1. Aura Announces
   
   
2. Teaching Hatha Yoga - Social Skills and Social Events
   
   
3. Yoga For Special Children
   
   
4. Camp-in-Box Gold on sale
   
   
5. Featured Vinyasa Course

We've got two articles - one was written by me about Social Skills and Social Events; the other article, about Yoga for Special Children, was written by Dr. Rita Khanna.

And there's just over a month left to enter our Reiki Touch Draw. Qualifying purchases made between July 22 - Sept 30 will be eligible to win.

Purchase a qualifying course between July 22, 2008 and September 30, 2008* and you will be automatically entered into our draw to win - "The Reiki Touch" - an interactive course about using Reiki for energy healing.

Qualifying courses are:

• Restorative Yoga Course
• Regular Camp-in-a-Box
• Camp-in-a-Box Gold

About the prize:

The First Comprehensive Training Program for Reiki - with DVD, Audio, Music, and Written Instruction

• 60 minute DVD, featuring instruction on hand positions, conducting healing sessions, scanning techniques, and advanced use of Reiki to see auras and past lives
• 3 guided meditations on CD to strengthen your Reiki energy, deepen your healing experience, and invite a spiritual guide
• 30 illustrated Reiki cards that can be used as a divination tool to discover which hand positions, symbols, or techniques to use for healing specific conditions
• 100-page workbook, including advanced practices for creating energetic boundaries for your spiritual protection, enhancing your creativity and problem solving skills, and much more
• 79 minutes of heartfelt music on CD ideally suited for treatments

* One prize will be awarded - the winner will be notified by email and announced in the October issue of our Announcements Bulletin.

Many of you have asked if you can distribute my Yoga for beginner's articles as handouts for your students. You are welcome to distribute my articles to your students. My only requests are that you do not alter these articles and leave my copyright on the work.

Simply provide us with the credit information described here.

Please do not send Hi8 video tapes; they are easily de-magnetized by security equipment.

Due to the volume of exams, please expect a two week delay before your exams are marked.

If you're planning to change your email address, remember to update it in our subscription system before your old address expires. It's easy to change your Email address by using your personal subscriber link at the top and bottom of each of our newsletters. Once you click on the link you can click on "change details" and enter your new Email address.

Remember to do it before your address changes, because when our system sends mail to an inactive address, that address is automatically deleted and will no longer be able to be updated.

If you want us to do it for you, please let us know, at least, 30 days before your Email account expires, but if we do it for you, you will be sent another verification email that you must respond to in order to complete the update process.

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This same advice makes sense for all other readers who may have email filtering in place. Don't miss a single issue, by adding our address to your whitelist, permitted list, address book or whatever other method is required by your email provider.

New Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Course

The Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Course is a 250 hour correspondence course, with complete step-by step instructions and three bonuses worth $59.87. Graduates will receive a Vinyasa Yoga Teacher's diploma.

Course Cost: $537

More information about our new Vinyasa Teacher course.

If you are teaching Yoga sessions on a regular basis, or plan to, social skills are an absolute must. Running a Yoga studio, and teaching classes, has much in common with being a coordinator of social gatherings or an activities director.

Recently, this was the topic of discussion between a colleague and I, who said she was too busy to be a "social butterfly." She felt that teaching Yoga lessons is enough and her students should be grateful for the experience.

While I can appreciate her honest opinion, and I know she is a competent Yoga teacher, there is a void, within her studio, of a social atmosphere. She has a receptionist, faculty, and staff members, who could fill in the public relations gaps at her studio.

When I suggested the idea, she felt it was unprofessional to turn a studio or ashram into a social center. She said, "I want real Yoga students who are completely committed to practice and I don’t want a meeting place for fly-by-night introductions."

However, with the recent summer slow down and the "new economy," she called me to ask for a few ideas for social gatherings. We talk for almost an hour, but I can give you a summary of ideas that can bring new students into your studio.

In the fall, we have our annual St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fundraiser. It is a combination of an open house, Yoga marathon, and a fund raiser. Our next St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fund raiser starts on October 4, 2008, at 9:00 a.m., and ends at noon.

What does St. Jude Children's Research Hospital do? St. Jude’s is the second largest health care research charity in the United States. Their mission is to cure cancer in children and they also research other catastrophic diseases.

Now, you might say, "I would rather have a fund raiser for my own studio than a charity. My studio needs students. How will this help me?" You are right - this will not help you get new students in the short-term. What it will do is raise the awareness level in your community about what you do and what you are about.

You might get some new Yoga students over the long-term, as a result of your charitable efforts. Karma is such a powerful law that only good things can come from your selfless service; and parents should not have to suffer the loss of a child.

If you are considering a grand opening, open house, partner Yoga night, charitable event, or a combination of these ideas, to get some public exposure, it is a win-win event. Your community, your favorite charity, and your studio will all benefit from your efforts.

Lastly, you are welcome to visit Aura on October 4, 2008. Donations can be sent by post to the following address.

AURA Wellness Center
21 Park Street, Suite 202
Attleboro, MA 02703
USA

Checks should be made out to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Yoga is a stimulating way to reach children, especially those with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning Disabilities, and other developmental delays. Yoga stimulates all affected areas & develops strength, flexibility, concentration, and balance, in those. Yoga calms the physical body thus, making the mind peaceful & quiet. Gradually, the child becomes more organized and focused and develops tolerance for longer schedules. Yoga has a positive effect on gross motor, fine motor & visual motor conditions. It also promotes strength and self-esteem. Anyone can maximize his or her potential from consistent practice of Yoga, and these children are no exception.

Case Study Of Jayashree

I first met Jaya three months back in my Yoga Studio with her mother Madhu. Madhu is one of my oldest Yoga students. Jaya is 19 years old; a sweet young girl who has been a case of mild spasticity with borderline intelligence since the age of four. From then on, she has been undergoing regular physiotherapy and special education, both of which have tremendously contributed to her improvement. She attends the school for slow learners (Shraddha Centre for Exceptional Children) at Rasoolpura, Secunderabad. She is a student of Level "H". This school has and is continuing to play a vital role in developing her all round personality.

Jaya got enrolled along with Madhu in regular Yoga class which had other students also. I was quite apprehensive as to whether I'll be able to teach Jaya along with others in a regular adult Yoga class. My doubts proved unfounded. She just took 2-3 weeks to understand about the Asanas & Pranayama techniques. It conveyed that her IQ level is very good & she has an excellent memory. Today, Jaya is familiar with all the nuances of the Yoga routine & she has begun to show great enthusiasm for all activities. She now seems to be one-step ahead of herself in everything & without my assistance. With each passing class, her body condition is improving & I am so contented to see her improvement.

She is also able to sustain a prolonged period of deep relaxation at the end of each Yoga session and in fact is very fond of this quiet time of awareness. I find her to be extremely disciplined & regular and does not want to miss any class. At times when her mother wants to miss a class for some reason, she prevails upon her. She has developed the capability to climb up two flights of stairs during this time.

Jaya's mother has in her feedback says that she appears much calmer after our sessions & there are lots of improvements in her behaviour. Further, she has noticed the following benefits that have enured to her:

1. Increased focus and concentration
2. More friendly and co-operative
3. Absence of Irritability
4. Better clarity in Speech-engaging in longer conversations spontaneously
5. More zestful and enthusiastic
6. Enjoying her Yoga classes thoroughly and not taking very kindly when we ask her to miss a class!
7. Improved repartee

Now I want to bring her attention to the muscle groups, encouraging her to breathe deep regularly & work on perfecting her standing poses. I am sure all this is achievable in the near future. Jaya loves this class and the other students are greatly impressed by her newfound ability to perform asanas, as well as her overall attitude and maturity. She has become the darling of our Yoga class. I know how proud Jaya would be to see herself in this article. I can well imagine her innocent & pure smile and I am equally proud of her.

Yoga Practices Useful For These Children

Modified Head Stand

By reversing the pull of gravity, this asana redirects the flow of blood and lymph throughout the entire body, benefiting the brain, central nervous system and upper endocrine glands. Hold the pose for only a few seconds and then gradually increase the duration.

Viparitkarani, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Suptavajrasana

These help in increasing blood flow to the head region.

Padahastasana, Trikonasana, Veerabhadrasana

They increase the energy level.

Vrikshasana, Ardhachakrasana

These postures increase balance & concentration

Suryanamaskara

It improves flexibility of the body.

Bhujangaana, Ushtrasana, Chakrasana

These are useful for improving their self-confidence level and improve the body stance.

Breathing Exercises

Omkar chanting, Kapalabhati, Bhastrika and Alternate Nostril Breathing

All these breathing exercises are very useful because these are noisy types of techniques & help to capture the attention, create a focus for the asanas that follow.

Meditation/ Deep Relaxation

Om meditation as well as loud chanting of longer mantras gives very good effect in these children. These are useful in maintaining their concentration and improve their alertness with rest and relaxation. Helps in strengthening the nervous system and calms the mind.

Daily Foot Massage

This helps to work out points of tension in the body.

Note To Parents

Every child has different needs and capabilities. A pose that is beneficial for one child may be harmful to another. Please do not attempt any of the exercises or poses described in this article without first consulting your paediatrician and scheduling an evaluation of your child with a certified Yoga for the Special Child practitioner. All parents can be good role models and nourish their child's development and home program by engaging in a yoga class themselves.

In case of any query, contact

Dr. Rita Khanna
2nd floor, Plot#22, Suman Housing Colony, West Marredpally, India
Secunderabad-500026
Mobile: 09849772485 Ph:-040-65173344
Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com
The Yoga Studio is open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Get the Camp-in-a-Box Gold for the price of a Regular Camp-in-a-Box! This is the first time we have made this offer!

You receive all of the features and bonuses within the regular Camp-in-a-Box plus get the following three great items:

1. "The Language of Yoga," by Nicolai Bachman, a comprehensive Sanskrit course with two interactive audio CD's. "The Language of Yoga," includes more than 200 asanas with illustrated Yoga postures and 300 Sanskrit definitions. (Regularly $19.95)
2. "So You Want to Teach Yoga," by Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, an e-Book which exposes the secrets behind teaching Yoga. Learn how to protect your teaching practice, the most common student corrections, how to get into the corporate market place, assisting tips, how to retain students longer, and much more. (Regularly $19.95)
3. "Yoga Business Secrets," by Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is an e-Book packed with information based upon conversations with hundreds of Yoga teachers. Just one constructive idea from this e-book may earn, or save, your Yoga teaching service thousands of dollars. This book will give you hundreds of ideas to put into practice. (Regularly $19.95)

Camp-in-a-Box Gold - Cost: $497 plus shipping.
Offer Expires September 2, 2008

The office is open 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays (Eastern Time)

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Where applicable, the above offers are good only while stock is available.