Yoga For Beginners Guide

By Faye Martins There are currently hundreds of Yoga teacher training programs for instructors throughout the world. Many of these programs offer 200 hour and 500 hour levels of teacher certifications. Despite a lagging economy, or perhaps more accurately because of the lagging economy, more and more people are turning to the restorative and stress-reducing practices learned in Yoga lessons.

By Gopi Rao What is the true purpose of restorative yoga? If you are someone who suffers from constant fatigue and illness, then restorative Yoga might be for you. Restorative Yoga will help you relax completely which will boost your immune system. It is a great stress reliever for those times in your life when you are pushed to your limits.

By Kathryn Boland Many people set New Year's Resolutions with optimism and a good plan in place. Some of the most common are to lose weight, quit smoking or drinking alcohol, or even to improve one's relationships with loved ones and/or friends. Unfortunately, however, come February, several of these individuals find themselves struggling to keep with their resolutions - and their best intentions are left behind, to return to business as usual, not long after.

By Faye Martins Sometimes, you read that yoga helps everything. Is all of this "good yoga talk" a bunch of hype to market classes? Here's the truth: Yogic breathing techniques and some postures (asanas) that open the chest are a big help to someone who can't breathe. About hype: Maybe somebody promises cures, but I can't give promises because even a medical prescription doesn't work for everybody.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Many teenagers, today, struggle with a degree of anxiety and depression unknown to previous generations at the same young age. There is a great deal of pressure on teenagers from their parents, teachers, and work obligations. In addition, there is a substantial amount of peer pressure surrounding many teens - both at school and during extra-curricular activities. Some of these causative factors of anxiety and depression have not changed much from generation to generation.

By Gopi Rao Yoga can help a practitioner with releasing fear from every level of his or her mind and body. Fear resides in the body and mind in the form of anxiety. Anxiety is fueled by adrenalin and cortisol. A constant state of undifferentiated anxiety can lead to continually high levels of both of these stress hormones.

By Faye Martins What are the challenges of Yoga Nidra? Nidra is one of the most complex of the Yogic disciplines with frequent challenges to those who wish to master it. Fortunately, the benefits more than outweigh any difficulties the practice presents. The most obvious difficulty lies in simply falling asleep. The ideal conditions for a successful nidra session are exactly the same as those for entering a deep, peaceful sleep. In the beginning, students will likely just fall into a deep state of rest, and this must be accepted. Given time and persistence, the desired state will occur.

The good part of Italian yoga retreats is that they have been practicing it since long. Due to this, they have training people towards the right direction and helping people, mentally and physically. This has increased the popularity of yoga and the different amazing ways of doing it in Italy. So, if you want to make your yoga special try going to Italy.

By Faye Martins How can yoga help children coping with anger? Children are at a stage in life where they are still trying to learn to manage and control their emotions. Any challenging situation, which frustrates them, can lead to anger; and before they, or their parents, have a chance to prevent it, they can fall into a full-blown temper tantrum. Learning to manage intense emotions, and to control their reactions, will help children face challenges, without frustration and anger. Yoga is one tool which can help them manage their lives with less emotional turmoil.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Extreme stress-related health problems are so prevalent in our society, that the United States Public Health Service has actually set a goal to see that changes are made. While some stress can be motivating, no one benefits from long-term anxiety, extreme stress, and chronic worry.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can Yoga and meditation help people with chronic insomnia? Results of studies, released by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, in 2009, show that meditation "may be an effective behavioral intervention in the treatment of insomnia." The research looked at 11 healthy participants, between the ages of 25 and 45, who suffered from chronic insomnia. Findings show, that the subjects who practiced Yoga during the day, had fewer sleep problems at night.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How serious should teachers be about student safety precautions? Yoga is considered healing for injuries, but that does not mean the potential for damage does not exist. Accidents and injuries are possible in every Yoga class, and instructors must be aware and take steps to minimize these problems. Beginner classes are especially fraught with potential for injury: Students unfamiliar with any particular movement have the potential to push themselves too far, fall from an unstable position, or try to compete with the practitioner on the next mat.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Yogic music can be exhilarating, uplifting, inspiring, or gentle and soothing. There are advantages and disadvantages to listening to music during your own practice or while teaching a Yoga class. Some types of music, such as rock and roll or rhythm and blues, may invigorate your practice or class or may become a distraction to the dharana or one-pointed focus of the practice. On the other hand, music that is gentle, ambient, and soothing may add a mystical and relaxing element to a Yoga training session, but it may also dampen or calm the energy of the practitioners down too much if this type of music is played at an inappropriate time during a class.

By Faye Martins Is yoga for attention deficit disorders like ADD/ADHD a sensible solution? ADD and ADHD are on the rise, and experts fail to agree on a reason as to why this is. Whatever the cause, the fact remains that having a complete inability to focus is a major problem throughout life. School, work and social settings can become a personal hell if one is completely unable to control the attention of their mind. Tension between everyone involved can run high, damaging relationships and having a negative impact on the self worth of the afflicted individual.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How important are class sequencing skills for teachers? There are many ways to sequence Yoga classes. The placement of particular pranayama, asana, meditation, and relaxation techniques changes the experience for your students. Instructors, who attend a Yoga teacher training, which did not allow for creativity, are the most challenged, when students commonly leave due to boredom.

By Bhavan Kumar Depression is a scary thing. Pouring medication on top of the depression can result in more fear and side effects such as weight gain, insomnia, and fatigue. Thankfully, Yoga therapy can help treat depression with side effects such as weight reduction, better sleep, and increased vitality. Many studies have agreed that Yoga is a safe alternative to drugs and is a healthy first step in trying to regain the part of yourself that depression has stolen.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500 How does Yoga help one to channel anger? According to Buddha, "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." For centuries, Swamis, Gurus, and Buddhist monks have been teaching spiritual practices for overcoming anger, and recent research has affirmed the validity of these ancient teachings.

By Gopi Rao, CYT 500 What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? The carpal tunnel is a narrow channel in the wrist, which encases tendons, bones, and the median nerve. When inflammation or injury - such as repetitive use - causes tendons to swell, the median nerve is compressed. Pressure on the nerve results in numbness, tingling, or pain in the hand, wrist, and arm. Although this is not a new condition, it has become more common as both children and adults spend increased hours slumped over computers and videos games.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Yoga has many facets for healing. At the top of the list is meditation. Although Yoga postures help people cope with life's daily problems, the body is being adjusted to bring about states of inner calm. Yoga meditation preserves this feeling of calm by teaching the practitioner how to control the mind. Controlling one's mind is a life saving skill.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can Yoga help pre-existing injuries? As the benefits of practicing Yoga, to cope with chronic health concerns and pre-existing injuries, becomes more well known, the need to choose an experienced instructor and appropriate class is more important that ever. Yoga is more than a physical exercise; it is a healing art that is good for the mind, body, and spirit.