Yogic Insights - Faith in Humanity

Could Yoga help you restore your faith in humanity? Have you ever had "one of those days" where everything seemed to go wrong? On one of those days, it may start with one crisis of the moment, and continue onto the next, until we become exhausted by the events of the day.

In the worst of times, we might feel like: "What worse can happen next?" Maybe your faith in humanity is challenged by rude behavior, traffic, or an Email that attempts to steal your identity. You might begin to think: "Whatever happened to courtesy, honesty and compassion?"

There are some points to review, while you are off the Yoga mat. Some Yoga teachers explain the wealth of Yoga, we may know, as "Raja." Some will refer to this as the "Yoga of Patanjali," because he classified many aspects within the Yoga Sutras.

Within the Eight Limbs, mentioned by Maharishi Patanjali, are the Yamas. One of the five Yamas mentioned is, "Satya," which we may roughly translate as "truth." Truth and honesty seem simple enough, but they can become complicated. Are we truthful to ourselves when we get caught up in believing the world has taken a turn for the worst?

There is a quote from Hamlet by Shakespeare, which reads, "This above all: to thine ownself be true." It is so easy to see the weather, friends, family, and our jobs, as not up to our expectations. If we expect anything, it should be with tolerance and compassion. Life is full of surprises. Therefore, expect the unexpected, and do not worry about the worst possible situation.

Worrying about a situation, that never happens, is a waste of energy and will shave years off your life. Worrying, during a bad situation, will not solve the problem. To prepare is wise. To seek a solution, during a crisis, is an example of how Yoga can train your mind to maintain rational thoughts.

The teachings of Yoga allow us to renew our faith in humanity, because our viewpoint of life is what we choose. If I choose to be a member of the "doom club," I can see everything has gone wrong everywhere. This is like Rush Limbaugh's quote, when he stated, "I Hope Obama Fails."

Regardless of our beliefs and differences, as contributing members of this planet, let us never wish for anyone to fail an attempt at a noble cause, especially if the situation affects millions or billions of people.

© Copyright 2009 - 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.

Baby Yoga and Me

Having carried a sizable bump around for a very long, very hot summer, I really wasn't in the mood for a work out.

As Gwyneth Paltrow and all of my other coat-hanger thin celebrity peers snaked their way, all skin and bone about the tabloids, I scowled and knew that, even if the mood did ever take me as I sat covered in powered milk, I would just never have the time to get back in shape now that I always had my baby in toe. After all, its not as if I could balance Harry on the rowing machine as I made for the nearest treadmill - I didn't think they'd like that down at the health club.

I did try the gym. Once. Inspired by Gwynnies size eight flat chestedness I did deposit Harry at my mums', and went for one swim amongst the well toned - but my self-esteem could just not cut it. Having been a large pregnant woman and having had a difficult birth, my body was not as it should be, and I didn't stay for long. I'm sure no one cared about my having varicose veins now, but I did, and I suddenly felt very much like a mum, and nothing else.

Loosing faith in the idea that I'd ever have a waist again, I pooled my NCT friends to see if they had any tips on how to regain a good shape, without the embarrassment.

There was no way I was doing yoga. It turned out after speaking to the girls that they already had a fitness plan, and were meeting to go to some yoga class the following week. I'd only ever seen yoga on television, and I wouldn't have even considered trying it pre-Harry - I was never that skinny and stealth. The women all looked like they hadn't eaten for at least five years, and there was no way I was ever learning how to be a 'delicate lotus' with all of the cellulite I'd accumulated now. I lied and told them I couldn't get a babysitter...

Turns out you can take your little ones to baby yoga. I was worried it would be new agey, but our first session soon dispelled all the worries I had about that. Friendly and chatty, the class was only for parents, and I met a whole gaggle of new local mums. We chatted about our babies, their first rolls, nappies and missing socks, and Harry played merrily with the other tots that were there - something which really made me smile as he's an only child and I was worried that when it came to mixing with other babies he'd wouldn't cope. Turns out he's a bit of a socialite - that's my boy!

A qualified baby yoga teacher, our leader, Sue, started us off with some very simple stretches, which were fine for any physical type. Her training with Birthlight means she knows exactly what our bodies have been through, and so nothing was too much. I was petrified that Harry would cry when it came to including him in the work out (the baby isn't put under any stress either by the way - there's just lots of great, gentle skin to skin contact and muscle stimulation, no sun salutations just yet!) but he just smiled. It must feel good, after all, to have the shouty tired woman who's been harassing you for all this time give you some proper, physical warmth and lavish attention.

The stimulation that babies receive doing yoga releases endorphins in the brain, and so they clearly glow after a session, just as we do after a turn at the gym. It was great to know he felt so cared for.

As time went on, our classes did become more adventurous. The stretches we learned started to actively include our babies (they are fabulous weights!) and we all became far less inhibited, and felt happy to move onto the more complex movements.

To calm the babies, Sue introduced music into the classes, which soothed them no end - in all the time I've been going now, I don't think we've ever had a baby have to be taken out for crying. After Harry's bath, I often do yoga with him at home now, and the heat of my hands and the slow, rhythmic nature of the movements send him to sleep with much greater ease than a simple cuddle and a song tape ever could. He started sleeping through the night months before a lot of other babies that we know, and I'm in no doubt that that has sonething to do with our yoga.

Being an enthusiast now, I've read up on the later benefits of what baby yoga can do and I'm excited. It's clear from the fact he rolled early that Harry has good spatial awareness, and plenty of confidence in what his body is capable of. When we took him for his eight-month check my health visitor told me he will miss out crawling stage - his spine is strong, and having been made aware of the limitations of his body through yoga, he doesn't need to go through the exploration that crawling allows.

As well as the very evident physical benefits of baby yoga, it's also been a lifesaver for me. On maternity leave I was a bit of a lonely mum, and now I have something of a network. Size ten again and happy, there is never a morning goes by when Harry and I do not have a play date. It's turned things around. I think ill go down the gym tomorrow...

To find details of Baby Yoga activities in your area visit busylittlones.co.uk busylittleones.co.uk

Lucy Curran

About Teaching Private Yoga Lessons

There are currently hundreds of happinesslifetime.com Yoga teacher training programs for instructors throughout the world. Many of these programs offer 200 hour and 500 hour levels of teacher certifications. Despite a lagging economy, or perhaps more accurately because of the lagging economy, more and more people are turning to the restorative and stress-reducing practices of Yoga.

According to Yoga Journal, there are now over 14 million Americans who practice Yoga on a regular basis. The practice of Yoga has expanded from retreat centers and ashrams to mainstream settings such as: health clubs, community centers, schools, hospitals, and even jails.

Although there are opportunities to work as a Yoga instructor in many of these settings, a Yoga teacher may also want to consider offering private lessons to his or her students. Working as a private Yoga instructor can be both very rewarding and lucrative. You will be able to work with people who may not otherwise be able to physically attend a Yoga class. You will also be able to set your own rates and hours.

Whether you are looking to supplement your income by teaching some private Yoga lessons or want to eventually teach only on a private basis, building up your private clientele may be a wise choice. Of course, the demographic area where you live is an important consideration when you are evaluating if you should focus on developing a private Yoga student base.

You need to work in an area where people generally have enough disposable income to pay for private Yoga instruction. It would be best to gear your marketing efforts to neighborhoods that are more affluent. You may also want to consider working through a referral agency that will place you in a hospital or medical facility where you could work with patients who are recovering from serious medical conditions.

Do keep in mind that you need to charge enough per hour to compensate yourself for travel expenses and commuting time. Don't undervalue the convenience or quality of offering private Yoga lessons.

A great way to evaluate what kind of Yoga your students are interested in, and how much they would be willing to pay is to hand out questionnaires at the end of one of your classes. Ask them to give you some feedback on how much they would feel comfortable paying and what type of Yoga they would be most interested in studying on a private, one-on-one basis. As an incentive to fill out the questionnaire, you could give out gift certificates for the local coffee shop or juice bar.

? Copyright 2011 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org yoga-teacher-training.org/

Strength Training For Seniors - Regain Mobility

Strength fitness training is important for seniors to gain or maintain the use of the muscles. When people neglect to incorporate any type of regular movement into their life, the result is decreased mobility and lack of balance. By exercising the muscles through resistance exercise, mobility and balance can be restored and improved.

The most important muscles to begin training are your leg muscles. Incorporating walking into your weekly routine is a good start. Then specific exercises such as squats will further develop your legs. It's a good idea to add exercises for your entire body as you get more and more fit. When you include a variety of exercises for your body you enhance good posture and overall mobility as well.

Resistance training can be in the form of weight training at home or at a gym. It can also be done with resistance bands. Or you can perform exercises with just your body weight. If you are just starting out with resistance training, using your body weight is an excellent place to start.

You don't have to use a lot of exercises to start. Just pick one or two movements for each body part. Start with your biggest muscles(legs) then work to the smaller muscles. Repeating each exercise after a brief rest. Try to establish a workout at least twice each week. Eventually working up to twenty or thirty minutes each session is the goal.

A combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training is ideal. Doing resistance training two to three days a week(for example:Monday-Wednesday-Friday), then doing cardio such as walking, biking, swimming, etc. on two to three other days, is a great way to schedule your exercises.

The importance of strength training for seniors can't be emphasized enough. It can mean the difference between a low quality of life as opposed to a higher quality of life. In many cases, older adults just simply need to get moving again. The fact is that it doesn't even take a great deal of time or effort to see improvement in mobility once an exercise routine is established. The key is to set a few goals and keep it simple.

Here are some other exercises you can try which also help to improve your muscles. Tai Chi is a low-impact exercise form that can be a gentle way to get back into shape. There are videos and books available that are just for seniors. Pilatesis a form of exercise that can strengthen and improve flexibility. Pilates can be done in a gym setting or you can also find instruction on video and in books. Yoga is yet another low-impact activity that also can improve strength. Yoga can also improve balance as well as flexibility.

Improvement in overall health is the goal of an exercise program. Using resistance training and flexibility training should be done on a regular basis. As you put your routine together try some of the different types of exercise forms as part of your resistance exercise. This type of activity is important in your strength fitness training.

My name is Dave Tabern. I have a degree in education with a minor in physical education. I have a lifelong interest in fitness and health. I believe that exercise is important for all ages, especially for older adults.

For more information and tips about fitness and health please visit: fitness-for-fifty-plus.com fitness-for-fifty-plus.com or fitness-for-fifty-plus.com/strengthfitnesstraining.html fitness-for-fifty-plus.com/strengthfitnesstraining.html.

Get Your Bearing

In and around everything that exists lie fields of organizing intelligence. That which creates us and sustains us is also guiding us; it is guiding us in every situation, everywhere, all the time. When we are aligned with the flow of this expression of consciousness, or spirit, we are guided to positive learning experiences and find fulfillment, happiness and peace. When we connect with and allow our body and mind to serve as a vehicle for this innate volition we are drawn to the people, places and situations that support our growth and development and life is good, very good.

When our mind diverts our attention away from this natural inclination, and to the degree it does, we feel a commensurate degree of suffering and pain. These are the signs pointing out that we are out of touch, disconnected, lost. Like a compass needle being pulled to magnetic north, our spirit is always pointing the way for our optimum happiness and peace. We are never really disconnected with spirit itself, but our mind can get so preoccupied with the stories that it creates that we all too often get lost in our own mind. But no matter how lost you are, no matter how difficult life gets, no matter how disconnected you feel, you can always come right back, get your bearing and find peace.

You get your bearing by tuning into the subtle life force currents flowing through you and around you. The more you tune in, the more tuned in you are. The more you connect with the source of life within you, the more connected you are. The more connected you are the more you will be guided to those life experiences that are helping you to learn, and grow, and evolve your consciousness to its highest expression and fulfill your life purpose. Shaktipat meditation is the means to connecting with this innate guiding volition; it's your direct connection.

Shakti is life force, or spirit. It is energy. It makes your heart beat; it is life itself. But it is more than just energy, it is innate intelligence, it is the expression of consciousness that has been guiding you all along. It is you, it is what you are, it is what continues on long after the body expires and the sooner you are plugged into it and guided by it, the sooner you will find enduring happiness and peace. It is where you find clarity, it is where you find inspiration and guidance, it is where you find happiness and peace, and it is what is guiding you to read these words right now. You are being guided by it to find it, to realize it. The more you connect with it, the more you meditate using this Shaktipat, the stronger your connection is and the happier you are. We know, we've trained thousands, we see it transforming people's lives every day, and we would love for you to experience the profound shifts that result as you awaken this inner knowing, guidance and love.

From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir

"Find your Self and find true happiness. All other happiness is transitory and fleeting."

Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization.

Visit [SelfAwareness.com] for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!

Wiccan Spells - The Yoga of the West

Wiccan spells are often characterised into two major types, "White magic" being associated with good and benevolent aims and "Black Magic" often associated with evil deeds and satanic worship.

Many modern Wiccans have stopped using this duality, arguing that the colour black is just another colour that has been dramatised by Hollywood, and that the colour itself should not have any associations with satanic ritual or evil at all.

Wiccans believe that magic spell casting is a fundamental law of nature. A law that we have yet to completely understand. Other believers of the Wicca Religion do not claim to know how their magic works at all, it is enough that it does work and that they have seen it work for themselves.

Wiccan spells or Wiccan Magic is defined by most Wiccans as "the Art of causing changes to occur in compliance with one's own will". The term Wiccan, simply refers to anyone who practises the Wiccan Religion.

A Wiccan spell is a practise or ritualised event which leads to measurable changes in the physical or emotional sphere in accordance with the intentions of one or more Wiccans who are casting the spell.

Wiccan magic spells normally practised include love spells, healing spells, fertility spells as well as spells to help remove any bad influences.

The Wiccan Sacred Circle

Wiccans often cast spells during ritual practices inside of a construct called "the Sacred Circle", in an attempt to bring about changes to their world.

A Sacred Circle is a circle or sphere of space marked consecrated by Wiccans to either contain energy and form a sacred space, or to form a barrier of protection. The Sacred Circle can sometimes be both.

Sacred Circles are created by making a ring from salt or chalk. Some Wiccans will even scratch a line in the earth and in some cases it can simply be visualised by a Wiccan Witch to produce the same results. Similar circular constructs appear in some Eastern religions

Wiccan spells, in the majority of instances are cast to help materialise a benevolent outcome. The truth is the majority of magic spells cast by Wiccans (as well as many other believers and advocates of the "Old Religions") are cast for good and not evil.

The Law of Threefold Return

This is demonstrated by the Wiccan Rede, which simply states "an it harm none, do what ye will". Many Wiccans also believe in another element of Wiccan morality which is "The Law of Threefold Return".

This law holds that regardless of what type of Wiccan spell is cast, be it benevolent or malevolent, the actions of the spell will return to the practitioner with triple the force or power.

This belief is very similar to the eastern philosophy of Karma, first espoused in ancient India and later appearing in various forms in the Buddhist, Jain, Sikh and Hindu philosophies. This is one reason why Wicca is regularly referred to as the yoga of the west.

Yoga, itself is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. Yoga is about discipline and training working together to help the consciousness reach a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity. Many modern Wiccans will view this statement as a fair definition of their belief systems too.

Wiccan Spells come in many types and variations, so long as you practise your spell casting with a good and benevolent mental attitude, you will find like many of that the old nature religions such as Wicca can be rewarding and as fulfilling as many more eastern and western belief systems.

Nathan Ward is one of the authors at "The Wiccan Way" blog. The Wiccan Way is a place for both new and old Wiccans to share information and their experiences for the greater good of the Wiccan Community and those who would like to know more about the "Old Religions"

If you enjoy this or any of the other related articles about Wicca, Wiccan Spells or Candle Magic, please fell free to visit our website and leave your views by going to wiccan.awareness-guide.com wiccan.awareness-guide.com we would love to hear from you.

Blessed Be,
Pagan
(Nathan Ward)

Weight Training to a Slimmer Body

If you're looking to lose weight and aren't particularly drawn to diet fads or medication to achieve your goal, weight training might offer an alternative.

Weight training isn't the same as bodybuilding, power lifting or Olympic weightlifting, which are categorized as sports rather than any form of exercise. Strength training is a term that describes and encompasses all exercises dedicated to increasing physical strength. Finally, flexibility training is a stretching exercise (yoga) while endurance training is an aerobic exercise.

Before starting any weight training workout, you should spend anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes warming up your muscles. In order to decrease muscle soreness and increase strength, you need to develop a good stretching routine prior to and after training. Remember you need to warm up the particular muscle group you are about to work on. As an example, if you want to work your legs, you should do a warm up set to make the muscle group more supple. This warm up exercise will deliver more blood to the chosen muscle group and increase strength and stamina. You should also get into the habit of stretching 'after' weight training, simply to reduce soreness the next day.

The use of dumbbells and barbells, also called free weights, involves more muscle groups in order to move the load while remaining stable. Free weight exercises will allow any athlete or bodybuilder to increase practical strength.Isolation exercises are the key to improving the look of your body without having to meaningfully increasing strength.

The use of weights can also help you reduce body fat. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn while training as muscles tend to eliminate calories more than fat does. Dieters know the benefits of weight training as a method of preventing lean body mass loss as opposed to fat loss under a caloric deficit plan.

Always stop an exercise if you should feel sudden pain to circumvent possible injury.

In the case of weight training, the expression "no pain, no gain" should not apply. The pain may indicate serious muscle tissue injuries.

When you are serious about changing how your body looks, keep in mind weight training is still the best way to go. Dieting alone isn't sufficient. Use light cardio exercises to warm up before moving on to heavier weights. When first starting out, be certain to let your body guide you by listening to it. Don't go overboard and place yourself in a situation you are not physically ready to achieve.

So, if your objective is to lose body fat and change the way you look, you really need to start weight training. Your body will thank you for it.

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Cultivating A Spiritual Relationship

It has been claimed that every person in the world is connected to each other in a lot of possibilities. Even with just one task that certain individual does, it can completely affect the lives of other people, even those he does not know personally. This type of thing is called relationship. You will find different kinds of relationships which individuals share with one another and one kind is the spiritual relationship. This kind of relationship basically aspires for the greatest good for everyone engaged. It completely transcends every tangible being and matter in the earth and envelops people with the sole purpose of attaining greater things in life.

Disregarding The Physical Condition

There are many ways by which people may develop a spiritual relationship with another person or with others. Generally, you must know that as a human being, you're not only created having a physical body. So, instead of concerning yourself primarily with your physical being, you should remember that the spirituality is much more important. And in order to discover your life in an exceedingly different viewpoint where you'll be able to truly say that you're capable of cultivating a spiritual relationship with another man, just take into account making your spirit and your mind much healthier and wealthier instead of satisfying your physical body into the worldly and material things,

Having Freedom

Next that you need to understand is by being a human person; you have entitlement to your personal freedom. This means that you have total control of your life. Nevertheless, this sort of thing just isn't so simple as it may appear; you'll have to have control of your mind as well as consciousness at all times. Having such freedom means that in every scenario we're in, it is important that we look for several options on exactly how we ought to react to such a circumstance. We can for that reason have either a optimistic or a detrimental response; it totally depends on how we respond to situations. It's when you believe in the spiritual relationship that you are in, that you will know very well what your decision is going to be.

Avoid Judging Other People

The third thing that you should bear in mind in order to cultivate a healthy spiritual relationship with others would be to avoid judging other people. It's definitely valuable that you do not evaluate others as if they are far lower than you are for the fact that every individual is created with the same image and likeness as our God. Remember the minute you judge, you'll immediately develop an egoistic mind that will absolutely produce damaging thoughts inside your head and for that reason, lead you to bad behavior and pursuits.

Accepting People For Who They Really Are

The 4th thing which you need to do so that you can accomplish a spiritual relationship with other human beings is to be capable to accept not just yourself but other people for who they really are. It's very important that we accept one another for growth to genuinely happen to every single person active in the relationship.

Spiritual growth has always been integral to an individual's sense of well-being. And to some people, this can be achieved with the practice of yogafit.com yoga. By attending yogafit.com/CTGY/MBF.shtml yoga conference and trainings, one can truly improve his quality of life. With Yogafit, you'll definitely have all the information you need to start on your quest.

How to Increase Fat Loss like a Fitness Model

Losing weight and burning fat can be a daunting task for many people trying to shed pounds. If you want to learn to increase fat loss more easily then you will need to exercise, provide your body with the proper nutrition and control calories. After implementing these ideas you will be able to enjoy more fat loss easier than ever before.

Everywhere you turn whether it is a magazine or an article on the internet people are preaching that you should do cardio to get rid of fat. While exercises like running on a treadmill or joining a yoga class will certainly improve your heart health, many of these same writers forget that building muscle through resistance training has more increased fat loss potential than cardiovascular training.

When starting a resistance training program, be sure to check with your doctor to make sure you are good to go with this type of exercise. Then enlist the assistance of a personal training at your gym to put together a workout routine that strengthens your large muscle groups. Starting out with large muscle groups will strengthen your ligaments and skeletal structure while maximizing your metabolism burning potential.

Depending on your body type you will still want to incorporate a cardiovascular program. One of the best exercises is the elliptical machine. The elliptical will not only workout your legs and torso but it will also strengthen your upper body and arms. Make sure to utilize interval training as it will jump start your cardiovascular health and calorie and fat burning potential.

As always eat a macro nutrient balanced diet and drink plenty of water. The key is to eat a nutritionally dense diet. Include good proteins, both simple and complex carbohydrates and fats. Eat smaller meals four to six times a day to alleviate cravings. Finally take a multi-vitamin once a day.

Losing weight and increasing your fat burning abilities is really pretty straightforward. You need to incorporate strength training with the appropriate amount of cardio for heart health. Incorporating a well balanced diet will fuel your body with energy for you to enjoy life and increase fat loss.

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Child Yoga - What is All the Fun About?

Many adults have taken up yoga, but yoga has not gained as the same popularity with children. Child yoga can offer many of the same benefits to kids as it does to adults.

What can yoga offer your child?

A healthier body - Childhood obesity is on the rise and one of the main reasons for it is that kids today do not move enough. Yoga is a powerful technique for children to begin moving their bodies in ways that feel good and help them look good. Even if your child is of normal weight, yoga can help her become stronger, gain endurance and flexibility. If your child is involved in another sport, a regular yoga practice is a great cross training activity and it may help him reduce the risk of injuries.

The ability to control stress - Today's children are under enormous stress. They are often over scheduled, they face tough competition in school, they have to deal with peer pressure, and they are trying to find their way in the world. This combination can cause children to become stressed out. Yoga can help your child learn how to relax. When your child learns how to control her breathing and relax during her practice, she can then apply this to her world when she encounters challenging situations.

Increased self-esteem - Yoga is a non-competitive activity. Yet it does offer your child the ability to master challenging poses (especially as he gets older). Your child can feel good about his increasing ability without having to worry about how he compares to everyone else. This experience of success can help your child feel more confident in his ability to be successful in other things too.

Greater concentration -
The breathing and inward focus that is a main component of any yoga practice can help your child learn to focus his mind more effectively. A number of studies have shown that many children who practice yoga, especially those with problems such as ADHD, are able to concentrate for longer periods

of time.

What is a child yoga program like?

The main focus of a child yoga program is on fun. Often the children will pretend to be the animal for which the pose is named. For instance, when they are doing Cat Pose, they become the cat and may even meow. If they are doing Downward Facing Dog with their butts high in the air, they will often bark, as they become the dog. The children are encouraged to fully participate in and enjoy the 'game of yoga.' Sometimes the instructor will create an entire story about the poses that the children are in so as to make the class interesting and to fully engage them. The children don't realize how much they are benefiting from the practice; the only thing they know is that they are having a good

time.

Practicing yoga at home with your child.

While child yoga classes are wonderful, they are often hard to find. Depending on where you live, you might not be able to find a place to take your child. Don't fret. There are a number of excellent videos and books that you can get which will help you become your child's yoga teacher.

*Find a spot in your home where you have room to move freely.

*Establish an atmosphere of fun.

*Put on the video and do the poses together, hopefully with lots of giggles sprinkled in.

*Pick out some poses from a book that you can do - have your child choose some of the them.

*When doing the relaxation exercise, talk your child through it by describing a warm, inviting place such as a quiet field near a bubbling brook with butterflies and singing birds. Use your imagination to create a safe and friendly space and help your child experience it in his imagination.

Child yoga is an enjoyable activity that can provide major benefits to your child. It will help her grow stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally - and she'll have a lot of fun too!

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.

Yoga For Beginners - Five Things You Need to Know Before You Start Your First Yoga Class

People have many reasons for thinking about starting yoga. Maybe like me, you were advised by your midwife to take-up yoga as a form of relaxation during pregnancy.

Perhaps you are overweight, have a stress-related medical condition and been advised by your doctor to "exercise and relax more." Or you may have seen an article in your favourite magazine featuring Madonna practicing yoga.

Maybe you are a parent and have to juggle the demands of parenting with a hectic work schedule. This can be exhausting and leave you with little time to care for yourself, relax and, recharge your batteries.

Yoga is the ideal form of exercise to help you relax, strengthen and nurture your body and calm your mind. To the novice student, it can be quite bewildering to know where to begin when want to start practicing yoga.

Types of Yoga

There are various styles and different approaches to yoga. In essence, postures (known as asanas) breathing exercises, relaxation and in some cases meditation and chanting form the basis of all yoga styles.

However, different schools of yoga place difference emphasis on these aspects. Some yoga teachers, may focus more on breathing techniques (known as pranayama ), whilst another may pay more attention on the alignment of the body in the poses.

Yoga classes can be taught in rooms which are heated more than 100F (Bikram Yoga, as developed by Bikram Choudury) or more traditionally, classes can take place in your local leisure centre or yoga studio. You can even have private 1-2-1 yoga lessons in the comfort and convenience of your home.

Given the array of styles and classes, how do you choose which style/class is "right for you?" How do you know what qualities to look for, what questions to ask when enquiring about a particular class?

So before you pick up the phone, or click on a prospective teacher's website email address for further information, make sure you have this list to hand as a guide to help you chose your style of yoga.

Five Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your First Yoga Class.

One: It is always best to learn yoga from a qualified yoga teacher. Ask your prospective teacher where they trained, how long their course lasted and what subject areas where covered. Also, find out how long your prospective teacher has been practicing yoga and who inspires her to continue with her practice.

Two: Enquire whether your prospective yoga teacher or yoga studio runs classes specifically for beginners'. A beginners' class will be tailored to ensure you learn the foundations of yoga in a safe manner.

Three: Check out the average number of people who attend the class. As a beginner, look for a class that isn't too crowded - between seven to fifteen students - this allows the teacher to get to know you, observe your practice and make appropriate adjustments to your technique.

Four: The class needs to be at a time and venue which is convenient for you. Maybe you prefer to take a class on the way to or from work, or a class which is near your home. Anything too far, difficult to reach or held at an inconvenient time for you, makes it harder for you to start and integrate the class into your daily routine.

Five: Talk with your prospective yoga teacher. This gives you the opportunity to see how comfortable you feel working with the teacher. By talking, you will also find out more about their particular style of teaching, experience and to share any health related matters you may have.

It may take you time and energy to find a class or yoga teacher suited to your individual needs. Preserve. Once you start, you will feel lighter, calmer and glad you took the time to find a class and teacher suited to you.

Ntathu Allen

c. 2008

Registered Polarity Practitioner and Hatha Yoga Teacher, Ntathu inspires and supports you in your health and wellness journey. She offers private 1-2-1 yoga at home sessions, yoga at work and yoga for children. Through the practice and teachings of Yoga and Polarity Therapy Treatments, she helps you learn simple yoga stretches, meditation and relaxation techniques which you can use to release stress, boost your energy, relax and, feel more alive. Email

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Choose Your Own Change During Financial Loss to Avoid Disempowering Victim Thoughts and Feelings

When you lose all your money and all your financial wealth and assets that you accumulated over time, a part of you feels like you have died. This part of you experiences devastating loss. It feels as if life itself has attacked you and left you for dead.

This part of you identifies itself and its feeling of safety with the possession of money and financial assets. These represent a buffer of safety from the harsh, uncaring world 'out there'. If you find yourself in this situation, allow yourself to grieve naturally as you would any other tremendous loss. As with any other form of death, allow yourself space, time and patience to move through every stage of grief and anger so that renewal and a new start can follow.

Here are a few points to remember if you find yourself in a situation that involves financial loss, insecurity and a looming unstable economic future.

1. Allow yourself to fully grieve and release any and all negative emotions that come up. Find every creative way to express what you feel, think and believe The more you do this, the more quickly you will release and let go energy depleting low frequency vibes so that you can move on with attracting new abundance on all levels. Although it is wonderful to talk things out, take the time now for introspection, inner reflection and inner strengthening via:

a) Journaling

b) Recording via audio or video or

c) Whatever other means you feel comfortable expressing how you feel to yourself

2. Focus in on your true passions and pay attention to ideas that come up for making money from your passions then:

a) Choose one that truly calls to you at a deep level. This may be the option that fills you with the most fear as well as the most 'light you up' of all the options

b) Evaluate the common threads that exist between all the jobs, businesses, interests and money making experiences you have already had

3. Find and create support that you need:

a) Join a support group or get a coach to help you identify and manifest new job or business possibilities

b) Start stress releasing activities or classes that help you process, transmute and balance your stress, anxiety, anger, frustration. This can include yoga, daily walks, cranking the music for your own personal dance class, meditation, expression through art and emotional release

Know that life itself supports your success on every level. You must trust that even if you have to daily clear blocks to that trust that pop up with fearful thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs. Work your inner game and your outer game hand in hand and you will create not only money for your bills but financial freedom from any outer economic downturn and financial loss.

And to access weekly inspirational SoulSelfHelp.com spiritual wisdom thoughts and FREE One-Hour Guided Spiritual Meditation, get your bonus FREE membership information here: SoulSelfHelp.com SoulSelfHelp.com

From Angela Chen Shui, "the Soul Alignment Coach", with love and blessings for an unforgettable, Soul-aligned day.

Copyright 2010 - Angela Chen Shui. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.