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Yoga Practice for the Improvement of Mental and General Health

Friday, April 30th, 2010

By Karen Nardi

This article will discuss Yoga practice and the improvement of mental health and general health issues.

Yoga offers the participant practical strategies that can assist with general improvement in wellbeing and works on all aspects of the body. When a person participates in doing asanas it is not only the physical body that improves but also the brain. Asanas influence the chemical balance of the brain thus improving one’s state of mind which is a positive in restoring any imbalances in the mental state (Iyengar, 2001).

Our bodies can often become lethargic and asanas or postures are used to stimulate the physical body. Asanas assist the person to stay in touch with their physical body. People with a mental illness can experience a distortion in the way they think, feel or behave. In other words, their thinking, feeling and behaviour is all mixed up, or they may not have very much control over their thinking, feeling or behaviour. Yoga assists people with mental illness stay in touch with the physical world around them.

One of the most useful yogic tools to deal with anxiety is good asana practice. Asanas burns off the nervous energy that can contribute to anxiety enabling calmer control of emotions. A number of breathing practices, including abdominal breathing and lengthening the exhalation relative to the inhalation, help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Scientific studies suggest that left-nostril breathing can effectively reduce symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (and it’s probably also useful for less extreme forms of anxiety). Alternate nostril breathing is excellent for balancing the left and right brain hemispheres and thus balances and calms the nervous system (Lipson, 2009).

From my own personal experience, people with mental illness think negatively which contributes to their negative health spiral downwards. Asanas assist in redirecting the energy of the mind which is often so busy in people with schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. The result is changes in the brains chemicals which can contribute to a more calmer state of mind.

Emotionally specific asanas are designed to make some emotions more calm, such as anger, and some emotions more energetic, such as feelings of hopelessness and helplessness When one’s mind is overworked, it uses up a great deal of energy, so when people perform asanas it helps to redirect the energy back into the body.

In addition, the regular practice of asanas leads to greater internal sensitivity, which can allow people who practice yoga to detect the first glimmer of an anxiety or panic attack and respond with yogic tools that might head off the problem.(Pawlik-Kienlen, 2007).

Mentally, asanas help the mind to become more flexible again as we get used to putting our body into different poses; the mind learns to accept new ways of being and let go of old mental habits. Spiritually the asanas work to revitalise our energy and our desire to be an active part of the world (Iyengar, 2001).

Our breathing always changes when we suffer any form of illness. We tend to change the way we breathe and become shallow breathers when we suffer any long-term illness. This means the body’s system is continually being compromised and we feel out of breath with life. Beginning with gentle and easy practices that are not hard to learn, illnesses such as anxiety phobias and depression can be assisted by learning to return to our full spontaneous rhythm, as well as learning specific practices that assist the body to let go of trauma. Breathing practices can be very easy to learn and provide a gentle way to make changes in ones mental health.

Relaxation is now recommended for a wide range of illnesses like anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder as it allows the body and mind to rest. Relaxation helps the mind to let go of old negative thought patterns and habits of thinking. It is an easy practice as it can be done by simply lying down or sitting up and listening to appropriate music.

Meditation has a significant amount of skills to offer people suffering some form of mental illness. With the help of a yoga teacher to guide people in using the correct practice, there are specific techniques that assist to calm the mind, to reduce reactions to symptoms and over a period of time may reduce the mental illness itself (Campbell & Moore, 2004).

A regular practice of Yoga has a profound effect on physiological systems and one’s state of mind. Yoga is well known for its therapeutic health effects, though the western scientific community is yet to recognize many of them. While some of the health benefits of yoga have been documented, many of the more profound benefits are not easily quantifiable. It is more and more common that chiropractors, knee surgeons, dermatologists and integrated medical practitioners are recommending yoga for a wide range of symptoms and illnesses as well as a healthy preventative measure (Fenlon, 1988).

Researchers at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia gained a better understanding of the contribution of Yoga to positive mental health and exploring links between yogic philosophy and psychological theory. Researchers conducted a study on Yoga as a preventative and treatment for symptoms of mental illness. The Yoga classes were designed as a six-week program incorporating breathing techniques, asanas, exercises for strength, vitality, and flexibility, guided relaxation and meditation.

The aim of this process was to enhance self-awareness, encourage the perspective that emotional states are somewhat transient, and encourage a self-accepting and calm attitude through concentrating on synchronizing gentle movements and breathing.

By developing calmness, a balanced perspective, self acceptance and enhanced concentration it was hypothesized that participants in the six-week Yoga program would strengthen their resistance to emotional distress. Psychometric testing was carried out to assess symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression across three groups: regular Yoga practitioners, beginners entering the program, and people who did not practice Yoga, and these tests were re-administered after six weeks.

In addition, a strong sense of intrinsic spiritual experience has been cited as a possible buffer to stress, anxiety, and depression and has been associated with decreased frequency of medical symptoms. All participants were therefore also assessed on their sense of intrinsic spirituality, but not on religious beliefs. At the end of six weeks, the Yoga beginners group showed lower average levels of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress than at commencement, but levels were stable for regular Yoga practitioners and people who did not practice Yoga. In addition, beginners showed growth in their self-reported level of intrinsic spiritual experience (Campbell, 2008).

In a German study published in the Harvard Mental Health Journal, 2005. Twenty four women who described themselves as “emotionally distressed” participated in two 1.5 hour yoga classes per week for 3 months. The controlled group maintained normal activities during the study period.

At the end of the three months, the women in the yoga group reported improvement in their perceived stress levels. Depression and anxiety decreased, their energy levels increased while fatigue decreased. The women felt more positive and their overall well being improved (Brown 2005).

When our bodies get stressed we should meditate. This calms us down and we are able to think more clearly. We are releasing the negative energy called stress and replacing it with calm. Meditation also allows the body to repair itself and prevent further damage. By using meditation the heart rate and breathing slow down and blood pressure can be reduced and the mind ages at a slower rate. All of which are very much needed to help people live a longer, happier, and healthier life.

Some good things about the benefits of meditation in stress management is that you can meditate anywhere. People can meditate whenever they feel without it costing anything. Meditation is very effective in the short term and a major health benefit in the long term (Kirkwood, 2005).

Yoga has become a familiar wellness routine for the growing number of people who seek to find a viable alternative to continued good health and peace of mind. Experienced as a slow sequence of postures, the demand for yoga has seen a steady rise in interest over twice the last several years. Concentration is a strict element of this ancient art form, as is maintaining even breathing, so both the mind and body can ultimately work as one. It is truly a sense of control and awareness one gains over one’s physical and mental faculties when yoga is properly executed.

Yoga enhances the mind-body connection, which can improve your mood and physical health – and even lighten various psychological disorders. Improved depression, body image struggles, eating disorders, and even physical problems such as back pain and asthma are some of the health benefits of yoga practice and meditation. For many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. Studies have shown that yoga is a low risk, high yield approach to improving health (Lipson, 2009).

Whether yoga is studied as a method for preventing or treating disease, as a way of coping with difficult-to-treat or chronic illnesses, or as a way of altering the energy state of the body, it’s important to remember that yoga is a way of living and not an isolated technique, say the experts. “While many doctors and patients demand proof that yoga really can help certain medical conditions, they risk overlooking yoga’s far-reaching benefits,” says Delores K Krieger, M.D., author of Your power to heal, 1993). “Yoga is a way to get to the source of ourselves. The challenge is not to see yoga as a treatment for disease, but as an opportunity to see something deeper in the self. To reconnect with the body is one way of facing the reality of pain in our life and a means for accepting and being with our lives more deeply” (Kreiger, 1993).

Psychologists have long known that moderate exercise is good for depression and anxiety. Such exercise can easily be found in Yoga practice. Yoga postures are designed to promote physical strength, flexibility and balance. Anyone who has ever taken a Yoga class will testify that there are cardio/heart benefits to be had; your heart rate is frequently up while performing postures much as it would be if you were performing more conventional exercise. Though Yoga gets your heart rate up and endorphines pumping, it also provides for many rest periods (Pilkington, Kirkwood, 2005).

In conclusion, as with any physical workout, Yoga practice concentrates your mind on the physical sensations and on the perfection of the postures. The intense concentration that Yoga requires works as a helpful tonic for anxious and obsessive people.

The practice of Yoga can be a great distraction from worry as it forces the mind to attend to the body and the breathing. The health benefits of yoga are initiated because of the focus on inner peace. Yoga practice like any other physical exercise regime, changes the chemicals in the brain and produces more endorphins which often makes people feel happier.

Although there have been limited studies regarding the benefits of practicing yoga, many will testify that there is a marked improvement in their mental and physical wellbeing. The benefits of practicing yoga from the point of view of mental health is that it requires focus and enables most participants to become harmonious, relaxed and balanced (Iyengar, 2001).

For many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. The evidence is growing that yoga practice is a relatively low-risk, high-yield approach to improving overall health.

Bibliography:

Brown. R, April 2009, Yoga for anxiety or depression, Harvard Mental Health Journal: USA

Campbell. Dr D, 2008, Yoga as a preventative and treatment of depression and anxiety, Yoga Research and Education Center Deakin University: Melbourne, Australia,

Campbell, Debra and Moore, Kathleen 2004, Yoga as a preventative and treatment for depression, anxiety and stress, International journal of yoga therapy, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 53-58.

Fenlon. Marion, 1988, Yoga Journey to health, Fenlon Publishing: Wynnum Qld

Iyengar. B.K.S., 2001, Yoga the path to holistic health, Dorling Kindersley: London

Kirkwood, G. Yoga for anxiety: A systematic Review of the Research, British Journal of Sports Medicine (Dec. 2005): Vol. 39, No. 12, pp. 884-91

Lipson. Elaine, 2009,Yoga health Yoga JournalCruz Bay Publishing:USA

Pawlik-Kienlen, 2007 Reseach shows how yoga affects your thoughts, body & soul, http://psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/yoga_and_your_health#ixzz0QQQObZIn

Pilkington K, Kirkwood G, Rampes H, Richardson J. Yoga for depression: the research evidence. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2005; 89(1-3): 13-24

Karen Nardi teaches Yoga classes in Appin, New South Wales, Australia.

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Prenatal Yoga Benefits

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

By Karen Nardi

This article will discuss the benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy as child birth is one of the greatest acts performed by women. It can be a great emotional experience. The psychological and physical aspects can’t be separated. For some women labour is a time of apprehension of fear and agony. But with a proper antenatal preparation the majority of women can have and labour that is easy and painless or almost painless and she can actually enjoy the labour and experience a sense of fulfilment (Iyengar, 2001).

Yoga eases many of the problems present during pregnancy like nausea, cramping, high blood pressure etc. It maintains good posture, and thus eliminates back pain. The deep yoga breathing and yoga meditation techniques cause mental relaxation and thus the pains during pregnancy and childbirth are minimized. The relaxation also aids in speedy recovery of the body after the childbirth (Plakans, 2001).

During pregnancy, many women turn to yoga in order to stay healthy, in shape and do what is best for your baby-to-be. Prenatal yoga is a wonderful way to do both. Whether you are new to yoga or already an experienced practitioner, you can enjoy the benefits of yoga while pregnant. Yoga classes are a great way to prepare for the birthing process as well as enjoy the company of other pregnant women. There is no better time to take care spiritually, physically and mentally (Jamieson, 2004).

All types of exercise can be beneficial to pregnant women, and specifically yoga can be very beneficial as it is completely safe, with a few modifications and precautions. If any poses make you feel uncomfortable on your back then that pose should be avoided. There are some concerns that laying on your back while pregnant may restrict the blood flow to the uterus causing dizziness and shortness of breath. Additionally, you should avoid lying directly on your stomach if it feels uncomfortable. Use a chair or the wall to help keep your balance. While your body is changing your center of gravity may be a bit skewed and falling could harm yourself or your baby. Bend from your hips, not your back. Inverted poses and back bends should be avoided during this time since they can harm your baby. Also don’t over stretch your muscles or increase the intensity of your practice (Iyengar, 2001).

Pregnancy is divided into trimesters and the appropriate adaptations and changes to yoga exercise practice will become more numerous as your baby grows. The first three months of pregnancy are a time of major changes in the body. Long before any signs of pregnancy are showing the body feels different on the inside and this is the challenge in first trimester yoga. Listening to your body is the challenge that is at the core of any yoga practice. Pregnant women may think they know themselves and what the body can do, but on any given day it is important to really tune in and respect the cues that the body gives. Taking the attitude that the body knows best will be a guide to the best way to prepare for childbirth (Iyengar, 2001). .

A pregnant woman in her first trimester should be able to do most basic yoga poses, but it is crucial that she listen to her body and respect when she feels like exercise and when she just needs to rest (Plakans, 2001).

Most standing poses Extended Triangle Pose, Extended Side Angle Pose, Warrior I-III Poses are fine in the first trimester. Even balance poses such as Tree Pose and Eagle Pose are okay, provided they are done near the wall in case the student loses her balance. Strengthening the leg muscles and the pelvic floor is important preparation for later phases of pregnancy, and it encourages good circulation in the legs to prevent cramping as blood pressure starts to drop. Standing twists such as Revolved Triangle Pose and Revolved Side Angle Pose, however, should be avoided because of the pressure they put on the abdominal cavity (Chuntharapat, 2008).

Open seated twists Revolved Head-of-the-Knee Pose relieves aches in the lower back and encourage proper posture. Hip openers should be a key focus because of the flexibility needed for delivery, but you must remind your students not to overdo it; the hormone relaxin is softening all the joints and they are easily dislocated if stretched too far. Stretches on the back Reclining Big Toe Pose is good, but should avoid any intense abdominal work because of the delicate situation in the uterus right now.

The second trimester is the glory days for prenatal yoga. Morning sickness will have probably passed (or will do so soon) and the belly is growing, but it hasn’t yet begun to hamper the ability to move freely. This is the time to get into a rhythm of regularly attending prenatal yoga classes. In addition to making a person more physically comfortable in the months ahead, prenatal yoga classes are often a great way to meet other pregnant women. The sense of community and support this fosters is a major benefit of prenatal yoga, one that is at least as important as the physical aspect.

As the third trimester progresses, prenatal yoga may become more difficult (just like walking up the stairs, tying shoes, and turning over in bed). The belly becomes a real factor, as do general tiredness and feeling cumbersome. If the mother to be is able to practice yoga with some vigour in the second trimester then it may be time to ease off. All poses that compress the belly should now be avoided. Take an increasingly cautious approach as the due date nears, but there is no reason to stop practicing prenatal yoga as long as you feel up to it (Chuntharapat, 2008).

Practicing yoga during pregnancy a person takes a philosophical and relaxed attitude accepting that pain during labour is inevitable, but temporary and will pass with a beautiful baby at the end it makes coping easier. With yoga practice and meditation the intensity of pain will be reduced considerably. Yoga during pregnancy prepares the mind and body and takes the person to a higher level of mind control.

When you’re in pain or afraid as is likely to happen during childbirth, your body produces adrenalin and may decrease the production of oxytocin, a hormone that makes labor progress. Learning how to do ujjayi breathing primes you for labor and childbirth by training you to stay calm. A regular yoga practice will help you fight the urge to tighten up when you feel pain, and show you how to relax instead.

It is the mind which makes or breaks a situation. The essence of harmoniously handling a glorious pregnancy lies in the ability to gain complete control over the mind, the body will follow. Yogic practice brings harmony and develops positive, restful attitudes towards life.

Yoga can be an ideal way to stay in shape during pregnancy and a great way to take care of yourself and your growing little one.

Prenatal yoga exercises often focus on opening the hips and stretching the lower back. These exercises gently work on the reproductive organs and pelvis to ensure a smooth pregnancy and a relatively easy childbirth. At the subtle level, these ensure optimum supply of blood and nutrients to the developing fetus. Through yoga, you will remain limber, the muscles will stay toned, balance and circulation will improve and there will be very little impact on joints.

Yoga is also beneficial because it teaches powerful breathing techniques. This will come in handy during the physical demands of labor and childbirth and even motherhood. The ujjayi pranayama is one of the most common forms of yogic breath and one of the first learnt in a typical yoga class. This breath requires you to fully take in air through the nose, filling the lungs while you gently constrict the vocal chords at the back of the throat. Each exhale is deep and full until the stomach compresses (Iyengar, 2001).

Another benefit of yoga during pregnancy is meditation. Meditation will help enhance concentration and inner focus as well as relax. As a therapeutic tool it can be used to help you resolve any fears or conflicts which are common during pregnancy. Meditation brings awareness of oneself and a deeper sense of connection to your unborn child (Jamieson, 2004).

If one is not relaxed, at the contraction of the uterus it will result in pain and difficulty. Without yoga practice during pregnancy a person may have pain in labour then fear, apprehension and tension may appear which result in release of adrenalin, leading to spasm of the uterus which results in more intense pain, and ultimately prevent desired progress in a process of labour. The end result is long and painful labour. Good routine of pranayama, meditation and asanas will allow the person to remain relaxed centred and distressed which will result in less pain during the labour process (Iyengar, 2001).

Yoga breathing exercises, and the act of controlling the energy (or Prana) provides your baby with vital oxygen and the energy from that oxygen. Yoga breathing techniques can help ease the tension of labour and could help decrease the possibility of postpartum depression. Once you learn meditation through yoga you will have an incredible self awareness that will put you in tune with your baby. It is well known that meditation can help alleviate stress, poor health and fatigue (Devananda, 2000)

In conclusion there are many benefits gained from practicing yoga during pregnancy. The yoga postures that are recommended during pregnancy enable the body to gradually improve flexibility and supple while increases tone to the body parts used during labour. Yoga will provide greater strength and stamina which is needed during labour and birth. Yoga is beneficial because it allows the person to develop physically, mentally and spiritually or emotionally.

Yoga breathing exercises, meditation and relaxation techniques are all things that will help distress and deal with the emotional demands of pregnancy, labour and birth. It is important to practice yoga in order to alleviate joint and muscle pain associated with pregnancy.

Practicing yoga during pregnancy is a gentle safe way to enjoy light exercise and relaxtion. Yoga exercise benefits the participant physically, emotionally and mentally and it maintains flexibility and strength during pregnancy while preparing for labour and child birth.

Reference:

Chuntharapat S, Petpichetchian W, Hatthakit U. 2008, Effects of Yoga on Maternal Comfort, Labour Pain and Birth Outcomes, Comlementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2008. 14. Pg 105 – 115.

Devananda, Swami Vishnu. 2000, The Sivananda Companion to Yoga, Simon and Schuster: New York

Jamieson, T. 2004, Yoga for Pregnancy, Hinkler books: Australia

Iyengar, B.K.S. 2001, Yoga the path to holistic health, Dorling Kindersley Book: London

Plakans, Brenda, 2001 , Yoga Journal Tools for teaching pre natal yoga, 12. 86- 94.

Karen Nardi teaches Yoga classes in Appin, New South Wales, Australia.

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Yoga and its Relationship to Self-Esteem

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

By Sharon Thiel

Yoga has many proven benefits for a person’s health, from calming the mind to easing an aching back. It helps many people to feel both physically and mentally healthy. Besides being all-around beneficial to a person’s health, Yoga can also be used to target specific illnesses and problems. This article will research Yoga’s potential health benefits related to increasing a person’s self-esteem. The National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE) defines self-esteem as “the experience of being capable of meeting life’s challenges and being worthy of happiness.” (www.self-esteem-nase.org). Many people, especially young women, suffer from low self-esteem, which can affect many areas of their lives in a negative way. Yoga can assist a person to increase their self-esteem.

Low self-esteem can be negative as it can lead to the person not taking responsibility for their mistakes, not realizing their personal worth, and trying to prove themselves to others (NASE). Also, “a close relationship has been documented between low self-esteem and such problems as violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, eating disorders, school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, suicide, and low academic achievement,” although it is noted that there are other factors involved as well that can lead to these problems (NASE).

“There is general agreement that the term self-esteem includes cognitive, affective, and behavioral elements.” Similarly, Yoga focuses on improving mental, behavioral and emotional aspects of a person’s life and body, and can help to improve all these areas in conjunction with one another. In this way, Yoga can be seen as a perfect choice to help improve self-esteem. The combination of mind and body activities through yoga seem to be what makes it so effective for problems such as low self-esteem. The meditative aspect of Yoga is probably most likely to increase a person’s self-esteem, although the physical side is also useful. The physical side will also help a person feel more confident about their body and to stand straighter. “The supreme goal of Yoga is the union of the individual spirit with the universal spirit, the finding of one’s essential nature (Self) beyond empirical ego” (Hewitt, p. 371). If a person attains this level of Yoga, their self-esteem will definitely benefit. They will shed the Ego that is comparing them to the beauty of everyone else and is subject to advertising and messaging that they are not good enough, skinny enough, pretty enough. They will get in touch with their true self and with the “universal spirit” and see more of their personal worth.

NASE finds that self-esteem is intertwined with a personal sense of worth and with the feeling that one is competent. Yoga practice can help a person become better, stronger, and more confident at doing poses, helping them to feel more competent. It can give a feeling of strength, both physically and mentally. A sense of worth can be found through Yoga as the person goes deeper into the spiritual journey of Yoga, as well as through bettering oneself physically and helping the mind through meditation. Yoga can help calm and quiet the mind, when it is telling you that you are not good enough or thinking negative thoughts. Yoga brings a positive side to life, that can increase confidence and self-esteem.

There are many ways Yoga helps to improve a person’s self-worth and self-esteem (www.worldwidehealth.com). This website explains that Yoga does this by helping the practitioner sleep better, by increasing their energy, by maintaining their weight, by helping their posture, and improving their self-acceptance and well-being. (www.worldwidehealth.com). The improving of the self-acceptance part is very true, in my own personal experience. Through Yoga, a person develops love and acceptance for themselves and the way that they are.

One method the NASE uses to increase self-esteem is to surround oneself with positive people who are supportive. A Yoga class is like this, with Yoga creating more positive outlooks on life. Most students and teachers of Yoga are supportive of all the students, creating a supportive environment to grow. Yoga teaches to respect and listen to your own body. This could help a person be more proud of the body they live in, as well as to physically improve that body. Yoga helps a person want to take care of their body better as well. “What the practice of yoga does is challenge you wherever you need it, transforming liabilities into strengths, making you a more balanced person” (McCall, p.8).

Another method is to end constant comparisons to other people, because there will always be something to make a person feel bad about themselves when comparing (NASE). Yoga can help with this as well, as Yoga is not competitive. Unlike many other forms of physical exercise, Yoga is based on respecting one’s own body and not comparing oneself to anyone else in the class. The good Yoga class is a safe and accepting place free of competition that would foster self-esteem. I strive to make my Yoga class that kind of place.

The NASE also suggests to renew and develop personally each day, by doing something like meditation or visualization. Yoga is definitely a way to provide this, as it includes some form of relaxation and meditation in every class. Similarly, they suggest to turn your home into a sanctuary from the stress and impulses from the outside world. Yoga at home can provide this as well, as it helps the practitioner to escape the outside world during their session, and the effects can also extend beyond the session. “Yoga meditation promotes psycho-physical poise and a quiet mind that protects against the stress of modern life, which destroys health and happiness, and is indeed a major killer in civilized society” (Hewitt, p. 373). Hewitt points out that Yoga helps the nervous system, which helps the person’s physical and mental health well beyond that one Yoga session.

Another related suggestion is to take some time in silence and stillness every day. Yoga provides this in the meditation part of the practice. “Gradually one feels more balanced, better able to endure the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (McCall, p.8). The person with low self-esteem becomes better able to mentally and emotionally handle the stress of the outside coming at them, and can better accept themselves within that. The Pratyahara part of Yoga gives the person “the ability to turn off the external messages from your eyes, ears, and other sense organs, and tune in to your internal environment” (McCall, p. 16).

A number of studies have been done linking Yoga to increased self-esteem, although there is definitely a need for more research. McCall shows that “Yoga has been shown in a variety of studies to improve a number of measures of psychological health, including mood, self-esteem, and sense of equanimity” (p.44). A 2007 study by Elavsky and McAuley found that although Yoga was not necessarily better than walking in terms of increasing self-esteem in menopausal women, Yoga did increase their self-esteem just as walking did. The study followed 164 menopausal women between the ages of 42 and 56. The women who did Yoga practiced Hatha Yoga for 90 minute sessions twice a week for four months. Yoga can also benefit self-esteem in kids. A 2003 study from California State University that followed children from kindergarten though 8th grade, found that Yoga increased self-esteem in 20% of the students who practiced.

Specifically related to setting up a Yoga session for those with low self-esteem, I would include certain poses that would benefit and increase their self-esteem. For the mental and emotional side of this problem, I would include meditation, utilizing poses such as Easy Posture, Lotus Posture, or any pose where the person is sitting up with their back and neck straight (Hewitt). Although the book recommends sitting postures for meditation, in my personal practice, I find that corpse pose leads to wonderful meditation. This pose has often lead me to very deep levels of meditation, without falling asleep. I prefer to use this pose with stage-by-stage relaxation throughout the body. I find that after I do a full Yoga session, when my body is properly tired, I do stage-by-stage relaxation for every part of my body in Corpse Pose, and my mind becomes calm and relaxed. During this point, I feel as though my mind leaves my body and I go to a much deeper level of relaxation and of meditation. When I come out of this state, I feel very calm, relaxed and refreshed. I have often felt as though an answer to a problem I was having at the time came to me during that period of meditation. Hewitt quotes the Gheranda Samhita, saying “this posture destroys fatigue, and quiets the agitation of the mind” (p. 227).

Physically, posture is one aspect related to working with people who have low self-esteem. Many people with low self-esteem tend to hunch over, with rounded shoulders and neck forward, causing them to suffer from neck, shoulder and back problems. In a Yoga class geared toward self-esteem, part of my focus would be on improving these areas. Many poses help posture in general, such as the Tree and Palm Tree poses. Another example would be the Standing Upright Posture, which would help the person become more aware of the posture of their whole body. The Camel Posture would be especially useful, as it “corrects rounded shoulders and a hump at the base of the neck” (Hewitt, p. 311). The Fish Posture helps to straighten and lengthen a rounded back.

I would also utilize poses that create a sense of strength and confidence. This could include Warrior I and Warrior II and Mountain pose. I would utilize a well-rounded Yoga session to give the students all the mental, emotional, and physical effects of Yoga.

Yoga “is about optimizing the functions of every system in your body from the muscles to digestion, circulation, and immunity. It is about emotional well-being, spiritual resilience, and buoyancy, even joy” (McCall, p.4). In order for Yoga to change the person, the “key is repetition…practice, ideally every day. This is what will most efficiently forge new neural pathways and strenghten grooves you’ve already begun to dig” (McCall, p.24). Yoga is something many people find easier to commit to than many other forms of exercise and relaxation.

Through personal experience, I can relate to this topic. Throughout my teens and early twenties, I had very low self-esteem. I started doing Yoga in college, and it was definitely one of the things that increased my self-esteem. Through Yoga, I became more secure in my own skin. I gained confidence with other people. I felt more mentally and emotionally stable to better deal with negative or controlling people, who previously would affect me too much. Most powerfully, I had amazing experiences through meditation, which I believe came from the “universal spirit”, that helped to show me my place in the world, my personal beauty and worth. Now that I have gained a lot of confidence and self-esteem into my late twenties, I would like to help other people in that way through Yoga. I consider at some point adding a specific self-esteem Yoga class to my repertoire, as I feel it would be very beneficial to many people, especially young women.

Sources

6 Reasons to do Yoga. www.worldwidehealth.com

Elavsky, S., McAuley, E. (2007). Exercise and self-esteem in menopausal women: A randomized controlled trial involving walking and Yoga. American Journal of Health Promotion, 22(2), 83-92.

Hewitt, James. 1977. The Complete Yoga Book. New York: Schocken Books.

McCall, Timothy, M.D. 2007. Yoga as Medicine. New York: Bantam Bell.

Naud, Rachel and McKinnon, Teri. 2003. “Kiddy Yoga hikes self-esteem, health and grades”. www.edmontonjournal.com

National association for self-esteem http://www.self-esteem-nase.org/

Sharon Thiel teaches Yoga classes in Coconut Creek, Florida.

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Yoga for Tailbone Trauma

Monday, April 26th, 2010

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Yoga Teacher Question About Pre-existing Knee Problems

Monday, April 26th, 2010

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Q: At the moment, one of my Yoga students has a pre-existing injury to his knee joint caused by football in February this year, and there still is fluid on it to this day. I am not exactly sure what to do with the knee. Yet based on my understanding, hamstring stretches and quads stretches will be useful for him, as well as advising him to elevate his knee higher than the heart, as much as possible.

Would that be a right assumption? In regards to his back, shall it be treated as lower back injury or just stiffness? I know both of these would be advised with a different set of poses.”

A: Elevating the knee is a good idea because he should stay off his feet when possible; Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose) is one suggestion. Seated asanas, without putting stress on the knee, are another consideration.

Related to this, it is very important that he visit a doctor, because a fluid build-up that lasts for months indicates a serious injury. He may have damaged connective tissue, and the fluid is a result of his body’s natural protection to an inflammation within the knee joint.

His physician will likely recommend some ice and heat therapy, but he needs to schedule an appointment for a hands-on inspection of his injury. He might also have to get an X-ray and MRI of his knee for his doctor to give him the best solutions. Seated forward bends should help, but he really needs to see a doctor first, and get approval for the type of postures he practices.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Posted in Frequently Asked Questions, Hatha Yoga Safety, Yoga for Physical Health, Yoga Teacher Issues, Yoga Teacher Training | 6 Comments »

Yoga Teacher Questions About Back and Knee Pain

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Q: One of my students wants to start to take private Yoga sessions with me. He was working as a gardener at one point, and he got the feeling that his back problem was directly related to a lack of stretching and working with a shovel first thing in the morning. It got to the point that he could not stand up, without pushing his back into position. The stretches did fix it though.

More recently, he had worked at a garage for three years, stripping out the interiors of cars. This involved much manual heavy lifting with car seats, etc., whilst having to bend his back sideways into the car. Today, he feels less pain, and more stiffness in the lower right side of his back. Since he lost his employment, the pain is now present.  He also has pre-existing knee problems. Do you have any suggestions?

A: In regards to this person’s back, his jobs required him to use a variety of muscles with no regularity in his routine. It is wise to warm up the muscles before we go to work. In his case, his back muscles are developed from the work he does, but there is no warm-up or steady routine of regular weekly resistance.

He should practice Sun Salutations daily, slowly, and modify them for his knee conditions. This will give him the steady resistance he needs. This, and a few twisting and lateral bending asanas, will give him the steady resistance he needs.  Losing a job also causes excessive stress, which a regular daily Yoga practice – including asanas, meditation, and pranayama, should relieve.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Posted in Frequently Asked Questions, Yoga Teacher Issues | No Comments »

Yoga Training to Discover the Divine Within

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

By Sanjeev Patel

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. Our wise ancestors, and ancient Yogis, found holistic practices that connected mind, body, and spirit at higher levels of consciousness. These Yogic theories have now been proven effective by modern science and medicine. There has been substantial research on the physiological, psychological, and biochemical benefits of practicing Hatha Yoga regularly.

Among other benefits on the physiological level are: stable autonomic nervous system, pulse rate decreases, respiratory rate decreases, blood pressure decreases, alpha waves increases, cardiovascular efficiency increases, respiratory efficiency increases, gastrointestinal function normalizes, excretory functions improve, musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increases, posture improves, sleep improves, pain decreases, energy levels increases, immunity increases, balance improves, and strength increases.

Results of Yoga practice on the psychological level include the following: memory improves, well-being increases, concentration improves, anxiety and depression decreases, mood improves, somatic and kinesthetic increases and self- acceptance increases. On the biochemical level: glucose decreases, sodium decreases, total cholesterol level decreases, triglyceride levels decrease, cholinesterase increases, catecholamine decrease, hemoglobin increases, lymphocyte count increases, total white blood cells decreases, thyroxin increases, vitamin C increases, and total serum protein increases.

Yoga can be practiced in every action we choose to perform, every breath we take, every thought that arises, in every part of our life. Yoga can be a transformative experience at every moment in our lives. Yoga is a way of life. Yoga is highly connected to spirituality and devotion to the Oneness and to life. Yoga is Union with the Universal Power (Supreme Being) and the divine within each of us.

© Copyright 2010 – Sanjeev Patel / Aura Publications

Sanjeev Patel is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Posted in Yoga for Health, Yoga for Mental Health, Yoga for Spiritual Health | No Comments »

Yoga Meditation Training and the Importance of Biofeedback

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

By Sanjeev Patel

What is biofeedback? What is the relationship between biofeedback and Yoga? Many Yoga certification courses don’t discuss the importance of the relationship between biofeedback and meditation.  Biofeedback is a special kind of information that is concerned with such life processes as the beating of the heart, the pressure and circulation of the blood, and the energy waves of the brain.

Biofeedback instruments translate an inner functioning into a visual or aural signal like a flashing light, a moving needle, a sustained tone, bleeps, amplified breathing or heartbeats. The subject modifies the signal by taking notes of what sensation accompanies the change in signal and in so doing he is able to regulate normally involuntary physiological mechanisms.

Yogis and Yoginis can achieve this tuning without the aid of electrical instruments but biofeedback provides assistance in developing that sensitivity of awareness to everyone. Biofeedback is beneficial in areas of medical treatments that deals with migraine and tension headache, high blood pressure, heat trouble, insomnia, muscular tics and anxiety and biofeedback training opens up many possibilities in auto-healing.

Meditation and biofeedback are both wonderful tools for training the mind to distinguish between false alarms and signs of real danger. There is scientific evidence that meditation can reduce blood pressure, reduce stress levels, and relieve pain.

Through biofeedback we can also learn to reproduce brain waves patterns found in meditation and researchers theorize that people can be trained to mimic in a relatively short time the complete physiological pattern that characterizes meditation.

Although there is skepticism about this reproduction being identical to the experience of Yoga and Zen meditation, the researchers feel that many people who live in this new technological age will be encouraged to start meditating through the appeal of biofeedback.

© Copyright 2010 – Sanjeev Patel / Aura Publications

Sanjeev Patel is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Posted in yoga and meditation, Yogic Meditation | 1 Comment »

Teaching Students about Yoga Relaxation

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

By Sanjeev Patel

Experienced Yoga students have great difficulty learning to train the mind, through meditation – if they have not learned to relax their minds. There are many forms of relaxation in Yoga classes. At the Aura Yoga teacher training, interns learn stage-by-stage, body scanning, and visualization.

Of these three unique methods, stage-by-stage relaxation is my personal favorite. Both Marie and Paul Jerard have relaxing voices, so it was hard for me to keep my eyes open during guided relaxation sessions. Some interns fall asleep.

Instead of making a big deal about trained interns, and experienced Yoga teachers, sleeping during relaxation, we were told: “At least, you learned to relax.” The level of compassion, passed down from teacher to student, is also part of the Yogic relaxation technique.

Nowadays, Aura has produced a meditation and relaxation DVD / CD set that is popular among teachers. The reason being: Relaxation is the building block to meditation and Yoga Nidra. Everyone has difficulty relaxing in a high energy global society.

There is hardly a place where you can escape technology, stress, and business. Paul and Marie taught us to relax with city traffic driving by. I have trained in ashrams where you were out in the mountains, and participants had problems relaxing. Below are some simple directions for one variation of the classical stage-by-stage Yoga relaxation technique.

Starting from lying flat on the back, with arms and legs open, as in Savasana or the Corpse Posture; the flowing of breath is observed for a few minutes. Then, two deep breaths, with swelling and withdrawing of the abdomen, are performed, with full relaxation of the abdomen at the end.

When the breath is even and smooth, the attention moves along the body - focusing on each part separately. Visualizing a light beam, that moves from part to part, is often helpful in directing the attention to a different part in sequence. The aim is to look at the presence of tension in each body part and release it with a mental command such as, “Let go.”

More effective commands may be “My (part of body) is relaxing and becoming heavier,” especially when there is a difficulty in moving attention from part to part. The sequence starts from the left foot (with focus on the toes) up to the left thigh, then moves on the right side, all the way to the chest and upper back, then focuses on the left hand and its fingers up to left shoulder, then moves on the right side, and from the throat up to the scalp.

The sequence can be repeated a few times, as wished, for a total of fifteen- twenty minutes.

© Copyright 2010 – Sanjeev Patel / Aura Publications

Sanjeev Patel is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Posted in yoga for relaxation, Yoga Teacher Issues, Yoga Teacher Training | No Comments »

Teaching Yoga – Cueing Skills

Monday, April 19th, 2010

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Posted in Videos | 2 Comments »

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