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By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. As I sit down to write this article, the holiday season is firmly underway. Many local Jewish families have just completed their celebration of Hanukkah, which marks the power of the light to penetrate the darkness. Additionally, many Christian families are now preparing for the annual celebration of Christmas with festive lights, gift giving and memorable gatherings with family and friends. Of course, during this time of year, there always seems to be an endless assortment of tasks to accomplish before the holidays are actually upon us; including buying gifts, preparing beautiful meals and making travel arrangements if you are going out of town to spend time with family and friends.

By Gopi Rao It is said that the art of yoga may be practiced anytime as long as those involved remove their shoes first! All joking aside, yoga has, for thousands of years, been one of the best ways to maintain a prolifically positive quality of life and well being. the most unique aspect about yoga is that it requires involvement from not only one's mind and body, but the spirit as well. the ostensible meaning of the word "yoga" is not easily nailed down in an etymological sense.

By Faye Martins In the modern world, more and more people are turning to yoga for chronic stress reduction. Stress is no stranger to the average worker, and it is becoming crucial that we find alternative methods for keeping our minds in order. Sure, there are many technological luxuries available to us in the 2010s, but these are often the very source of our added stress. Since everyone is constantly connected, via internet and smartphone, there is no end to the work day. Many people are finding it impossible to make time for the small moments that can help to relax your mind and enhance your well being.

By Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500 Sometimes, you have an issue that comes into your life and it's going to keep you awake, no matter how tired you are. My personal suggestion: practice yoga asanas and stop watching the news before you go to bed. the last time I watched the news before bedtime, I had the urge to throw my popcorn at the television.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Throughout the ages, there have been innumerable stories of individuals who faced their fears and surmounted unbelievable odds, in order to achieve their ultimate goals. these goals are far ranging. Some examples of courageous individuals who achieved their goals with courage and persistence are the first blind man to climb Mt. Everest and a veteran who is a certified Bikram Yoga instructor, even though he is a double amputee. In fact, Iyengar, who is credited with being one of the very first teachers to bring the practice to the west, healed himself of a disabling physical condition, through the rigorous and dedicated practice of Yoga postures.

Written By Noel Halpin This article gives you all you need to know if you wish to make yoga a major part of your life. Yoga is for every man, woman, and child on this planet, regardless of age. In fact it seems to benefit the elderly as much as it does the younger people. It is probably the only activity which is so beautifully designed that there is no stress on the body , because everything is done at the individuals own pace. You can be very selective as to the exercises you wish to perform, and you can ease into every movement without causing any pain.

By Jenny Park During the course of yoga instructor training each of learns that yogic methodology has many remedies for most of the common ailments. there are many reasons for headaches and there different types, which make a realize that one medicine or yogic technique won't be a perfect remedy for every person. As each of learns during a yoga teacher training, every student is different in many ways. If this point isn't emphasized during a yoga instructor training course, graduates are handicapped. the yoga teacher should adapt the practice to the health of the student. there is no other way to safely teach yoga.

By Sangeetha Saran Can Yoga teacher training prepare you for the temptations in life? Especially during the busy holiday season, it's easy to pick up a cookie or grab a glass of eggnog without even thinking about it. Amidst the hustle and bustle, we forget to practice the habits we use during the rest of the year. When it's all over, or before, we can restore a little balance and eliminate stress with a regular Yoga training session. Asanas, deep breathing and meditation all contribute to clean mind and body.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 It is not uncommon to hear about former students, who dismiss the practice, due to the knee pain they experienced during a complex pose. At the same time, it is not uncommon to encounter devoted students, who point to Yoga practice as a therapy and practical cure for the knee pain they once experienced, prior to beginning practice. As a result of these two conflicting ideas, people might wonder what is the truth.

By Faye Martins When you teach yoga classes, how often do students ask about techniques to reduce back pain? Study after study shows that yogic exercise helps significantly with managing back pain in conjunction with medical treatment. Yoga strengthens and balances the body while it grants students more control of their minds. Each of these factors alone become huge benefits, when dealing with back pain, but together, they feel like a miracle. Participants of one study reported a decrease in pain, functional disability, and depression. Sixty-eight percent of the participants of that study assigned to practice yoga training also continued to practice the art after the study concluded. Even though chronic back pain can be one of the hardest common conditions to live with and treat, yogic exercise can significantly improve the quality of life of back pain sufferers.

By Kimaya Singh To understand the essence of yoga, it's vital for those who practice the art to know the importance of yoga posture sequences. In order to develop a sense of physical, mental, and spiritual well being, yoga postures must be done correctly in order to have a healthy mind and body. By using various breathing techniques as well as meditation, those who practice yoga are able to incorporate it into their daily lives, where it helps the person transcend the problems of everyday life and find a sense of enlightenment few others ever experience.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed As the coldness of winter begins to recede, you may be noticing that the pulsation of new life all around you is propelling you to dissolve and release stagnant energy. This stagnant energy is often located in the hips, shoulders and throughout the thoracic spinal area. You even find that there is quite a bit of stagnant energy in your home, after several months of spending your time indoors with the windows closed. In the same way that doing a deep spring cleaning of your home lightens up and energizes your living space, dissolving stagnant energy in your body will help to lift your spirits and revitalize your life force energy or prana.

By Faye Martins In a perfect world, productivity would be at its maximum all hours of the workday, employees would feel clear-headed and motivated to wipe out their to-do lists during an eight-hour stretch, and people would save any emotional stress or physical weariness for when they stepped out of the office. the reality is that people get tired, productivity rises and falls throughout the day, and everyone hits a little afternoon slump where they would rather be napping than sitting at work.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 If there is one lesson that I can pass onto you in this lifetime, it is to question everything. Please do not take anyone's word as gospel - including mine. Find your answers through research. Lately, there has been a lot of misinformation about Yoga and many related issues. Some people would have you think that all of the teaching opportunities are only in the studios. When you consider that Yoga sessions are taught in health clubs, church basements, kids day care centers, salons, and hundreds of other locations, where people of all ages meet, it is safe to say the 90% of the teaching opportunities are outside the studios.

By Bhavan Kumar The romance between yoga and your hinge joints is a bittersweet one. In addition to being very conscious of your knees, it is also imperative to be mindful of your elbows. EiTher of These complex hinge joints can easily be hyperextended, which can lead to injury and pain. Generally speaking, hyperextensions require rest to heal, which means that holding postures will be better for you than flowing through Them. For teachers, this means recommending a student to The restorative class and advising him or her to avoid The vinyasa class. Additionally, postures that stress The elbows will not help The healing process.

By Gopi Rao How can we protect the knees of our students during class time? Knees are one of the most vulnerable parts of the human anatomy. No matter what type of fitness regimen you choose, the knees will often take a beating. Very few sports spare the vulnerable knee, and it is common to see all kinds of athletes, including runners, tennis players, and dancers wearing knee stabilizers.

By Marie Jerard, RYT 500, E-RYT 200 Where are you on your Yoga teaching path? As you follow the yellow brick road toward continuing education or becoming a yoga teacher, you will certainly come to many forks along the way. the decisions that you make will determine where your Yoga teaching path will carry you. Many say that Yoga was a calling, not a choice. Others choose Yoga based on the holistic lifestyle it affords them or the desire to become more than they are.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Throughout the ages, there have been innumerable stories of individuals who faced their fears and surmounted unbelievable odds, in order to achieve their ultimate goals. these goals are far ranging. Some examples of courageous individuals who achieved their goals with courage and persistence are the first blind man to climb Mt. Everest and a veteran who is a certified Bikram Yoga instructor, even though he is a double amputee. In fact, Iyengar, who is credited with being one of the very first teachers to bring the practice to the west, healed himself of a disabling physical condition, through the rigorous and dedicated practice of Yoga postures.

By Dr. Rita Khanna Our back or spine is like the pillar on which the entire body rests but the strongest part can also be the vulnerable spot if not taken care of well. About 80% of the people suffer back pain at some time or the other in their lives.

By Kimaya Singh Many people choose yoga because it offers a gentle, relaxing way to maintain good health without the high intensity or jarring nature of other workouts. Practicing yoga can ensure strong, lean muscles, proper posture and alignment, and better circulation. Although traditional yoga gets newly oxygenated blood pumping into the heart, it doesn't typically raise the heart rate to levels that will make it stronger. Power yoga, however, provides the best of both worlds: You get the benefits of all the traditional yoga postures while also getting a higher intensity workout.