was going to stimulate her mind and body.
'It's a total package. It helps you connect with your mind, body and spirit,' Zimmerman said. 'It gives me a renewed spirit.'
Zimmerman can be considered the typical yoga student. Most are women between the ages of 30 and 70, Plasha said.
But Plasha and other instructors are seeing more men in their classes, and more younger people.
'I have seen an increase in men (attending yoga classes) from about 2 percent a decade ago to about 20 percent now,' Plasha said.
Members of a local high school football team used to attend one of Ducato's class. They soon discovered that yoga can be a tougher workout than they thought, Ducato said.
'We were doing these special push ups, where you keep your hands close to your body and really work the tricep muscles,' Ducato said. Football players couldn't do the moves 60 year old women could, she added.
Different people desire different things from yoga, Plasha said. Some simply want to relieve back pain and increase their flexibility.
'And that's fine. I offer classes for that,' Plasha said. 'But others have a longing to connect more deeply with their spiritual self, and a longing to reduce stress. We offer classes for that, too.'
Someone who is interested in trying yoga should ask themselves one question before attempting their first pose.
'Why do they want to take yoga?' Plasha said. 'It's the yoga teacher's job to match them up with the best style of yoga, and the best teacher of that style.'
Zimmerman said she can tell the difference in her body after just three yoga classes.
'I think I'm progressing with my flexibility, and I notice that I will now take a minute out of my day and try to get focused and grounded,' Zimmerman said.
DAVID BRUCE
THE LATEST YOGA HEALTH NEWS, BY IT IS YOGA
AFTER SCHOOL YOGA
It's 3:30 on a Wednesday at the St. Vincent Home for Children, and the students in Tarraugh Flaherty's yoga class are weary and restless from a full day of school and a long bus ride back to the residential treatment center.
For these kids, there will be no TV, no after school snacks, no rest.
It's yoga time.
About a dozen students trickle into a small, run down gymnasium with teal colored walls. It now serves as a yoga studio with the addition of mats, blankets, a boom box and a 'Yoga Room' sign scribbled above the door.
Flaherty, a veteran instructor who has taught at St. Vincent for nearly a year, is more accustomed to state of the art studios and students who are doctors, lawyers and corporate executives, students who arrive in class on time.
But at St. Vincent, the teens slowly trickle in after the 3:30 start time. Some complain, some ask questions, some chat about their day at school. Flaherty patiently instructs them to grab a mat, quiet their voices and sit down.
Nationwide, educators and social workers like Deb Russell, St. Vincent's residential treatment coordinator, have been experimenting with yoga classes for at risk youths. They cite the relaxation and concentration skills required of the mind-body practice as especially beneficial for kids like those at St. Vincent, kids who often have difficulty focusing, struggle with low self confidence and sometimes come from homes that include violence.
'Come on in,' she tells the stragglers as she cranes her body forward to demonstrate the downward facing dog pose.
Most of the preteens and teens at St. Vincent come from poor families. Some come from abusive homes and some have incarcerated or deceased parents and are awaiting foster home placements, says Russell. Some have psychiatric diagnoses; others have behavioral problems that parents simply can't handle on their own.
The idea of teaching yoga to at risk youths is catching on in the St. Louis area. In 2005, Meg Krejci started Masterpiece Studios in Kirkwood to provide lessons in yoga, mindfulness and art for children, with several programs geared toward at-risk youths. The St. Louis Ki Aikido Society runs a program that provides regular classes for troubled youths in both Japanese yoga and martial arts, funded with a federal grant and membership fees.
Yoga, an ancient practice that once held an image as a hippie health craze, has been mainstreamed and is increasingly popular.
Yoga teaches the youths concentration and relaxation and serves as a physical activity. And for teens whose lives have known circumstances beyond their years, yoga also can provide a glimpse into a better world.
'These kids have had plenty of experiences that narrow their focus,' Russell says. 'We want to broaden it. Yoga takes them into a more relaxing physical setting and often into neighborhoods that allow them to see possibilities outside their own communities.'
Krejci built her Kirkwood studio so she could bring kids and teens into a more peaceful environment.
But can yoga's teachings really quiet the minds of children who live in loud worlds once they leave the studio?
'The mentors tell me these kids are sitting still more, they talk about practicing volcano breath (a yoga breathing technique) before tests,' Krejci says.
Back at St. Vincent, yoga time is winding down. Many of Flaherty's students have been attending her class for weeks, and they know the poses, and the lingo.
'Can we do the pigeon pose?' a student asks.
'Oo, the crow pose, that's hard,' another says.
All of the students seem eager to get to the yoga ritual at the end of the class.
'Is it time for savasana yet?' they ask Flaherty.
There are no more questions, no more complaints: Savasana is sanskrit for total relaxation.
By Amanda Palleschi
THE LATEST AFTER SCHOOL YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
For these kids, there will be no TV, no after school snacks, no rest.
It's yoga time.
About a dozen students trickle into a small, run down gymnasium with teal colored walls. It now serves as a yoga studio with the addition of mats, blankets, a boom box and a 'Yoga Room' sign scribbled above the door.
Flaherty, a veteran instructor who has taught at St. Vincent for nearly a year, is more accustomed to state of the art studios and students who are doctors, lawyers and corporate executives, students who arrive in class on time.
But at St. Vincent, the teens slowly trickle in after the 3:30 start time. Some complain, some ask questions, some chat about their day at school. Flaherty patiently instructs them to grab a mat, quiet their voices and sit down.
Nationwide, educators and social workers like Deb Russell, St. Vincent's residential treatment coordinator, have been experimenting with yoga classes for at risk youths. They cite the relaxation and concentration skills required of the mind-body practice as especially beneficial for kids like those at St. Vincent, kids who often have difficulty focusing, struggle with low self confidence and sometimes come from homes that include violence.
'Come on in,' she tells the stragglers as she cranes her body forward to demonstrate the downward facing dog pose.
Most of the preteens and teens at St. Vincent come from poor families. Some come from abusive homes and some have incarcerated or deceased parents and are awaiting foster home placements, says Russell. Some have psychiatric diagnoses; others have behavioral problems that parents simply can't handle on their own.
The idea of teaching yoga to at risk youths is catching on in the St. Louis area. In 2005, Meg Krejci started Masterpiece Studios in Kirkwood to provide lessons in yoga, mindfulness and art for children, with several programs geared toward at-risk youths. The St. Louis Ki Aikido Society runs a program that provides regular classes for troubled youths in both Japanese yoga and martial arts, funded with a federal grant and membership fees.
Yoga, an ancient practice that once held an image as a hippie health craze, has been mainstreamed and is increasingly popular.
Yoga teaches the youths concentration and relaxation and serves as a physical activity. And for teens whose lives have known circumstances beyond their years, yoga also can provide a glimpse into a better world.
'These kids have had plenty of experiences that narrow their focus,' Russell says. 'We want to broaden it. Yoga takes them into a more relaxing physical setting and often into neighborhoods that allow them to see possibilities outside their own communities.'
Krejci built her Kirkwood studio so she could bring kids and teens into a more peaceful environment.
But can yoga's teachings really quiet the minds of children who live in loud worlds once they leave the studio?
'The mentors tell me these kids are sitting still more, they talk about practicing volcano breath (a yoga breathing technique) before tests,' Krejci says.
Back at St. Vincent, yoga time is winding down. Many of Flaherty's students have been attending her class for weeks, and they know the poses, and the lingo.
'Can we do the pigeon pose?' a student asks.
'Oo, the crow pose, that's hard,' another says.
All of the students seem eager to get to the yoga ritual at the end of the class.
'Is it time for savasana yet?' they ask Flaherty.
There are no more questions, no more complaints: Savasana is sanskrit for total relaxation.
By Amanda Palleschi
THE LATEST AFTER SCHOOL YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA
Where there's smoke, there's fire. And where there are millions of people whose lives have been transformed, or at the very least, improved by the practice of yoga, then you know that something good is going on.
Like many people, I went to yoga in search of something quite simple at the onset, a better body and relief from stress. What I found was much, much more than just a workout.
When I started practicing, trying different styles of yoga, in 2001, I was 20 lbs heavier, had bad dysmenorrhea, suffered regularly from migraines and was on my second round of prescribed anti depressants.
Since then, I have gained a better, stronger body, barely notice my period, get migraines very rarely, and most importantly, have kicked the depression altogether. When I was diagnosed with adult onset asthma a couple of years ago, I turned to more specific poses to open my lungs instead of relying on steroids.
I'm certainly not Superwoman; I do get my aches and pains, low days and stressed out moments, despite having found Iyengar yoga and practicing it diligently.
But along with the better health, I've found an outlet for my energy, something I really believe in, greater self acceptance, and a passion that began by stretching my hamstrings, but eventually stretched open my mind and heart in ways that I never thought possible.
Throw in some kindred spirits who have provided great friendship on this quest, the privilege to share what I've learned with others just starting on their own adventures, and the chance to study at the feet of one of yoga's greatest living teachers, and it has indeed been a remarkable journey.
My experience isn't extraordinary, however. Many people have found solutions in yoga for everything from back pains and sciatica to anxiety and low self esteem, and they've all found it on the same path.
Few practitioners I know talk about yoga as just a physical preoccupation. I believe yoga pushes the critical mind body connection more than many 'workouts.'
The mind resides in the body, after all, and the asana or postures simply cannot be done automatically or with only partial attention. Your mind has to be there completely in your practice.
At the beginning of classes, I like to tell our students to breathe in the 'now,' and to leave everything before the class and after the class outside the room. One of yoga's greatest gifts is, indeed, teaching us to stay in and be fully aware of the present moment, which is all we really have for sure.
Benefits
There's a caveat here. Bad instruction and irresponsible teachers could lead you to injury, as a 2007 Time magazine article pointed out, based on what was happening in the United States because of 'express' teacher training and certification systems.
With due diligence, an open mind and a good teacher, however, here's a list of benefits you can derive from yoga practice.
Increased flexibility, It is no exaggeration to say that the yoga asana can work every single part of your body, and, as many new students learn, even some muscles they didn't know existed!
By engaging muscles and joints that are hardly or rarely used-like the hamstring muscles at the backs of your legs, which spend days and weeks contracted because of sitting at a computer or driving in traffic your range of movement is increased dramatically. It's as simple and gratifying as finally being able to touch your toes.
Greater strength and endurance, And I don't mean the strength that means bulky muscles and grabbing 300 lbs until your veins pop out. If you think yoga is mainly about sitting down and humming, then you haven't seen Ashtanga yogis flying through an intense Suryanamaskar or Sun Salutation, or advanced students throwing themselves up into handstands and headstands with great energy and great tranquility at the same time.
It's about being able to lift your own body weight; imaging the strength you are developing when you balance on your two arms, upside down. And because yoga develops muscles close to the bone instead of away from it, you actually create solid support for your skeletal system.
Detoxification Devotees of Bikram yoga will swear by the bad stuff that drips out of their bodies during their heated classes. Simply put, you sweat, your blood circulates better, and even internal organs get massaged and stimulated by inversions, twists and intense stretches.
Some poses are certain to relieve you of gas pain or constipation, or even provide catharsis and release for pent up emotions, trust me, I've bawled my head off in class quite a few times when I began doing Iyengar yoga in earnest.
Patience and humility, It's really not as simple as finally getting to stand on your head. The question is, are you doing it right and do you feel good doing it?
Because we all have different bodies, there are asana which are friends to some of us and anathema to others. In our own group, I can stretch open my hips in poses that are excruciating to others, while they can twist and bind themselves in ways that can make me cry because of my stiff waist. But these twists are my great teachers, because they make me work hard and remind me of my limitations, easy to forget when you let your ego get the better of you.
Then again, an asana is never something you cross out of your to do list. A pose is a beautiful, organic thing, created by wise sages and teachers for different purposes, and you never completely 'know' it; you may be stable as a rock today, and terribly wobbly when you stand on one leg tomorrow.
You learn to work hard, persevere, and forgive yourself and let it go if the moment's perfection eludes you today.
Finally, peace, Hard to quantify, but easy to see. People are always talking about the glow in people's faces after a good class.
I like to think it comes from working the body but easing the brain; imagine the vacation your troubled mind gets from letting go of worries and problems, and focusing only on the straightforward reality of your big toe or your spine, even for just a couple of hours.
The phrase 'meditation in motion' came from yoga, and even now you can stay for minutes in an asana that stretches your muscles and joints like mad-but which can remarkably quiet your mind even as your body is tingling with awareness.
There are specific poses for the most specialized problems forward bends to release the nerves in your sacrum that cause sciatic pain, hanging inversions that lengthen the spine and help relieve scoliosis, and supine poses that create space in the pelvis and relieve menstrual cramps.
All of them, however, are there to 'relieve' you on the inside, as well. And if yoga does, indeed, mean 'union,' as it does in Sanskrit, then this harmony between your mind and body can only make you a better person.
By Alya Honasan
THE LATEST YOGA POTENTIAL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Like many people, I went to yoga in search of something quite simple at the onset, a better body and relief from stress. What I found was much, much more than just a workout.
When I started practicing, trying different styles of yoga, in 2001, I was 20 lbs heavier, had bad dysmenorrhea, suffered regularly from migraines and was on my second round of prescribed anti depressants.
Since then, I have gained a better, stronger body, barely notice my period, get migraines very rarely, and most importantly, have kicked the depression altogether. When I was diagnosed with adult onset asthma a couple of years ago, I turned to more specific poses to open my lungs instead of relying on steroids.
I'm certainly not Superwoman; I do get my aches and pains, low days and stressed out moments, despite having found Iyengar yoga and practicing it diligently.
But along with the better health, I've found an outlet for my energy, something I really believe in, greater self acceptance, and a passion that began by stretching my hamstrings, but eventually stretched open my mind and heart in ways that I never thought possible.
Throw in some kindred spirits who have provided great friendship on this quest, the privilege to share what I've learned with others just starting on their own adventures, and the chance to study at the feet of one of yoga's greatest living teachers, and it has indeed been a remarkable journey.
My experience isn't extraordinary, however. Many people have found solutions in yoga for everything from back pains and sciatica to anxiety and low self esteem, and they've all found it on the same path.
Few practitioners I know talk about yoga as just a physical preoccupation. I believe yoga pushes the critical mind body connection more than many 'workouts.'
The mind resides in the body, after all, and the asana or postures simply cannot be done automatically or with only partial attention. Your mind has to be there completely in your practice.
At the beginning of classes, I like to tell our students to breathe in the 'now,' and to leave everything before the class and after the class outside the room. One of yoga's greatest gifts is, indeed, teaching us to stay in and be fully aware of the present moment, which is all we really have for sure.
Benefits
There's a caveat here. Bad instruction and irresponsible teachers could lead you to injury, as a 2007 Time magazine article pointed out, based on what was happening in the United States because of 'express' teacher training and certification systems.
With due diligence, an open mind and a good teacher, however, here's a list of benefits you can derive from yoga practice.
Increased flexibility, It is no exaggeration to say that the yoga asana can work every single part of your body, and, as many new students learn, even some muscles they didn't know existed!
By engaging muscles and joints that are hardly or rarely used-like the hamstring muscles at the backs of your legs, which spend days and weeks contracted because of sitting at a computer or driving in traffic your range of movement is increased dramatically. It's as simple and gratifying as finally being able to touch your toes.
Greater strength and endurance, And I don't mean the strength that means bulky muscles and grabbing 300 lbs until your veins pop out. If you think yoga is mainly about sitting down and humming, then you haven't seen Ashtanga yogis flying through an intense Suryanamaskar or Sun Salutation, or advanced students throwing themselves up into handstands and headstands with great energy and great tranquility at the same time.
It's about being able to lift your own body weight; imaging the strength you are developing when you balance on your two arms, upside down. And because yoga develops muscles close to the bone instead of away from it, you actually create solid support for your skeletal system.
Detoxification Devotees of Bikram yoga will swear by the bad stuff that drips out of their bodies during their heated classes. Simply put, you sweat, your blood circulates better, and even internal organs get massaged and stimulated by inversions, twists and intense stretches.
Some poses are certain to relieve you of gas pain or constipation, or even provide catharsis and release for pent up emotions, trust me, I've bawled my head off in class quite a few times when I began doing Iyengar yoga in earnest.
Patience and humility, It's really not as simple as finally getting to stand on your head. The question is, are you doing it right and do you feel good doing it?
Because we all have different bodies, there are asana which are friends to some of us and anathema to others. In our own group, I can stretch open my hips in poses that are excruciating to others, while they can twist and bind themselves in ways that can make me cry because of my stiff waist. But these twists are my great teachers, because they make me work hard and remind me of my limitations, easy to forget when you let your ego get the better of you.
Then again, an asana is never something you cross out of your to do list. A pose is a beautiful, organic thing, created by wise sages and teachers for different purposes, and you never completely 'know' it; you may be stable as a rock today, and terribly wobbly when you stand on one leg tomorrow.
You learn to work hard, persevere, and forgive yourself and let it go if the moment's perfection eludes you today.
Finally, peace, Hard to quantify, but easy to see. People are always talking about the glow in people's faces after a good class.
I like to think it comes from working the body but easing the brain; imagine the vacation your troubled mind gets from letting go of worries and problems, and focusing only on the straightforward reality of your big toe or your spine, even for just a couple of hours.
The phrase 'meditation in motion' came from yoga, and even now you can stay for minutes in an asana that stretches your muscles and joints like mad-but which can remarkably quiet your mind even as your body is tingling with awareness.
There are specific poses for the most specialized problems forward bends to release the nerves in your sacrum that cause sciatic pain, hanging inversions that lengthen the spine and help relieve scoliosis, and supine poses that create space in the pelvis and relieve menstrual cramps.
All of them, however, are there to 'relieve' you on the inside, as well. And if yoga does, indeed, mean 'union,' as it does in Sanskrit, then this harmony between your mind and body can only make you a better person.
By Alya Honasan
THE LATEST YOGA POTENTIAL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Monday, 6 October 2008
ONLINE YOGA CLASSES
Yoga classes seem to be popping up everywhere, even on the Internet. While it's certainly more convenient to learn online, you could be setting yourself up for injury.
Sherri Holman is a convert to yoga.
'Practicing yoga allows me to relieve myself of the worldly stress and to just spiritually connect,' said Holman.
Holman heads to the studio weekly, but now, she also logs on to a virtual yoga class.
Yoga Alliance
'It's convenient because I can actually tune into a specific yoga class at any given time,' she said.
You'll find yoga everywhere, from YouTube to exercise Web sites. Some videos are posted by apparent 'do it yourselfers,' others by experienced yogis.
But now, doctors and yoga experts say injuries are on the rise.
'I would say some of the most common injuries that we're seeing secondary to yoga include wrist injuries, shoulder injuries and also low back injuries,' said Dr. Bill Stetson with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Stetson says there are some excellent beginner videos, but he's alarmed by ones that demonstrate advanced moves like headstands.
'If you try to do this at home, alone, you could really suffer a very, very severe sprain of your neck,' said Stetson.
Doctors and yoga experts say injuries are on the rise.
Trying a back bend at home could result in strained muscle, or worse, a herniated disk.
Terri Kennedy is chair of the board of the Yoga Alliance, which sets voluntary standards for the industry. She also posts her own videos online, but warns unless you're advanced, never try the more difficult positions unsupervised.
'So if you're doing something slightly off, the teacher can adjust you. And your alignment that might be off just a bit if you're watching an online video can cause an injury,' said Kennedy.
If you have a pre existing injury, it's best to steer clear of on line yoga.
By JEAN ENERSEN
THE LATEST ONLINE YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Sherri Holman is a convert to yoga.
'Practicing yoga allows me to relieve myself of the worldly stress and to just spiritually connect,' said Holman.
Holman heads to the studio weekly, but now, she also logs on to a virtual yoga class.
Yoga Alliance
'It's convenient because I can actually tune into a specific yoga class at any given time,' she said.
You'll find yoga everywhere, from YouTube to exercise Web sites. Some videos are posted by apparent 'do it yourselfers,' others by experienced yogis.
But now, doctors and yoga experts say injuries are on the rise.
'I would say some of the most common injuries that we're seeing secondary to yoga include wrist injuries, shoulder injuries and also low back injuries,' said Dr. Bill Stetson with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Stetson says there are some excellent beginner videos, but he's alarmed by ones that demonstrate advanced moves like headstands.
'If you try to do this at home, alone, you could really suffer a very, very severe sprain of your neck,' said Stetson.
Doctors and yoga experts say injuries are on the rise.
Trying a back bend at home could result in strained muscle, or worse, a herniated disk.
Terri Kennedy is chair of the board of the Yoga Alliance, which sets voluntary standards for the industry. She also posts her own videos online, but warns unless you're advanced, never try the more difficult positions unsupervised.
'So if you're doing something slightly off, the teacher can adjust you. And your alignment that might be off just a bit if you're watching an online video can cause an injury,' said Kennedy.
If you have a pre existing injury, it's best to steer clear of on line yoga.
By JEAN ENERSEN
THE LATEST ONLINE YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA IN LINCOLN
Yoga with a difference will be coming to Lincoln, with a masterclass from a world renowned expert.
David Sye (47), who is the son of entertainer Frankie Vaughan, will visit the city for the first time next week.
Mr Sye originally developed the exercise technique, called Yogabeats, while teaching yoga to soldiers during the Bosnian war, he used James Brown songs to drown out the bombing.
Rather than using traditional postures, Yogabeats uses small movements of the body so blood flow is not disrupted.
'Micro moves originated when I saw how children were unable to hold fixed static postures which are traditionally used in yoga,' said Mr Sye.
'I then began to use these shifting movements in my yoga practice and was amazed with the results.'
Mr Sye, who has demonstrated his technique on MTV and the Paul O'Grady Show, has previously taught yoga to prisoners, disadvantaged children and pregnant women.
The Lincoln event will be held on Friday, October 10 at the David Lloyd Health Club in Saxilby Road, Burton Waters.
General manager, Rob Fergusson, said: 'I am delighted that David has included Lincoln in his busy schedule, which has recently taken him to LA, Vienna, Israel and Finland.'
The event, which will run from 6.30pm until 9pm, is £5 for health club members and £10 for non members.
To book a place contact Louise Housley 07976 434 068.
By www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk
THE LATEST YOGA IN LINCOLN NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
David Sye (47), who is the son of entertainer Frankie Vaughan, will visit the city for the first time next week.
Mr Sye originally developed the exercise technique, called Yogabeats, while teaching yoga to soldiers during the Bosnian war, he used James Brown songs to drown out the bombing.
Rather than using traditional postures, Yogabeats uses small movements of the body so blood flow is not disrupted.
'Micro moves originated when I saw how children were unable to hold fixed static postures which are traditionally used in yoga,' said Mr Sye.
'I then began to use these shifting movements in my yoga practice and was amazed with the results.'
Mr Sye, who has demonstrated his technique on MTV and the Paul O'Grady Show, has previously taught yoga to prisoners, disadvantaged children and pregnant women.
The Lincoln event will be held on Friday, October 10 at the David Lloyd Health Club in Saxilby Road, Burton Waters.
General manager, Rob Fergusson, said: 'I am delighted that David has included Lincoln in his busy schedule, which has recently taken him to LA, Vienna, Israel and Finland.'
The event, which will run from 6.30pm until 9pm, is £5 for health club members and £10 for non members.
To book a place contact Louise Housley 07976 434 068.
By www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk
THE LATEST YOGA IN LINCOLN NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
NEW YORK YOGA
Plans to introduce a yoga programme in a New York district have been stalled after parents objected to it alleging that their children were being indoctrinated in Hindu rites.
The yoga programme aimed at relieving stress at Massena Central High School was temporarily suspended by the Board of Education pending further investigation into complaints by some parents.
Board President Julie L Reagan, however, defended holding yoga classes for students, insisting it is 'not a hidden religious programme.' 'It's a propaganda affront,' she said. 'In my opinion, it's Christian fundamentalism and nothing more than this.' The Board of Education has no intention of ending the programme, she said, 'I am truly committed to seeing that the programme continues.' Nearly 100 schools in 26 states have yoga classes, according to Reagan.
A few vocal parents raised concerns about the separation of church and state at a meeting the previous week, saying that the district could not expose their children to Hindu rituals, the Watertown Daily Times reported on its website.
'Yoga, even in its most basic form, is tied into Hinduism,' said Rev. Colin J. Lucid, of Calvary Baptist Church in Massena, also one of the dissenting parents.
'My concern is separation of church and state. I am not against Hinduism.' 'We will respect and take these concerns seriously, but we have not caved,' Reagan said. PTI
By www.ptinews.com
THE LATEST YOGA IN SCHOOL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
The yoga programme aimed at relieving stress at Massena Central High School was temporarily suspended by the Board of Education pending further investigation into complaints by some parents.
Board President Julie L Reagan, however, defended holding yoga classes for students, insisting it is 'not a hidden religious programme.' 'It's a propaganda affront,' she said. 'In my opinion, it's Christian fundamentalism and nothing more than this.' The Board of Education has no intention of ending the programme, she said, 'I am truly committed to seeing that the programme continues.' Nearly 100 schools in 26 states have yoga classes, according to Reagan.
A few vocal parents raised concerns about the separation of church and state at a meeting the previous week, saying that the district could not expose their children to Hindu rituals, the Watertown Daily Times reported on its website.
'Yoga, even in its most basic form, is tied into Hinduism,' said Rev. Colin J. Lucid, of Calvary Baptist Church in Massena, also one of the dissenting parents.
'My concern is separation of church and state. I am not against Hinduism.' 'We will respect and take these concerns seriously, but we have not caved,' Reagan said. PTI
By www.ptinews.com
THE LATEST YOGA IN SCHOOL NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
YOGA AND MEDITATION
Tree. Mountain. Downward facing dog. Pigeon. Warrior. This string of words may sound absurd to the majority of the student body, but for those who grasp the connected meaning, they offer infinite possibilities for stretching, meditating, muscle strengthening and even personal growth.
Despite, or perhaps due to, the high academic standards to which Smith holds itself, the Get Fit Smith program has rocketed to popularity since its inception. Awesome Abs, taught by Joan Griswold, fills one of the Ainsworth gym's largest studio spaces, causing a line to snake past the ellipticals, treadmills and weight machines each Monday and Wednesday. Other classes, like pilates and cardio kickboxing, consistently receive high turnout and student satisfaction. Ostensibly, the program serves as a way for non athletes to augment their personal fitness routines. To each of the four yoga instructors in the program, the courses not only serve as a side dish to academic study, but also promote an intensely richer experience at Smith.
Lynne Patterson, a long time yoga teacher at the college, sees the opportunity to take yoga courses as a way to 'support everything that every student is already doing.' According to Patterson, who has been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaches Thursday's Hatha yoga class, 'The yoga teaches you what's the best of you, and how to bring that forth. I think that when you're at Smith'S you're looking to find that piece of yourself and bring it out in the fullest expression if [you] can.'
Four different instructors teach the hour long yoga courses, which start at 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Perhaps the largest shock comes in the intense variation of the yoga instructors themselves. On Monday, students who attend Amy Reed's Anusara class will be warmly referred to as 'friends' and will begin their practice with a story each week.
Reed is a recent Smith graduate herself, who turned fully to yoga after majoring in geology. 'Yoga literally saved my life at Smith,' she says, recalling her own journey through for credit yoga courses in the exercise and sports studies department and eventually as a trained instructor downtown.
Rachel Besserman, in her Tuesday Ashtanga Flow class, offers handpicked flowers to her students and touches each student with a tuning fork, set to the vibration of 'ohm.' Besserman has been practicing yoga for her entire life; she even remembers being a child when she, without instruction, 'would do this funny thing with [her] belly, an organ massage for the intestines.' She reflects a true awe for the powers of yoga, calling it "the ultimate revolution."
By Elizabeth Tuttle
THE LATEST YOGA MAT NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Despite, or perhaps due to, the high academic standards to which Smith holds itself, the Get Fit Smith program has rocketed to popularity since its inception. Awesome Abs, taught by Joan Griswold, fills one of the Ainsworth gym's largest studio spaces, causing a line to snake past the ellipticals, treadmills and weight machines each Monday and Wednesday. Other classes, like pilates and cardio kickboxing, consistently receive high turnout and student satisfaction. Ostensibly, the program serves as a way for non athletes to augment their personal fitness routines. To each of the four yoga instructors in the program, the courses not only serve as a side dish to academic study, but also promote an intensely richer experience at Smith.
Lynne Patterson, a long time yoga teacher at the college, sees the opportunity to take yoga courses as a way to 'support everything that every student is already doing.' According to Patterson, who has been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaches Thursday's Hatha yoga class, 'The yoga teaches you what's the best of you, and how to bring that forth. I think that when you're at Smith'S you're looking to find that piece of yourself and bring it out in the fullest expression if [you] can.'
Four different instructors teach the hour long yoga courses, which start at 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Perhaps the largest shock comes in the intense variation of the yoga instructors themselves. On Monday, students who attend Amy Reed's Anusara class will be warmly referred to as 'friends' and will begin their practice with a story each week.
Reed is a recent Smith graduate herself, who turned fully to yoga after majoring in geology. 'Yoga literally saved my life at Smith,' she says, recalling her own journey through for credit yoga courses in the exercise and sports studies department and eventually as a trained instructor downtown.
Rachel Besserman, in her Tuesday Ashtanga Flow class, offers handpicked flowers to her students and touches each student with a tuning fork, set to the vibration of 'ohm.' Besserman has been practicing yoga for her entire life; she even remembers being a child when she, without instruction, 'would do this funny thing with [her] belly, an organ massage for the intestines.' She reflects a true awe for the powers of yoga, calling it "the ultimate revolution."
By Elizabeth Tuttle
THE LATEST YOGA MAT NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
MIND AND BODY YOGA
Utthita Trikonasana
This stage helps to develop a solid foundation in preparation for the final pose.
1. Place your mat against the wall.
2. Tilt the yoga block at a 45 degree angle against the wall, and check that it is stable.
3. Using your right hand on the wall for support, press your right foot into the block. Then step the left foot about 4 to 4 1/2 feet away from the wall. Align the arch of the left foot with the right heel, and turn the left foot slightly in toward the wall.
4. Tighten the knees and straighten the legs. Turn the right inner thigh out so the right knee points up toward the ceiling. Maintaining that, turn the left inner thigh out to point the left knee straight ahead. Tuck in the right buttock and press the left thigh back.
5. Tighten the legs so they support and balance the body. Exhale and extend the trunk to the right and stretch the right arm against the wall. Keep the right arm long and straight while walking the fingers up the wall to lengthen the right side of the trunk. The right hand, head, trunk and legs should be aligned. Do not lean forward or back.
6. Maintain the extension to the right side and take the right hand to the outside of the right shin. Place hand on a block or a chair. Remember to keep the legs tight and the right side of the body aligned.
7. Hold the pose for a few breaths, then exhale and extend the left hand high up the wall and in alignment with the body. Press the fingers of the left hand into the wall to open the chest and trunk.
8. Hold for up to 30 seconds with deep, even breaths. Then inhale, tighten the legs and come out of the pose. Repeat to the other side.
By Ray Madigan & Shelley Choy
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
This stage helps to develop a solid foundation in preparation for the final pose.
1. Place your mat against the wall.
2. Tilt the yoga block at a 45 degree angle against the wall, and check that it is stable.
3. Using your right hand on the wall for support, press your right foot into the block. Then step the left foot about 4 to 4 1/2 feet away from the wall. Align the arch of the left foot with the right heel, and turn the left foot slightly in toward the wall.
4. Tighten the knees and straighten the legs. Turn the right inner thigh out so the right knee points up toward the ceiling. Maintaining that, turn the left inner thigh out to point the left knee straight ahead. Tuck in the right buttock and press the left thigh back.
5. Tighten the legs so they support and balance the body. Exhale and extend the trunk to the right and stretch the right arm against the wall. Keep the right arm long and straight while walking the fingers up the wall to lengthen the right side of the trunk. The right hand, head, trunk and legs should be aligned. Do not lean forward or back.
6. Maintain the extension to the right side and take the right hand to the outside of the right shin. Place hand on a block or a chair. Remember to keep the legs tight and the right side of the body aligned.
7. Hold the pose for a few breaths, then exhale and extend the left hand high up the wall and in alignment with the body. Press the fingers of the left hand into the wall to open the chest and trunk.
8. Hold for up to 30 seconds with deep, even breaths. Then inhale, tighten the legs and come out of the pose. Repeat to the other side.
By Ray Madigan & Shelley Choy
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Friday, 3 October 2008
YOGIC BREATHWORK
Trudy Flaherty joined us from Just Breathe Yoga to show us some yoga breathing techniques.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breath is balancing, helps to open both nostrils, relaxing and calming.
Sit in a comfortable position, using your right hand's thumb and index finger. Bring your thumb to the right side of your nose and index finger to the left side. Close off your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale through your left nostril. Close off your left nostril with your index finger. Open and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril. Close off your right nostril with your thumb. Open and exhale through your left nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. Continue alternating 5 to 10 times.
Fish Pose
Stretches the lungs and is said to be good for congestion.
Lie on your back, place hands, palms down under the buttocks. Come up on your elbows. Slide your body towards the back of the mat while keeping your forearms in place and puffing your chest. Drop the crown of your head back to the floor, opening your throat. To come out, press strongly into your forearms and raise your head off the floor. Release your upper body to the floor.
Contraindications: High or low blood pressure, migraines, insomnia, or serious lower back or neck injury
By www.nebraska.tv
THE LATEST PRANAYAMA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breath is balancing, helps to open both nostrils, relaxing and calming.
Sit in a comfortable position, using your right hand's thumb and index finger. Bring your thumb to the right side of your nose and index finger to the left side. Close off your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale through your left nostril. Close off your left nostril with your index finger. Open and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril. Close off your right nostril with your thumb. Open and exhale through your left nostril. Inhale through your left nostril. Continue alternating 5 to 10 times.
Fish Pose
Stretches the lungs and is said to be good for congestion.
Lie on your back, place hands, palms down under the buttocks. Come up on your elbows. Slide your body towards the back of the mat while keeping your forearms in place and puffing your chest. Drop the crown of your head back to the floor, opening your throat. To come out, press strongly into your forearms and raise your head off the floor. Release your upper body to the floor.
Contraindications: High or low blood pressure, migraines, insomnia, or serious lower back or neck injury
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