When You Learn You Are in Charge, Nothing Can Stunt Your Growth

YOU are in charge of you. No matter how boring YOU think your life is, no matter how lonely you might be, no matter how ugly you think you are, or poor, or crazy, messed up battling a variety of addictions or YOU NAME it. It is those very labels with which you train to identify yourself that stunt your psyche. It's not in your genealogy but the way you speak to yourself that can be trained. Labels that are affirming can transform you to HEALTHY versus SICK. Start learning to guide yourself toward better living habits. All the labels can be changed. No one can pin hole you but YOU.

You might go back in time and talk about the school days and bullies including your own family members who made fun of: your height, weight, pimples, hair, clothes, grades, YOU NAME it. Today is today; you are in charge, even if back then they seemed to pull the rug out from under the way you felt about yourself. Just as physical scars lighten up just by the action of aging, you can learn to apply to yourself an energetic 'plastic' surgery to internal scars you think about over and over. Save your money. You can train to stop rehashing the most challenging times in your life via years of therapy that bring you only backwards to your challenged upbringing needlessly.

You can even do yoga, tai chi, meditation, and prayer until the cows come home and follow your religion to a tee, but that won't help if you keep imposing depressing, monkey mind labels on YOURSELF. Start noticing your thoughts while you are exercising and stop criticizing how you are doing. When you are cooking, eating, working, playing, talking, on the computer, and even when you are on the toilet or in the tub and especially when making love, which must be a very safe and secure time, you can catch the negative labels and stop in mid-sentence. Erase them and replace them on the whiteboard of your mind. At every moment, YOU can clean up your act. (Not just in the tub.) Join up with your most accurate appraiser of yourself; YOUR COSMIC MIND.

Your Cosmic Mind is unlike the Monkey mind which is what for a long time has come to be known as your left brained, culturally induced standard and common-most model through which people learn. How many children were taught to give up their 'imaginary friends?' It is the Cosmic mind which stands for transformation in the most powerful way. There you can form your images. Your logical, complaining Monkey mind doesn't do as well of a job. There are studies that have shown the veracity of this.

You have been trained, up until perhaps today, to tread carefully and fear the sharks in the water. What about using positive images to move far away from sharks? Your dreams, rituals, well formed ideas, words, and images that are based on a positive ideal can become the branch to hold on to when you are slipping off life's cliff. Stop yourself forever from repeating, "I am falling, I am falling!!!" Abandon that challenged and fearful self to your spirit that knows how to hope, pray, imagine and talk yourself back up to the spot you felt safe before a slip. Take in the scenery from where you are and really see that there is a branch that has deep roots, and a few rocks you can dig your toes into to give you the leverage to get back to where you were before you were hanging. Do you have to imagine it? You need not give up your religion to do this... Only understand that without the work and play you put in, you cannot really touch the unlimited Oneness as you name 'he,' 'she,' or 'it' with no holds barred. We come from Oneness that is so great!

No longer make it a battle of, "I am right and you are wrong!" Our world is made of individuals like you and I. I know I need to take my power, commit to it, trust it and project it! I did not know this over night. Build yourself through repeated journeys that will get you safe in any situation and keep you on a path to self confidence.

Are you suspicious of your imagination? Were you told all or at least most of your life that you should live in reality? Well guess what! All those "Pollyanna" types who chirped their 'mind-over-matter' raps and annoyed you are no longer being vilified but instead respected. This is the era where Quantum physics and modern biology is becoming more understood by layman: A transformative outlook can be trained to be used by you. Start reading the scores of research available by writers who have published laboratory experiments that now substantiate this wonderful news. Time and space can be transformed with intention. Read the Intention Experiment by Lynn McTaggert of Noetic Science notoriety. Biologist Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhearman have written a light, but still deep book entitled, Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here, about how our societies' leaders of the Western world for thousands of years came to actually hope people would be controlled by governments and religions. If people didn't have any idea that each person had power to be what they want in life, there would be an uprising.

As Steve Bhearman, a.k.a., 'Swami Beyondanada' might suggest.... "It is time for an "UP-WISING." These kind of books, of which these first two are some of my favorites, are not appearing without historic and long understood principles which have been known long before people have recently heard about The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and The Secret by a group of writers that became popularized by Oprah Winfrey. Before them, back beyond the turn of the last century, writers belonging to such groups as Rosicrucians, (now popularized in The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown) and Science of Mind and their many writers were known in a world where people were held more strongly by their religions and governments than today. Rudolf Steiner, Helena Blavatsky, Max Heindel, Alice Bailey and Vera Stanley Alder are more writers who are still known. Decades ago they spoke truths that had been pushed from our society. Those in society who would rather keep away from knowing that you as an individual have more power rather than less power are still strongly hoping to let you slip off the cliff. Will you let them do it?

Also, will you be fooled by those who tell you that it is necessarily an easy journey? One book and one series of videos and etc. etc. with quite a financial investment involved to the latest and most popular teacher, will transform you instantly? Well, I know there can be some exceptions to the rule, but MOST of you will have to become truly dedicated to your own transformation. Hours a week must be spent and you will need to do physical, emotional, spiritual, energetic and of course some mental transformational techniques for many years to really change. Most people give up before they see change and go back to the temptations our society has put in front of us to keep us under control. Will you let them do it to YOU?

Raven Cohan is One teacher who has been on her own path for 48 years. She has not let down her responsibility to her transformation. She teaches internal alchemy mostly from Universal Tao of Mantak Chia where she received nine certifications since 1983 and in 2010 was made a Senior Instructor, but many positive thinking authors mentioned in this article and more, are mentors since 1961.Many other living teachers have inspired her. Raven teaches on a beautiful beach in N. Hollywood, FL. where there are the few dedicated students who become sweeter by doing the playful work of transformation. Raven is writing a book which has a title still under wraps. There she will offer many tools and with the book you can begin your own self transformation. Sorry but no 'Magic Bullet' is offered. See more at taoTLC.com taoTLC.com.

Teaching Hatha Yoga: Designing a Lesson Plan - Part 1

Which asanas, or Yoga postures, should you select? How long should you hold each Yoga posture? What is the benefit of holding a Yoga posture for minutes at a time?

Should you start or finish a Yoga class with meditation? How should you incorporate Pranayama within your Yoga class? These are some of the many questions that Yoga teachers must address and find solutions for.

Which asanas or Yoga postures should you select? Some Yoga posture sequencing is considered so important that a few Yoga teachers and Yoga Masters have gone through the trouble of patenting and copywriting them. This is still a hot topic in some "Yoga circles," but sequencing should ideally contain a mixture of standing, seated, table, kneeling, balancing, prone, and supine Yoga postures.

This may not always be possible, if you are teaching a specialized class, such as Chair Yoga or Prenatal Yoga, but a wide variety of Yoga postures will have a multitude of health benefits for mind, body, and spirit. On the surface, we know that Yoga helps us live a better quality life - with improvements in pain relief, the immune system, circulation, removal of toxins, and a change to moderate dieting habits.

Therefore, any Yoga is better than no Yoga at all. This is why it is good to tell your students to add a small daily Yoga routine to their lives. If they can practice Yoga longer, that's fine; but new Yoga students may have trouble fitting Yoga into their lives for 15 minutes a day. This shows you how busy they are all day.

How long should a student hold each Yoga posture? If you are teaching a Restorative, or Iyengar style, Yoga class, the postures will be held for a while. The purpose is for the above-mentioned health benefits for developing strength.

Most people think of Yoga as a "stretch class," but holding postures for more than 20 seconds starts to test the strength of your muscles. As the time gets longer, your muscles let you know they are being worked; and this is much less friction than joints are exposed to by many other exercise methods.

A Vinyasa style Yoga class will not hold postures for long, but Vinyasa classes are aerobic, while enhancing muscle tone and flexibility. Some Vinyasa Yoga enthusiasts insist Vinyasa is the ultimate "cross training method."

To be honest, most of the Vinyasa students I teach are, on average, a generation younger than my Restorative Yoga students, and my Chair Yoga students are a generation older than my Restorative Yoga students. Therefore, the type of Yoga sequencing should address the health conditions of your students.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. 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

Yoga and Pregnancy - Why Do Yoga At This Time?

Yoga is for everyone, any age, men, women and children but is especially helpful at times of change in our lives. Pregnancy is a time when extra care should be taken not only in exercise classes but in all activities and living. Yoga will help maintain a healthy and strong body during all stages of pregnancy and help women to deliver their babies in a confident way.

Pregnancy is a natural time for taking care of yourself. For a first time mother a yoga class will offer a chance to be comfortable in the changes taking place both physically and mentally. A chance to take a break, relax into the pregnancy and make contact with her baby. Yoga will also help prevent all kinds of back problems. It will help to keep blood pressure low, prevent cramps, varicose veins, it will improve circulation and prevent swelling of the joints. Breathing will improve and tiredness will be overcome, good sleep will be induced.

The practise of yoga will also maintain a sense of self in a time of change. Postures will be taught with encouragement and ideas to help deliver babies confidently and often without intervention. Yoga can help with anxiety around the birth and possible depression.

Many mothers come to classes as beginners with no experience of yoga but have seen articles on how beneficial it is in helping to give birth naturally. Maternity classes use modified yoga postures with the emphasis on breathing, strengthening and relaxation. Applicable to all stages of pregnancy. For those who already practise yoga a maternity class will provide many tips on how to continue yoga safely during pregnancy.

I believe we should train to have a baby. You wouldn't climb a mountain or run a marathon without training first, and there is also the other side to yoga - it is a mind and body practice. The postures will keep the body strong but the meditative side of yoga is vital. The transition into motherhood has to be addressed. We live in a culture where we have babies and rush back to work or put a wash on and go to the supermarket. There is an expectation that believes we will not change. Yoga can be part of the rite of passage into motherhood helping to prepare for the changes ahead.

Lisa Askem has been teaching pre and post natal yoga in London, England for over 10 years. She is trained with the British Wheel of Yoga and has worked with the active birth movement. Lisa teaches at various centres in South West London including the world renown Harbour Club in Fulham. She is also involved in providing yoga classes for the National Health Service Sure Start programme.

benditlikelisa.co.uk benditlikelisa.co.uk

Lisa is a Member of
WomenWorking4Women.co.uk WomenWorking4Women.co.uk

Ten Powerful Tips to Build The Body of Your Dreams

1. VISUALIZE THE BODY YOU WANT BY USING YOUR INNER POWER

Many professional athletes practice visualization, which means picturing themselves going through the motions to achieve a certain goal -complete with sounds, colors, tastes and smells - and have seen it pay off big time. It really works. What you can conceive in your soul and create in your mind, you WILL EXPERIENCE with your body! During my 10 years as a professional athlete, I spent 10 minutes a day visualizing my body the way I wanted it to look and feel, the result that I mentally conceived in the visualization were experienced in my training sessions, making them tremendously intensive and effective. Now, whenever I work out, I close my eyes and visualize whatever I wish to accomplish in my workouts.

"As I use my inner power to visualize my outer looks, I create the perfect environment to materialize the image of the body I want."

2. SET REALISTIC GOALS

You aren't likely to hear some rookie say he plans to win the Olympia championship when they finished in last place the year before and he has yet to get off the bench. In other words, most professional athletes set realistic goals. So face it: You are not going to lose 30 pounds by your 10-year class reunion next weekend. (A more realistic goal is approximately two pounds per week.) Focus on taking one baby step at a time, keeping your ultimate goal in mind. It will be all the more rewarding when you finally get there!

3. FIND A WORKOUT THAT WORKS FOR YOU

My challenge after retirement was to maintain the weight and body fat composition I had achieved as an elite athlete. No easy task when you're working a full-time job, right? Because keeping in shape also means aerobic activities, my body was used to fast, quick, blood flow - something pedaling on the stationery bike or walking/running on a treadmill couldn't match. But then I came to believe that a simple pair of dumbbells could do wonders. When time is an issue (and when isn't it?), you need to focus on finding workouts that give you the biggest bang for the buck.

4. CHECK YOUR FUEL GAUGE

While you'd never put sugar in your gas tank, many of us put junk into our bodies on a regular basis and then wonder why we don't have the energy to get through the day. While training for the World Championships, I made myself eat healthfully because it was very obvious that my physical and my mental shape depended upon it. After I retired, however, I developed a weakness for junk food, despite the fact that it made me feel sluggish. Then my yogi master reminded me that I'd only been addressing half of my fitness dilemma. Besides focusing on exercise, I also needed to eat more wisely. Now I give in to my junk food cravings only one day a week, and my body feels and looks much better.

5. MAKE APPOINTMENTS WITH YOUR BODY

It's easy to put your body first when it's the source of your income. Still, as soon as I finished my training session, I started filling my Palm Pilot with clients one on one session. No wonder that at the end of most workdays, I was either too zonked or too preoccupied to go to the gym. So on Sunday nights, I began checking my calendar to determine my business and social obligations for the week, then penned in when I planned to work out each day, literally making appointments with my body to exercise. And just like I faithfully stuck to the rest of my schedule, I never once canceled a workout.

6. ALWAYS BE READY TO WORKOUT

As a professional athlete, competing and working out are always in the forefront of your mind. The rest of us have 28 million other things to think about, which means that we need to make exercising as convenient as possible. I joined a gym close to home, and being able to drive, run or bike there has proven effective in keeping me on a consistent schedule, regardless of the weather. For added motivation, I always keep a clean set of workout clothes in my car so I can head to the gym or the local park on a whim. (After all, if you don't go home first, you won't find excuses to stay home.) I also keep a stash of fitness gadgets in my closet, including a medicine ball, handheld weights and a stability ball. These let me exercise my entire body and, because they're so different from what I usually do at the gym, I generally look forward to using them again. Plus, most of these items travel well, which allows me to workout when I am on the road.

7. GREAT BODIES THINK ALIKE

When I was competing as a Pro, I had various training partners and a crowd of fans -not to mention lucrative contracts - to motivate me to stay fit. In the real world, we have to find other sources of motivation: friends, family, even a local sports team. When you've entered into a pact with someone else, you're more likely to remain committed. Once you've found a workout partner, consider signing an agreement that outlines your fitness goals. Seeing your fitness dream written down on paper may give you the boost you need to achieve it.

8. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS

When I was a pro, working out regularly and being in top shape was a given. These days, I feel an incredible sense of achievement whenever I complete an ordinary 60-minute workout. Sure, I use to push and pull over 15 tons of iron in a single session, but now I'm beside myself with joy when I break the ton or two. Aiming to stay at the gym 60 minutes but can only stay 30 minutes? Celebrate anyway, because you're on your way. You can give yourself little rewards here and there - as long as it's not junk food. Instead, splurge on a smoothie or a low-fat yogurt. Every 2 weeks of success for sticking to your training routine, celebrate big time by treating yourself for a big night out, dinner and popcorns at the movies.

9. BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE

Always be aware that what you have is the result of what you've asked for and for what you've done to get there. Share your knowledge with others that are inspired by you. We've all learned from someone else and we all need to share the wealth of knowledge we accumulate along the way.

10. KEEP LEARNING

Learning is what keeps us going, if it wasn't for learning we would all be in a status quo living as most of our ancestors did; kept away from knowledge and forced to be in a state of ignorance so they wouldn't create an uprising against corrupted governments. So keep learning and keep improving. Life is a sport, play it as a professional. You won't go anywhere except where you are if you are an amateur.

Nordine Zouareg [nordinezouareg.com] is a former Mr. Universe, an International Fitness Coach, Speaker and Author of the book Mind Over Body [nordinezouareg.com]: The Key to Lasting Weight Loss Is All In Your Head.

Dealing With Bad Knees From Running - Prevention, Symptoms and Treatment Options

Running is one of the most popular athletic pursuits in the United States with aficionados of all ages participating in this form of exercise that can be both rewarding and painful. Yes, it can be unfortunately painful sometimes. The most common of complaints is from those participants who have bad knees from running. Regardless of age, it is something that most runners will experience at some point.

What Contributes to Bad Knees from Running?

A variety of factors can contribute to bad knees from running, not the least of which may include:

1.) Not enough time spent on warm ups and cool downs

2.) Debris in the running path

3.) Basic mistakes brought on by inexperience

4.) Inadequate knee support

5.) Pre existing genetic issues

These five factors are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg but each are just as likely to be a cause or be a contributing factor of knee pain while running. The first four of these factors are preventable, while the fifth may require medical intervention.

The Importance of a Good Running Mentor

Inexperienced runners should enlist the assistance of someone who has 'been there' so as to avoid making the common mistakes that so many have already made before them. This will no doubt include the incorporation of a proper and complete warm up and cool down routine before and after each run as well as wearing a proper knee brace for adequate knee support. Just as important is learning to be keenly aware of the path ahead so as to avoid potential hazards such as pot holes and debris in the road way.

An experienced running mentor has probably already dealt with bad knees from running - maybe they still do - and may be able to suggest exercises or even an appropriate knee brace that will help to alleviate the stress and strains that occur while you are training. If you do opt to wear a knee brace it is important to make sure that it is fitted properly and that you are wearing it correctly. To do otherwise is to risk further, more severe damage to your knees.

It is important to note that severe knee pain especially that which persists for longer than a day or so, should be evaluated by a medical professional to ensure no long term damage or injury has occurred. Torn ligaments, fractures and even torn cartilage or meniscus can lead to a lifetime of knee problems and seeing your doctor is the only way to know for certain if your bad knees from running may have been caused by these or by a pre existing genetic issue.

Bad knees from running are so common that a lot of people just ignore the issue thinking it will simply go away with time. Unfortunately this can often lead to increased pain and the potential for permanent damage to the knee. If you've tried a day of rest, over the counter pain relievers and ice packs and the pain does not lessen, you really should seek professional advice and consider the use of a low profile knee support for extra support.

If you would like free information just like this visit us online at drbraceco.com drbraceco.com Dr. Brace Co. is an education based site that can provide helpful information and meaningful support for your knee.

Ways to Run Faster

If you're not satisfied with your last finishing race time then listen up for a few tips. You probably already know there is not one special bullet, but an accumulation of numerous little things that add up over time. Each distance will have different requirements so lets talk about improving your next 5K.

At one point you'll figure out your best running weight. It's important to get lighter so your not carrying extra pounds over the course of a 5K. On the same token you want plenty of energy so you'll feel in tip top shape to race. Body fat for a runner on an average should run about ten to fifteen percent. Everyone is different, but that's a guide.

Make sure you're able to run long, at least twice the distance you want to race. In other words if 5K is your best distance, long runs should be at least six to seven miles. A 10K would be twelve miles for a long run. Work your way up to your long runs over many months. If you want to be faster you have to train faster. This is how it goes. Your long runs enable you to run faster tempos. Then tempos enable you to run faster repeats.

When you get to where you can run a 7:00 minute pace for a four mile tempo, you're getting to where you can run faster repeats. Once a week go to your local track. Most high schools have a track, free for you to use. You learn to have a love-hate relationship with the track. We run long distance because we don't like track races. Too short! Nonetheless, track repeats are going to improve your race times like you wouldn't believe!

There has been much controversy in how to run repeats. All the book formulas never worked for me. Basically you're introducing your body, to race pace in small segments. You can mix and match the formula until you find the best match that makes you a faster runner on race day. If you burn-out too soon in a race, you'll know its back to the drawing board. Let's say you're a 6:30 race pace runner. Break you repeats into a 1:35. Rest for 1:35. Then do another and another.

Go to the track once a week for six to eight weeks before race day. Each week add more repeats until you can do ten. It's best to add more distance each week as well. Two laps of 1:35, rest 1:35, two laps of 1:35, rest 1:35. All this does is teach you to deal with the discomfort and burden of lactic acid buildup without slowing you down as much as before. Once you have fine-tuned the muscles through repeats, you'll get more use to the feeling. If you'll use these ways to run faster, your next 5K time should surprise you!

Above all make sure you cool down with some stretching after each workout. Yoga is the staple of many great runners. Yoga allows your body to find new muscles down deep that you didn't even know you had! The secret to running is to not get injured. You lose precious days of training, sometimes weeks! A good twenty minute yoga routine of stretching will keep injuries to a minimum in your quest of ways to run faster!

Gary Cooper is an author, publisher and veteran runner with well over one hundred races under his belt. He lives with his wife and a pet named Brandy near Dallas, Texas. Gary continues to enjoy networking with friends and new associates around the globe. Stop by his website for the latest tips on running, training, articles and gear. [cooperpublishing.com] - Skype: gary.cooper471

How to Run Faster - Three Tips to Improve Your Running

If you are a recreational runner the following three tips should help you to improve your running and prevent injuries. Beginners in particular will benefit from this advice.

Learn to run properly. You might think that anyone can run because it is something that comes naturally but I rarely see recreational runners running properly. First of all, you should not be landing on your heels. You should land on the ball of your foot and take the landing impact in your calf muscle through your Achilles tendon. The energy absorbed in your calf muscle can then be re-used to spring you off into your next stride. It is achieved by leaning slightly forward. Your foot lands just in front of or under your body. Then you push your leg back and drive forwards into the next stride. You must think about keeping you hips up as you raise your knee to bring your leg through. With practice you will learn a proper running style that will not only lengthen your stride, but it will also reduce the chances of injury to your ankles and back.

Stretching exercises. Stretching is important for many reasons. It helps your muscle tone, reduces the chance of injury and helps to increase your stride length to name a few. Look at some yoga websites for some more ideas. You should always stretch both ways, so try the following sequence:

Lie on the floor on your back and relax. Raise your legs at right angles to your body and then raise yourself up into a shoulder stand, supporting your hips with your hands. Hold this position for a while, trying to straighten your back. Now lower your legs over your head and try to put your toes on the floor, keeping your legs straight, and lower your arms along the floor . This is the plow position. Hold it for a while and enjoy the stretch. Go back into the shoulder stand and hold that for a short time and then return to lying flat on your back.  Now to stretch in the other direction. Sitting on your heels, lean back and put the top of your head on the floor. Keep your knees as close together as possible. Put your hands together as if you are praying and put them over your heart. This is the fish position. It is very good for stretching your ankles and relieving shin splinters. These exercises may be very difficult for you or they may be easy. Whatever the case, if you have not done them before you should take them slowly first time out. Use your judgment and only do what you are capable of. You may find it easier if you have a someone with you to help you to get into and out of the positions.

Ankle exercises. Your ankles take a lot of strain when you are running, and when you are new to the sport they are still quite weak. Absorbing the shock of landing and re-using the energy in the next stride is one of the keys to running properly, and it is your ankles that do most of the work. It is also this area that tends to get injuries such as Achilles tendon damage and shin splinters. You may also get foot injuries, so ensure that you are regularly stretching as well as running.

Here are two suggestions for strengthening your ankles and calf muscles. Jump rope or just jumping from side to side across a line or broom handle. Do not let your heels touch the ground and do not jump too high. You are aiming to bounce on your feet only: think boxer. Try to increase the speed as you get better at it. You need to do it for a set time or number of repetitions.

Find a step or block of wood about three inches high. Stand with your heels on the ground and the balls of your feet on the step. This may be difficult if you have not done much stretching. Then raise your body as high as you can for, say, 15 repetitions, rest and do two more sets. Aim to do them on one leg at a time and raise yourself as high as you can. When you get good at it you can hold a weight as well. As strength exercises are better done after your run, try adding a few extra minutes to your exercise time and do some ankle strengthening exercises.

These three ideas with help to improve your running and reduce the chances of injuring yourself. Running properly needs extra strength and suppleness which is gained from the stretching and ankle strengthening exercises.

Steven Booth has been running since 1972, first on the track and now mainly for recreation. His new ebook how2runfaster.com How to Run Faster can be purchased from how2runfaster.com how2runfaster.com/ It does what it says on the cover. It contains the tried and tested training methods he has used and taught over the years and is relevant to anyone interested in improving their running speed.