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About Yoga for Toddlers

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Jenny Park

Is toddler Yoga pushing little ones beyond their limits or an education enhancement with rewards that will last a lifetime? While there will be critics of everything, we can definitely see the benefits of yoga for children of all ages.

Think of a toddler and you might conjure images of big, bright eyes, chubby legs standing with wobbly confidence, and an eagerness to explore, explore, explore. Although the word “yoga” probably didn’t cross your mind, it is a healthy activity for toddlers to engage in. No, we cannot expect toddlers to remain silent, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, and flow seamlessly from one pose to the next. However, toddlers can imitate versions of many poses and learn the value of stretching the body and energizing muscles with increased blood flow.

Yoga for toddlers can incorporate quiet, soothing music and dim lights. An active leader can name each pose, demonstrate it, and ask the children to imitate it. Often, yoga for children involves tweaking the adult poses a bit to relate them to an animal, nature, or other common item in the world. Toddlers are soaking up sights and sounds every minute of the day and can readily relate to these concrete objects. Animal poses can also incorporate each animal’s sound, which will delight young children. Common poses for toddlers include the frog, lion, mountain, waterfall, tree, butterfly, rolling like a ball, and cobra. Yoga instructors might also consider teaching toddler yoga through an interactive story, where the children act out the poses as the story unfolds.

Yoga for toddlers has many positive outcomes. It improves balance, flexibility, and coordination. In toddlers especially, yoga can help develop language. As toddlers learn to associate body movement with everyday vocabulary, their brains form strong connections with new words. Yoga improves children’s concentration and creativity and gives them a sense of calm.

Please bear in mind, those teaching a toddler yoga class will be required to provide short explanations, lots of movement, and a positive, fun atmosphere. Toddler classes should generally include about 15 minutes of yoga poses. Take breaks when necessary, allowing children to run or explore on their own, encourage children with positive feedback even if poses are not 100 percent accurate, and remember to include a brief warm-up. The importance of the class lies not necessarily in the accuracy of the poses, but in exposure to yoga and providing a positive experience for toddlers.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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!

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Yoga and Its Relation to Health – An Overview

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Barbara J. Euser

Yoga is a complete system for improving the health of the body and the mind. Although many people begin to practice yoga for its physical benefits, they immediately begin to learn that yoga is much more than an exercise program. Yoga offers psychological benefits through the practice of the asanas and also through meditation, which may be part of all Yoga classes. Ultimately, Yoga moves beyond physical and mental health to include spiritual improvement and well-being. Yoga is so rich and complex that it is more correctly referred to as a way of life – a very healthy way of life.

On the physical side, yoga asanas are a gentle form of exercise that allows the gradual stretching of muscles: forward bends, back bends, twists and inversions from seated, standing and prone positions. The body itself provides resistance, so there is no need for additional equipment like the weights used in other exercise programs. Unlike the violent muscle movements advocated in other physical exercise programs, Yoga is non-violent and moderately paced. Bodies toned by yoga exercise are strong without overdeveloped muscles. They are supple from stretching in every direction.

Each of the asanas benefits one or more of the body’s systems: respiration, circulation, alimentation or elimination. As one performs the various asanas, circulation increases. Blood flows more freely throughout the entire body and circulatory problems may begin to correct themselves. If a practitioner has certain health issues, they can be addressed through the choice of asanas that are known to benefit that condition. For example, a number of asanas such as Knees to the Chest, Plough Posture (Halasana) and Child Posture aid digestion and help to correct constipation.

Yoga asanas can be done at any level from the most basic to the most advanced. As coordination and mobility increase and muscles become more flexible and supple, the practitioner can perform more difficult asanas. A number of asanas can be seen as a series of poses that move from less challenging to more challenging. For example, in Tree Pose (Vrksasana) at the easiest level, the hands are held in prayer position. Next, the hands are held over the head. Then Tree may become Toppling Tree as the practitioner becomes more stable moving about while balancing on one leg. From Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana), one may drop one’s legs into Plough Position and move through several variations of Plough before returning to Shoulder Stand. Head Stand (Sirsasana) may be done with vertical legs, spread legs, horizontal legs, folded legs, legs in Lotus Position, and body twists.

Many of the most difficult asanas are beyond the ability of those who have practiced for many years. The challenge never disappears. Although Yoga may prove endlessly challenging for the fit, it is also infinitely adaptable. Yoga can be adapted for practice with children, pregnant women and the aged. Yoga asanas may be adapted for people who have limited mobility, for example, people who are grossly overweight. They may begin a Yoga practice sitting in a chair. They may be able to do only the arm movements of the postures to begin with. They may use the chair to assist them with their balance in standing asanas. They may not be able to get up from being seated on the floor, but with aid of a chair to prop their legs on, they may be able to approximate some seated asanas. The success they achieve with these modified postures may inspire them to do more and eventually begin to tackle their most significant health issues. From children through adults, from pregnant women to those have impaired mobility to the aged, everyone benefits from the physical exercises including breath control. Yoga – like health – is a lifelong pursuit.

Breathing deeply and fully is one of the most basic elements of good health. Unfortunately, because breathing is accomplished automatically, unless people begin to practice yoga or meditation, they often remain unaware of how they breathe. The study of pranayama in yoga is critical to maintaining good health. Yoga increases our awareness of how we breathe. Once we become aware of how we breathe, we can begin to breathe consciously, aware of each inhale, each exhale and the pauses in between inhaling and exhaling. Yogis have determined that there is an ideal ratio for the phases of breathing. Exhalation should take twice as long as inhalation and the pause between inhalation and exhalation should be four times as long as inhalation. Thus the ideal ratio is 1:4:2. One is not expected to achieve this ratio instantly. As one begins to work with the breath, one can use a ratio of 1:2 for inhalation and retention, then move to 1:4. With exhalation the ratio can be 1:4:4 until one can manage 1:4:2. This way of breathing is far from the way we ordinarily breathe. It requires practice to fully breathe into the diaphragm, as most of us normally breathe into only the upper part of our lungs. We tend to ignore our diaphragms. Learning to breathe in Yoga is learning to breathe for the first time.

As people age and become less active, their breathing tends to become more and more shallow. If they do not exert themselves from time to time so that they have a reason to breathe deeply, their lungs are never fully inflated. The unused areas of the lungs become susceptible to disease and infections such as pneumonia. However, practitioners of yoga learn to breathe into the deepest parts of their lungs and keep oxygen flowing throughout the entire respiratory system.

Pranayama may be performed as a separate practice, or pranayama exercises may be included in a Yoga class. Additional pranayama exercises include breathing through one nostril, breathing in alternate nostrils, and breathing through alternate nostrils and retaining breath. After one does pranayama exercises, even though one returns to normal breathing, the element of increased awareness remains. If people can maintain healthy breathing habits, they can live fuller lives for a longer time.

Yoga advocates a healthy diet: fruit, nuts, grains, vegetables, pulses and milk products including butter, yogurt and cheese. The yoga diet does not include meat, poultry, fish, eggs or alcohol. According to Yoga, there are three categories of food. The food that Yogis consume is called Sattvic, or pure food. The category of food that contains meat, poultry, fish and eggs is called Rajasic. This category also contains spicy food and strong-flavored food. The third category of food is called Tamasic. This category includes foods that are rotten or overripe. This category is considered the worst category of food for people to consume. Unfortunately, for meat to become tender, it is often allowed to age, which is synonymous with beginning to rot. Eating meat in this case is not only Rajasic, it is Tamasic food.

If Yoga practitioners cannot become complete vegetarians, at least they can consciously limit the amount of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and alcohol they consume to a modest amount. Or they may consume small amounts of eggs and fresh fish and forego aged red meat. There are many possible compromises. Again, consciousness of our diet, like consciousness of breathing, enables us to control that aspect of our lives. Even in their diet Yoga practitioners are non-violent.Yoga practitioners are vegetarian because they believe it is a healthier diet and also because they abhor the violence of killing animals for food.

Because of their diet and breathing and exercise, yoga practitioners begin to appear differently. Their bodies respond to the physical demands of asanas, becoming thinner and more flexible. As they breathe deeply, they more fully oxygenate the blood that flows throughout their bodies and their skin looks healthier. Then physical changes connect to mental changes. The slow, thoughtful movements of yoga asanas promote a calming of the spirit. As our bodies adopt the rhythm of vinyasa – asana flow – and focus on pranayama – breathing – our minds become more centered. Calm, centered minds are better able to deal with the elements of stress we encounter in our daily lives.

The physical practice of Hatha Yoga leads naturally to the practice of Raja Yoga: meditation. A part of each yoga class can be devoted to meditation, either guided or unguided. As pranayama increases awareness of what is going on in our lungs, meditation increases awareness of what is going on in our minds. As we become aware of the incessant, unconnected thoughts streaming through our minds – the “monkey chatter” – we can learn to release those thoughts and, as a result, release our minds from the stress those thoughts cause.

When we practice Yoga meditation, we sit comfortably on the ground, legs crossed in a position we can maintain for the duration of the meditation. For some people this is the Easy Position, for others it may be Lotus (Padmasana) position. Those who are uncomfortable crossing their legs may sit with their legs folded underneath them in Thunderbolt position. Those who cannot sit on the ground can sit in a straight-backed chair with their feet flat on the ground. The important thing is to ground oneself – preferably in actual contact with the ground. The spine should be straight to allow energy to flow up and down unimpeded.

Yoga meditation requires concentration (Dharana), which may be on a point which one sees with one’s eyes, such as a candle flame or flower blossom in Trataka; on an audible sounds or series of sounds, as in Mantra meditation; or on a visual form such as a mandala in Yantra meditation. While we concentrate in meditation, our feelings of stress are suspended.

Some doctors believe that all physical illness arises from stress. According to Dr. Ben Johnson, “We’ve got a thousand different diagnoses and diseases out there. They’re just the weak link. They’re all the result of one thing: stress. If you put enough stress on the chain and you put enough stress on the system, then one of the links breaks.” As we relieve stress through meditation, we not only improve our mental health, we increase our potential for physical health. Yoga teaches us that our mental and physical systems are intrinsically linked: they are one.

The ultimate goal of yoga is to allow the practitioner to become one with God, Atman, Higher Consciousness, The Force. In that sense, physical and mental health are only by-products of the journey – but what valuable by-products they are!

Barbara J. Euser is a certified Yoga teacher.  She teaches Yoga classes in Lakonia, Greece.

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Yoga Meditation to Free the Mind

Monday, August 8th, 2011

yoga teacher certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga and meditation are two helpful practices that complement each other; and, when practiced together, deepen the practitioner’s experience. If you have been practicing Yoga without meditation, consider adding to your practice, by learning meditation techniques. Yoga as a physical exercise emphasizes the interconnectedness of the practitioner and the universe; meditation allows one to actually experience the connection.

The word Yoga means “union,” a state which occurs when the body and mind are in harmony. For this to happen, the mind must be still. Like a radio set to “seek,” the untrained mind scrolls from station to station, picking up bits and pieces and rolling with white noise. With training and practice, the radio can be turned off, while perfect silence and clarity enjoyed. Only with this skill, can the mind be “free.”

Often, people envision a monk in a cave, when they think about meditation. While isolation and quiet are useful in starting to meditate, there is no need to become a spelunker. You need to strike a balance between being comfortable and being alert. You also need a space that will not distract you. Try any comfortable room in your house. Start with a session of five minutes and work up to ten minutes or longer.  For those unused to stillness, meditation is hard work.

There are several kinds of meditation, but meditation (concentration), on a function, is a good place to start. Concentration can be thought of as the ability to put the mind on one thing and leave it there. The point of focus is the “function.”

To begin concentration meditation, watch the breath go in and out at one point in the body, and count to ten breaths. Many thoughts will come into your mind and disturb you, but if you can get to ten, you are doing well. If a thought is noticed, but you have not lost count, note briefly in your mind what the thought is. Label it, using a term like “planning,” “memory,” or “fantasy.” Labeling will remove the thought’s power to distract – so practice it often.

Counting keeps you in the current moment, by providing instant feedback of each moment.  In turn, you track thoughts which are not mindful, which occurs when you forget the number you are counting. It also keeps the practitioner focused on one “function” – the breath. Once you have mastered counting to ten, work backwards back down to one. This concentration practice, done several times a day, will help you learn to still the mind for further work.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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!

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Yoga and Cultivating Compassion for Others

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

New students to Hatha Yoga are sometimes stumped by the idea of setting intentions for themselves and their practice. They usually want to focus on the purely anatomical challenges, such as “setting an intention to loosen my hamstrings.” Yet, one of the powerful things about Yoga is its ability to address mental states, as well as the physical body. Practicing Yoga, to cultivate compassion, is a wonderful way to improve one’s own life and the lives of others and is an excellent intention for practitioners of all levels.

Compassion, or “sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others,” is important to wellbeing, in a very basic sense. Those who practice compassion, produce 100 percent more DHEA, a hormone that counteracts the aging process, and 23 percent less cortisol, sometimes known as the “stress hormone.” Beyond that, compassion and altruism elevate mood, help you to live longer, and deepen your spirituality.

To bring compassion to practice, try including asanas that are known for opening the heart. Some Yoga poses to try include:

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, or Upward-Facing Dog

Sukhasana, or Easy Pose

Ardha Bhekasana, or Half Frog Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, or Bridge Pose

In addition to these chest openers, which literally draw the focus to the core and heart, backbends are an excellent tool in cultivating compassion. Practitioners must heed their body’s own limits in backbends, seeking a pose that is stable and comfortable, rather than a “movie star” pose worthy of a magazine cover. Backbends require careful attention to breath and focus on the process, rather than the end result, much like compassion itself.

To cultivate mental compassion, encourage Yoga students to imagine they are borrowing the body of someone they love for their practice. If that body were stiff, or unable to complete some poses, would they be angry? Would they be gentle with their borrowed bodies? If so, why are they less gentle with their own physical selves?

To cultivate compassion for others, there is an excellent five-step practice from Ode Magazine – a print and online publication about positive news, which was founded in the Netherlands in 1995. When meeting a new person, with attention geared to the other person, tell yourself:

Step 1: “Just like me, this person is seeking happiness in his/her life.”

Step 2: “Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life.”

Step 3: “Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness, and despair.”

Step 4: “Just like me, this person is seeking to fill his/her needs.”

Step 5: “Just like me, this person is learning about life.”

Over time, these exercises will help compassion. For one’s self and for others, gradually cultivate a Yogic mindset and make Yoga a daily part of life – on and off the mat.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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!

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YOGA AND THE BEAUTIFUL BOND BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD

Sunday, February 13th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Dr. Rita Khanna

We come to this earth plane to have unique experiences. For our experiences, we select the womb; we select the parents, environment, and situations. After selecting the mother, speck of consciousness enters the mother’s womb. According to Yogic concepts, the identity of the baby, in the womb, is not different from that of the mother. Its feeding and its growth depend totally on her. There are three aspects of identity. The first is the direct effect of the mother’s mind on the unborn child; the second concerns the unborn or newly-born child recognizing certain words and responding to them; and the third concerns the impressions that are left in the mind field of the baby by the attitude and behavior of the mother.

1. MOTHER’S MOOD

If there is tension in the mind, or the mother is feeling frustrated, depressed, or in a negative frame of mind, then of course her respiration, heartbeat, glandular activity, and hormonal secretions, within the body, will affect the body of the child. The feelings that arise within her are converted into glandular and hormonal activity, which is transmitted to the baby.

2. RECOGNIZING CERTAIN WORDS (LANGUAGE)

We all respond to a particular language, a particular set of words, because that is the tool of understanding we utilize. The concept and understanding of the language is automatically imbibed by the child, via the mother’s reactions. The umbilical cord is the physical link which supplies the necessary items for the growth and development of the child. If the mother’s body is not pure, the toxins can affect the unborn child, despite protective mechanisms built into the umbilical network. In the Indian tradition, it is emphasized that the mother should lead a very pious, harmonious, and balanced life. Traditionally, at the time of pregnancy, more time would be devoted to listening to religious or spiritual stories, Satsang, the chanting of mantras, and so forth. Even in Western countries, they are now telling mothers-to-be to stop any intake of liquid or food, which might have a negative effect on the unborn child, and to avoid any kind of mental tension, anxiety, or worry, which could influence the child.

3. THE MIND FIELD

According to the traditional belief, the soul enters the womb after the fourth month. Thereafter, one has to be very careful to control the thinking process, the emotions, the desires, and to always maintain a positive attitude towards life. This is because, after the entry of the soul, the consciousness is wide open to any kind of information being fed in. The programming of the mind begins with this feeding-in of information, in the form of maternal reactions, and language training. This is known as Samskara. After the fourth month, whatever information goes into the child is known as sowing the seed of Samskara. Creating Samskara means programming the mind to act or behave in a particular way. There are many instances, where people have actually been taught different scriptures or sciences, while still in the womb. One is that of Arjuna’s son, Abhimanyu, of the Mahabharata war, who learned the science of archery while in the womb. Another is the story of Astavakra, a saint who was deformed in eight parts of the body. He knew all the Vedas, while still in the womb.

IMPORTANCE OF CHANTING A MANTRA AT THE TIME OF PREGNANACY

Mantras are a combination of various sounds, or vibrations, which stimulate various areas of the dormant personality. During pregnancy, it is suggested that if the mother chants or repeats the Mantra, mentally or verbally, with complete concentration, there is a state of oneness within her mind. That state of concentration, and Mantra awareness, will program the mind field of the child in such a way that its psychic awakening will be very simple. That is the concept of the psychic child, or in Western terminology, of the Age of Aquarius – that every newborn child will be intuitive, psychic, and have control over the faculties of self. If we can create that kind of impression in the mind field of the child through Mantra; if the mother is doing very well, which means there are no external distractions; if the atmosphere is there, then that atmosphere itself will also help the mother concentrate, focus, and center herself better; and it will become an external aid in influencing the mind field of the child.

NOTE:

One thing to remember is that, chanting a Mantra at the time of pregnancy, will not make the child spiritual. The purpose is not to make anyone spiritual. ‘Spirituality’ is just a state of being, which manifests naturally and spontaneously. One person is spiritual by nature and another is not, even though they may be highly perceptive, intuitive, and psychic. Spirituality is a symptom of a particular state of mind and consciousness. The purpose of Mantra chanting is to make the totality of the mind field accessible and allow the natural and spontaneous growth of the ‘dormant faculties’. These faculties are dormant within us, but may not be dormant within the child after birth, because we have already created a passage in the psyche of the child. If it can be brought up to lead a particular disciplined way of life, then the mind field will be accessible through the natural effort of the child.

EVERY MOMENT IS A MOMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE CHILD

yoga certification courseAfter coming out of the mother’s womb, from day one to the age of eight, the child will have awareness of the source. Every minute of the day is an education, although not verbal or academic. Whatever the child sees or perceives to be; whatever he experiences (even hunger, thirst, or satisfaction) is analyzed. Any communication the child has with its parents – ‘Daddy, I want this; Mummy, I want that; I don’t like this’, and their reactions, are all educational. How you react – you walk in the door and slump onto the sofa – is an education for the child. How you talk to your wife and how she responds – that is a moment of education. Every moment is a moment of education for the child and so there is a lot of information being fed in. In the early stages, the child is unable to filter out unnecessary information, and retain the necessary information, because the intellect is not developed.

Education, analyzing, co-coordinating, and communicating starts officially from the age of eight – just before the age of puberty, as the mind starts taking its shape, from the age of eight. The child should be introduced to three things at the age of eight. The first is Asana – to create balanced growth and activity in the glandular and hormonal systems. The second is Pranayama, so that the clear mind field is not cluttered up by the tensions and situations which are naturally injected into the mind of a child. The third is Mantra, so there is open access for psychic development and awakening of the faculties. Earlier it is not possible, but practicing Asana, Pranayama, and Mantra, from the age of eight, allows the proper balanced activity of the sensory and motor nervous system.

HOW TO ENCOURAGE THE CHILD

We should teach the child in a dynamic way. For example – if we want to teach Gayatri Mantra, then the idea has been implanted that it is for education. ‘If you repeat this Mantra, you will get a good education, fast’. That idea has been purposely implanted. It is also said that you should look at the red rising Sun while you repeat this Mantra. That concept, again, has been purposefully implanted because the rising Sun acts as a symbol on which to focus yourself. Otherwise, you will be looking here and there, repeating the Mantra at random, sometimes slowly, and sometimes fast – thinking it does not matter. We can’t tell a child to close his eyes and imagine the Sun rising each day. In order to create the conditions, suitable for the mind of an eight-year-old to repeat the Mantra, we say, ‘Listen, every morning you have to see the rising Sun. You know what the rising Sun looks like? It’s red. While you look at the rising Sun, you repeat the Mantra 11 or 21 or 31 times. Why? So you’ll be properly educated. You will have the blessings of Saraswati, Gayatri.’ It is the concept of Meditation, but it is taught in a dynamic form of self-expression to the child through Yoga. So, a lot of human psychology has been used to control the dissipation of the mental faculties and to encourage the child’s mental alertness and concentration.

CONCLUSION

Certain regimes should be maintained – from the time of pregnancy, until about age ten. During pregnancy, it is necessary for the mother to have a positive attitude and a balanced physical condition, so that there is physical purity within her body. Her reactions should be well-balanced – rather than explosive reactions to any kind of situation. Repetition of Mantra is important, so that the state of concentration, within the mother, will open up the psychic or subtle areas within the mind field of the child. Then, at eight years of age, the introduction of Asana (Surya namaskara), Pranayama (Nadi shodhana), and Mantra (Gayatri Mantra) are important. If this system is maintained, from the time of pregnancy, until the age of ten, then the child will adjust properly with life, and develop the skill to face life with complete confidence, ease, and awareness.

AUM SHANTI

If you feel inspired by this article, feel free to publish it in your Newsletter or on your Website. Our humble request is to please include the Resource as follows: -

Courtesy: Dr. Rita Khanna’s Yogashaastra Studio.

A popular studio that helps you find natural solutions for complete health.

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Dr. Rita Khanna

Dr. Rita Khanna is a well-known name in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. She was initiated into this discipline over 25 years ago by world famous Swami Adyatmananda of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh (India).

She believes firmly that Yoga is a scientific process, which helps us to lead a healthy and disease-free life. She is also actively involved in practicing alternative medicines like Naturopathy. Over the years, she has been successfully practicing these therapies and providing succour to several chronic and terminally ill patients through Yoga, Diet and Naturopathy. She is also imparting Yoga Teachers Training.

At present, Dr. Rita Khanna is running a Yoga Studio in Secunderabad (Hyderabad, India).

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Great Benefits of Yoga and Meditation

Friday, October 1st, 2010

By Danial Hurley

Yoga and meditation are among the most popular methods for overcoming stress. But even with their popularity, many people are still confused which is which because of their many similarities. Both have been practiced for more than a hundred years. In addition, both are able to help people handle their everyday stress.

Yoga is a practice introduced by holy men from India. On the other hand, some forms of meditation also came from India. For years, both of these activities have proven to be very effective.

Yoga is also an excellent activity that you can use to get rid of the toxins that you acquired all throughout the day, week or year. In addition, it also stimulates the organs in the body by gently massaging them. It is practiced with motion so that the muscles and joints can be gently stretched.

Meditation on the other hand can help calm the mind. It has been proven to allow the mind, body and soul to attain tranquility and balance. Meditation was also proven to be effective in increasing a person’s creativity and focus, which is essential for performing every day activities.

Meditation also helps the body to attain absolute relaxation. This activity has also been proven to be ideal for people who are recovering from illnesses, surgeries or traumas.

Yoga and meditation are believed to help control cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Both can allow better blood circulation and help people to absorb nutrients from food better and distribute these nutrients to the entire.

Yoga and meditation can help prevent various types of physical illnesses caused by stress such as heart disease, digestive problems and autoimmune problems. They were also proven to be effective activities for preventing and overcoming psychological ailments such as depression, anxiety attacks and more.

Another common thing about yoga and meditation is that both of them can be practiced while listening to soft music. As you may already know, there are a lot of music CD’s out there that are especially made for yoga and meditation such as Holosync meditation music CD.

If you’d like to get a free copy of this CD, you may visit http://www.meditation-music.com.au. You can also find out more about meditation by visiting http://www.meditate.com.au/blog.

Danial Hurley is an expert is a health care expert that specializes studies about alternative medicine like meditation, etc.

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Yoga and its Benefits to our Health

Friday, August 6th, 2010


By Joanne Dagato


The practice of yoga is more than 5,000 years old, and it’s more popular now than ever. Yoga can help us become fully focused on the body, breath and mind. It refreshes us. it helps us move from distress to de-stress. Yoga is not a set of exercises but a state of mind. Yoga includes physical exercises that seek to relax and still the body, breath to focus the mind, relaxation to quiet the body and mind, chanting to arouse and then calm the emotions, and mediation to center the spirit.

Most doctors will only treat the disease but Yoga can treat the whole person. When there are mental, emotional or imbalances, the stress will tend to appear in the weakest organ of the physical body. yoga also massages all organs of the body. Yoga is perhaps the only exercise that can work on through your internal organs in a thorough manner, including those that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. You can assist in the healing of your own body, because once you learn the techniques, you can use them for the rest of your life.

Moving muscles slowly will relax and loosen them, allowing better blood and lymph flow to restore the body and renew energy. Lymph fluid is filled with white blood cells that go to areas of the body that need repair. Because the lymph doesn’t have a dynamic pump behind it, like the heart for blood, we can assist the flow through deep breathing and stretching.

Yoga means Union, it unites the body, breath, mind and spirit. It is very important to learn how to breath in Yoga. The breath will bring intuition to your postures. good breathing is reassuring, soothing and healing. Breathing will help you hold the yoga postures.

Practicing yogic breathing makes the heart beat slow down, respiration steadies and blood pressure decreases. Most of us never take a deep breath all day long. Relaxation techniques are considered deeply healing on many level. Pranayama, like mediation, also has profound effects. Both assist the mental and emotional response of the person to the health condition, You can detach from the disease and go to a higher level of existence. Most of us breathe very shallowly into the lungs and don’t give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises, called Pranayama, focus the attention on the breath and teach us how to better use our lungs.

With Yoga, as in life, we need a base from which to move. Each yoga posture has specific structural and functional effects. By lacing pressure on the organs, the poses massage and help tone them. by stretching the muscles it bring fresh blood to that area. Blood circulation improves and the lungs respond with a more efficient breath. Increased oxygen reaches the tissues and every cell, tissue, organ and system reaps the benefits.

Many poses act on the endocrine glands by bathing them with fresh blood, which carries oxygen and vital nutrients to help with the overall functioning. Other postures and well as breathing can regulate the nervous system.

Yoga helps clean blood of waste material (through lymphatic stimulation), and trains us to loosen muscles and joints that are ignored in our day-to-day lives. Routines like sun salutation get the blood flowing as we warm up and free our body to experience the new stresses we will face. The practice also gets us to handle the weight of our body more effectively, which builds bone and muscle strength so we are more resilient to the frailty that afflicts many. This is why power yoga practitoners have great bodies.

The stretching of yoga aims to expand, not strain. Straining blocks your ability to listen to what the body is telling you. See what your body can do. I call it a soft face, No frowning, clenching your jaw and holding your breath are signs that you need to back off the pose a little. As we age, it becomes increasingly difficult to do certain things such as; climbing the stairs, getting out of a chair. But practicing Yoga gives us the ability to continue to do these things into our old age.

As a whole body system, yoga develops body awareness and places emphasis on alignment. This means that the whereabouts of each body part (feet, knees, hips, spine, shoulder, head) affect all the others. We have limited mobility in our backs because in the normal day to day activities we have limited range of motion. We may bend a little to the front but not to the sides and certainly no back bending. This is a huge cause of “pulling our backs out”. This is where Yoga is so important. We are only as young as our spine is flexible. By flexing our spine by turning and back bending, we help our spine stay young.

The driving force of yoga is aimed at the monumental, life-changing discovery of who and what you actually are. This is precisely how yoga works, how it makes you feel good. Yoga helps you experience the truth. The truth- which, you discover is goodness. The implications of knowing the truth is massive. Thus Yoga gives you the strength to unravel the truth with which you will begin to live with security, confidence and inner psychological peace. Such great are the benefits and properties of Yoga. Yoga changes your life.

Yoga acts positively in maintaining the health of the human body. One of the most prominent benefits of Yoga is the ability to be young once again. Apart from revitalizing the mind, Yoga rejuvenates the body as well. People, who constantly practice Yoga, have found immense benefits from it and feel better than what they felt in their younger years. There is a very famous concept in Yoga philosophy. According to it, a person’s age is determined by the flexibility of his spine, not the number of years he has lived.

Yoga helps in slowing down the aging process, by providing elasticity to the spine, firming up the skin, removing tension from the body, strengthening the abdominal muscles, eliminating the likelihood of a double chin, improving the quality of loose arm muscles, correcting poor posture and so on. Thus, of the numerous benefits of Yoga, anti-ageing is an important one. All you need is patience (remember, there is no one day benefit policy!!) and the determination (you need to be strong willed to practice every day) to practice Yoga.

Yoga increases the mental competence in a person, making him/her feel younger. It possesses the power to fight the internal as well as the external diseases and dangers. This is the key to help an individual to live longer. There are various types of Yoga, of which Hatha Yoga basically aims at making people live long. Some of the anti-ageing properties of Yoga are long life, increased resistance to diseases, increased vitality, and rejuvenation of glands, looking young, improvement in vision and hearing and many other mental and emotional benefits.

Remember, there is no magic potion that can extend the longevity of life. If there is any key to longer healthy life, it has to be Yoga. One can successfully extend the period of life by constantly following Yogic practices. Even the tiniest detailing of ageing, such as gray hair can be dealt with Yoga. By practicing inverted Yoga postures, you can turn back gray hair to its natural color. These practices also delay the onset of gray hair, thereby making a person look younger. Even people with the inability to get up on their own, can enjoy replenished flexibility and freedom from joint pain, by practicing Yoga. Doing yoga cultivates a balance between the flexibility and strength of the muscles of the body, often the real culprit in back pain. Most people are tight in key areas affecting the spine, for example in the hips and shoulders. A system such as yoga, which releases the tension in the muscles, should improve back pain. While the emphasis is on stretching and flexibility, yoga also develops muscle strength.

The effects on children practicing yoga are great. Yoga helps make the children more flexible and coordinated. It helps increase self esteem in children as they gain control over their minds and bodies. It helps children learn self-discipline with the help of certain poses, which make them breath and think in certain ways. It helps children control stress and relax. It helps them calm down and focus in their studies in a better way. Yoga helps develop their creativity and imagination. They become more aware of their surroundings and their instincts are sharpened. Children practicing yoga eat better and choose healthier foods over junk food. Children develop better emotional responses and compassion, teamwork and leadership skills. Yoga improves their digestion power and strengthens their immune system. Hyper active children practicing yoga, learn to direct their extra energy and build stronger concentration power. Yoga has also proven to be beneficial for children suffering from down syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism. Yoga induces a person to discipline his body, breathing and thoughts. Therefore, many children learn to discipline themselves without any adult controlling them.

Meditation and relaxation helps heal the body and re-energizes the body. It allows you to be refreshed and brings your body, mind and spirit back into balance. This should be at least 20 minutes. While in mediation whenever your thoughts stray, bring them back to your body. A good relaxation practice would be to put a small object like a pebble between your eyebrows while lying down in corpse pose. This way you can concentrate on that object and not on what needs to be done today. Tense up an area of the body like your toes and then relax them. Go to the next part like your right leg and then relax it and continue this exercise until you get to the face. Practice breathing slowly (4 seconds on the inhalation and 8 seconds on the exhalation). You kind of take a mental holiday and become less preoccupied with the little worries of day-to-day life.

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Yoga and Random Acts of Kindness

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga practice is a journey of self-discovery. Depending upon your point of view, Yoga may be perceived as a way of life, an art of life, a science of life, or a series of exercises you practice on a mat. Despite all the differences in what Yoga means to each of us, most practitioners continue to pursue knowledge and advance in their practice.

What is an advanced practitioner of Yoga? An advanced practitioner has been practicing for years and often decades. A serious practitioner applies the lessons learned from practice toward life. Meditation, study, pranayama, asana, and many other Yogic methods are practical applications we learn to use in daily life.

If the prime emphasis of Yoga was performing difficult asanas, we could ignore all of the classic writings of the past. We could discount Raja, Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, and many more styles that have existed for thousands of years. We could forget all the lives that have been improved through practice and application. Yet, every advanced practitioner knows that the value of applying Yoga goes far beyond the mat.

One, who has advanced in practice, applies what he or she knows toward daily situations. One aspect we learn from Yogic studies is doing the right thing. If someone needs help, we stop and help them. Granted, there are a few people who need help for life. In such cases, it is best to point them in the direction of self-help.

Most people just need a little nudge forward to proceed in a positive direction. If we help someone, it must be needed. Who wants to take advice, or help, when it is not asked for? As parents, we learn that our free advice can be perceived as worthless, but our timely help is appreciated for life.

When to do the right thing can be a very difficult learning process, because we learn when exactly to give assistance. Our efforts to help others mean nothing if the timing is not right. If you are not hungry, a loaf of bread has little value at that moment in time. Random acts of kindness are not flower petals to throw on the ground. Too much of a good thing becomes something that is taken for granted.

When reading the Yoga Sutras, of Patanjali, we learn that Yoga is an extremely deep practice. We also learn that moderation is a key component to all Yogic principles. Random acts of kindness must be timely in order to be useful.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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YOGA AND FROZEN SHOULDER

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

By Dr. Rita Khanna

Frozen shoulder is also known as adhesive capsulitis. A person with adhesive capsulitis has inflammation of the shoulder joint. The inflammation causes joint stiffness and decreased range of motion of the joint. As the condition worsens, the range of motion in the shoulder significantly reduces. It is as if you stitched the folds of a tablecloth; you wouldn’t be able to open the cloth up to its full size. Diabetes, shoulder trauma (including surgery), a history of open-heart surgery, hyperthyroidism, and a history of cervical disk disease are all associated with an increased risk of this problem.

BASIC SHOULDER INTRODUCTION

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body. However, it is an unstable joint because of its range of motion. It is made up of three bones, which are connected by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The round end of the upper arm bone (humerus) fits into a shallow groove on the shoulder blade (scapula). The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. It is easily subjected to injury because the ball of the upper arm is larger than the shoulder socket that holds it. Generally ,the socket is a little bigger than the size of the ball, so that the ball can fit inside the socket and easily move around. One way of visualizing this joint is to think of a golf ball on a tee. The exercise of moving the shoulder up and down, forward and backward, arms rotation in a circular motion, or hinge out and up away from the body are very important to keep the shoulder mobile.

YOGIC EXERCISES

The exercises below are a boon for frozen shoulder and neck pain. These help you to restore full, pain-free range of motion and functions of your shoulder. The good thing about these exercises is that these involve easy and slow stretching movements, which also help you to focus on your body. This focus will help you to pay attention to your body and any pain that may come from the stretching. It helps to warm up your shoulders and their smooth movement. It is important to be careful, patient, and persistent. Initially, do these exercises multiple times a day – by connecting body, breath, and mind. These will bring positive energy into the shoulders.

VAJRASANA

These exercises can be done standing or sitting. You may sit in a sofa or chair if unable to sit on the ground in Vajrasana.

Keep your arms at the sides; keep them straight and loose. Lift the shoulders up and then bring them down. There should not be any jerky movement. Do it for 8-10 times. Take a deep inhalation while lifting the shoulders; exhale when the shoulders are brought down.

1. Rotate the shoulder girdle, initially, clockwise, for 8-10 times, and then counter clockwise for 8-10 times, while keeping the arms relaxed. Inhale deeply when the shoulders move upwards and exhale when the shoulders move downwards.

2. Keep both the hands on the respective shoulders; right hand on the right shoulder and left hand on the left shoulder. Still keeping the hands on the shoulders, rotate the arms, initially, clockwise for 8-10 times; and then counter clockwise for 8-10 times. Deeply inhale when the elbows move forward, and exhale when the elbows move backwards. Start out with very small circles; and then make the circles bigger and bigger as your shoulder becomes free.

3. From Vajrasana gently stand on the knees. This is half standing position. Now, rotate the arms in the front of the chest – crossing them, initially, clockwise for 8-10 times, and then counter clockwise for 8-10 times. Inhale when the arms move upwards; and exhale when the arms move downwards.

4. Now sit back in Vajrasana. Inhale and raise your arms up over the head; press the palms together as hard as you can; then keep pressing them and bring them down in front of the chest, while exhaling. Repeat eight to ten times.

5. Arms are apart; palms are facing towards each other; elbows facing downwards, with fingers together. Inhale and bring the palms closer to each other, with the fingers apart at a distance of 6 to 8 inches. While doing this, put pressure on the upper arms. Then relax. Do eight to ten times.

6. Sit in any sitting position or in Gomukhukasana position. Now, take your right arm down over the right shoulder behind the neck. Take your left hand from down behind the back. Try to hold your hands in a hook shape, and pull them in the opposite direction. The upper elbow should remain exactly on the back side of the head, so that it gives complete exercise to the cervical spine. Inhale deeply when you pull the hands.

Relax the hands when you exhale. Try to remain in this position to the count of three breaths. Then, reverse the position and do the same exercise with the other side. Repeat 3-5 times each side (Use a belt if the hand does not come half way down the back).

7. Bring the right arm in front of the chest, by bending the elbow. Cross the left arm under the right arm. Hook the elbows and place hands as close as you can in a prayer position. Keep the hands near the nose. Do normal breathing. Now, start with the left arm. Repeat 3-5 times each side.

Do all the exercises gently – without any jerks.

AUM SHANTI

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Dr. Rita Khanna

Dr. Rita Khanna is a well-known name in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. She was initiated into this discipline over 25 years ago by world famous Swami Adyatmananda of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh (India).

She believes firmly that Yoga is a scientific process, which helps us to lead a healthy and disease-free life. She is also actively involved in practicing alternative medicines like Naturopathy. Over the years, she has been successfully practicing these therapies and providing succour to several chronic and terminally ill patients through Yoga, Diet and Naturopathy. She is also imparting Yoga Teachers Training.

At present, Dr. Rita Khanna is running a Yoga Studio in Secunderabad (Hyderabad, India).

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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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