Hot Yoga and Hot Yoga Clothing

Hot Yoga, some call it a fad, but I think it's here to stay. Hot yoga is gaining in popularity by the day. Yoga studios are increasing the number of hot yoga classes they offer and more and more teachers are training to learn the particularities of this unique style.

But what exactly is it and does it really benefit the beginner, intermediate or seasoned yoga practitioner?

Hot yoga is exactly what it sounds like: hot. Usually the yoga room is heated to close to or equal to body temperature, so approx. 37 degrees Celsius or 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. The humidity is also regulated. There are many reasons for this; it warms your muscles, prevents injury, allows for a deeper workout and cleanses the body by flushing out toxins. In other words, you will sweat. And you will sweat a lot. But that's half the fun, isn't it?

Beginners are sometimes overwhelmed by the heat, but the heat is actually a beginner's friend by loosening up the muscles and joints and perhaps permitting a range of motion not otherwise available. Some tips for a beginner looking to attend a hot yoga class:

Try not to eat at all for at least 2 hours before class (if you have to eat, have something light). Having a full stomach may make you feel weak, tired, light headed, or nauseated Bring a towel to class, you will SWEAT! Along those lines, try to wear clothes that will allow sweat to evaporate or clothes you don't mind getting soaked. Drink plenty of water throughout the day before class and bring water to class. But, avoid drinking a lot of water during class as this will cool you down and make you feel full and sluggish Take it slow. Any good yoga instructor will always remind you to only go so far as you can go For those familiar with yoga, hot yoga offers a new and exciting challenge. The heat adds a dimension to your practice that will leave you feeling rested and full of energy. You might see yourself delving deeper into poses you have become accustomed to, or even achieving a new level of your practice you did not think possible.

Naturally, some cautionary words can be said about 100percentyoga.com/11/hot-yoga Hot Yoga as well. If you are pregnant or have serious heart conditions, the heat should probably be avoided. Ask your doctor if you are not sure whether you should take part. But for the majority of yogis, the hot room will be a great place to practice!

Hans Georg - Yogi and lifestyle coach.

For more questions on hot yoga visit 100percentyoga.com 100percentyoga.com.

Yogic Affirmations for Life

During traditional Yoga practices, students were taught to create positive thought with the power of affirmations. Saying, and thinking something, as simple as, "I am happy," can have such a positive impact on your day. Over the centuries, Yoga teachers realized the value of affirmations, because of the way affirmations changed their lives and the lives of their students.

So, how do Yogic affirmations work? Words of encouragement are thought and then spoken. This is much similar to Japa practice (the practice of constantly repeating a mantra). One of the differences between them is that Yogic affirmations are not always spiritual.

Yogic affirmations can help us with self-worth, happiness, relationships, stress, health, or anything else. So, how can a few words of encouragement change your life? Please understand, this formula has been around for thousands of years, yet, most people do not take the action to practice Yogic affirmations.

Yogic affirmations are for noble purposes, only. Remember that negative thoughts create negative energy - becoming volatile and self-destructive. Therefore, Yogic affirmations are to be practiced only for the common good.

Here is how it works: You create and write down your realistic positive affirmation. It must be something believable, and it cannot contain any kind of negative thought. Say it to yourself, continue to think it, and meditate upon it. You will then positively act upon it, when the opportunity arises.

Finally, through daily practice, you have begun to make the affirmation become reality. So, how do you do it? Below are some examples of positive Yogic affirmations.

About Happiness: My happiness comes from within, and I will smile even in the face of adversity. I will laugh often, but not at anyone's expense. People cannot take my happiness away, unless I give them permission.

About Failures: I will be successful, and I learn from my past mistakes. Solutions can be found in every problem, and I will move forward while focusing on solutions.

About Taking Action: I will wake up every day to take action toward my goal. My goal is a positive inspiration, which endures like an eternal fire.

About Relationships: I will shower loving kindness upon everyone I meet. My family and friends love me. They support my aspirations and always look out for my best interest.

Please note: If you feel you have good ideas, and this results in being constantly ridiculed, it is time to find a new circle of friends or a new company to work for. Most people cannot remain positive when their ideas are constantly undermined.

The number of possible positive Yogic affirmations is infinite. You are only limited by your imagination. Positive thoughts will create positive images of life. This will result in positive visualization, but you must act upon your vision to see it come to fruition.

© 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

Rancho La Puerta Spa - Refresh Your Soul On Mexico's Baja Peninsula, Top Spas, Yoga, Holistic Health

I longingly remembered the tranquility I felt that Saturday morning twelve years ago at San Diego Airport while waiting for my flight home.

Just one week before, I had boarded a comfortable airport bus for a one-hour ride through the unspoiled Sierra Madre countryside southeast of San Diego. We crossed the international border at Tecate on Mexico's Baja peninsula. Three miles beyond was the entrance to Rancho La Puerta.

"Many things remain unchanged at 'The Ranch'," said the spa's owener Deborah Szekely. "Recently I (unearthed) a paper my husband and I wrote soon after we opened Rancho La Puerta in 1940: 'In place of metropolitan existence, with its increasingly fast pace and artificiality, (our purpose is) to have delightful outdoor living which renews vitality and strength, enthusiasm and hope, tranquility and happiness. In a few weeks, our guests look, feel and act like new people'."

Rancho La Puerta, North America's first residential spa dedicated to the health of mind, body and spirit. "has always been one of the most popular spas with our clients," said Susie Ellis, vice president of industry and development for Spa Finder Co., a specialized travel agency in New York City. "They say it is one of the most affordable, even after you add on the massages, body and beauty treatments. IT is also one of the few that still require a seven-day stay because the owners know it takes at last seven days to fully de-stress."

HIGH DESERT BEAUTY

I was way overdue for a return visit to the ranch when a friend and I arrived at the flower-filled courtyard entrance last fall. After a brief orientation, porters took our luggage to a luxurious outlying "Villa Luna" studio, one of 86 ranch casitas set within 150 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens that form the core of 3,000 acres of high desert ranchland.

The tile-roofed Mexican-Colonial style villa was furnished with authentic native art and weavings . A hand-carved wooden door opened into a comfortable living room and kitchenette with a fireplace in full view of the elevated bedroom next to two bathrooms and dressing areas.

Windows opened all around to capture the Santa Ana breezes of the year-round mild climate. Our two large brick verandas overlooked the rolling hills and Mount Kuchumaa beyond, long revered by the native people for its magical healing powers.

We were just in time for a late lunch on the dining hall's shaded terrace. Several of us compared our accommodations. The rancheras and haciendas were smaller and more rustic than ours, but many had fireplaces . Some guests preferred their smaller one-of-a-kind casitas because they were closer to the center of activities.

Villas have the added bonus of being near a satellite swimming pool and Jacuzzi, where breakfast is served poolside in summer months. You may have a massage (for $10 extra) in your villa instead of going to the Women's or Men's Health Centers. (About 15 percent of the guests are men).

After lunch, we began to fill in our first day's schedule of classes, selecting from 75 activities for every fitness level. Each hour there is a choice of about 10 activities, including weight training, water workouts, volleyball, tennis clinics, dance, yoga, aerobics, abs and back and legs and glutes classes.

The yoga facility with its expansive views, also houses the tai chi, Feldenkrais, and popular pilates classes.

In circuit training, you move from one station to another in the weight room, in cadence with the fast-paced music, changing machines when the instructor blows the whistle at 35-second intervals.

All the classes are 45 minutes.

SACRED MOUNTAIN

The first morning, I joined a group of advanced hikers who (unknown to me) planned to scale Mt. Kuchumaa up its steep back side. It was a struggle just to bring up the rear, but the strenuous climb was well worth the magnificent sunrise view along the summit's ridge.

Having conquered what some consider to be one of the "13 sacred mountains in the world," I was content to join the rolling hills hikers the remainder of the week.

Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, and the calorie count of each item is prominently posted. The super-fresh vegetables and berries grown in the Ranch's six-acre organic garden are so good that second helpings are hard to resist. Favorites for breakfast include the famous Tecate 12-grain bread, hot cereals, juice and delicious fruits from the orchard.

Guests can also sign up to walk a couple of miles to have breakfast at the organic farm, followed by a tour of the gardens. After lunch each day, I returned to cozy up with a good book on our villa's veranda or have a siesta in the nearby shaded hammock. Later in the afternoon, there was a gentle restorative yoga or meditation session.

"How do we get in touch with our own spiritual, or better, self?" asked instructor Phyllis Pilgrim in an 'Inner Journey' deep relaxation and guided visualization class. "Be quiet and listen to the still small voice within. Usually we attach so much importance to the things we do instead of just being."

Guests varied greatly in their opinions about the best time to schedule a massage, facial or other body treatment. My preference was a soothing massage just after Inner Journey and before dinner. I recognized several masseuses from my earlier visit, later learning that many of the caring and gifted staff are second and third-generation family members, along with founder Deborah Szekely.

FINE DINING

My friend and I saw very little of each other during the day until it was time to dress for dinner,-- "dress" simply meaning clean bodies and clothes.

The grand Mexican-colonial diningroom is graced with a curving staircase that wraps around a fireplace from the floor to vaulted ceiling. It is designed to comfortably seat 160 guests. Waiters seated us with four to eight other guests, and the pleasant table conversation was spirited.

The organic food served at dinner was primarily vegetarian with Mexican accents, rich in greens, legumes and whole grains, with little fat or salt. Three evenings, fresh seafood was served , and it was always possible to arrange for a baked potato or pasta alternative to the offered meal. For dessert: carrot cake, cinnamon flan or a baked apple.

On the last night we were treated to a glass of wine. One night, some guests slipped into the nearby town of Tecate for margaritas and Mexican food.

Evening events included movies, a healthful cooking demonstration, bingo, dancing, or jewelry-making and other crafts at the art studio. I most enjoyed the serene evening stroll from the diningroom back to our villa to find the fireplace prepared for a crackling fire.

It was hard to leave the ranch Saturday morning, but once again I took home a special inner peace that I hope will last a long time-- at least until a return visit next year.

IF YOU GO

1. Book reservations well in advance. Otherwise, hope for last-minute cancellations. Call 800-443-7565 or check availability and book online at rancholapuerta.com rancholapuerta.com.

2. No television or telephones in the rooms. Cell phones may be used in the rooms.

3. Be sure to bring proof of citizenship in the form of a valid passport, birth certificate, or notarized affidavit of citizenship.

Judy Zimmerman is a 20-year-experienced professional travel writer with specialties in cruising, western U.S. destinations, soft adventure travel, spas and service articles.

Teaching Hatha Yoga: Cueing Insights

Have you ever heard a Yoga teacher cue without thinking? Did you ever wonder if cueing was actually covered in his or her happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training? Let's take a look at some common mistakes Yoga teachers make when cueing.

Most Yoga students retain information by actually performing a technique. Some studies estimate that 90% of all people learn by "doing." In comparison, only a small percentage (10 to 20%) of your Yoga students will retain what you demonstrate or what they hear.

Below are some examples of what never to do when cueing your Yoga students.

The Introverted Yoga Instructor

Over the past few decades, I have found introverted Yoga teachers to be some of the kindest, warmest, and gentlest souls on this planet. If you fall into this category, speaking up is the biggest obstacle you have in front of you.

For the sake of your own Yoga students, please set an audio recorder at the far corner of the room you teach in. When you have time, listen to it. If you cannot hear anything, neither can your students.

You can do this as an exercise or find a "coach," who will empower you to speak up. An honest friend, Master Yoga teacher, or a Professional Speaking Coach, could easily improve your life immensely. This might not seem to be a major problem to the "outspoken" Yoga teachers, but it is very hard for some of us to "speak up."

The "Hey You" Yoga Instructor

Speaking of outspoken Yoga teachers; have you ever heard a Yoga teacher call out a student's name to make a correction? It sounds something like this, "Hey Dave, turn your back foot in 45 degrees!" Some students come to Yoga teachers for stress management or self-esteem. Do we know every one of them?

First demonstrate the Asana, then cue, and mildly repeat if "Dave" does not catch on. If he still does not get it, walk over and give him an assist - if it is permitted. You could also give assists to other students, or at least observe your other students, on your way, to or from, Dave. Never intentionally draw attention to the student who has difficulty. We teach Yoga, and we must show compassion for our students, at all times.

The "You can't do anything right in my Yoga class" Instructor

Remember Ahimsa (non-injury) and always to cue with a constructive purpose. If the purpose of a cue is to bolster your own ego - it is wrong, and it will be felt by all of your students. Yoga teacher ethics teach us to cue and assist without harming.

Yoga students enter a Yoga class to improve their lives and this is what teaching Yoga is all about. The Yoga class is tailored for the Yoga student. The Yoga teacher's purpose is to gently guide students down the best path without ego.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, 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 e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Why Do You Need Flexibility Training for Toning Your Stomach?

If you are like many people, you concentrate on doing abdominal workouts and eating right once you make the decision to work on toning your stomach. This is exactly what you need to do; however, there are a few other crucial components that you must include to have total success. One of these is to include flexibility training in your new, healthy routine.

As we age, we naturally lose some flexibility. Remember those toes that you used to love to see way back when? Well, they are still there but you may not be able to bend at your waist to visit them if you are over the age of 40 and haven't been practicing flexibility training.

If you are a bit younger and have decided to concentrate on toning your stomach, then you still want to be flexible and stay flexible. Young or old, and regardless of your current state of flexibility, you can start stretching and enjoy the benefits of improving your flexibility, toning your stomach, and improving circulation.

There are basically 6 benefits for staying flexible in the quest for toning your stomach:

1. When you stretch and stay flexible, you even out the body's muscular strengths and weaknesses.

2. Flexibility gives your body a more symmetrical appearance. Think of it as if you are shaping a ball of Playdoh into the perfect body. You want to stretch and mold each section to perfection.

3. By stretching and adding flexibility when toning your stomach, during any type of strength training, or participating in aerobic activity, you can alleviate muscle soreness and encourage faster recovery after your workouts. This is why you need to stretch after your workouts. You can avoid much of the soreness that you might experience the day after if you didn't stretch. Face it, if you feel sore then you may not be motivated to continue your new routine. Flexibility can keep you feeling good and keep you motivated to continue.

4. The flexibility you get through stretching exercises promotes relaxation. It gives you an opportunity to slow down, breathe, stretch, and encourage circulation. In our hectic days we often forget to breathe. Well, breathe correctly anyhow. I'm talking about those deep kinds of breaths that completely fill your lungs. Most of us only use a portion of our lungs as we rush through the day taking short breaths.

5. Flexibility through stretching releases the emotional stress that our bodies sometimes store deep within our tissues. If you have ever tried yoga then you understand how centered you can feel emotionally after a good yoga workout. Don't kid yourself; yoga is very effective for building strength too. Have you seen some of the poses that people need to hold during a yoga routine?

6. And finally, when you add flexibility training to the efforts of toning your stomach you will improve your posture. When you workout you may overwork certain muscle groups and stretching can balance out your efforts.

Part of the philosophy around toning your stomach is that you will be strengthening your core as well. This is your body's center, its foundation, and you want to make it strong to support you inside and out. The visual benefit will be great looking abs. The other benefit, the one that only you may be aware of, is that you will have a more energized and healthy outlook on life.

flattummydiets.com/category/toning-your-stomach Toning your stomach, flexibility training, staying active, and eating the kinds of foods that support a healthy body is something that you can start at any age. You can start at any fitness level as well. Don't worry about the person next to you and whether or not they are more advanced. You simply start where you are, use the best information to get you to your goal and just "Go Use This Stuff" (have some G.U.T.S.) and get the body and level of health that you deserve.

Dawn Damico is called a Research Diva. With a wide range of interests she is always ready to dig to the depths of any subject, get to the meat of it, and then deliver it in a comprehensive manner. Healthy Living is her passion and that includes Food, Fitness, Finances, Family and Fun. Life is too short to live with Belly Fat. Discover the best Flat Tummy Diet and how to get great abs: FlatTummyDiets.com FlatTummyDiets.com

Yoga for the Rest of Us

Yoga, having a mystical enigma and appeal, proves to be an extremely difficult subject to discuss in the current modern world. Globalization seems to have a disastrous impact on this traditional notion. The ancient art of yoga is symbolized by a simple concept to help people obtain a better knowledge of the overall beliefs.

The ins and outs of this process are probably not easily believed by the western world. It is a really dangerous and unethical to merely dabble on the surface and talks about the subject as a specialist! Sadly, the western world generally seems to place the actual aspects of yoga as the primary focus. Yoga may be appreciated as a type of physical activity that has a few beneficial effects on the mind in establishing peace and serenity.

In reality, yoga practice is a very sacred quest which has roots buried deep within the scriptures of the ancient Holy book. In India, yoga is viewed as a very religious experience which has a physical aspect into it. Most westerners would certainly identify yoga as a physical training. Most westerners understand the strange symbols attributed with yoga practice, yet often they are misunderstood. This started to be a popular sport under western culture. The allure of yoga as healthy way to achieve inner peace and stability has beckoned many to use this particular exercise also. It also does a great job appealing to those who wish to acquire inner peace and balance in the midst of the hectic modern lifestyle.

Disciples of yoga in many cases are captivated by the claims made by their yoga instructors. The numerous quantity of fatal errors found in the practice of yoga outside of India implies that this art may be widely misunderstood at large.

Different organizations practicing yoga have its own cultural structure that influences are responsible for those fatal setbacks discovered in the practice of this ancient art. To be able to truly appreciate this idea moments of quiet, peaceful times are usually necessary to ponder about this philosophy, and that is surely a component which is missing in the frenzied way of life of the western civilization.

Occasionally, the most important part of this practice is overlooked, for instance the essential meditation. Westerners have different goals and priorities, and the unquenchable need to build up enormous amounts of wealth certainly has no place within the system of ideals among the Hindus. It is impossible to achieve legitimate wisdom that's aligned with the real philosophy of yoga on this mind-set.

To achieve optimum benefits from each meditation session, you need to spare time and exercise marvelous endurance in performing every essential part of the practice. This is what the westerners lack. The west seems cursed with the obsession to pursue the goal of building better lives in the form of luxurious lifestyles and not in the philosophical way.

Ironically, yoga has been implemented as fashion in the western part of the world. If you wish to know more, you can get hold of some of the available materials around which is actively promoting this practice as a type of sports activities; yoga can be practiced anywhere. Even the famous people who are fake yoga gurus have garnered a lot of support from their disciples. This crooked philosophy has been widely spread by its loyal followers.

Yogafit has a lot of very informative advice in all aspects of yogafit.com yoga poses, training, and everything else. She also has a number of yogafit.com/CTGY/MBF.shtml yoga conference meetups several times a year and is known yoga guru and mogul around the world.

Yoga Instructor - How To Become A Yoga Instructor

Yoga has become one of the most popular forms of exercises, these days. There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, yoga is natural form of exercise and more effective. It benefits in internal organs of the body and helps an individual to deal from a number of diseases. It has also relieved many diseases.

With the growing popularity of yoga, many people have started practicing this form of exercise and have developed an affinity towards this unique exercise. Most people have also started considering it as a great profession. Yes, becoming a yoga instruction would prove to be a lucrative career for you.

It will give boost to your hobby, keep you in food health and also provide you a lot of money.

If you are serious about becoming a yoga instructor, here are some important steps you can easily follow in order to fulfill your ambition:

- Steps to become a yoga instructor

1) Step one

The first and the most important way is to meditate regularly. This way you would be exploring different types of yoga. The whole process will help you to earn the best possible experience.

2) Step two

To become a good yoga instructor. It is important to study the history and philosophy of yoga. This will let you know all about this beautiful art in a much better way. This is the best way to pass on a great understanding of yoga to all your students.

3) Step three

To fulfill your dream of becoming a yoga instructor, you need to attend all workshops. This will take your education and practice, a step further. These are some short session that's really important to sharper your skills.

This way, you can easily network with your peers. Some of the workshops are geared in a way to provide excellent teacher training and provide you real practice on how to conduct a class.

4) Step four

The best way to sharpen your skills and change you up is to find a good yoga teacher. Try to attend a training program specially meant for training a yoga instructor. With improvement in your skills, you will be easily able to network with top class yoga teachers, who are already running studios. This way, you would learn how to run a successful business.

5) Step five

It is important to keep working with your mentor until he concludes that you are ready to move on.

6) Step six

Pick up good hints on how to organize your yoga session plans. You may be extremely skilled in your techniques, but there are still certain things that you need to learn from the veteran in this field.

7) Step seven

Once you become a yoga instructor, it's time to decide on where you want to teach. Some people would like to open a small studio of their own or believe in an in-home practice.

8) Step eight

To become a registered or certified yoga instructor, in the United States you need to complete two levels of yoga alliance certification. These levels include a 200 and 500 hours respectively.

Follow all the steps mentioned above and you are all set to become an expert yoga instructor.

For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about YOGA and MEDITATION please visit eyogatips.com YOGA TIPS and meditationbuzz.com MEDITATIONBUZZ

Become a Certified Yoga Teacher - Do You Have a Passion for Your Job?

Among Yoga teachers, there is a common thread, which we may refer to as a "calling" toward teaching classes. A passion stirs inside each one of us to become a yoga teacher because we see how much the Yogic path has helped us personally. We see what a difference Yoga can make in any person's life.

Let's consider what factors motivate people to go to work. We might be able to boil these prime motivations down into three groups. The desire for money, status, and passion, are the three basic reasons why people go work. Usually, most people receive one, or two, of the three prime motivators by going to work.

Many people go to work for a pay check, to bring money home for their families. There is nothing wrong with this because many people scratch out an income to survive. We could consider employment to be a 21st century survival tactic, but while the cost of living goes up, wages are not guaranteed to increase.

Some people go to work for their status. For example: A person works very hard, for years, to become a branch, regional, or department manager. Unfortunately, status, and prestige, can disappear in an instant, if our job is suddenly considered non-essential.

Now, ask yourself, "How many people are going to a job, where they are making a big difference in other people's lives?" How often do you meet anyone who really loves their occupation? How many people wake up, filled with excitement about the day ahead of them?

The sad truth is - very few people feel satisfaction, self-worth, or enthusiasm about their occupation. On top of this, some companies make a calculated decision to fire a non-essential employee, just to put fear into the hearts of the remaining workers, and re-distribute that work among the rest.

Although the work climate has changed over the past two decades, all of us can still make a difference. Observe the work that you have a real passion for, and make a plan to succeed in that direction. For some of us, it may be as simple as taking a happinesslifetime.com Yoga instructor certification course, but it is best to take small steps in a direction that is calling you.

If you are considering Yoga teaching certification, you may want to research your options for study. Can you afford to take four weeks off from work? Will your employer understand your reasons? Online happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training is self-paced and you can easily study at home.

© 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 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

A Review of the Martial Arts Museum

Most people wouldn't realize that in the city of Pasadena, CA there are 27 Martial Arts Dojo's and just Three McDonalds. In the State of California there are 13,000 studios and there are 30,000 studios all over the United States, with as many as 300 students each. In fact 2.7 million people in the US have engaged in some type of Martial Arts Training in the course of their life. Also over 17 million people are involved in Yoga which is considered a form of martial art training.

The Martial Arts Museum was started in Woodland Hills, CA. This non profit organization is not about pumping up who is the best in Martial Arts, nor is it any type of Sports Museum. It gives over 4 million Martial Arts Students a deeper look at the various Asian Artforms and how these art forms affect Western Culture. While you are here you'll learn about Asian Traditions, Music & Customs which have their impact on the various Asian Martial Art Forms.

Seminars, Language Classes and Workshops are also held to educate people on Asian Culture. You can join as an individual for $50.00 per year or $100.00 per year for the family. Or you can get the elite Dragon Membership for $100.00 per year. Since this is a non profit organization all memberships are tax deductible. There are no complimentary memberships given for any reason. Even the original founders pay for their membership each year.

When you get access to this Museum, you'll be able to see a ton of Samurai Swords. You'll also get access to items from Enter The Dragon, Kung Pow and others. They even have their own film equipment so they can stage their own movies here. This museum provides a safe haven for youth to channel their energy in less of a negative direction and in more of a positive one. So far this museum has attracted over 5,000 visitors and have brought in money to the community by eating at city restaurants and residing in the local hotels.

Let Brian Garvin & Jeff West teach you more about the colinzi.com Katana Sword and colinzi.com/Ancient-Swords-c1.html Ancient Swords on our website today.

3 Ways Yoga Can Benefit You in Everyday Life

The life of a modern person is quite a stressful one there are always so much we need to get done in a day plus all the other life pressures like finances, family, etc. So it would take pretty good reasons to convince a person to add something else to already busy schedule, so why would we even think about regular Yoga training sessions. Here I will try and examine the main benefits of Yoga and what it can add to our life.

Point One: Physical Health

One of the reasons why we keep this busy lifestyle is to create wealth for ourselves and our families. But have you ever heard a saying "health is your wealth"? Well trust me it is true. It does not matter how much money you have you will not be able to use them if you are dead and neglecting your health is one of the quick ways to get there. The question we have to ask ourselves is not whether we can afford the time for exercise but it is whether we can afford not to. Health is a sliding scale and it is important to remember how much health affects our everyday life and work. The healthier you are the better you can concentrate on your work you also have more energy to get more things done in a shorter time frame, which means the healthier you are the more productive you become.

Yoga is one of the easiest and best ways for us to look after our physical wellbeing. The reason for this is that yoga exercises are so incredibly simple that they can be performed by even the most out of shape person and the more regularly you exercise the healthier you become. Yoga is also an efficient way of releasing stress and tension. During our normal workdays certain blockages develop around the body and that's results in a number of vital organs not getting enough oxygen and other nutrients they need to function efficiently. Yoga designed to stretch different muscle groups in a particular ways that will remove these blockages from the body and the blood flow will bring all the oxygen and other nutrients to all body organs.

The benefits from yoga are both immediate and also long term. In a short term you will get an improvement in a blood flow extra energy and generally your body will function better as blood can deliver oxygen and other nutrients to all body organs. Another immediate benefit is the release of tension from muscles and reduction of stress. The long term benefits will be ongoing benefits and your digestive system will also function more efficiently, which has innumerable health benefits. You general flexibility and coordination will also improve.

Point Two: Mental Health

Have you ever thought about the importance of breath? We all aware that when someone stops breathing they will die, just thinking about this simplistic understanding tells us how important it is to breath. But proper breathed are often ignored. It is quite important not only for multiple health benefits but also for strong mental advantages it provides us.

Yoga exercises will normally begin with the breathing exercises. This simple exercise of taking a deep breath and then slowly releasing it, it is incredibly calming and relaxing, and the breathing exercises are a vital backbone of Yoga. The key to this is that it concentrates all our attention to one simple action of breathing. We become quite aware of the life giving benefit of a controlled and deep breathing cycle and we are able to achieve a level of calmness that we often don't find in our everyday lives. That calmness itself is a major stepping-stone to achieving focus.

For us the ability to focus is possibly the single most important skill in a work environment. There are always so many things happening around us so much that we need to do that is quite difficult to focus your mind on a single task we are in process of doing because of all other things which we have in the back of our minds. Yoga teaches you the technique of how to quickly clear your mind and then focus on a single current task. It is also a good provider of personal discipline. The self discipline that is learned from focusing on the body and becoming a master of oneself is one of the major benefits of Yoga.

Point Three: Happiness

Happiness is something which is quite often sacrificed in the short term in exchange for some mystical hope that everything will come together in a future and everything will be ok. Yoga will not move you closer to that point in future, but it will help you to develop a strong sense of self and a connection with yourself so you can become more content with your current situation. The more you practice yoga you will find yourself more comfortable spending quality time alone and with other people. Your sense of self worth will increase and you will perform better in social situations. This is probably the most important skill that yoga can teach you.

hubpages.com/hub/3-Ways-Yoga-Can-Benefit-You-In-Everyday-Life Benefits of Yoga
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The Purpose of Yoga - Problem Solving Skills

The most common reaction to any problem is to say, "Why me?" This is a normal response to the many problems, which overwhelm us. If you could handle every problem calmly, without anxiety, and make the best decisions "under fire," all the time, you would either be very lucky or an enlightened soul.

So, what is the answer to solving life's many problems? Firstly, people who consistently solve difficult problems remain calm, even when everyone around them is in "panic mode." A person, who can react calmly in the face of danger, while everyone else is filled with panic, has a trained mind.

Such a person may never have practiced Yoga at all, but a self-disciplined mind is not a coincidence. A self-disciplined mind develops from training - whether it is martial arts, military training, Zen, Yoga, a school of meditation, or something similar. The results are a trained mind that can perform under pressure.

In Yoga, many Yogic techniques are, in fact, tools to train the mind. Most people think of meditation for training the mind, but Pranayama, Japa, and Asana, train the mind, as well. Yet, why should you go through the trouble of disciplining your mind?

Each problem contains hidden opportunities for those who do not panic. The trouble is reacting, and thinking rationally, within a limited amount of time. Many people are consumed with competitive drive and "getting to the next level."

Problems are your best opportunity to rise to the next level. If you make the "correct move," due to rational thinking, you are on the right path, but sometimes failures reveal life's more important lessons. Setbacks can be some of our best teachers. Yoga teaches us to accept what we cannot change, but we can definitely change ourselves from within.

We can change, adapt, and learn new life skills. We can survive challenging situations and create from what we learn along the way. We can redefine and empower ourselves.

When you go about your life, every intersection you see was designed and improved by a previous traveler. Mistakes, problems, and failures, have built the world we know today, because our species learned, and documented past its mistakes.

When you practice Pranayama, do you realize how many mistakes must have occurred over 5,000 years of research? If you push your body beyond the natural limits, something has to give.

So, if you take the time to study a problem, look for a documented solution, first. Why should you "reinvent the wheel?" Always learn from someone else's mistakes, when possible. Life is much less painful, when you listen to advice and choose your path wisely.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, 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 e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Why Exercise is Vital for Good Health

I am one of the first people to admit how difficult it can

be to fit exercise into a busy schedule. I never had a

problem until I added a two year old into the mix, and now I

just never seem to get everything done in my day!

Exercise, for many, is the easiest thing to drop from a busy

schedule, but it is the most deadly. My husband sent me a

cute comic the other day, and it was a doctor asking his

patient "What fits your schedule better, exercising an hour

a day, or being dead 24 hours a day".

Read that again, because it is so to the point. How many of

you have not exercised all week? All month? I hope that

most of you will be shaking your heads "no" to this, but I

know there will be a few of you who have to admit that the

most exercise you have had is walking from your car to your

desk. This is bad, bad, bad.

Exercise is vital to your health. Not only does it speed

your metabolism, letting you eat just a little extra without

packing on the pounds, but it strengthens your heart,

muscles, lungs, joints, ligaments, helps with waste removal,

oxygen and nutrient transfer, regulate hormone levels,

improves mood, energy, and sleep.

There are three major categories to lump most exercise into

- cardiovascular, strength training, and stretch.

Some forms of exercise overlap, giving you strength training

while also providing cardiovascular training, for example.

Lets take a quick look at each category and see how easy it

can be to fit into your busy schedule.

CARDIO

Yes, I too see Olivia Newton John in her headband and lycra

when I think of cardio! But don't worry; you can do it in

baggy old sweats too!

Cardiovascular exercise is basically anything that gets the

heart rate up. This includes walking up stairs, dancing,

vigorous lovemaking, washing floors by hand, yard work, the

list is endless.

You can make almost any activity a cardio workout if you

really work at it! The key is to find something every day

that elevates your heart rate and makes you break out into a

sweat!

Try walking up a flight of stairs a few times on your lunch

break, or go for a lunchtime walk with a co-worker or

friend. Wake up 20 minutes early and go for a brisk walk,

or put on some tunes and dance or march in place if outside

isn't an option. March or jog in place during commercial

breaks of your favorite show (or even during the show!) It

doesn't matter if it is in the morning or evening, just do

it!

STRENGTH TRAINING

The visualization that comes to mind here is probably of

Arnold. You don't need to be a body builder, but you do

need to strength train.

Think about it from a life or death situation. If you are

not strong enough to lift your own body weight, do you think

you could pull yourself out of a car before it sinks to the

bottom of the lake you just drove into? I know this is

silly, but the concept is important.

Many of us are so weak that we can't even do one pushup (I'm

talking boy push ups here). Gone are the days of physical

labor. Few of us even chop firewood anymore!

Strong muscles help your posture, burn more calories,

protect your joints, fatigue much slower, and make you look

better too!

A simple routine with dumbbells done for 20 minutes twice a

week can be enough to make a difference, and four times a

week will have you looking like Arnold in no time!

If you are a member of a gym, get the help of a personal

trainer to set up a program that is right for you.

No time to go to the gym? No problem. If you can add 10

minutes of pushups, sit-ups and squats to your day, you will

be well on your way to developing some extra muscle!

You can also combine your cardio with some weight training

by carrying hand weights with you as you go for a walk, and

do bicep curls, or overhead raises as you walk. I have even

strapped 5 lb ankle weights on as I do my chores on the

weekend. There are so many ways to sneak fitness in - you

just have to do it!

STRETCHING

Well, in keeping with the visual theme, the first image that

comes to mind is Madonna with her feet behind her head in

some crazy yoga pose. Now I love yoga, don't get me wrong,

but you don't have to contort into a pretzel to be able to

benefit from stretching.

There is so much controversy on stretching - when to do it,

how to do it, if it even helps.

What I know for sure is that it is important to move your

joints through their full range of motion, and if stretching

is the only time you do this, then you need to do it.

I also believe you should not feel pain during a stretch, so

if you do then back off a bit.

Whether you just mobilize your joints through full range, or

stretch and hold certain poses until they relax is a matter

of preference. The bottom line is if you like how it feels

you will do it more often, so find what works for you!

You can do a stretch any time, anywhere. Stretch or

mobilize your neck in the car while waiting at a red light.

Mobilize your shoulders and stretch your forearms while

taking a quick break at your desk. Stretch your legs and

low back while watching TV.

Just try moving your body in a new way, and see how far you

can go in each direction!

© 2007 Denise Mackinnon RMT

Denise Mackinnon is a registered massage therapist and health and wellness advocate. You can sign up for her free "simple health ideas" ezine by going to her website at denisemackinnon.com denisemackinnon.com

Can Yoga Change Our Lives?

Perhaps to many of us when hearing the word "yoga" it comes into our mind the childhood fantasies about supernatural powers. But Yoga is in fact an educational program of human evolution. The word "yoga" in Sanskrit means "union". We can deduce from this that the evolution of the body, mind and spirit forms overall what we call "human".

All the great masters believe that spiritual well-being must be preceded by physical and mental health. If you are wondering what mind and spirit mean, know that there is no defined idea. This presumes that each of us is as free as responsible to ask, guess, feel and think, thus forming their own opinion about what spiritual means.

The practice of yoga aims both physical and psychic, of which it is said to be two inseparable parts of a whole that intertwined in unexpected ways. Yoga training includes different postures (asana, mudra, bandha), breathing techniques (pranayama) and concentration to get better control over the physical and psychic. Of course, yoga can be used as complementary exercise in many sports like bodybuilding or fitness exercises. In martial arts training yoga techniques are used for mobility. It`s easy to add yoga to your exercise routine.

As many people are concerned with work and family, the amount of stress increases day by day. This is why people need to keep themselves healthy both physical and psychic. The best choice nowadays it seems to be yoga. The number of people, who choose yoga as a way to get in touch with their spirit and at the same time keep themselves active, has increased significantly.

All of us lead a busy and stressful life and the best way to reach an overall wellness of mind and body is healing and nourish our mind. These two aspects correlated with the desire of taking a break from our busy routine are found together in a vacation at a yoga retreat.

You can access the internet and find that yoga retreat is possible all over the globe. It`s the best way to spend your vacation doing yoga in exotic places. Surely this will be a factor in you reaching a wellness of mind and body. It doesn`t matter if you haven`t had that much experience with yoga because yoga retreats offer beginners classes for everyone. Yoga surely changes our lives to better.

The omkararetreats.com yoga retreat provides blissful holistic spa menus using ayurvedic & panchakarma medicine, organic oils and many other tradition healing techniques.

Yoga As a Tool You Can Use For Conditioning For Surfing

Very often, you would not associate these two activities with one another; but apparently, many of the pro-athletes are now using yoga as a conditioning for surfing. As you might know, surfing is a very rigorous sport. It demands a lot on the human body, especially since water is not an element that Man can naturally move in. If you include crashing waves and unpredictable swells in the mix, then you have an environment that can be quite overwhelming, if not deadly. At the same time, it takes a lot of mental preparation in order to get into this kind of sport. Competition aside, many professional surfers have been seized by their own fears especially when the waves become too erratic.

So how does a person use yoga as a conditioning for surfing?

First of all, yoga is considered as one of the best low impact cardiovascular exercises there is. This means that although a great workout can be gained from doing its repetitive movements, considerable strain is not placed on the bones and muscles. Almost anyone can therefore do yoga -- no matter what their age or level of physical fitness may be.

Secondly, cardio workouts are essential tools when you want to practice conditioning for surfing. You would need to build up lung power if you want to stay afloat on the water for the longest time possible. Additionally, cardio workouts are recommended if you have to paddle out to the waves as much as the pro-athletes do. This kind of workout also builds up the physical endurance a person would need in order to go through the rigors of training.

Thirdly, many of the movements of yoga are geared towards stretching and crunches. This promotes stronger but leaner musculature. A leaner frame is needed in order to easily surf the waves. This would give a person more maneuverability and more speed out on the waters. Stretching exercises also promote total body flexibility. Surfing demands a lot on the lower body joints particularly from the joints of the hips, to the knees, down to the ankles and bones of the feet. Without flexibility, it would be very difficult to maintain balance once a person gets upright on the surf board.

Lastly, yoga also promotes mental and emotional stability, both of which are needed in order to master the swells and the waves; not to mention possible competition from other surfers. Yoga helps increase a person's inner strength and sense of well-being, which in turn helps the person focus on the task at hand.

Damian Papworth, an avid surfer does yoga three times a week. He understands goldcoastsurfboards.com.au/yoga_for_surfers.htm yoga for surfers is a critical part of surf conditioning and recommends it to all his clients on goldcoastsurfboards.com.au/gold%20coast%20holidays.html Gold Coast holidays.

MLM Success - Why MLM and Yoga Share More in Common Than We Think (Part 1)

Achieving MLM success means combining the forces of determination, focus, poise, balance and constant practice.  Outside of the physical benefits of Yoga, Yoga as a practice allows us a time and space to work on our focus, poise, and balance.  Gaining this new awareness of where we are at each day and moving closer to where we need to be happens by continuous daily practice.

What does Yoga Have to Do with it?

In each Yoga posture, we think about not only our physical bodies, but our mental, emotional and spiritual bodies as well.  To be successful in MLM we need to not only keep our daily activities in check but we need to be in touch with our mental and emotional selves as well.  It is not uncommon in MLM to be faced with objections, constant ups and downs, and balancing family life with work.  If we are not prepared for these fluctuations between the positive and negative energy that we are faced with, it will effect our MLM success.  Many new distributors are not prepared for this, and end up leaving their MLM businesses before they have a chance to achieve success.

How can Yoga Help?

Yoga classes help us with a variety of elements that we need to achieve MLM success.  The key elements that we need to work on are focus, balance, and continuous practice.  When doing Yoga, it is much more beneficial to attend classes regularly rather than doing spurts of Yoga activity once in a blue moon.  MLM success is the same.  We must engage in daily activity that builds our business.  Whether it be approaching prospects or following up.  Not taking daily action will slow or decline our business

Balance

We all get tied up with family, friends, work, and just life in general.  This is inevitable, and will get in the way of achieving MLM success if you do not have a plan to balance your work schedule with your life schedule.  Use balance postures in Yoga to contemplate how you can better balance your life so that all areas are in equilibrium.  This will help you to have more MLM success for the long term.

Focus

We all get distracted from our work.  Checking e-mails, cleaning your desk, surfing the net, and checking our stats will not move us towards MLM success.  We must stay focused on the aspects of our work that will grow our business.  Both balance postures and Yoga postures where we hold a pose for a lengthier period of time help us to improve our focus.

Continuous Practice.

In MLM we get faced with many objections.  Many people quit before they even get started in their business.  The key is to work at it everyday.  Realize that ups and downs in both MLM and life are inevitable and simply a part of the process.  It is through continuous work on ourselves and our business that will bring us to the level of MLM success and success in our lives that we truly desire. 

Do not forget to check out the link in the resource box below, You'll find a great free eBook that details the 7 Fatal Mistakes of a Network Marketer, so You'll know exactly what to avoid.

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How to Get the Best Looking Butt in the World

Want shaped legs, ripped abs along with a gorgeous bottom? Forget about logging miles over the treadmill or performing several hours of crunches - tighten your problem areas using Yoga is a new, challenging, large-energy exercise coming from the actual best yoga guru in the world.

Nearly all women share exactly the same request - the best way to sculpt and tighten up those fat-attracting thigh, gluteal and abdominal places. Well relax girls; your prayers are already answered. Now you can target your problem areas without having done any high-impact activities or endless repetitions - this yoga exercise is here now! Created by the best yoga fitness professional in the world, this particular energetic, yoga-based exercise was created to help you sweat while you boost muscle power and definition.

This yoga exercise uses traditional yoga poses such as downward facing dog, bridge pose as well as plank pose and combines in a tough element of power using a medicine ball. For instance, in downward facing dog participants are requested to carry the ball between their legs. While their body is working to accomplish the posture, they are activating the quadriceps, buttocks and hamstrings to hold the particular ball in place. To make things even more challenging they might then be instructed to move out of this position into a forward fold after which right into a chair pose - all while holding the particular ball between their own legs. Sound difficult? It really is. That is the reason why this particular intense exercise is definitely not advised for novices.

There is also an additional extra to the yoga workout - enhanced core strength. "The ball provides attention towards the central muscle groups and demands participants to activate the core muscles to maintain the posture," explains Shaw. This additional core power can help improve posture, ease lower back discomfort and stop sports injuries in addition to allow for much better, more potent functioning in day-to-day activities.

So whether you are searching for a far more demanding yoga routine or you just need to sculpt those trouble spots, get ready to take the actual yoga butt tasks.

Find a Yoga butt class, or purchasing the new training video, shouldn't be hard as they are just available online.

The Exercises:

Upper body Expansion: Having feet hip length apart and ball in between legs, hinge forward on the hips while you interlace your hands behind your back and take arms overhead. Hold ab muscles firm throughout the move as well as a small bend within the knees to protect the lower back.

Side to side Flexion: Stand in mountain pose having feet hip length apart along with the ball between your legs. Stretch your arms overhead. Get one arm down to hip as you arch the other arm over your head. Inhale straight into hips/ribcage/chest. Keep butt tight and hips pushing forward. Repeat on the other side.

Table Top: From a seated position, slip the feet under your knees and place your hands on the floor behind your own back having your own tips of the fingers facing the hips. Keep your neck inside a natural position and put the ball between your own legs. Lift your hips and hold.

Yogafit's founder and CEO Beth Shaw has a lot of very informative advice in all aspects of yogafit.com yoga exercises, training, and everything else. She also has a number of yogafit.com yoga teacher training meetups several times a year and is a well-known yoga guru/mogul around the world.

Yoga Asana Safety for the Human Machine

Safety, in practicing and teaching Yoga asanas, is very important. The human machine is designed to move, flex, and bend in very specific ways. If you move against that specific design, injury is likely to occur. As the practice of Yoga moves into the mainstream, classes are taught in a variety of settings to different groups of practitioners.

Yoga Student Diversity

Teaching Yoga asana safety, to these different populations, takes concrete knowledge of human anatomy, as well as sensitivity and awareness of each individual student's needs. Some of the settings for Yoga classes are traditional studios, schools, and hospitals. Each setting will require a specialized set of skills, with knowledge of how to lead students in and out of Yoga asanas safely and enjoyably.

Many Yoga classes are taught in professional studios. The students, who attend classes at Yoga studios, may be beginning practitioners or seasoned practitioners. With such a wide diversity of Yogic aptitudes, a Yoga instructor at a studio must be able to guide both new students and veteran students, in and out of the asanas, in a safe and efficient manner. Special attention must be given to students who may be healing from an illness or injury. A firm knowledge of human anatomy, in addition to an awareness of the particular student's capabilities and limitations, is crucial to teaching a safe and enjoyable class at a professional Yoga studio.

Yoga in Schools

Currently, the practice of Yoga is entering into the public school system. It is becoming well-documented that the practice of Yoga helps students to cope with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, concentration, and supports their general physical wellbeing. With so many benefits, there are happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training programs that specifically prepare aspiring instructors to work with students from pre-school through college. These preparatory programs teach Yoga instructors how to lead students through a sequence of asanas in a safe, fun, and entertaining way. A six year old child must have fun during Yoga class or all bets are off!

Therapeutic Application of Yoga

The benefits of practicing Yoga are also becoming apparent to administrators of hospitals and rehabilitation facility settings. A Yoga instructor, who is teaching classes in these facilities, must be especially careful to teach the asanas in a very safe manner that honors the design, capabilities, and limitations of the human machine. Hospital patients, and patients who are recovering from a serious injury or illness, in a rehabilitation facility, can benefit tremendously from engaging in an appropriate sequence of Yoga techniques.

? Copyright 2011 - 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.org Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. 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 yoga-teacher-training.org/

Spirituality and Yoga

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. It became known to the West early in the last century as a lifestyle to achieve the spiritual enlightenment and then became popularized as an exercise routine to improve flexibility, lose weight, improve sex and any other imaginable and unimaginable things.

This is a commercialized approach to yoga, the one that helps sell. It is covered very well in the John Phelp's documentary "Yoga Inc." and the recently published book under the same title. Search for the videos on YouTube to understand what I am talking about.

If yoga is not a set of physical exercises to improve the flexibility, a questions arises:

What is Yoga?

Yoga is primarily a spiritual practice.

There are different paths of yoga - all of them lead to enlightenment in different ways. Some of them are Jnana Yoga Path, Karma Yoga Path and Raja Yoga Path. Raja Yoga consists of seven limbs or steps that one needs to follow to attain the enlightenment.

These steps are described in "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali".

Among these steps are Asanas or physical exercises and Pranayama or breathing exercises well-known on the West. Physical and breathing exercises help to clear the mind and hence their primary purpose is to prepare the body for meditation.

While one can practice yoga to lose weight or combat insomnia or relax deeply, it is important to keep in mind the primary purpose of yoga exercises and not to degrade it to a mere flexibility training.

Even if your primary purpose is to lose weight, a short 10-15 minutes meditation immediately after the yoga can greatly facilitate the weight loss process by helping you connect with your Higher Self and start doing in life things that are for your ultimate benefit - in the case of weight loss eating healthy, exercising, detoxifying the body, etc.

Visit the pathstopower.net/yoga/yoga-and-spirituality.php pathstopower.net/yoga/yoga-and-spirituality.php to read more on Yoga and Spirituality. Visit the pathstopower.net/yoga/yoga-and-spirituality.php yoga and spirituality page right now to download free books.

Leanne enjoys researching and writing about useful topics that can help others solve problems.

P90X Is Too Hard, It's Not for Me

P90X is a 90 day workout program that requires an hour to an hour and a half long workout each day. This program includes 12 different workouts including Strength Training, Cardio, Stretching, Yoga and more. This home fitness system is targeted training for lean muscle development and a supercharged metabolism.

Many think these workouts are just too hard and require too much time. I'm one of many who have used these excuses for years. That is what they are too...excuses...for not even trying.

As the creators of P90X say "just push play". Don't let this phenomenal workout system collect dust in your fitness library. Put a DVD in and push play, give it a try. What do you have to lose?

Don't expect to have perfect form, to be able to do all the reps or maybe even get through the entire workout when you begin. Starting the DVD and putting in a little bit of time into your fitness every day is a hundred times better than not ever trying. Just set the expectation with yourself that you will give it your best shot and do the most you are capable of.

You will quickly see gains in your strength and flexibility. This program has several different workout schedules from Lean (mostly targeted to women who worry that too much strength training could cause bulk) to Classic P90X, to Doubles (for the hard-core fitness enthusiasts). If you've bought your P90X system recently you may also have a few extra workouts from the P90X One on One series including the 45 min Fountain of Youth Yoga workout. This is nice because the yoga DVD included in the original P90X set is 90 minutes long and people often have difficulty fitting this in.

There are at least 4 people in each DVD showing a variety of levels for each of the exercises. Just do the version you are most comfortable with. (e.g. I use chairs for my chin ups and pull ups as I don't yet have the upper body strength to do them without the chair) For the strength training exercises you have the option of using dumbbells or resistance bands. Either is a great option. If you are looking to save money at the start resistance bands are probably a less expensive option (unless you can find a set of dumbbells for a great price at a garage sale). You will also need a pull up bar.

How do you fit in an hour of fitness a day? Working out at home saves the drive to and from the gym. This may give save you an hour right there! Many people find they are most successful working out in the morning as they get their fitness in first thing before the family is awake and then it is done. It starts the day off great and gives you a fabulous increase to your calorie burn for quite a while (how long various depending on which workout you did that day). The increased calorie burn can last up to 24 hours after a strength training session.

An hour still may seem like a lot but you will gain energy and probably find you actually can get more done on the days you work out. Try getting up a half our earlier to gain some time for your fitness. Most people find they sleep better when they take time for fitness so your sleep quality will probably improve. Whatever your excuse for not putting the DVD in there are ways to resolve it.

Don't shortchange yourself, you are capable of far more than you believe.

Lori Thayer is passionate about finding ways to optimize life, from nutrition to exercise, saving money and improving relationships. She is excited to share these tips and tricks with others. Start optimizing your life with her FREE article "5 Easy Habits To Improve Your Health" at LoriThayer.com LoriThayer.com

Yoga Instructor Training - Your Classroom Communication Skills

For Yoga teachers, there are many advantages to fine tuning the art of spoken communication. When compared to writing, speaking is much more personal. The interaction with one student, or an entire class, establishes a rapport.

Working face-to-face, with a class, allows you to use voice inflection, body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures. Through this, you have created a form of unconscious human interaction, which results in trust.

Some Yoga instructors manage to make each student feel important during class time. A Yoga instructor gives physical assists, when needed, and addresses each student's needs. This is much different from being a public speaker because of the student / teacher relationship.

Yet, a public speaker must also establish a bond, develop trust, and create an open atmosphere. In any type of classroom setting, the student should never be afraid to ask a question. The open environment enables the collective group to make progress, and prevents misunderstandings.

Once open communication is established, there are no limits as to what students can learn in your Yoga classes. Information is exchanged rapidly, clearly, and without confusion. Many times, sincere students, who ask in-depth questions, stimulate the interest of the entire group.

Some Yoga teachers have a firm policy of not answering questions during class time. The concern, among these teachers, is how to handle a disruptive, or ego-driven, student. If you have a person who you feel is purposely disrupting the class, keep your answer short and offer to discuss the question after class.

Yoga instructors can misunderstand the motives behind a student's questions or actions too. Take the time to see the big picture and resist judgments. The student, who is curious, has sought you out for the answers to his or her questions. Students, who ask a lot of questions, cause us to research an old topic again. There is no harm in this because curious students make their teachers better.

© 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 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

Hourglass - Shaping the Stocky Woman

Most fitness routines were not designed for the naturally stocky woman. Many cardio routines will make this kind of physique lose weight in all of the wrong places. Worse yet, many weight-lifting routines can lead to unbalanced appearances such as thunder thighs and manly physiques. With the right training, the naturally stocky woman can still look fitter and more attractive than her naturally thinner counter-parts.

Most stocky woman are small in stature and not the big gals who you expect to find working on the water front. The trick to training a naturally stocky woman is to give the illusion of an hourglass shape. The strategy that has often worked, is the following:

1. Strengthen the rear shoulders and upper back. By strengthening the rear part of the shoulders and upper back, you can straighten your posture and accent wider shoulders. Your chest will tend to stand out, giving your bust a perkier appearance. Use the Pilates Breast Stroke and Swan exercise, the yoga Cobra and weight lifting hyperextensions.

2. Train the upper chest and minimize work on the lower chest. Some trainers believe that training lots of chest exercises will give a greater mass of muscle underneath the breasts and give the trainee a larger bust. For some younger women this might work out. Often heavy training in this area can reduce the fat layer in the breast area, giving an appearance of smaller breasts. Also, working the middle and lower breast area can aid gravity in pulling the breast downward.

3. Strengthen the legs. Aerobic exercise like cycling, running, skating and the like can built awesomely, shapely legs. The reverse lunge is a good leg builder. Unlike heavy squats (which can give you thunder thighs), the reverse lunge develops lean, muscular legs AND balance.

4. Include side movements in your abdominal routine. A simple method is side bends. An advanced method is the Pilates side kick series. These movements can give you a narrower, trimmer waist. Note: too many sit ups and crunches can give you a hunched posture or a big knot of abdominal muscles.

5. Avoid over-exercising. Heavy training can leave you tired and frustrated. Unless you are a competitive athlete, you only need an hour of training 3-4 times a week. I have seen too many aerobic dance and weight trainees who just look emaciated and flabby from too much training and poor nutrition. You need rest and nutrition for your muscles to recover and burn fat.

Doug Setter holds a Bachelor's of Food and Nutrition. He has served as a paratrooper and U.N. Peacekeeper, has completed 5 full marathons and climbed Mt. Rainier. He held a welterweight kick-boxing title at age 40. He consults clients in alcohol reduction, stomach-flattening, kick-boxing and nutrition. He is the author of Stomach Flattening, Reduce Your Alcohol Craving and One Less Victim. 2ndwindbodyscience.com 2ndwindbodyscience.com

Yoga For Health

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. It consists of ancient theories, observations and principles about the mind, spirit and body relationship. According to the principles of yoga the mind, spirit and the body are one and they together can heal itself.

Yoga has three main techniques:

Asanas or poses

The various yogic poses give your body flexibility and strengthen the muscles. Many asanas are aimed at improving blood circulation and functioning of specific organs in the body.

Pranayama or breathing

Pranayama is actually the most important aspect of yoga as they cleanse the subtle energies flowing through the body. These breathing techniques are an effective way to energize, harmonize and tranquillize the body, spirit and mind.

Meditation

Mediation is an important way in managing stress and anxiety. Regular meditation trains the mind to be calm and relaxed; it curtails overreaction, emotional outbursts and temper tantrums.

When these three techniques are done together in sync the health benefits to the mind, soul and body are tremendous.

Benefits

Yoga has many health benefits, the main are:

Yoga asanas massages all organs of the body. It works on the internal organs in a systematic manner. This stimulation of the organs benefits us by keeping away disease.


Yoga increases the lubrication of joints, ligament and tendons. Yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body.


Yoga offers a complete detoxification of the body. It ensures the maximum blood supply to various parts of the body, which helps in the flushing out of toxins from all over the body.


Yoga exercises strengthen the nervous system through its non-tiring physiological asanas.


Yoga breathing exercises and meditations develop parts of the brain that are normally dormant.

Conditions Benefited By Yoga

Though yoga has a beneficiary effect on all ailments, the ailments mentioned below have specially been helped by yogic practices,

Acid Stomach


Addictions


Asthma


Backache


Bronchitis


Cold


Constipation


Depression


Diabetes


Emphysema


Eyestrain


Flatulence


Headache


Heart Disorders,


Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)


Indigestion


Insomnia


Menstrual disorders


Migraines


Neurasthenia


Obesity


Premenstrual Tension


Prostate troubles


Pain Management


Rheumatism


Sciatica


Sexual debility


Sinus


Skin diseases


Sore throat


Stress And Tension


Wrinkles

Yoga helps to makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even at times of great stress. Practicing yoga makes you feel fitter, more energetic, happier and peaceful.

Ashish Bhattacharya is an exponent of oriental and alternative medicine. Armed with a degree in East Asian Therapies from China, he has worked in a shantiananda.com Luxury Destination Spa Mauritius, and is an expert in Thalassotherapy in Mauritius [shantiananda.com/spatherapies.html].

Health and Fitness Tips For Men

Americans today are living life on the fast track. Most of the internet searches are for fast or easy weight loss. While most of the information is geared towards women, men are also interested and in need of health and fitness tips.

Men have the advantage where they can lose weight much easier than women. There are many different health and fitness programs out there for men. Yoga and Pilates are not just for women anymore. There are exercise videos that focus on Yoga and Pilates for Men. There are different types of home exercise equipment that are low cost and easy to use. You just need to have the motivation to follow through with your plans for a healthier life.

Heart Disease, Diabetes, prostate cancer, and other health issues are a rising concern for men. These reasons can and should be a good source of motivation for men today. Men can follow these health and fitness tips to lose weight and get healthy and fit.

Starting out the day with a healthy breakfast helps to kick start metabolism and keeps blood sugar levels even. It also gives a person more energy. When a man eats breakfast, he is less likely to eat larger portions of unhealthy food later in the day. Eating plenty of fiber rich foods is important to fill up and feel satisfied between meals. Try to eat whole grains - whole wheat bread, potatoes, and brown rice, instead of white bread, white rice, and pastas - that are simple starches and turn right into sugar. The whole grains take longer to digest and can assist with maintaining lean muscle tissue.

Men are able to eat larger portions of protein than women. They should still concentrate on eating lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, and fish on a daily basis instead of red meat. They should also make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Men can also benefit from portion control and watching their portion sizes. Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day as opposed to eating the three traditional square meals a day really does help to keep the metabolism running smoothly and helps to build lean muscle tissue.

The best way to lose weight is with a combination of cardio, strength training and a healthy diet. But, the cornerstone of most happinesslifetime.com weight loss programs is cardio. Exercising on a daily basis is a good way to get in shape and boost metabolism. Many men are concerned about building muscle and may only concentrate on strength training. Cardio is necessary in any fitness program because:

1) It helps you burn more calories in one sitting. Getting your heart rate up means your blood is pumping, you're breathing hard, you're sweating and burning calories.

2) With many cardio exercises, you can burn 100 to 500 calories depending on how hard you work, how long you exercise and how much you weigh.

3) Burning calories with exercise means you don't have to cut as many calories from your diet.

4) You can do cardio exercise most days of the week without worrying about injury or over training.

Nutritional supplements can be used in conjunction with eating healthy foods and exercise to build lean muscle. There are many supplements out there designed especially for men and their unique health and fitness needs. They are not meant to be a shortcut to weight change, and taking too much of any one supplement can pose serious health risks. The good news is that average person is unlikely to take so much of a nutrient that they run into trouble. But it's always wise to check in with a doctor before you start using a supplement regularly. And that's definitely true if you're using any supplement in high doses or for prolonged periods of time.

It is very important that you keep yourself hydrated during any strenuous activity. Sports drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, and All Sport can give you a needed energy boost during your activity. They are designed to rapidly replace fluids and to increase the sugar (glucose) circulating in your blood. Energy Drinks can help boost your energy, but many use sugar and caffeine as their active ingredients used as stimulants. In fact, excessive use of energy drinks can cause symptoms such as upset stomach, leg weakness, heart palpitations, being jittery, nervousness, and more. Drink these energy drinks on an empty stomach and the effects can be magnified. Never underestimate the power of drinking water and making sure to get at least 6-8 glasses a day.

Jocelyn Jones

[jjhealthnfitness.com]

JJ's Health and Fitness offers all your health and fitness needs under one roof.

Visit my website at the link above for more information on ways to achieve your health and fitness goals.

How to Become a Yoga Instructor - Inner Vision

The call for us to teach Yoga often starts with a vision from within. This vision of becoming a Yoga teacher is not something that someone else told us to see. We have been systematically trained to ignore our intuition and trust outside resources. This makes focusing on what we internally visualize difficult.

As children, we are often taught to forget our dreams. As time passes, we are taught to be practical and logical. Sometimes, the result is a young adult who is cynical, at best, because of all the emphasis placed on past failures. Nothing will stifle innovation, and creativity, better than to focus on your past setbacks.

Internal focus on past failures becomes the mindset of pessimism. Luckily, you have control of your mind to influence it toward positive thoughts. If you know a group of people who exist in the "Dark Ages" of pessimism - you realize the difficulty in changing a collective mindset. You probably need a "breath of fresh air," as well.

With that said, do you really want to ignore your intuition? Do you want to abandon your dreams? Do you want to live a life that someone else has demanded you live? There is a reasonable compromise between what is logical and what you envision.

If you want to become a Yoga teacher, it does not have to be difficult. You can be a provider at home and participate in a self-paced correspondence course at the same time. Some of these training programs are designed with unlimited Email and telephone support. In fact, you are not required to leave home with some online happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training courses.

What about job changes? If you currently have a job that has great benefits and it pays well, you can stay with your employer while teaching Yoga as a part-time instructor. Life can be taken in gradual steps, with much less financial risk to you or your family.

As a part-time Yoga teacher, you can enjoy the best of life. You can see where this journey will guide you. At some point, in the future, you might decide to visit an on-site intensive, a seminar, teach full-time, or become a registered Yoga teacher. All of these goals are fine, but life does not happen in an instant.

It is true that we are programmed to think everything must take place in "the blink of an eye." Yet, we have a life to live every day. Sometimes, our dreams are put on hold, but we can study, improve, and practice, each day. The journey to teach Yoga classes starts with study toward certification. The path of teaching Yoga has many steps. Remember: A teacher is a student for life.

© 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

Finding the Ultimate Yoga Bag For Your Yoga Practice

Yoga bags are the easiest way to carry all of your belongings, including your yoga mat and all of your yoga props.  They are ideal for carrying things to a Yoga class, or back home. Yoga bags are not just made out of natural materials, some of the newer Yoga bags are made from recycled materials and are gaining in popularity recently. 

Yoga Bag Material

Some bags are mixed fabric-mesh and zippered and they make for mat bags that are hip and stylish, while still providing access to your yoga mat. When you practice yoga anywhere but at home, you are sure to need a nice yoga bag to carry your accessories and personal items with you.  Many yoga bags were made with this in mind, ready to go from plane, to train or bus, and to yoga classes and training if required, all the while being able to do this in less than ideal weather.  Some yoga mat bags are lined with satin instead of cotton as this helps you to get your 'sticky yoga mat' to slide in, and out. 

Functional Yoga Bags

Many yoga teachers spend a lot of time on the road and they need a bag that is functional, eye catching, and durable as the fabric can allow.  For serious students of yoga, a yoga bags is a convenient and a necessary accessory for handling and carrying props and personal belongings.  Not only will a bag help you to stay organized, they also offer an excellent storage place and a great way to carry a mat and all of your accessories to and from a yoga class or even an outdoor meditation session. 

Cost of Yoga Bags

Should shoppers pick just any bag and hope to get lucky? No, not at all. One thing to keep in mind: none of the top rated yoga bags are cheap.  And if you believe it is better to spend a bit more up front to enjoy a durable and easy to use bag for years to come, instead of saving a few bucks now - remember that many end up trying to carry their bags back to the store for return after they fall apart. Pick a bag that is both durable and functional for you. 

Yoga Gifts

Yoga inspired bags make great gifts for the modern yogi and yogini.  Some of them even feature eco-fashion and original designs that you won't see anywhere else.  Many are designed to be worn over the shoulder, and most yoga mat bags (yoga bags) should be able to accommodate any thickness (or stickiness) of yoga mat, while at the same time remaining comfortable to carry.  Yoga bags are the very best way for you to carry your belongings to a Yoga class.  They are also the easiest way to carry your yoga mats and all your yoga props.  A long-lasting bag will make your life easier and more comfortable, especially if you find yourself always juggling too many things. 

Yoga Bags and Mats

You will love to carry your mat in a simple and elegant yoga bag that is usually suitable for both men and women.  When you practice yoga outside of the home you are sure to need a yoga bag to carry your accessories and personal items with you.  They are irreplaceable, you will soon find out.

Yoga Totes

Yoga totes (or roomy bags) are often big enough to tote clothes and any other type of yoga prop - or straps.  They generally have two zippered pockets to stow money, keys, small books, or other items which generally get lost when they are not inside of a pocket.  Some unique yoga mat tote bags are like works of art.  They include detailed Indian God inspired artwork and other colorful designs that will really let you stand out. A Yoga Tote with adjustable straps and pockets inside and out makes the most useful kind.  Some people request a slightly larger bags, so looking for a tote or even a baby bag may help you to get those extra items: such as a yoga mat, blocks and clothes stored.

Brett Simpson has practiced yoga for many years. For more useful articles, videos and a free eBook: Easing Your Stress With Yoga, visit his ~Dream Yoga~ website.

~Dream Yoga~
Your Yoga Resource
dreampublishers.com/healing/yoga dreampublishers.com/healing/yoga/

Kettlebell Exercises - A Workout For Weight Loss Training

The kettlebell is a primal piece of workout gear. It's a cannonball with a handle, plain and simple. There are a variety of weights and sizes to choose from, and there are even a few lines of "rubberized," colorful kettlebells due to the growing popularity of kettlebell workouts in southern California.

But what are kettlebell exercises good for? Strength and weight loss training to begin with. Kettlebell training incorporates fluid, intense motion to work the core, lower back, lower body, and shoulder muscles. It combines the endurance of a cardiovascular workout with the power of strength training. It requires concentration and body control. A kettlebell workout can be a rewarding training method for weight loss and strength, but it is not for the "casual gym dweller." Following are three basic kettlebell exercises to get started.

The Swing

Every activity has a basic move. The yoga beginner learns the downward dog, the tap dancer learns the single time step, the boxer learns the straight right, and the kettlebeller learns the swing.

Lower your body to a squat position: feet at shoulder width, weight on heels, shoulders back, kettlebell between legs.

Grab the kettle bell with both hands. Rise upward while pushing your hips outward. Use your core to swing the kettlebell out and upward. Assist with your lower body and shoulders, but do not use your arms or rely on shoulder strength to swing the kettlebell. Legs and hips are the driving force of the motion.

Once the kettlebell reaches its zenith, now you can actively use your shoulders to return the kettlebell to the beginning position.

Clean and Press

Once you've got the swing down, this is the next kettlebell exercise to master. Perfect for weight loss training, the "Clean and Press" begins with the basic swing, but then transforms into a press once you bring the kettlebell to your shoulder.

Start with a basic swing, but keep your elbows tucked in as you bring the kettlebell up.

Once the kettlebell reaches shoulder height, drop back to a half squat. Bring your elbows underneath the kettlebell as you dip down.

Now press the kettlebell above your shoulder, rising to a stand, and finish with the kettlebell raised above your head.

Slowly lower the kettlebell and swing back to the squat position.

Turkish Get Up

This kettlebell exercise is for the advanced kettlebeller. It's basically a complicated way of standing up. But it utilizes a wide variety of muscles, more strength than weight loss training, but definitely a great addition to the oeuvre of kettlebell exercises.

Lie on your back, and hold the kettlebell straight up with your left hand, elbow locked.

Prop yourself up with your right hand. And pull your left foot toward your buttocks.

Plant your right knee on the ground. Follow through by placing your left foot on the ground. You should be halfway into a kneeling position at this point.

Finally, stand up. Keep in mind, your elbow should be locked for the entire exercise and you should keep your eyes on the kettlebell the entire exercise as well.

Mastering the Turkish Get Up can take some time, but it can drastically improve your weight loss training regiment.

Videos!

For videos demonstrating the correct methods for all of these kettlebell exercises, take a look at this marksdailyapple.com/kettlebellin-for-strength kettlebell workout article.

About the Author: Mark Sisson is a fomer professional triathlete who runs a popular health and nutrition blog, marksdailyapple.com Mark's Daily Apple. Check it out for more great articles and information on the Primal Blueprint, a revolutionary health plan using the principles of human evolution as the basis for modern, high protein, healthy living.

Gyrotonic Exercises For Flexibility, Balance and Strength

You may have never heard of Gyrotonic, which is an exercise method that is very closely related to that of Pilates, although there are a number of differences between the two. However, Gyrotonic is becoming a very popular way to exercise and get fit for many of the same reasons that people love Pilates. Gyrotonic exercises combine a little to no-impact exercise method with fun and innovative new concepts that can shake up and revitalize any stale and boring exercise routines. Its concepts and features also make it a popular way for those who are recovering from injuries to get in shape, as well.

Juliu Horvath is the creator of the Gyrotonic methods of exercise, and he was once a trained ballet dancer. Unfortunately, leg injuries brought his dancing career to a halt, but they also led the fitness enthusiast to find new ways to get (and stay) fit. Horvath practiced yoga for a time in the United States (Horvath was originally from Germany), and eventually developed his own system of yoga that was focused on those with dance experience, or at least a passion for dance. What Horvath may not have expected was that his Gyrotonic program would end up taking on a whole life of its own, and would eventually become a very beloved program in and of itself.

If you are interested in Gyrotonic exercises, you can find them online, so that you can begin experimenting with the style of exercise without having to make any kind of monetary investment. This is a great opportunity to try out the alternative to Pilates, which features an increased emphasis on flexibility, balance, and muscle strength in comparison to its more popular cousin.

Of course, you will want to take it slow when beginning Gyrotonic. After all, many of the exercises are designed for those who are already coming into the experience with a basic level of flexibility, athleticism, balance and strength. That is why you may want to experiment with a few exercises at first, or even take up yoga or Pilates before moving on to a Gyrotonic program.

By using the resources available online to find Gyrotonic exercises, you can discover this quickly growing exercise method and judge whether or not it is right for you. Best of all, you will not have to invest any money or anything else except a little time and effort to find out whether Gyrotonic is right for you.

You can also find out more about Aero Pilates exercises and using machines such as the pilatesaeromachine.com/aero-pilates-xp610.php Aero Pilates XP610 to get in shape and stay fit at => pilatesaeromachine.com pilatesaeromachine.com

Thai Massage And Western Science

Thai Massage and Western Massage differ greatly in more ways than their techniques. In Western countries there is an ongoing effort to prove scientifically how and why massage is beneficial. Most of the massage therapy profession has accepted science as their unofficial regulator. Therapists feel compelled to demonstrate that their therapies hold up to the demands of science and comply with scientific standards.

In other words the effectiveness of massage has to be proven by scientific methods in order to prevent allegations of unproven, unscientific, or unsubstantiated claims in regards to the therapy - what a mouthful! If you think I am exaggerating, read some of the disclaimers on massage intake forms that you have to fill out before you receive a session.

Massage therapists in the West go through great lengths to state that they do not fix, cure, diagnose, treat, prescribe, or improve any medical condition, and that only doctors can do such things. I know, they have to do that so that they don't get sued.

Let's use some common sense here. Before the advent of medical science, people all over the world were treated with all kinds of therapies and remedies. Sometimes they worked and sometimes they did not. Today we have modern hospitals and sometimes their therapies work and sometimes they do not. The one big difference is that hospitals and their treatments, medications and procedures are one of the leading causes of death in the US. In comparison, tell me how many people died on massage tables!

Does anyone really believe that a well-trained massage therapist who has maybe a decade of experience of working with and directly touching hundreds or thousands of people cannot ever improve any medical condition? Compare that to a typical doctor who is forced by the insurance companies to spend as little time as possible with his patients and who runs into the room, spends five minutes with you without hardly touching you at all, and leaves you with a prescription of chemicals which he knows nothing about except what a pharmaceutical rep told him.

I want to emphasize that I have the greatest respect for some incredibly useful medical procedures. Modern doctors can do amazing things when they stitch together victims of horrible accidents or enable amputees to function again. But the track record of modern medical science for curing most chronic and immune system related diseases is very poor.

Now let's compare this to the Asian model, especially Thai Massage. In Thailand nobody has to fill out intake forms, nobody sues massage therapists, no therapist has to comply with scientific demands, massage therapists or other natural healers can diagnose conditions to the extent of their knowledge, and they can treat such conditions to the extent of their abilities. If what they do is not working, the clients can of course try their luck elsewhere, like in a doctor's office. Or they can do both.

No Thai massage therapist has to explain scientifically what exactly their therapy is doing. No client expects that either. The therapists don't know anything about the science behind it since the entire model of Asian natural medicine is not based as much on anatomy, physiology and science as on invisible energy flow and energy lines that cannot be seen by the eye, a microscope, or detected in a test tube. But the energy can be felt by experienced therapists, and it can be altered by Thai massage treatments.

From my vantage point of living in Thailand, I know from personal experience that Thai massage can and does improve many conditions. Some of those cannot be improved by medical science. After all, a stiff neck is surely better treated by massage therapy than by chemical muscle relaxants. And stress, a leading cause of so many diseases is treated more effectively by massage than by chemicals.

Here in Thailand we all know that some massage therapists are fairly useless while others are incredibly good and effective. So we go to the good ones. Massage is not a luxury here like in western countries. Most people can afford massage without breaking the bank. There is no competition here between massage and medical science. They coexist quite peacefully.

Am I saying that everything is better in Thailand? No, that is not my point. I am comparing two very different systems. It is definitely more relaxing and much easier to deal with the massage system in Thailand. But I think that the Asian model could benefit from some western input like more anatomical knowledge or exposure to additional healing therapies that are more widespread in western countries.

Anyone who has ever been in Thailand knows the great feeling of being able to get a full body massage or even a quick foot massage almost anywhere and for very little money. You can get treatments on the beach, on the sidewalk, in open air massage shops, in temples, in busy markets and malls, in airports, in spas or in your own home.

Nobody has to worry about privacy since it is all done fully dressed, intake forms do not exist and neither do legal threats. Ethics rules are very flexible since massage in Thailand is often as much a social event as a therapy, and you don't have to budget a session since you can get one for under US $5.- per hour.

Some things in life are better felt than explained. We don't much discuss the scientific benefits of massage here. We just know that it works from personal experience. After all, would you feel better when you fall in love next time, if you were told exactly which neurons fire, which nerves send your feelings to which place, and how much your skin temperature changes in passionate moments?

Some things are better experienced than dissected. For me, the experience of Thai massage is more important than the science behind it. For you, if you must know the science, at least make sure you set it aside during your session. You will feel and benefit more that way.

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Download your free six part thaihealingmassage.com/info/free-thai-massage-videos Thai Massage video course.

Shama Kern lives in Thailand. He has been educating hundreds of students in the art of Thai Massage and other Asian healing therapies for over 12 years through live courses and video training programs. He has created a major educational thaihealingmassage.com Thai Massage website which offers several massage homestudy courses, a very comprehensive free article and video section and an interactive forum.

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