By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Everybody knows that Yoga relaxes the body and increases flexibility, but is it enough to keep the body fit? According to some Yogis, the answer is: "yes." Strength can be developed by holding postures for 20 seconds or longer. Yoga styles that hold postures for minutes, will develop strength levels in their students, without an increase in body weight. In contrast, flowing styles, such as Vinyasa Yoga, develop flexibility and strength through repetitive movement.

By Kimaya Singh How important is a home yoga practice for yoga teachers? Most aspiring yoga teachers were introduced to the practice through a local yoga studio, and their enjoyment of the experience led them to become a teacher of the art themselves. Practicing yoga in a group atmosphere is an enriching thing that many people come to depend on, but future yoga teachers must make a point to maintain a daily practice of their own, in private.

By Faye Martins What is pet yoga all about? According to a 2004 BBC article, New York City-based yoga teacher Suzi Teitelman invented doggie yoga, or "doga" as it's sometimes called. As an instructor for the fitness chain Crunch, she had an inspiration and decided to include her cocker spaniel in the class, since he frequently joined her on the mat during her home practice and "Ruff Yoga" was born. Since then, a flood of doga classes have emerged across the United States. There's even a book, called "Doga: Yoga For Dogs," by Jennifer Brilliant and William Berloni.

By Jenny Park Where are the best job opportunities for yoga instructors? A lot has changed in the yoga movement over the past two decades. Some developments have been welcome, while others have not, but the sheer volume of job opportunities for yoga teachers is something to celebrate. Today's certified instructors don't have to rely on their local studio for employment. Yoga is now so integrated into the western exercise world it seems that everywhere you look new employment opportunities present themselves.

By Kathryn Boland Do you teach in settings where higher-ups frown upon, perhaps even prohibit, physical cueing? Do you sometimes struggle to find alternate ways to help your students achieve safe and optimally beneficial postures? Such cases will be increasingly common in settings like hospitals, mental health care institutions, memory care units, jails, and substance abuse rehabilitation sites. In these settings, physical cueing may very well trigger students who have experienced trauma, or be misunderstood by those in compromised mental states.

How does yoga help the body and mind? Living in a fast-paced, stress-filled society, most people find that they are anxious even while trying to rest and sleep. Anxiety and stress have become an accepted part of life, although they can both be unhealthy for the mind and body. Yoga can help a person eliminate or reduce the chronic stress and anxiety that one feels so that he or she can begin a journey toward complete holistic health.

By Stacie Fogelberg Babies benefit from yoga in many ways. They experience better and longer sleep, improved digestion, ease of gas pains, and relief from fussiness and colic. Yoga encourages a healthy lifestyle, strengthens the bond between parent and child, improves the immune system and neuromuscular development, and promotes a positive body image. This essay will focus on how yoga creates healthy sleep patterns for babies, and in turn restores more regular sleep for parents.

By Kathryn Boland Do you recognize ways in which your students could have richer yoga practices experience if they could release their strongly held views of "wrong" and "right"? Do you wish they could just trust what their inner knowing can tell them is best for them as individuals? In the first part of this series, I introduced this dynamic through describing a student of mine who presently seems unable to look to herself for her own answers, instead constantly seeking reassurance from me that she's doing it "right". I suspect, dear readers, that you've encountered similar students.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Is Yoga for shaping and strengthening the core muscles realistic? Hatha Yoga practitioners benefit physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually from many different Yogic techniques (poses, breathing exercises, and meditation, etc). One of the physical benefits experienced by Yoga practitioners is the shaping and strengthening of the core muscles. Yoga for shaping and strengthening, in turn, helps to maintain correct posture and prevents heart-related conditions from developing. Shaping the core muscles is not about developing a six-pack to show off. It is, instead, about developing a healthy physique, as a result of taking care of the body.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can Yoga lead to inner peace? Yoga is a deeply enriching practice, which produces positive results that cover the spectrum - from increased flexibility, to reduced pain, and a heightened sense of well being. Yet, some will ask: "What about inner peace?" How can the daily practice of Yoga lead to greater levels of inner peace?

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can you improve your life with Yoga? Although the virtues of Yoga have been recognized in India for thousands of years, western medicine is just beginning to do the clinical research needed to scientifically document its benefits. Introduced by Swami Vivekananda, to the United States, in the late 19th century, Yoga became well known, more than a half century later, in the 1960s - when pop culture icons, such as the Beatles, introduced it to their fans.

By Gopi Rao Childhood obesity is a condition that is becoming far too common. Parents and healthcare practitioners often wonder what can be done to alleviate the issue. Yoga for obese children could be a natural starting point when facing the problem. It is widely known that moderate exercise and healthy eating habits are just a few of the ways the childhood obesity can be treated, or better yet, prevented. However, overweight children might not have the strength or energy levels needed for many different types of exercise. Yoga, however, can be used to help kids get up and start moving.

By Faye Martins Postnatal yoga is an excellent solution to the stresses of new motherhood and a great way to ease your body back into shape. You can also incorporate your baby into your yoga practice and bond with them as you exercise.

By Faye Martins Millions of people around the world are affected by sleep disturbances, like having a hard time staying asleep or falling asleep. Do you have chronic sleep-associated problems? You may pointedly improve your ability to catch sleep at night by practicing a particular type of meditation, shown by a rigorous new study "JAMA International Medicine".

By Faye Martins Teaching a yoga class is a big responsibility. You have to know how to get all of your students to relate to what you are teaching them despite everyone in your class having a different learning style as well as differing ability levels. What are some ways that you can learn how to teach yoga classes in an effective manner?

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 The term "flow Yoga" is an abbreviated form of the phrase "Vinyasa Flow Yoga." This form of Yoga is based on movements synchronized with breath. The word 'flow' refers to the way the poses are strung together gracefully, and how the Yoga practitioner moves with each breath, while the sequence of movements come together like a dance. Even though it is seen in many Hatha style classes, one of the most popular sequences of Vinyasa Yoga is Surya Namaskar (the Sun Salutations). Many Yoga practitioners know this series, and its many variations, quite well. For anyone who wants to add flowing movement into his or her asana routine, this can be a great starting point. Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salutations) may also be of interest for anyone looking to go further into Vinyasa flows.

By Kimaya Singh Many of us struggle with the discomfort of accumulating neck and shoulder tension throughout the day. Neck and shoulder tension can be caused by too much time on the computer or behind the wheel of a car. Neck and shoulder tension may also be caused by anxiety, stress or bottling up our emotions. Tension in this area can easily block of the flow of chi or life force energy and leave us feeling uncomfortable, drained and exhausted. The optimal alignment of our spine and neck may also be compromised.

By Sangeetha Saran The majority of yoga students have a vested interest in cultivating their yoga practice but there is the occasional student that is less than happy or enthusiastic about it. These students pose a unique challenge to yoga teachers since they can be very hard to integrate into a classroom setting. What is a yoga teacher supposed to do when faced with these difficult students?

By Faye Martins Osteoporosis is a serious condition that threatens millions of men and women around the world. Characterized by bones that thin with age to the point of becoming brittle, it can lead to fractures, debilitating pain, and lack of mobility. Yoga therapy for osteoporosis has been found to be an effective form of treatment for the condition. When used as part of the daily regimen, yoga could actually slow the progress of osteoporosis in the body. In some cases, it has even been found to reverse the damage that has already occurred. Researchers believe that yoga can actually prevent osteoporosis from setting in. When individuals are committed to this low impact form of exercise from an early point in their lives, it can benefit them for years to come. Studies have actually demonstrated bone growth for people who included a yoga workout in their lives over the course of two years. Those participants in the study who did not do yoga experienced bone loss.

By Faye Martins How much do techniques for lower back pain cost? Nothing, but more than $50 billion is spent on lower back pain every year in North America. It is a leading contributor to missed work, the most common cause of job-related disability, and one of the most common neurological ailments, second only to headache. Still, knowing that you are in good company does not offer much relief for the pain of spinal compression or other low-back issues.