YOGA FOR MENTAL HEALTH Archives - Page 2 of 17

Yoga and Meditation for Stress Reduction

Many people picture yoga as a posturing practice, but it’s necessary to remember that meditation and pranayama are monumental parts of a complete practice. Meditation has been demonstrated to not only decrease stress levels, but also induce changes in brain physiology. Eileen Luders, a researcher in the UCLA School of Medicine, conducted a study in 2009 that compared the MRIs of 22 meditators, with 5-46 years of experience, with 22 non-meditators, and found that meditators had increased gray matter in the areas of the brain associated with attention, regulating emotions, and decision-making. In effect, meditators were more focused and better equipped to deal with negative or stressful situations and make logical, mindful decisions. Similarly, in 2009, Philippe Goldin, a project director in Stanford University, monitored individuals taking an 8-week course on meditation and yoga.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-10-24T00:28:45-04:00Categories: Anxiety, Meditation / Nidra, Stress Management|0 Comments

Yoga for Emotional Trauma

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, Director of Yoga Teacher Training at Aura Wellness Center speaks to you in this short lecture regarding the following: Yoga for Emotional Trauma Adjunct Therapy PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Engaging the Mind for Emotional Healing

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002017-04-26T15:29:57-04:00Categories: Emotional Health|Tags: yoga for emotional healing, yoga for emotional trauma|0 Comments

The Transformative Power of Shiva – Emotional Clarity

Many Yogis and Yoginis also experience the deep peace of dropping into Shiva's formless field of energy thought chanting or repeating his divine name is a concentrated fashion. Repeating the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya', either silently or audibly, will quickly harness Shiva's energy. Many Yoga practitioners like to use a japa mala to help focus the mind while repeating a mantra, or enlivened phrase.

Paul2017-04-26T15:29:57-04:00Categories: Emotional Health|Tags: causing us unnecessary pain, chant this classical mantra, classical yogic texts, exquisitely designed sand mandalas, formless field of energy, japa mala to help focus, profoundly restful and peaceful|0 Comments

Yoga for Transforming Stress Into Positive Energy

The very first stress management method suggested on the website of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America is to practice yoga. Focusing on yoga or exercise allows you to free yourself from whatever is causing your negative feelings.

Paul2017-04-26T15:29:58-04:00Categories: Stress Management|Tags: causing your negative feelings, promote wellness and positive energy, replace the feelings of negativity, triggers of anxiety, when anxiety overwhelms us|3 Comments

About Yoga for Releasing Anger

If you need to let your steam release slowly and evenly, instead of blowing your top forcefully and powerfully, you may want to try yoga. Yoga implements a combination of techniques, which combine beautifully as an effective anger coping mechanism.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002017-04-26T15:29:58-04:00Categories: Anger Management|Tags: calm you instantly, means of regaining control, meditation time in your yoga class, outlet for relieving anger, use positive soothing words|0 Comments

How Does Yoga Stimulate Your Brain?

Another group of researchers found a connection between yoga and the neurotransmitter GABA. Neurotransmitters are the chemical substances released to the brain to create communication between the brain and the body. GABA is one of the inhibitory types, which are responsible for calming the brain.

Paul2017-04-28T18:09:17-04:00Categories: YOGA FOR MENTAL HEALTH|Tags: improve your brain function, led to improved mood, new realm of treatment options, participate in 20 minutes of yoga, way to rewire the brain|2 Comments

About Yoga for Your Mind

Ruminating about the past and worrying about the future isn't just mentally draining; it's unproductive, too. One of the best ways to break this all-too-common habit is by occasionally emptying all thoughts from your mind. Meditation is a great way to do this, but learning how to meditate effectively is easier said than done. Yoga offers the perfect solution for busy people who want to evacuate pointless, anxiety-provoking thoughts from their minds. Breathing exercises, or pranayama, are integral parts of the discipline. As you learn to perfect them, you'll find that it becomes easier and easier to enjoy the present.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002017-04-28T18:02:20-04:00Categories: Emotional Health, YOGA FOR MENTAL HEALTH|Tags: achieve exceptional clarity, emptying all thoughts, perfect solution for busy people, yoga as a way to retrain your brain, your mind has been freed|3 Comments

About Yoga Training and Releasing Anger

Another view holds that expressing fury prevents the emotion from festering inside. While anger can be beneficial in certain ways - perhaps alerting us to where we need to speak up, take care of ourselves or protect another who might be harmed -- it still needs proper expression. Exploding and shouting whenever we're angry is hardly ideal, and it could become a habit that serves no one but the angry person.

Paul2017-04-26T15:29:58-04:00Categories: Anger Management|Tags: add to negative feelings, antagonistic personal relationship, help clear the haze of rage, helps a practitioner release anger, yoga practice can be a very helpful tool|0 Comments

Yogic Meditation with a Partner

Sit back-to-back with your partner, supporting each other equally. Take deep, slow breaths. Relax into a common rhythm. Experiment with one partner exhaling as the other inhales, and vice versa. Paul and Marie Jerard also do a supine head-to-head variation of this, with the lower legs elevated on a folding chair (blankets are on the seats and a blanket may be under the head, depending on the natural tilt of the cervical spine). The knees and hips are set at 90 degrees and your crown chakra is about six inches away from your your partner's crown chakra.

Paul2017-04-28T18:01:59-04:00Categories: Meditation / Nidra|Tags: bring about emotional reactions, encouragement of a partner, hands in prayer position, solo meditation session, without judgment or expectation|0 Comments

Yoga of the Heart: Enhancing the Pulsation of Love

Many students and teachers love the practice of Yoga because of the happiness, love and well-being that it generates. However, there is a process of releasing and unfurling that must happen in order to continue to increase and expand the love within our own hearts. Many of us carry "undigested" experiences of sadness, love and scarcity in the region of the Heart Chakra. In order to truly feel the divine love that pulsates at the core of the heart, these negative emotions and experiences must be compassionately released and the love rekindled on a daily basis.

Paul2017-04-26T15:29:59-04:00Categories: Emotional Health|Tags: arise in your awareness, existing neck injury, increase the feeling of love, increase the intensity of the pose, open and expand the heart, relax your entire body, teachers love the practice of yoga, to practice anahata asana|0 Comments