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Yoga is becoming popular nowadays and people are showing interest towards it due to its benefits. It can be practiced by anyone irrelevant of the age and gender and it is designed to satisfy the needs of everyone.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed With each passing day, we are growing closer and closer to the heart of the holiday season. Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice and Christmas are just around the corner. The holidays can be a time of great festivity, fun and full of the warmth of family and friends. The holidays can also be a time of sadness for people who have lost loved ones or who are separated by circumstance from their loved one. This can be particularly true if you have lost a loved one at this time of the year or if the loss is recent.

The study and practice of pranayama is an essential and important factor in developing a sustained hatha yoga practice. (Prana means the life force, and yama means discipline.)

By Kathryn Boland, E-RYT 500 Recently while enjoying hot coffee and a good book at a local Panera Bread café, I heard another patron say to his friend (something to the effect of, I'm paraphrasing), "You say you're in this special area, specifically, and they say 'You're the guy for this'. " His comment got me thinking about being a "specialist" versus being a "generalist" as a yoga instructor. I believe this consideration is an important one in the profession because of yoga's countless number of "schools" of thought and styles - from Kripalu to Bikram to Viniyoga forms (and that list certainly continues).

a lot of people suffering from psychological problems have found an ally in this mind practice. It is said to be able to pull one out of depression. And because it gives us a better understAnding of ourselves, meditation also encourages people to quit their addiction to vices, help in their healing And recovery, And live better And healthier lives.

By Helena Lucas My greatest sources of joy are spending time with my cats, living in the ever watching jungle, belly-dancing, ballet and rock-climbing. I studied Psychology at … What qualities do you long to perceive in yourself? Do you feel that you can only change 'that' much of you? If this is so, you are not yet familiar with the fundamental truth of Yoga: "The body is the temple of the spirit, conceived in the image of its maker". Through consistent yoga practice, students soon become aware of the infinite power and beauty of their own individual body. Indeed others around will be quick to perceive "something different" in you- be sure to share your secret with them. Yoga's breathing, stretching and meditation exercises promote optimal physical and mental health that shows.

By Kristen McCarthy Practice yoga balancing poses for kids and you can fly like an eagle or be as still as a tree. Yoga for kids expands your imagination and tests your inner focus. Play with eagle pose for kids and imagine that you have long feathers and massive wings.

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 Bhavan Kumar Many Gurus focus on educating interns abut the holistic health and maintenance of the spine during the course of a yoga instructor training program. The central nervous system, spine and alignment of the skeletal body are always discussed at some point during a yoga teacher training course. Some lecturers will discuss the many causes of spinal pain. Herniated discs are unfortunately a common cause of pain within the spine. In some cases, trauma to the spine causes a tear in the outer ring of the disc and in turn, the softer center portion will push out past it and cause horrible pain. The condition can occur anywhere along the spine from the neck to the tailbone.

By Kimaya Singh What can be done about autism for children? Maybe, the first actions on the part of education systems should be awareness, recognition, and a Yogic solution. It is unknown to many teachers that autistic children will benefit dramatically from engaging in Yoga techniques and practice. The benefits are many and varied for the children who suffer from this disruptive condition. Below are six things that children's' Yoga teachers should understand about autism and the benefits these kids gain from Yoga.

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: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Practicing Yoga poses on a regular basis is a very effective way to keep your body strong, toned and limber. If you actively participate in a sport or athletic activity that utilizes a certain group of muscles on a repetitive basis, practicing Yoga asanas will keep those muscles strong, flexible and in correct alignment with the rest of your body. This will help to prevent sports-related injuries. For instance, if you are an avid tennis player, you may find that your shoulders, neck, legs, and even your elbows (hence the proverbial tennis elbow problem) begin to become tight and strained due to over use.

By Faye Martins Many women strive for that beautiful, slim waist seen on models, television actresses, and even important historical figures and actresses. The desire to have or maintain a narrow waist has been a part of lives for many years. Women will go to great lengths to get it, like sit-ups, weightlifting, jogging, aerobics and more. You might not automatically think of yoga when you think of a slim waistline, but many of the poses tighten the core while slimming the waistline, too. Even some men can benefit from a slimmer waistline. Try a few yoga poses to stretch, strengthen and lengthen the muscles around the waistline.

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 Sangeetha Saran When we talk about Yoga, we seldom mention the eyes and the major role they play in our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Located in the sixth chakra - the area associated with the pineal gland and intuition - the eyes work with the brain to control the central nervous system.

By Bhavan Kumar Like many other conditions we learn about in Yoga teacher training, pain in the tailbone can be both helped and aggravated by exercise. Although some asanas present problems, others alleviate pain and relieve inflammation. The key to success is knowing your own body and finding a good yoga instructor. Pain in the coccyx, or tailbone, is a common condition that affects five times as many women as men. Although the disorder stems from a variety of causes ranging from falls to pregnancy, an unstable coccyx is frequently the culprit. Discomfort varies from mild to acute and is usually aggravated by sitting.

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 Faye Martins Yoga can be a wonderful form of therapy for joint health and a number of skeletal ailments. This is the reason why yoga teacher training courses spend so much time on skeletal anatomy, precautions, and alignment. The bodies' joints provide cushion where two bones intersect. Some of the major joints in the body are the knees, ankles, shoulders, spine, wrists and elbows. Over time, because of disuse or as a result of specific ailments, like arthritis, the joints can become inflamed and painful. Yoga can help reduce or eliminate the discomfort of joint pain.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Spring is a quintessential time to detoxify. This means detoxifying the extra items in your car, your closet and, of course, your body! Engaging in a systematic process of detoxification on a seasonal basis will help you to release toxic chemicals, emotions, and experiences from your body and mind. You may even find that you are confronted with a toxic work environment or a relationship that no longer serves your highest good. If this is the case, you may also wish to find a compassionate way to move on from those situations and/or relationships.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Is music generating enthusiasm in your classes? There is nothing quite as unsettling in a Yoga class as showing up for a Power Yoga class and having melodic new age music playing in the background, or attending a Yin Yoga class with hip hop music playing at a high enough volume that you can feel the reverberations through the floor boards. As a Yoga instructor, a very simple and straightforward way to generate enthusiasm in your classes is to choose appropriate musical selections that match and enhance the postures and breathing exercises through which you are guiding your students.