Posts Tagged ‘yoga training’

Yoga and Meditation For Panic Attacks

Thursday, January 17th, 2013

yoga instructor training courseBy Kimaya Singh

Stress and mental health issues are unfortunately a part of our lives. They can affect your relationships and even your physical health. Many people suffer from panic attacks. They often occur during times of high stress, such as a major life change or a traumatic event. Panic attacks often feel like heart attacks. The symptoms include dizziness, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and even fainting. Although it can be very frightening, it is a common and treatable condition. The best way to reduce or prevent panic attacks from occurring is to reduce the amount of stress in your life and find better ways to deal with the stress and anxiety that you do have. One of the most natural ways to do that is through Yoga.

Numerous studies have shown that Yoga can be very good for the body and the mind. It has been known to reduce blood pressure and help to release the endorphins that make you feel good. There’s more to it than physical activity, however. Practicing Yoga also entails doing breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and meditation. All of that can help to quiet the mind, which can also lead to a reduction in anxiety levels. Even people who don’t suffer from panic attacks can benefit from that. And keep in mind that Yoga training has been used for thousands of years to help people with a number of physical and mental health issues. It is a widely recognized form of exercise that can be practiced by most people, regardless of their current fitness levels. Proper instruction can help to ensure good form and help you to get the most out of your practice.

Learning how to grow the mind body connection is an important skill to have. Much of what we think and feel has a physical effect on the body. Anxiety, stress, and panic attacks can also lead to unhealthy weight gain or weight loss, as well as disrupted sleep patterns and loss of enjoyment in every day life. That’s why it is so important to find constructive and healthy outlets in order to reduce their effects on your life. Eating a well balanced diet, getting enough exercise, and practicing mindful meditation can help to keep you calm so that you can enjoy life and all that it has to offer.

© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Teaching Yoga Students About Relaxation

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

yoga instructor certificationBy Kimaya Singh

What is the greatest gift a yoga teacher can present to her students? As you learned when you decided to become a yoga instructor: Each student is different, but all of them need to learn when, how, and why to relax. Some students don’t want to relax initially. They might be so wired up that it feels unnatural to chill out. Relaxation or meditation is an integral part of all yoga practices. Usually, deep relaxation is done at the beginning or end of the session. This allows us to journey to a place of focus, or reflect upon what we’ve accomplished and get back to ourselves and to our center of being. However, many find benefit in practicing stage-by-stage, body scanning, deep pranayama relaxation, or nidra on its own.

There are many positions you can take to execute yoga nidra. The most common position is Savasana (copse pose), which is simply lying on your back with your arms at your side, palms up. Others desire the use of a pillow under the head, rolled blankets for comfort, or even a sitting position. The bottom line is you want to be relaxed and comfortable in whatever position suits you best. At that point, you will take turns tightening and relaxing different parts of your body while deep breathing. Tighten in the inhale, and relax on the exhale. All focus should be on the particular body part whilst working it.

You may choose to work from the head down, which includes gently stretching the face, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. Continue with opening the chest, flexing the abdomen, and moving down through the hips, legs, and toes all the while continuing your breathing. You may implement any other elements you wish including candlelight and soft music; whatever it takes to create a sense of peacefulness. Once in a completely calm state, you can send your mind messages. It can be whatever you like to strengthen your mental state of being in order to improve upon your psyche. For example, you could say “I am a strong person, who can accomplish whatever I like.” It is amazing what our minds and bodies are capable of achieving.

The benefits of yoga training are unlimited. Too often as busy individuals, we forget to take time out for ourselves. This takes us to a state of calm, relaxed focus on our own state of being. It can help with depression, stress, insomnia, headaches and addiction among other ailments. It is so important to cleanse or minds and bodies of the negative energies that we may have brought on ourselves, or received from an outside source. Many people will allow them to fester within, and grow. A few worthwhile minutes can erase them and keep us in a state of well-being.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Teaching Yoga Students the Art Form

Monday, December 31st, 2012

online yoga instructor trainingBy Kimaya Singh

Within every art form there is beauty. As an instructor, you may have seen this beauty in the improvements in your students or at a prenatal yoga teacher training intensive. For those who teach Yogic methods, there is beauty in every part of this treasured practice. Yoga is considered to be art, science and a way of life. It is also the perfect activity for cultivating both inner and outer beauty. 

Part of Yoga’s healing process is that the inner peace and calmness it affords helps a person’s inner beauty come to the surface. Tension lines, muscle cramps, and superficial complexion problems that plague most Westerners are often caused by stress and a poor diet. Yoga is ideal for giving a student a way to remove outward signs that they have been making their health and wellness a priority. After practicing yoga for a few months, students often remark that their friends tell them that they emit a glow that they have previously never held before. In this sense, the tranquility and search for inner peace shows through to the outward parts of our bodies.

Physically speaking, many people turn to more athletic-based yoga schools, where the objective is to build lean muscle mass, without gaining size, and provide overall cardiovascular health. A regular asana practice is effective in sculpting muscle tone that is not bulky or out of proportion to a person’s natural body type. This is because the weight bearing poses in yoga training allow the body to grow muscle size at a rate that adjusts to ever growing demands on the muscles.

Practicing yoga forces a person to turn their focus inward, and to deal with parts of themselves that they often judge as “bad” or “ugly.” Looking at those parts with non-judgment means that the student can begin to find the beauty in even those parts of ourselves that we try to hide form others. We start to see that underneath those things we want to avoid there is potential and beauty that can be added to our lives.

With improved muscle tone and generally better health, body movement improves for the student. His or her movements become more graceful and more deliberate. The student no longer lumbers or shuffles from point A to point B; instead, movements are made deliberately and with a grace that shows a new inner confidence. And as the body becomes more flexible, we also become more flexible with what we allow into and out of our lives. That flexibility allows us to explore things that previously would’ve scared us and kept us from realizing our true potential. It allows us to open up to more potential beauty in our lives.

As students progress, asana, pranayama, meditation and relaxation, allow them to become aware of the world outside of themselves and outside of their own body.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

See Yoga videos, demonstrations, and lectures related to Yoga instructor certification and continuing education courses for Yoga teachers.

Teaching Yoga for Running Performance

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

yoga certification onlineBy Sangeetha Saran

When a practitioner decides to become a yoga instructor, he or she won’t be prepared for every teaching niche. This is the case with teaching those who participate in running events. Runners often turn to asana practice as an effective cross-training activity. Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga give an effective and complementary option for dedicated runners and those who are training for 5ks through full marathons.

One reason why yoga is so effective for runners is that it combats some side effects of running training. Running can sometimes over train muscles, at the expense of strengthening the joints and tendons of the body. Any type of stretching can help runners regain flexibility and movement in the joints, and yoga’s focus on body awareness helps runners monitor where they feel stiff and work on those areas. As runners gain experience, they learn that a stiff and inflexible body can limit the amount of power and efficiency that can hinder the quest to improve personal best times.

Another reason why yoga is a popular cross-training activity is that standing poses allow runners to further develop leg muscles. Warrior II allows the calves and inner thighs to strengthen without adding bulk to the body. Balancing poses such as Tree or Warrior III develop not only the knees and ankles but the abdominal muscles. As runners advance, they learn that abdominal muscles are as important to their strength as the muscles in the leg, and poses such as boat or side planks can help develop the muscles of the core.

Just like in yoga training, many runners will initially turn to the sport for purely physical reasons. They want to lose pounds or improve muscle tone. The more runners run, they are pleased to discover that there is a more spiritual side of running. As a solitary action, training allows a runner to stay inside his or her body, and can lead to a meditative practice. Runners who eventually turn to running as their “walking meditation” are often reluctant to spend time on an activity that does not relax them or give them a more spiritual payoff. Yoga is perfect for giving a runner another activity that will deepen their spiritual growth as well as sculpt their body.

Yoga teachers who work with runners who are new to asana practice should concentrate on helping students who are often physically inflexible. Keep in mind that some runners have a “Type A personality,” and can be impatient with slowly improving their flexibility. Practicing yogic techniques as an alternative form of exercise can help these athletes let go of the need to constantly improve and judge while giving them a calmer mind and improved flexibility.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

See Yoga videos, demonstrations, and lectures related to Yoga instructor certification online and specialized continuing education courses.

Why Do Yoga Students Stay in Our Classes?

Friday, December 28th, 2012

yoga instructor certificationBy Faye Martins

There are some things that each of us learn after a 200 hour yoga instructor training intensive. As a teacher, you’ve got to wonder from time to time what it is that keeps your students coming back day after day or week after week. Is it the way you mix up the routine so no one gets bored, the way you encourage all students, or something as simple as the music you play during class? Chances are, it’s a combination of all of those things and more. Keep your students happy by following a few important rules.

Positive Classroom Vibe

When students enter the yoga school and are greeted with smiles, hellos, and how-do-you-dos it sets the tone for a warm, welcoming place. Many yoga teachers pipe soft music into the room before class to encourage this environment. Many teachers also make a point to greet each student, letting them know they see them as an individual person not just another body on a mat. Although a yoga session involves a quiet, calm routine, there’s nothing wrong with voices and laughter as students enter the studio, lay out their mats and prepare for class.

Helpful Instructors

Students generally like instructors who offer kind support and advice during postures that may be new or difficult. Instructors who take the time to talk about adjustments to make to the body or props to use to help achieve a pose gain respect from students. Many people come to yoga to completely let go of the world for a while, and they like it when someone is there to guide them into each pose every step of the way no matter how many times they have done it before.

Interesting Routines

Many types of exercises can become boring after a while if you constantly do the same thing. Yoga can have the same effect on people, causing boredom and wandering minds during class. Yoga instructors who mix up the routine bit, constantly introducing new poses or variations to sequences will keep their students engaged and interested. There are certainly enough asanas to make for a variety of diverse routines.

Feelings of Calm and Peace

Once you experience the feelings of calm and peace after a good yoga training session, it’s hard not to be hooked. Many students come back time and again simply because they feel good. Although we can’t call yoga a drug, it can certainly become addictive based on cravings for serenity and relaxation. It’s hard to be dedicated enough to perform postures and breathing on your own time, so students make a point to keep coming back to yoga class where they can get another dose of peace.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

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Yoga in Everyday Life

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012

yoga instructor certificationBy Faye Martins

One of the interesting aspects of teaching Yoga is finding out how many students actually take their practice home with them. Most students give honest feedback through a show of hands or a survey. My point is that some students won’t practice meditation, pranayama and asana on their own, while others will practice almost daily. The reasons for this can vary depending on the results experienced, the student’s desire to practice, how much spare time a student has to practice, and many other factors.

Yoga training offers students a wonderful escape from the stresses of modern life, but at some point, students need to discover ways to apply what they learn on the mat to other aspects of their lives. A teacher maybe programmed to practice before or during a Yoga certification course, but students might not lean on meditation, pranayama and relaxation techniques right away. Long-term practitioners are likely to use every aspect of Yogic methodology and philosophy in daily life, but beginners will tend to lean on the physical senses, which make asana practice beneficial.

Asana in Life

The flexibility that dedicated and regular practice of asanas offer help students go about their daily lives with less injury. Forward bends help strengthen the back so that when a person bends over there is less chance of suffering a back injury. Regularly practicing sitting and standing twists gives students a larger range of motion, which can make backing the family car out of the garage much easier.

Yoga offers students a chance to discover where they may be holding tension and stress within their bodies. Many students are shocked to learn that they are holding tension in their hips, so poses such as Downward Facing Dog help release the stress while strengthening the entire body.

As Time Goes By

As students face more and more stress at the workplace, it’s important that they learn effective ways to deal with the stress. Yoga teaches us to unleash stress through deep breathing, and medical science supports the idea that deep cleansing breathing helps to lower blood pressure and cortisol levels in the body.

Yama and Niyama in Practice

In addition to the physical, Yoga offers students a spiritual path, even for those who claim no religious affiliation whatsoever. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras offer a code of living with others that can be followed no matter what one’s religious affiliation. Practicing non-violence or harm to one’s self (including surrendering to low self esteem or depression) encourages a student to practice a form of compassion for every person they meet. And holding ones-self to a code of honesty towards others and within one’s yoga practice helps students avoid false relationships or veer toward a path of lying or stealing from others. Samadhi encourages a student to practice unity not only within the confines of his or her meditation but oneness with the Universe itself.

The lessons students learn on the Yoga mat are easily transferred to their everyday lives. Yoga training can help make movement and stress relief easier for students as they progress through their practices. In addition, yogic principals can form a basis of a spiritual practice that students can follow in their asanas, meditation periods and in any aspect of their everyday lives.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

Visit our online Yoga teacher training community.

Yoga Training for Students With Diabetes

Friday, December 21st, 2012

yoga instructor trainingBy Jenny Park

Chances are a student has asked you about yoga for diabetes. You might want to create a handout for the most common health conditions, but you don’t have enough time. You look through your old papers and books to find that your yoga certification course didn’t cover diabetes. Let’s be honest, how many medical conditions can you cover in one yoga teacher training intensive? Don’t worry, below this line I’ve prepared a handout for your diabetic students and their friends.

Diabetes and Yoga

Diabetes affects more and more people each year. This is largely believed to be due to poor diet choices and obesity. However, this is not always the case and it is responsible for one of the highest percentages of death. Though it is true that it can be caused by genetic factors, in the majority of cases those suffering could afford to exercise for their own good. The good news is that it’s never too late to begin a healthy lifestyle. By decreasing glucose levels, we can reduce are stress level and in turn reduce our chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke due to Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. Sadly, the majority of cases are undiagnosed. One way to prevent diabetes is to practice yoga. So whether you’ve been diagnosed or not, yogic exercise is certainly a beneficial activity to take up.

Symptoms of Diabetes

If by chance you are one of the millions of undiagnosed people who suffer from diabetes, there are certain symptoms to consider that may push you to begin a healthier lifestyle now. They include extreme thirst, constant hunger, frequent urination, irritability, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and blurry vision. Once diagnosed a doctor will prescribe anything from insulin shots to medication. Sometimes, people who have taken up a healthy lifestyle have actually come off their diabetes medications.

How Yoga Helps

By strengthening muscles and massaging the endocrine, nervous, and circulatory system, asana practice will ultimately decrease overall stress levels. It also helps the student gain control over their mind, body and spirit allowing them to make clear lifestyle choices, and lose weight. A wide array of poses (asanas) is wonderful for those suffering diabetes. Each has its own benefit, and should be practiced 3 to 5 days a week for maximum benefit.

It’s important to take a class that relaxes you, as stress is a huge factor in diabetes. Slow, controlled poses like Sun Salutation along with plenty of meditation are perfect. Studies have shown that asana practice releases cortisol, which is a known stress hormone. The end results show that yoga is more effective than most forms of exercise. Practice will be most beneficial with the help of a certified yoga instructor who can get students not only in the correct postures, but also help them travel to that mental place where they can strengthen not just their bodies but also their minds.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses for specialized Yoga certification, please visit the following link.

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

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, 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!

Teaching Yoga Students About Anxiety Relief

Thursday, December 20th, 2012

yoga instructor certificationBy Faye Martins

In a sense, yoga is the perfect medicine for anxiety sufferers. The tightness of body, shallow breathing, and focus on anything other than the present that anxiety promotes is the antithesis of a dedicated yoga training session. Sometimes, a student who suffers from anxiety from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder will find that a class guided by a yoga instructor can be as or more effective as pharmaceuticals when managing their anxiety.

One of the most effective ways that yoga can combat anxiety is by teaching a student how to breathe properly. Anxiety causes rapid, shallow breathing that causes a person’s nervous system to stay on constant alert for imagined dangers. By learning to take deep breaths, a student can also learn how to minimize anxiety attacks by managing a key symptom of anxiety. Learning that an exhale removes emotional impurities helps students to feel as if they are letting go of the racing thoughts that they fear will never leave them. For students who suffer anxiety related to a specific situation, practicing equanimity will help them to keep their fears or other emotions in check regardless of the situation that they are in.

Balancing asanas, such as Warrior III are helpful in dealing with the anxious mind. Anxiety causes a person to worry about past performance and obsess over future disasters. Forcing both body and mind to focus on keeping balance holds the mind’s attention long enough to realize that there really isn’t any time left over to concentrate on anything but holding the pose. Standing poses such as Warrior II promote a sense of self confidence, which can help combat the feelings of inferiority that many anxiety sufferers feel. In that sense, a yoga mat can be a safe place for the student to feel empowered.

Savasana, or Corpse Pose is one of the most effective poses for helping students deal with their anxiety. Corpse pose helps to regulate breathing, which can instantly calm nerves. Yoga teacher, Sarah Ivanhoe, once advised students that when in Corpse Pose, they should be “busy relaxing.” This speaks volumes about the anxious mind’s need to constantly have a project or focus to concentrate on. Asking it to focus on relaxation gives the anxious mind an excuse to settle down and enjoy rest for the time that the student is in the pose.

The physical aspects of yoga provide methods for anxiety sufferers to manage their symptoms. Students can use yoga to combine an effective form of exercise and an emotionally safe place to quiet their racing minds.

© Copyright 2012 – 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 report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, 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!

Yoga Training for Busy Moms

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012

become a yoga instructorBy Faye Martins

I know, we have plenty of guys out there teaching, taking Yoga teacher training courses, and practicing in the studio or at home. I’m happy to see an increase among men who teach Yoga or attend classes regularly. However, I see a few young mothers during the week that really need some downtime. For some, they have a supportive family unit. For others, it sounds like their unit has fragmented. I’m thankful that my parents always worked together for the sake of the family, but times are certainly different one generation later.

If anybody can benefit from Yoga’s stress-relieving powers, it’s busy young moms. Trying to fit a regular practice in between changing diapers and driving carpool can be a challenge, however, and some moms who are hard on themselves for not being punctual or consistent may be tempted to procrastinate or give up Yoga altogether.

Fortunately, there is no “right” way to do Yoga. Not only are there many different styles of the ancient healing art, but also individual practices change over time, regardless of ability and lifestyle. The key to success is finding something that fits your hectic schedule and being willing to adapt your practice as situations change over time.

Five Yoga Tips for Busy Moms

• You don’t have to go to a studio to practice Yoga training. Arrange a private lesson with a teacher who can help you set up a realistic home practice, or search online for videos and routines for busy moms.

• If you don’t have free time, forget long sessions. Just five minutes spent stretching or lying in corpse pose can lift your spirit and relieve fatigue throughout the day.

• Deep Yogic breathing can be practiced at almost any time, and it helps to calm frayed nerves and restore energy.

• There are many kinds of meditation. Taking a brisk walk behind a stroller or mindfully preparing a meal can provide a respite. So can listening to soothing music or guided meditations.

• Gratitude and awareness are just as much a part of Yoga as asana, meditation or pranayama, and they can be built into everyday life. Keeping a journal not only documents special events; it also provides a reminder of the fleeting moments in children’s lives.

What better time to set a good role model than when children are little? Doing simple meditation, Yogic breathing, and poses with Mom not only guarantees quality time but also teaches kids to be more aware of their bodies and less prone to stress.

Restorative poses like Legs-Up-the Wall Pose and Child’s Pose are good choices for moms and kids to practice together. Studies have shown that Yoga helps at-risk students cope with stress and encourages them to get along better with others. Now that’s good news for busy moms and their kids.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga instructor training and continuing education courses for specialized Yoga certification, please visit the following link.

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

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, 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!

Teaching Yoga in the Office

Monday, December 17th, 2012

yoga teacher certificationBy Kimaya Singh

Now more than ever, Yoga instructors can be found teaching Yogic exercise, posturing, stretching, relaxation, stress management, meditation and pranayama, within office surroundings. As humans have made advancements in technology, machines do much of the world’s industrial and agricultural work. Manual labor is not entirely a thing of the past, but more machines replace human labor each year.

These days, a significant number of the world’s workforce is filled with people who work in offices. Many of those jobs are sedentary and don’t include much physical activity. Studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle often leads to weight gain as well as other conditions that can have negative impacts on a person’s overall health. Paulji often mentions that sitting constantly causes blood to pool in the legs and feet.  This causes blood to thicken and puts anyone who sits for too long in a higher category of stroke risk. However, there is a global Yoga movement that has been sweeping the world for some time now, which has helped people get on their feet and get the blood flowing. More and more forward thinking companies are seeing the benefit of having employees practice Yoga training in the office.

Benefits for People in the Office

The upside of Yoga in an office setting includes better employee posture and higher levels of energy as well as decreased stress levels. All of that is often needed by people who are working in an office environment. Many companies offer classes at lunch time, break time or at the beginning or end of the work day. Companies and managers are seeing higher morale in their employees, less sick time, and many boast of higher productivity. Practicing Yoga is a way for many people to strengthen their mind-body connection, which in turn can make them happier and lead to other long-term health benefits.

Although some people can be intimidated by asana (Yoga posture) practice, they often find that it is a very accessible form of exercise in office classes. Almost anyone can do it, even if they have never tried it before. People of all fitness levels often find that it benefits them in ways they never would’ve imagined. There are so many modifications, beginners often find themselves pleasantly surprised at what Yoga truly has to offer. As their practice grows, many people find themselves enjoying a higher level of confidence, which often spills over in other areas of their lives. This can mean having a better outlook on life in general, which is something that is very beneficial.

Sometimes people associate Yoga training with chanting mantras and contorting into pretzel positions, and that can make them uncomfortable to think about. Although there are many different Yoga schools with diverse approaches, chanting isn’t part of the normal office training routine. Yoga in the office is a way to strengthen, tone, and increase flexibility in the body as well as the mind. As this form of Yogic exercise becomes more mainstream, especially in the office environment, more people are going to reap the benefits and that will have a positive impact on the lifestyles of the people who need it the most.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training courses and continuing education courses for specialized Yoga certification, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book: “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, 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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