Getting Yoga Instructor Training

Did you think that yoga instructor training was all about the physical poses? You will be happy to know that there is more involved in order to become a quality yoga trainer. There are many different facets which you will need to become familiar with and a good program will encompass all of these. Remember that yoga is not just about the physical body...it's about the individual's wellbeing as a whole. Therefore, you will be called upon to learn such things as proper diet, meditation and enlightenment techniques. Here are some aspects that a good yoga instructor training program will cover:

Asanas:

Asanas is the term used for the actual physical exercises that are done during a yoga routine. These include an array of positions ranging from seated, to standing, to inversions. The poses serve a number of purposes including strengthening the muscles and encouraging flexibility. Beginner asanas tend to be very simple and get more complex as the student advances. The key to avoiding injury is getting the student to be comfortable with their own limitations and not try to push themselves too hard, or else there is a risk of muscle strain. Yoga instructor training will help you to spot instances where this may be happening.

Relaxation and Meditation:

A body is only as strong as the mind which propels it. The aim of the meditation and relaxation techniques is to strengthen and focus the mind. Being able to lead students to do this properly is essential as a yoga instructor. Training is therefore necessary and a good program will not leave this important component out. It is believed that there are seven chakras in the human body. These are essentially energy centers and they need to be kept open enough so that the energy does not become trapped or blocked in any way. There are meditation techniques which teach how to release the energy of the chakras. This is just the beginning of learning meditation.

Mudras:

The main purpose of the mudras is to channel the flow of energy throughout the body and to the brain. It is a long held belief in many cultures that improper energy flow can cause all sorts of problems within the body. The mudras themselves are positions, mainly of the hands, in which enough pressure is applied to stimulate the psychic channels without causing the nails to turn white. If this happens then the level is pressure is too great and yoga instructor training must teach how to recognize this point or students may not get the full benefit.

Yamas and Niyamas:

Unlike many other disciplines, yoga is not only about the fitness of the body. It aims to exercise the mental and spiritual states, as well as the physical. A balance between these three translates into all aspects of life and this is something that yoga instructor training must focus on. There are ten guidelines which students must be made aware of, not as strict rules but rather as things they should take into consideration before they perform any action. These are:

o Ahimsa

o Asteya

o Aparigraha

o Brahmacharya

o Satya

o Santosha

o Shaucha

o Ishwara-Pranidhana

o Swadhyaya

o Tapas

A good yoga instructor training program is a must for anyone who wishes to take up the discipline as a career. It's even good if you just want to learn a little more about yoga in general. You'll be able to use a great deal of what you learn in your daily life, even if it's just for relaxation. Who could not benefit by more inner peace through a deeper understanding of the state? You've got to be careful though. As with anything, learning yoga is something that you want to do correctly. The rising popularity of this form of exercise has also seen an accompanying increase in the number of classes being offered. Not all of these will be suitable for your needs.

Sherry Holistan is a Hatha, Vinyasa and Bakti Yoga Practitioner. For insights into yogatraininganswers.com/yoga-teacher-training-courses Yoga Instructor Training Courses please visit yogatraininganswers.com yogatraininganswers.com

The Purpose of Yoga - Empowerment with Jnana Yoga

Jnana Yoga is one of the four primary forms of Yoga. Raja, Karma, and Bhakti Yoga are the other three primary forms of Yoga. When you consider the potential of Jnana Yoga applied to life, you will see that success is also a coordinated effort and a spiritual path of compassion, discipline, study, visualization, and meditation. Jnana Yoga is coordinated power.

Anyone can improve himself or herself with applied thought, action, and perseverance. Personal development requires desire, guidance, and a steady stream of motivation. For all of these ingredients to come together at the correct time, one must study under the guidance of a Guru, Swami, Yoga teacher, mentor, or coach.

At this time, and thanks to the Internet, children have access to information beyond our childhood dreams, but the amount of information is overwhelming for one person. In fact, you would need a team to work together, just to decipher facts from fiction, in order to acquire reliable information.

Being smart does not translate into being successful. You could memorize libraries of information, but if you do not apply any of it to real life, it is just trivia. Applied knowledge must be put into action for self empowerment to take place.

Therefore, reading scriptures and classics is a noble pursuit. You are practicing the foundation of Jnana Yoga, but you must visualize, meditate, and act ethically, for your Jnana Yoga practice to reach its maximum potential.

Some people may say it is wrong to have goals, to improve yourself, and to visualize a better life for your family. Yet, the world would be a much better place in the hands of empowered Jnana Yoga practitioners.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. riyoga.com riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

3 Kinds of Exercise For Total Fitness

Following are the 3 types of exercise that are necessary for achieving total health and fitness:

1. Weight or resistance training: The general definition of weight or resistance training is any type of exercise that overloads the muscles of the body and causes them, and ligaments and bones as well, to grow stronger, firmer, and fitter. Following are the general types of weight or resistance type training.

a. Barbell and dumbbells weight training exercises

b. Weight training machines

c. Exercises with cables or resistance type rods or bands

d. Body weight exercises

2. Cardio exercises: Any type of exercise that elevates the heart rate, ideally to your target heart rate based on your age and fitness level, see below:

Male:

220-Age (Non-athletic person)

205-Age/2 (Fit person)

Female:

226-Age (Non-athletic)

211-Age/2

Typical types of cardio exercise training include: Fast walking, jogging, running, stair steppers, cross trainers, bike riding, and other sports like tennis, soccer, or lacrosse. Weight training can also be an effective cardio exercise, if done with only a short rest between sets.

3. Flexibility exercises: Any type of exercises like stretching and yoga designed to increase and maintain the body's flexibility. Flexibility is also important to prevent different type of injuries, and help slow down the aging process. I've found that it's also a key factor in recovery from problems with lower back pain.

What Type of Exercise is Best

I feel that all three types of exercise are important for achieving and maintaining maximum health and fitness. The exact type and amount of exercise you choose should be based on a number of individual factors. Following are some things to consider in developing an exercise program that will enable you to achieve your health and fitness goals:

· Do you want to lose weight or fat? If so, how much?

· Do you want to firm up certain body parts? eg. Slimmer waist, flat stomach, firm arms, or six-pack abs etc. to look more attractive.

· Increase the strength and look of certain body parts?

· Improve your overall health?

· Improve your athletic performance in a certain area?

· Avoid aging, and stay younger longer?

· How much time do you have available to exercise? (keep in mind that a lot can be accomplished in relatively short periods of time eg. 15-30 minutes 3-4 times per week)

· Do you have a gym or exercise facilities available to you? (Even if no, there are many effective exercises that can be done in your home or office in a very short period of time with little or no equipment).

Strength Training

Scientific research has clearly shown that the best way to lose fat is strength training. It works for obese people as well as those just wanting to lose a few pounds and firm up. When we strength train, we add lean muscle mass to our body. This lean muscle mass burns through 35-50 calories per pound of muscle every single day.

Let's take a look at that number from a different point of view. If we have 5 pounds of lean muscle, that muscle will burn about 250 calories a day. Here comes the fun part. If we have 10 pounds of lean muscle mass, then our muscles burn about 500 calories a day. Hopefully you can see why adding lean muscle is the best way to lose fat.

If we couple strength training with cardio training and flexibility exercises, you will have a more complete and beneficial exercise routine:

Walking, jogging, and running are probably the most common for of cardio exercises people are doing today. Bike riding, swimming, cross trainers, dancing, or tennis have also gotten pretty popular.

The issue, however, is not so much the particular form of cardio exercise, but the intensity levels and benefits. In order for an exercise to be considered "cardiovascular" or "aerobic," it needs to elevate your heart rate to 60 to 85 percent of its maximum rate (the fastest it could possibly beat). When you're in the aerobic zone, you should be able to talk, but not able to carry on a long conversation.

Cardio Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise has numerous health benefits. In addition to burning calories and lowering your body fat, it will strengthen your heart and lungs.

While many experts feel that cardiovascular training should last for 30 to 60 minutes, recent research has shown that shorter more intense cardio cycles are much more effective at burning fat and improving your lung, heart, and overall cardio capacity and functioning eg. 3-4 minutes of warm up cardio followed by a 2-3 cycles of alternating 2 minutes of intense exercise followed by 2 minute intervals of lower cardio intensity.

Just fifteen to twenty minutes of high intensity interval cardio can increase your aerobic capacity (VO2max) dramatically, maintains lean muscle mass, boosts your metabolism during and after exercise, and burns more fat calories than 45-60 minutes of low intensity cardio.

Sound too good to be true? It's not. One research study showed participants who engaged in short high intensity training lost 9 times more fat than those who performed long low intensity training.

There are pros and cons to various types of cardio exercises eg. some such as jogging and running may be hard on your knees or lower back, while others may be things that you just do not enjoy doing. The most important thing, however, is to choose a form of cardio exercise that is easily available and something you enjoy doing.

Flexibility Exercises

Regular flexibility exercises like Yoga stretching exercises are also very important to prevent injury, and keep our bodies joints, ligaments, and muscles supple and flexible, especially as we get a little older. It also helps prevent and relieve lower back problems and injuries.

Yoga has been known to prevent muscle soreness and promotes faster recovery between whatever training sessions you give it. Yogic stretching is like a constant battery charger.

It loosens tight muscles, which tend to trap lactic acid, the waste product that accumulates in the muscle cells during other hard training sessions apart from yoga that you may like to partake in.

Increasing flexibility is very important. Yoga also has positions that act upon the whole body including those joints that we never consider exercising.

A body which may have been quite rigid at the beginning of learning a stretching or yoga program will start to experience a remarkable flexibility in all parts, even those parts which have not been consciously worked upon.

Conclusion

While this may at first seem overwhelming to you, it really shouldn't. It really doesn't have to take much time, it doesn't have to be expensive, and it's not that difficult. And you'll find that just a few short 15-20 minute exercise sessions per week will pay huge dividends in improved health and fitness.

So if you want to lose weight, firm up, look and feel better, and stay young longer, look for ways to integrate the 3 types of exercise into your regular schedule.

Larry Kann is an active health and fitness researcher and online health and fitness coach. After recovering from an "incurable disease" and serious lower back injury, Larry went on to dedicate himself to sharing online information, programs, and resources that would help others' achieve excellent, health, fitness, and longevity.

To download Larry's 84 page FREE Special Report "Discover the Secret of Staying Young, and Looking and Feeling Great" go to: [seniorhealthandfitnessonline.com]

Additonal information, health and fitness articles, news, and resources can also be accessed on Larry's blog at seniorhealthandfitness.blogspot.com seniorhealthandfitness.blogspot.com/

Yoga Teacher Training - Your Way Towards Becoming a Skilled Instructor

Yoga teacher training programs are for skilled yoga teachers, those people driven to become instructors, and serious students aiming to go deeper in the practice. The whole world today is actually in the middle of amazing, quicker transformation. There are gems from the past that might help us but we need a technique that is certainly entirely appropriate to the present. Yoga could be far more than a remarkably valuable number of esoteric physical routines. It is an ancient and growing science as well as art of life. It is a science that entails certain skills and practices. It must often be utilized artistically and sensitively in reaction to the subtleties of the moment. The art of Yoga includes almost all life and asserts the significance of bringing about a much deeper understanding of oneself - entire body, mind and spirit. Yoga strives to maneuver a person out of boring, mechanical living into an exhilarating adventure of existing and understanding.

These courses are extremely thorough and have absolutely high standards. Most have opportunity that includes Pranayama, deep breathing, yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology, chanting and spiritual practices, Asana and Vinyasa. A few centers educate Purna. Purna Yoga represents an all-natural method of yoga integrating not just the physical postures but also philosophy, meditation, breath control and the yoga private and interpersonal code of life values. Other people offer a complete Yoga teacher training course with yoga exercise teacher accreditation. This program educates a non-dogmatic synthesis of classical and present-day methods drawn from the top major systems today.

In addition, they educate the best way to teach as well as set up modules, the aim of each asana and hands-on corrections. A few are non-profit institutions whose purpose is to multiply the teachings of yoga exercises and vedanta as a means of obtaining physical, psychological and spiritual well-being and self-realization. Their course is a powerful, personalized experience, based on the ancient gurukula teaching technique, integrating the student's daily life into the yoga training. A perfect training center is committed to the continuous professional growth and development of its employees and student instructors. It should really aim to stay in touch with former graduates by using regular updates, training manual revisions, annual courses, and also by offering continuous useful teaching feel. They could as well organize annual excursions solely for teacher training graduates.

Any individual truly enthusiastic about yoga is most desired to register in these types of classes in order to improve their very own practice and know-how with or with no desire for certification. There are actually facilities or organizations which offer scholarship. Training certification is awarded based on thriving comprehension and mastery of the principles and practice of yoga along with the capability to connect them to other people. Those vigilantly employing themselves should really find virtually no issue in attaining success. Any person not qualified upon completion of the program is offered opportunities to meet the prerequisites with practice and study - normally at home. Everyone who finished the training will be given a certification after completion of a practice teaching task in the house.

In order to meet the challenges confronting mankind and to discover the sacredness in everyday life we need to possess an evolutionary understanding that's prepared to take remarks and growth. Times during the quick change demand a mind that is not amorously involved with, nor idealizing days gone by. What's important is honest change - the power to see clearly, to have an attentive mind, to awaken affection, compassion and learning ability. Yoga is dedicated to this particular awareness. Whether you decide to train others or share it simply by being yourself, yoga is necessary today more than in the past!

In this yoga teacher training, any motivated student of yoga exercise, who desires to study in-depth and intensively in a short time period, could get involved. To become a specialized yoga instructor extensive training is actually a must. The program is modern and non-dogmatic, based upon years of personal experience as well as study with well-known wonderful teachers. Individuals serious to join the programs must pay attention to the certification process, trustworthiness, student-teacher proportion of the center, cost, versatility, and assistance. An extensive study has to be carried out to choose the ideal program of yoga teacher training.

There are lots of practitioners online who offer informative advice in yogafit.com yoga teacher training and everything else about yoga. Only a known yogafit.com yoga guru can provide you with the best services.

Whether You're New to Exercise Or a Weekend Warrior, Pilates Can Help Build Strength and Flexibility

One of the hottest buzzwords in fitness circles for the past few years has been Pilates. Often confused with yoga, Pilates is a form of exercise designed to improve strength, flexibility, endurance and posture - and just about anyone can do it and see the benefits.

During World War I, Joseph Pilates, a German living in England, developed a series of exercises and equipment to help prisoners of war regain strength and mobility. When he emigrated to New York in the 1920s, he discovered those same techniques helped dancers prevent injury and improve strength while maintaining long, even muscle tone. That's when the Pilates method was born.

Pilates is designed to fine-tune the mind-body connection. The practice emphasizes proper correct spinal and pelvic alignment and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement. The idea is that you become acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space and how to control its movement. The exercises are designed to elongate and strengthen the muscles.

It's different from traditional forms of weight lifting because it provides resistance as the muscle is lengthening, not just as it is shortening. When people are weight lifting, when they return towards gravity, they let the weight drop. But if you return it toward gravity with control, that builds the nice long, lean muscle mass that builds strength and improves bone density.

There are two main types of Pilates: mat and reformer. In mat Pilates, you do the exercises on a mat on the floor, generally using nothing but your own body weight (although occasionally you may use free weights, exercise balls and/or weighted balls.) In reformer Pilates, you use a machine to help create resistance as the muscle is lengthening. Both can be appropriate for beginners.

Why should anyone do Pilates in the first place? There are health and fitness benefits for all, whether they are sedentary, athletes or someone in between. But you won't just see improved performance and a leaner body. There's also an added benefit: Pilates can really help you relax.

Get started by joining a beginner class or taking a private lesson. Being in front of an instructor can help you ensure you're doing the exercise right and getting the most benefit out of it.

Even if you are an athlete or are very fit, a beginners' class will help you learn the exercises without risking injury. Take your time and start slowly at the beginning. As you continue to practice, you will find yourself getting better at the exercises.

Alison Dunn is Editor of Primacy Life, a Canadian-based health, wellness and fitness website. Primacy Life is published weekly and covers important topics affecting Canadians everywhere. Visit Primacy.ca Primacy.ca today.

Damaged Hair - A Common Finding in Hair Loss

Individuals who have moderate to severely damaged hair are predisposed to hair loss and hair breakage. It is very important to nourish and treat the hair as soon as the signs of damage are beginning to show. Hair dryness, brittleness, tangled and unmanageable hair are some of the most common findings among those who have damaged tresses. Others notice split ends and increasing hair fall due to breakage.

There are many factors that cause people to have damaged hair. It should come to your attention that proper hair care and use of good products are not enough to effectively treat this hair condition. Caring, growing and nourishing your crowning glory require more than just using the right shampoo and conditioner. In order to achieve beautiful hair that is strong, shiny and manageable, it is important to observe a healthy lifestyle and to maintain your wellness.

This should include eating the right foods that are high in nutritional content and keeping a well-balanced diet, having adequate sleep and drinking 8-10 glasses of water everyday. Furthermore, it also helps to use a wide-tooth comb to detangle the hair and minimize hair friction and to massage the scalp regularly to increase blood flow which is important in nourishing your hair roots.

Caring for your hair should not be too complicated. You can achieve healthy and well-nourished hair by using the right products and by maintaining a healthy mind and body. Exercise is also good for your wellness and can be a great stress reliever. Remember, stress is one of the major causes of hair loss.

This only means that you have to learn how to manage your stress. You can do this by engaging in relaxation exercises, happinesslifetime.com yoga training, dancing, exercise or having a quiet walk all by yourself or with a companion everyday. Other great ideas that can free your mind from stress are doing activities that you love such as painting, drawing, scrap-booking or simply engaging in your hobbies. These are all good therapies that can help you achieve wellness.

Damaged hair should always be given the right amount of attention. Natural remedies like coconut oil, Aloe Vera and other plant extracts may also be applied directly to the hair and scalp in order to improve hair condition. Taking supplements can also be helpful as long as you make the right choice of products. Lastly, if you feel that your condition is getting worse, consult a doctor or a dermatologist right away to determine the cause of your hair problem. Some hair and scalp problems require specialized attention. For this reason, you should never ignore the signs of severe hair damage at all cost.

There are no shortcuts when it comes to achieving healthy and strong hair. It takes time to repair the damage and to stimulate hair re-growth once damage has set in. For this reason, it is important to address the needs of damaged hair right away to prevent aggravating the condition. Start by making the right choice of hair products. Natural is always better and more gentle. Taking supplements can likewise be helpful in filling your nutritional gaps.

There are oral supplements that contain B vitamins which are good in stimulating growth of healthy hair. Multivitamins that contain minerals such as zinc and magnesium are also beneficial. More importantly, keeping a stress-free disposition can help in keeping the balance in your life which is highly essential to wellness.

If you would like to learn how to "Stop hair loss", unleash your body's natural ability to heal your scalp and promote hair growth the natural way and see visible results within 20 Days Please visit => hair-again.info Hair Again

And To learn more about how to improving your hairs natural ability to grow long and healthy, please visit hair-growth-tips.net hair-growth-tips.net

Build a Better Brain

In a way, your mind is like a child, and as its parent, you are in charge of its development and well-being. As is the case with most parenting, some people do this well while others do it poorly. Because the brain is so powerful, it's sometimes easy to step away from the wheel and cruise through life on auto-pilot, but to do so is to do yourself injustice. History shows that the human species has produced a host of incredible people, and that most of them were of their own making. Each of our minds has so much potential - probably more than you can imagine - and ultimately, you and only you have the ability to unlock yours. It's not easy, but it's worth it; with one life to live, why not make the most of it?

Below is a list of some general suggestions as to how to better your brain and work your way towards a richer existence. Now, there are many different things you can do to improve your mind, and each person needs to take different steps depending on where they are and what they are doing, so the following list therefore is just a rough guide. If you are already doing a lot of these things, you are probably on the right track, and know it. If not, give them a try and I can pretty much guarantee they will make you mentally tougher with a greater appreciation for life.

In no particular order:

Sleep - Sleep enough. Insufficient sleep affects mood and performance considerably. Having a well-rested and well-fed brain is the foundation for all these other steps; without that, you may not have the energy for much else.

Meditate - Talk to someone who practices this regularly and they will extol its benefits. Talk to a neuroscientist about meditation and they will explain that it has a profound effect on the mind and the power to transform the physical structure of the brain. Certainly, meditation is the most conclusive proof that you have the power to consciously control how your mind works. Unfortunately, it might also be the hardest and most time-consuming of the recommendations on this list, but well worth it.

Exercise & Diet - You already know that you should be doing this for good physical health, but it's also very important for your mental health as well; do not underestimate the value of blood flowing to your brain. Get that heart pumping by jumping rope, taking a swim, or dancing around your apartment. Take breaks from your day for a brisk walk or some yoga. Avoid sugars and processed foods. Eat lots of fruit, veggies & nuts, although not too much; over-eating definitely takes a few bounces out of your step.

Music/Art - If you are not playing music, take a seat at the piano or the drumset. If you are not making any art, grab that paintbrush or clay. Even if you suck. Just do it. It's good for you and fun. If you are hesitant to play an instrument, at least sing or dance. If you're not inclined towards the traditional arts, at least take some artistic photos or play around in Photoshop.

Language -Yes, the sensitive period for learning a new language is well past you. You will most likely never be able to make or hear all the sounds necessary for fluency. But don't worry about that. Learning a new language is great mental exercise and can be very useful for work, travel and making friends. And I'll expand that to include programming languages as well, which are also useful, challenging and fun.

Hobbies - Picking up a new hobby or learning a new craft has myriad benefits. Quilting helps with fine motor skills and creativity. Fly-fishing helps your motor skills as well and gets you outside, surrounded by nature. Birding expands your visual and auditory memory. Coaching a sport works your ability to plan, manage & communicate. Pretty much any new activity you pick up will provide you with meaningful challenge and stimulation.

Play Brain Games - Games have great potential to sharpen your mind, as they can be fine-tailored to a specific task and engaging enough to keep you working at it. With the advent of online brain fitness programs, you can now exercise your memory, verbal skill, attention, problem-solving, visuospatial ability and more all in one convenient place.


Exercise Coordination/Balance/Motor skill - Play with balls, whether it be juggling, ping pong or a game of catch. Learn to tie knots. Practice standing on one leg or walking along balance-beam like objects (better yet, do yoga or dance). Play a game of Jenga or Operation. Try to balance objects on your head, hands or feet, or on each other. These may sound like games for kids, but there is a reason kids do them: they are fun and very good for you!

Join A Club - This is sort of like taking up a new hobby, but with a social twist. Socialization and community make you happier and healthier, it's a fact. So join a reading group, gardening club, softball team or PTA. Volunteering is great too, as it has all the benefits of a club with the added satisfaction of making a difference in others' lives.

Memorize Something - Start small and work your way up towards larger, more complex things. Try a song, a poem, a dialogue from your favorite film, or a famous speech. Learn PI to 30 digits for no useful reason other than to challenge your mind. Learn all the countries in Africa - and then their capitols.

Jigsaw Puzzles & Model Building - Find a place in your home where you can slowly work on a jigsaw puzzle, or assemble a model. It's a great way to exercise your spatial sense as well as a relaxing break from life. Just don't get too frustrated if you can't find that certain piece!

Write - If writing isn't a regular part of your life, it should be. And I am not talking about business emails. Do something creative or expressive. Start a blog, keep a diary, compose a poem or find a penpal.

Breathe & Relax - Stress is a brain-killer. If you find yourself worrying too much, you need to find a way to relax. Start by taking deep, calming breaths and then move on from there, whether it be to porch with a book, to the pond with a kayak, to the garden with your plants or whatever/wherever else it is that puts you at ease.

Overcome a Weakness / Challenge Yourself - Every time you set a goal and achieve it, you mentally reinforce the notion that you have the power over your life. It makes you feel strong, capable and better prepared for the next challenge. It reminds you of the great potential of your mind and your life.
Remember, life is what you make of it - cliche, but very true. Literally, your reality is constructed within your mind, and a healthy, stimulated mind is more likely to construct a happy, rewarding view of the world. Do not get wrapped up in what you can't do or what you are not - usually these are just untruths and excuses. Each of us has a gem within us, waiting to be mined; start digging in and you may unearth parts of you that you had long-since forgotten or never even known. There is always room to improve - no human has ever reached their ceiling.

Alex Colket studied neuroscience at Cornell University and taught at a Montessori school for several years. He is now an amateur brain fitness junkie and the proud owner of over 100 original brain games and puzzles available @ playwithyourmind.com PlayWithYourMind.com

Yoga Visualization for Empowerment - Noble Purpose

The idea of visualizing anything, and acquiring it, sounds tempting. You may be asking, "Exactly how does visualization and Yoga meditation work?" Mental imagery (visualization) is a powerful motivator for the subconscious mind. Focused thought (meditation) is a powerful tool for direction.

Consider this: Light seems relatively harmless, unless we have been out in the sun for too long. Yet, when you focus light into a laser beam you have created a powerful surgical cutting tool, which has a variety of constructive uses.

If you take the mental images of your mind, and constructively focus them toward empowerment, you will attain it. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Anwar Sadat, each had focused vision and put it into action. Everything they envisioned came to pass.

So, we know success is not an accident. Success requires vision, planning, noble purpose, focus, and a team effort, to attain fruition. In Yoga, we might consider this to be one of some of the horizons toward self-mastery.

At this point, there are ethical questions to consider. Noble purpose is a very important ingredient. This will motivate you, and anyone who helps you, when you run into obstacles. Envision complete attainment of your goal and consider the following questions.

Can you enlist the help of others? Is this a noble purpose? Are you going to fulfill a need? Who will you help in the process? If you could take a "short cut," would you compromise your ethics? How much of this adventure is blind ambition?

Ponder these questions for a few days and meditate on them, one at a time. If you have a noble purpose, and can maintain your focus over the long term, you are ready to proceed.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. riyoga.com riyoga.com

He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Teaching Methodology For Yoga Instructor Training Courses

Beyond philosophy, meditation, asana, and Pranayama, there is still much more for an intern to learn about teaching Yoga. These subjects get some attention, during a 200-hour happinesslifetime.com Yoga certification course, but once an intern has successfully graduated, a peripheral subject becomes a part of daily independent research or continuing education.

Teaching methodology is learned by instructing classes. Interns should have a firm grasp of the principles, practices, and procedures involved in teaching classes. Upon successful graduation, interns have learned the necessary procedures and techniques involved in teaching a class.

There is a "stepping stone" process for learning how to teach. The first step is careful observation of other Yoga teachers. Learn what you would, and would not, do by participating in a class. This form of observation requires the intern to participate, and take in the whole classroom experience, in complete silence.

Learning to adjust, modify, and assist for alignment is the second step. Work with everyone who will allow you to. This will require some repetitive homework. Repetition is the best way to become comfortable with assisting.

Some interns act as assistants to a Yoga teacher during a class. The assistants will help students with modifications, props, alignment, and physical assists. This is a great way to gain experience. Once this has been mastered, teaching friends in small groups, semi-private, or private sessions is a good way to develop inner confidence.

If you concentrate on each step of development, you will be successful. No step should be by-passed. Some Yoga teachers never develop a sense for modifications, using props, proper alignment, or giving an assist. You never want to be one of them.

A competent Yoga instructor should be able to teach anyone, regardless of their physical ability. We can adapt our teaching style to suit the physical abilities or limitations of our students. A Yoga class should not be a "trial by fire" for new students. Hence, the graduate of a well-rounded teacher training course should be able to teach a wide variety of students in different stages of health.

The personal practice of interns and Yoga teachers should be a part of daily life. To read Yogic philosophy, meditate, practice pranayama, and practice asana should be a structured part of each day. This also allows time for exploring your own practice and developing solutions for your students.

It is inevitable that you will find students who have health conditions. This will require you to become an innovator. To imitate your best teachers is a wonderful compliment to them, but to eventually become creative is a testament to the entire happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training process.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. aurawellnesscenter.com aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html

Zap Stress - Step Into The Flow Of Your Life With Yoga And Pranayama

Maybe you've come to the point in your life where stress is so consistent that you've forgotten what it would feel like to have a stress-free existence.

And perhaps you're one of the millions of people diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or an autoimmune deficiency due to the factors in your life. (By the way, there was no such thing as either of these diagnoses in medical texts 30 years ago...)

And then again, maybe you're just one of billions of people in this world who would literally pay for energy if you could get a shot of it in a bar.

But the incredible thing about all of this is that you actually don't need to pay anything to “get” the energy that you need to live, to be well, and to thrive. The energy you need is truly already inside of your body.

According to the ancient science of Yoga, there are simple breath exercises (known as Pranayama in Sanskrit) that can actually assist with the symptoms of general fatigue and – at least for me and many of my personal students – promote total health and wellbeing when complemented by an adequate diet, correct sleep and rest, and proper lifestyle habits.

The following are a few types of breath that can be practiced for one to three minutes daily. Please note that while these breaths can be practiced on their own, it is best to combine them with a 1-5 minute rest in Shivasana following pranayama.

The first breath is known as a Full Yogic Breath. It is simple and can be done just about anywhere. Begin this way:

1.Simply inhale deeply letting your belly go completely.

2.At the top of the breath, suspend the breath, just hold it briefly to calm the nervous system and flood the body with oxygen,

3.Then let the breath go, actively pulling your belly button back toward your spine and squeezing your abdominal muscles.

4.Hold your breath out at the bottom of your breath and make sure you are getting every last bit of air out of the lungs to remove excess carbon dioxide in the body while massaging the organs.

5.Rinse and repeat. :)

Then, after an appropriate rest and normal breath, try Kapalabati or Skull Shining Breath:

This particular breathwork is one of my favorites because I can actually feel the results of it immediately, and it can be done in the shower, in the car riding to work, or when I am cooking supper. Skull Shining Breath is one exercise that Amy Weintraub recommends in her book, Yoga for Depression. I have trained personally with Amy and have read many of her articles in Psychology Today as well as other prominent publications. This breathwork, Amy cites, is very effective for people with various

forms of depression. Because it is mood elevating and energizing, don't do this breath right before bed or if you are already feeling jittery.

To do Kapalabati Breath:

1.Inhale and exhale one normal breath.

2.Exhale forcefully through the nose, as if you were trying to blow a bug off the end of your nose while you are gardening. The belly button moves quite sharply back toward the spine.

3.The inhale will just come passively, you do not have to focus on it at all.

4.Continue to exhale in these short bursts through the nose for 3-11 minutes. *

5.Inhale when you are done, suspend the breath, and exhale completely and slowly through the nose. Do this several times.

And now would be a great time to lay down on your back, arms and legs out to the sides slightly. Cover your body with a blanket and your eyes with a lightly scented eye pillow. Just relax and breathe. And be.

This article was inspired by Siri Temple's e-book, Energy For Life: The All Natural Way to Beat Fatigue, Exhaustion, Brain Drain & The Blahs. To read more, see her website at [youryogalife.com].

Siri Temple is a Certified Yoga Teacher, Clinical Ayurveda Therapist, and founder of Yoga Life – Inspirations for Yoga, Aspirations for Life. You can inspire your own yoga practice and get one of her free audio courses on Cultivating True Health through Ayurveda & Yoga at her website, [youryogalife.com]

A Cardio Snob's Workout

As I peruse the pages of various holiday issues of my favorite fitness/womens magazines I notice many articles about the benefits of practicing yoga at this stressful time of year. At the risk of sounding like a cardio snob, if I have 30 minutes a day (if I'm lucky) and i have to get into a special outfit in about a month and a half. I am not spending that 30 minutes taking cleansing breaths and stretching.

Don't get me wrong, if you exercise regulary year round you can absolutely benefit from a yoga class 1 maybe 2 times a week. However, if you are now just starting a routine in hopes of fitting into a size 8, then mama get ready to sweat. Here is the routine I recommend.

Pick 3 (or at least 2) cardio activities to save you from burnout (see list below).

Perform 1 of these activities at least 30 minutes (45 or 60 minutes if your schedule allows) 4 times a week. This should include a 3-5 min warmup and 3-5 min cool down (you can stretch while you wait in the deli line).

Perform strength training moves using free weights, stability ball or nautilus machines for 30 minutes (preferably 45 or 60 mins) 2 times a week. This should include 3-5 min warm up and 3-5 mins stretching. Make sure to concentrate on whatever body part will be exposed (arms, back, calves, legs, shoulders...you get the point).

Do remember, after this routine kicks you into gear and gets you into your holiday outfit... CONTINUE!!! You can add wonderful activities like yoga, kick boxing, pilates, meditation and the benefits will be: a strong body, a beautiful posture, tons of energy and a radiant glow. But for now you just need to get into that halter dress!

Cardio options:

running

walking

treadmill work

elliptical trainer

spinning

aerobics and/or kick boxing

bike riding

roller blading

stair climber

About The Author

Valerie is mother of 2 and co-founder of million-dollar-mama.com million-dollar-mama.com a website devoted to helping mothers rediscover their favorite hobbies like travel, fitness and girls night out.

Who's Who in Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the most popular and widespread tradition of Yoga and is especially accessible in the western cultures that have adopted it for both is physical and mental wellbeing aspects. Within the Hatha tradition, there have been a number of prominent practitioners whose influence has been so marked that schools of Yoga have adopted their versions and gone on to inspire others. Here's a quick 'who's who' in Hatha Yoga and the styles they developed.

Shri Krishnamacharya developed an approach called Viniyoga. It works with a sequential process of poses and focuses not on achieving any external ideal form, but on practising in accordance with your own needs and capacities. His approach, and the follow on work by his son and a number of other Yoga masters, is widely credited with the widespread popularisation of Yoga across the Western world.

B.K.S Iyengar was the brother-in-law of Shri Krishnamacharya and created Iyengar yoga, which is now the most widely recognised approach to Hatha Yoga. This approach focuses on correct positioning using various props, such as wood blocks, straps, cushions and benches. He, and now his school, has trained thousands of teachers, which has also contributed to the spread of this style of yoga.

Ashtanga Yoga is also known as Power Yoga is by far the most athletic form of Yoga. It was developed by K. Pattabhi Jois who was a disciple of Shri Krishnamacharya and brought a very modern sensibility to the Hatha Yoga tradition.

Kripalu Yoga is a three-staged Yoga, developed by Yogi Amrit Desai. The three stages make the overall Yoga tradition more accessible for western students with the first stage focusing on correct postures and breathing, the second stage adding meditation and then in the third stage progressing to the postures and the meditation combined - a kind of 'meditation in motion'.

Yoga and meditation have long been associated with chanting 'Om' and this element of Yoga practice became central to Integral Yoga developed by Swami Satchidananda. Satchidananda came to prominence around Woodstock (1969) and set a generation of Baby Boomers chanting 'Om', while focusing breathing techniques, deep relaxation and meditation.

Bikram Yoga is a style of Yoga taught by Bikram Choudhury. You may recognise the name as one of the people who has taught Yoga to Hollywood stars. It requires a good level of fitness to participate as it is quite vigorous.

And, finally, you should be aware of Kundalini Yoga which is a style of Hatha Yoga (as well as Yoga tradition in its own right) developed by Yogi Bhajan. Its purpose is to awaken the 'serpent power' though postures, meditation, breath control and chanting.

There are many other styles that you may hear mention of including hidden-language yoga which promotes self-understanding alongside physical postures or Somatic Yoga, founded by Eleanor Creswell which emphasises very slow movement, relaxation between postures and conscious breathing.

Whichever style you encounter, try to remain open to its philosophy and approach and then find the one that works best for you and the lifestyle goals that bring you to Yoga. You will then be sure to discover and enjoy the benefits of Yoga for a lifetime.

Bridget Lancaster is a writer across a broad range of lifestyle topics including yoga and parenting. Her latest site offers information and reviews of babyteethingtoysreview.com baby teething toys including babyteethingtoysreview.com/teething-necklace teething necklace for parents looking for an alternative to rings or pacifiers.