September is National Yoga Month. This is an awareness campaign to spread the word about the many benefits of a yoga practice and to encourage people to try yoga. Many yoga studios and organizations in cities throughout the country participate in activities throughout the month. There are hundreds of free classes and events being held in large cities and small towns around the country. The events being offered vary widely, depending on where you live. Some programs are offering yoga classes, meditation, lectures and other celebrations. Other events include art, music and other events to bring the community together and … Continue reading →

How do you approach new or advanced asanas? Too often, people feel discouraged and focus on feelings of failure when faced with challenging yoga poses. Some even give up the practice because they find certain poses too difficult. The problem is the focus on failure to perform a perfect asana, when the problem may actually be failing to enjoy the journey. If you are just starting out and learning the asanas or have been practicing for a while and are moving on to more challenging poses, it is important to remember that the philosophy of yoga is non competitive. That … Continue reading →

Practicing yoga regularly leads to changes in all areas of your life. The calming and centering influence of yoga has a positive affect on your health, outlook on life and even on your work and personal relationships. Through the practice of yoga and meditation, you learn how to live in the moment and you become more focused on the people and events in your life. This leads to taking the time to build strong relationships and communicating well with the people around you. When you are living in and enjoying the present moment, you will naturally begin to take joy … Continue reading →

Recently, I have noticed a growing number of yoga practices that are leaving out savasana, or corpse pose, at the end of the class. At first I dismissed the trend by considering the source. I have been trying some practices on Exercise TV on demand and many of these practices seem to be a strange combination of aerobics and yoga. Even a few of the night time yoga practices on demand leave out savasana at the end of the practice. How strange, considering the practice is designed to relax the body and mind before going to sleep at night. Wouldn’t … Continue reading →

Among the many physical and mental benefits of yoga, many are attributed to changes in lifestyle that tend to occur when a student commits fully to the practice of yoga. Some of these lifestyle changes provide significant health benefits, particularly changes related to food choices. These changes are sometimes referred to as a “Yoga Diet”. What is a yoga diet? Although it may sound like a specific diet, there is no single diet that must be followed. Rather than a strict program, a yoga diet involves using mindfulness in selecting, preparing and consuming foods. Food choices are the main thing … Continue reading →

The time you spend practicing yoga, whether in class at the studio or at home, offers abundant physical and emotional benefits. Getting the most out of the class is important to reap the full benefit of the practice. There are several things you can do to get the most out of the time you spend practicing yoga. Perhaps the most important thing you can do is set aside the time to practice on a consistent basis. This means going to class every time or sticking to your practice schedule at home. If you aren’t practicing regularly, you won’t get the … Continue reading →

Cleaning your yoga mat is easy and will keep it looking great for a long time. Some people never clean it, until it looks filthy or smells. You should clean the mat at least once a month for appearance and health reasons. There are several methods that you can use to clean your yoga mat. If the mat is really dirty, you can wash it in the washing machine. Just put the mat in the machine with a small amount of any detergent made for delicate clothing and wash on the gentle cycle. The mat should be air dried, don’t … Continue reading →

The eight limbs of yoga were written almost two thousand years ago in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. These eight limbs form the steps to lead a person to enlightenment. While yoga is thought of as the asanas performed in class, this is actually only one of the eight limbs. The eight limbs are Yama (universal morality with others), Niyama (universal morality towards self), Asanas (yoga poses), Pranayama (the control of prana through breath), Pratyahara (control of senses), Dharana (concentration and stillness), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (enlightenment). The path to enlightenment is a progression, but the eight limbs aren’t practiced … Continue reading →

Yoga rehabilitation after injury has begun to gain mainstream attention for a natural healing remedy that is centuries old. Yoga offers a unique approach to rehabilitation by enhancing the natural healing process of the body to relieve pain and improve your health. The asanas in yoga support healing after injury in several ways. Practicing yoga strengthens the muscles of the body, stretches the muscles and helps to align the body. The pranayama breathing in yoga brings oxygen rich blood to the body, which helps the body heal and assists in rehabilitation. Dealing with an injury is stressful and anxiety increases … Continue reading →