Yoga For Beginners Guide

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How does Yoga decompress the spine? Our backbone is made up of vertebrae and intervertebral disks, which work as cushions between vertebrae. As time passes, and the aging process begins, these disks start to shrink and lose water content or fluid present in them. This is also the reason why people lose their height as they age. These days, the majority of jobs require a long duration of sitting without any change in posture, leading to excess strain and compression of the backbone.

By Kimaya Singh Feeling under the weather or down in the dumps does not indicate depression. Depression exists entirely on another level and causes symptoms of extreme sadness, feelings of hopelessness and endless fatigue. In severe cases, people with clinical depression no longer want to live, thus resulting in suicide. Doctors prescribe drugs, group therapy, and psychotherapy, but depression does not let go of the mind so easily.

By Seema Deshpande Have you ever felt like your stomach has been set on fire? Have you ever experienced a super burning sensation in your chest, which gradually moves up to your throat? If you answered yes, you are most likely witnessing the symptoms of acidity or acid reflux, more commonly known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). GERD is a condition where stomach acid moves up to the esophagus and irritates its sensitive lining. The symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD are as complicated as its name! The symptoms range from burning sensation in stomach, chest, and throat to coughing, hoarseness, sensation of heat in your ears, palms and feet. Some of the common causes of GERD are obesity, taking meals at irregular intervals, consuming junk, spicy, and fatty food, alcohol and cigarettes, excessive tea and coffee, among other things. Stress and an unhealthy lifestyle are also key contributing factors. GERD, if left untreated, can lead to more serious health disorders such as ulcer and cancer.

By Faye Martins The ancient practice of yoga, which dates back more than 5,000 years, improves skeletal health through skillful selection and consistent application of a variety of exercises. Yoga poses for skeletal health are chosen for their ability to improve posture, increase flexibility and relieve skeletal system tensions. Yoga assists in maintaining bone density. It also helps minerals that are stored in the bones, as well as the blood cells produced in bone marrow, to be released to the bloodstream for the body's use as needed.

By Michael Gleason Life is getting faster and faster - both physically and virtually. And while getting a lot accomplished in the course of a work day is good, as is completing many overdue chores on the weekend that does not mean we as human beings experience anxiety and burnout. Thankfully there is yoga for anxiety.[1] Sally Susinno, RYT-200 of Wellesley, Massachusetts, pointed out that more and more people are waking up and drinking larger and larger flagons of sweetened coffee drinks and diet colas which make their bodies more and more wound up. Caffeine is also a diuretic which can lead to dehydration, or just not enough water consumption over the course of the day. At the end of the day, the sweeteners and the stimulants have people reaching for sleeping pills - both over the counter and prescription strength.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can teachers establish Yoga student safety guidelines? For all Yoga instructors, the number one priority in our classes is student safety. Hatha Yoga is important for the health of the mind and body, but, unfortunately, it can be unsafe if not practiced properly. In comparison to many other physical activities, Yogic methods are in the lower risk category.

By Faye Martins There is so much information available about teaching yoga classes, but there is not much information about making a living. Some certification courses teach you everything about running a safe class, but they teach you nothing about finding a teaching position, private lessons, or the many opportunities outside of the yoga studios. Outside of Aura Wellness Center and Bikram's Yoga College of India, I don't know of any instructors who have learned anything about marketing or business. Teaching full-time requires instructors to be creative in their business plan. If you teach for donations, you probably don't need the money or someone made you think that taking payments for services is wrong. Yet, you paid thousands for lessons and possibly thousands more for a yoga teacher's diploma.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Facing a cancer diagnosis can be shocking and terrifying for many people. A cancer diagnosis can "come out of left field" for many people and cause so much distress and heartache that the person may become immobilized in the face of such a serious health crisis. However, being proactive in the face of a cancer diagnosis and the ensuing treatments has a profound ripple effect on your ability to navigate a challenging situation with as much grace, dignity and ease as possible. There are many different ways to help support your mental and physical health if you are diagnosed with cancer.

By Jenny Park Have you ever met someone who doubted that yoga is beneficial for health? You might be asked, "where's the proof" when you mention the good that yoga can do for practitioners. As yoga teachers, the following information should be made available to our students who have diabetes.

By Kathryn Boland In the first post of this series, I described some advantages of seeking mentorship as a yoga instructor, and/or offering your services as a mentor to another budding instructor. Some of you dearest readers might have wondered how you can offer time, energy, and mental space to that endeavor - given how you already likely juggle several important and demanding things such as your existing yoga teaching and practice life, family and other social life, other jobs, perhaps even higher education and/or service work - and oh yes, taking care of yourself, remember that one? Below I offer some ideas for incorporating mentorship into what you already likely do as an instructor and practitioner.

By Faye Martins How can yoga improve heart health. In recent years, yoga has become one of the most popular ways to stay fit in the modern world. Yoga originated, in India, as a form of physical and mental health maintenance, in hopes of attaining total peace. However, you do not have to be a guru to experience the many health benefits of a yoga routine.

By Kathryn Boland Do you have a certain structure in which you organize your time - such as monthly, weekly, daily, seasonally or annually? Does that help you to organize yourself personally and professionally? We yoga instructors are busy, with many moving parts and pieces to handle. It's therefore beneficial to have some sort of time framework, fitting within a week or some other set structure of time.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed A very effective way of improving Yoga student safety during a class is by modifying the postures and using appropriate props when needed. By modifying Yoga postures and using props when necessary, you will help your students to move in and out of poses that are challenging, in a safe and effective manner. Using well-placed props and modifying postures will also allow you to teach challenging multi-level Yoga classes in a safe manner.

By Faye Martins What can Yoga do for chronic back pain? From a point of pure speculation, it might be a fair guess to assume that 10% of the world's population is affected by back pain. However, let's look at the statistics in just one country. Back pain is something that impacts more than 31 million Americans in a year's time, according to the American Chiropractic Association, and a study conducted in 2010 called the Global Burden of Disease, which determined that lower back pain is a leading cause for missed days at work. The majority of cases noted in this study were not caused by infections or disorders, whether metabolic or degenerative, but rather by mechanical problems like severe physical trauma.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500 Like any other workplace, it is important for yoga teachers to stay up-to-date on harassment prevention, whether it is physical, sexual, verbal, or another form of harassment. With recent headlines seeming to indicate that harassment in the studio is on the rise, it's especially imperative that instructors take steps to protect themselves and their students. One of the best ways to prevent harassment issues in the studio is to regularly engage in continuing education courses involving harassment recognition and prevention. Learning about the different types of harassment is key to preventing messy harassment scenarios in your own classes. Taking classes and educating yourself will ensure that all your students feel at ease in the studio, whether they are completely new to the practice or have been visiting your studio for years.

By Faye Martins What is the best yoga teacher training for you? Are you thinking about making the transition from being a student of yoga to a yoga instructor? These days, it seems that nearly every yoga studio offers a yoga teacher training program. For yoga studios, training instructors is big business. However, how do you know which programs are the most qualified? The following three questions will help you find the best yoga teacher training programs for you.

By Gopi Rao The practice of physical assisting or adjusting during yoga tends to receive a mixed review from students and teachers. While some students welcome the idea, others are more comfortable with verbal adjustments due to personal space. There are also teachers who are more at ease with verbal assisting instead of physical. However, the effect of achieving success through physical adjusting can be wonderful for the student and helps them reach a boundary they never knew existed. When communication is open between you and your student, physical adjustments are excellent ways to practice yoga. As long as you implement certain safety guidelines then there should be no room for errors.

By Kimaya Singh Any owner of a business understands the need for liability insurance. Accidents happen and it is not possible to control clients although you may caution them against the dangers. Asking clients to sign a liability waiver is certainly a must, but what can you do to prevent accidents in your yoga studio in order to protect against an act of negligence? Negligence that causes an accident will affect your legal case, where your liability insurance would have to cover you for the payout. It could also cost you your business. Rather than have an issue with negligence or common accidents in your study, you can be prepared by considering the following suggestions.

By Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500 What are the marketing secrets of successful yoga teachers? Some teachers will tell you to wait for the flow of the universe to help you with your teaching career. Some people will gladly tell you, "It's unethical to put yourself out there." Advertising is bad? How will people know I teach, if I keep it a secret?

By Jenny Park As much as the world is growing technologically, alternative medicine is equally improving. Initially yoga was created to be more of a spiritual practice, but many studies have shown that the physical techniques help in healing the body and mind. Additionally, Yoga asanas are significant in promoting spinal health and improving skeletal alignment. In order to achieve maximum results, students must look for a well-trained instructor to take them through a typical class. Therapeutic techniques have made this practice very useful in the daily lives for millions of people around the world.