Yoga For Beginners Guide

By Kimaya Singh Can yoga help a global population that is stressed out by technology and the struggle to survive? It is beyond dispute that people living in computerized and industrialized societies are currently undergoing unprecedented levels of stress. Media images of violence, constant messages, having problems with the level of multitasking, and daily commuting to and from work are all examples of stress-inducements that our ancestors of only a few generations ago never imagined having to deal with.

By Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500 As you know, there are as many reasons to teach yoga as there are for students to come to our classes. Not all yoga students want to know about healing or reduce pain in their bodies. Their reason is simple: They are young, fit, and more lucky than they realize. However, each of us will experience suffering of some kind during the course of a lifetime, unless we leave this life in an abrupt flash, while we are in the prime of our lives.

By Seema Deshpande Practising yoga consistently can be extremely rewarding. Yoga can be practised in various forms such as pranayama or breathing exercises, meditation, and yogasanas or yoga postures. Furthermore, yoga can be practised by anyone - young or elderly, athlete or a normal person-yoga can be suitably modified to match everyone's need. While yoga can improve your physical and mental fitness significantly, research studies are being conducted to study the effectiveness of yoga in preventing and/or treating various physical and psychological disorders. In this research article, we will see whether yoga can lower blood sugar level in diabetic people.

By Brooke Olive Yoga has long been believed to be the most comprehensive whole body fitness regime around. But it is the beneficial side effects that are of real value to the individual. Practicing yoga tones the body, stimulates the nervous system to work more effectively, aids digestion and increases flexibility. However it also works on a deeper level by creating a new mindfulness that leaves the individual feeling calm, relaxed and more at ease.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Springtime is upon us, and for many Yoga practitioners who live in areas that experience long winters, the increasing light and warmth of this season is very welcome. Just like the seasons in temperate climate zones, there are also different types of Yoga practices. Some practices are cooling, and other sequences of asanas are quite warming. For example, practices that are cooling and restorative are Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Practices that are quite warming are Ashtanga and Bikram Yoga. Both of these types of flowing sequences will help to stoke the inner fire or agni of your students.

By Faye Martins Insomnia can be a difficult condition to treat. There are several causes of insomnia and these can include hormonal fluctuations, stress, medical problems and emotional issues. Insomnia is a complicated and highly-individualized condition and in reality, there isn't a single cure for it. However, yoga has been known to alleviate insomnia. Certain asanas promote calmness and serenity that can lead to better sleep.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed If you are a Yoga instructor who is teaching one or more students who are recovering from surgery or living with a chronic illness, modifying the practice in order to tailor the intensity level to each student's current ability is critically important. The awareness and application of therapeutic Yoga asanas, breathing exercises and contemplative practices can be profoundly healing to students who are working toward regaining their health. Your inner attitude or "bhav" towards your students' efforts in Yoga class can also substantially impact the healing effect of the class on your students.

By Kimaya Singh Like any workplace, yoga studios must always have policies in place for dealing with harassment problems of a sexual, verbal, or physical nature. These policies should be made available to every yoga teacher and student that participates in classes at the studio. Having these policies already written out and readily available will ensure that appropriate action is taken swiftly if a harassment issue does occur between teachers or students at the yoga studio. If a problem does arise during yoga practice, the policies in place will ensure they can be handled efficiently, quickly, and legally. Every yoga studio should have some concrete policies in place to avoid confusion and disorder when dealing with harassment situations.

By Kimaya Singh People who endure the long, grueling process of chemotherapy are often depleted of energy, strength, and overall well being. For cancer patients, yoga techniques have been found to be extremely beneficial in increasing an individual's sense of well being, decreasing anxiety levels, and prompting a better "mind-body" connection, which is extremely helpful when fighting cancer.

By Faye Martins If you've ever had pain that radiated from your shoulder to your fingers, you probably know about thoracic outlet syndrome. Although the condition is common, it can be difficult to manage. Yoga can help, but there is a thin line between dealing with the problem and making it worse.

By Azahar Aguilar As a yoga instructor, you are there to challenge your students into new spaces mentally and physically from what they may never thought possible for themselves before. However, you are also there to keep your students safe and injury free. How to establish this balance between challenge and safety?

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Downhill skiing can definitely be a challenging aerobic workout! The same is true for snowboarding, cross-country skiing and ice-skating. During the winter and early spring months, you may find that a number of your Yoga students are avidly participating in these sports. In order to help support your students enjoy and excel at these favorite winter activities, you may want to tailor your Yoga classes in such a way that the pace and poses that you choose are not only are physically strengthening, but also improve their cardiovascular fitness.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed It is the early part of the New Year, and many Yoga students may still ardently be in pursuit of losing the extra weight they have been carrying around for some time. Some students may even have begun a regular practice of Yoga in order to enhance and support their weight loss efforts. Many of the vigorously flowing forms of Yoga practices, such as Ashtanga and Power Yoga, help to dramatically increase strength by increasing muscle mass and in turn, boost one's metabolism.

By Faye Martins Before we discuss lifestyles for cancer prevention, it is important to note that cancer does not discriminate. It is possible for a person of any culture, religion, ethnic origin, age, gender or lifestyle, to encounter a battle with cancer. However, certain lifestyles are at higher risk. Cancer risk is in some ways like the risk of getting into an auto accident, in that wearing a seat belt does not guarantee that we will get home safely. However, if we decide to forget the seat belt, drink beer, drive over the speed limit, and text our friends, while driving, we are less likely to get home safely. If we do arrive home at all, after such taking risks behind the wheel, we are "lucky to be alive."

By Avalon Hicks Addictions in one form or another can help to slowly destroy anything and everything. From destroying relationships to destroying health and wealth, addictions have been notoriously found, to be at the center of all kinds of negativity. Most addictions start off as simply being part of a social experiment or a teenage dare, and for some, it stops at just this, but for the vast majority, the simple experiment eventually evolves into something more sinister and nasty. There are addictions that could have started out as medications necessary to treat certain health or mental conditions. There are also addictions that could have been a means or an immediate solution to a dedicate problem or a stressful work situation. Either way, any addiction usually spirals out of control and in more severe cases could result in death.

By Faye Martins When we ask if Yoga helps children with learning disabilities, we ignore an obvious fact. Anything that benefits children not diagnosed with learning disabilities is likely to benefit those who are. Regardless of circumstances, learning is a process that involves mind, body, and spirit. People who are healthy, happy, and aware are more receptive to receiving and recalling new information. They also have more confidence and enthusiasm than those who frequently deal with frustration or failure.

By Azahar Aguilar Responsibility rests on yoga instructors to look out for the student's safety before, during and after class. A safe teaching track record leaves you and your students confident and better able to focus on the practice. Established studio tracking methods as well as constant communication between teachers and students will create this type of caring environment.

By Rachel Holmes There are many types of yoga schools, teachers and styles available today, but most of them focus on physical techniques. Additionally, most styles are a variation of Hatha, which emphasizes physical mastery through posture (asana) and yogic breathing (pranayama). Above all else, the student will probably focus on asana and the alignment of postures during the first years of training. For this reason, let's discuss the physical and mental importance of asana alignment for yoga teachers and students.

By Azahar Aguilar Unrealistic yoga claims. As teachers, you've all been there before. Either to overhear others or to hear the words come out of your own mouth, "Yoga is like a natural sleeping pill, an anti-anxiety medication, a weight-loss goldmine, prevents heart attacks, and will make you live past 100 years-old with the face of a 20 year-old. It's true! My sister's best friend's brother's neighbor is 101 and swears by it."

By Kathryn Boland Have you wondered how often you should change up your sequences? How much? Does that seem to vary at different places where you teach? Some styles of yoga, such as Bikram and Ashtanga, have a set sequence that students practice every class. With Hatha and Vinyasa, however, teachers have the freedom to vary sequences class to class. In a way, that becomes an obligation, because students start to expect it. Offering new poses, transitions and flows also gives students places into which they can grow. It helps them to drink a few more d