If you have just had a dry January, you might need this for February!

Yoga for Hangovers

We've all been there; next time you overindulge, try these yoga poses to help reboot your body

Lauren Imparato | Feb 02, 2016

Topics: 

yoga poses,

hangovers

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Let's face it: Hangovers suck. But as I later learned on Wall Street, there are those nights when you know you are going into a full pour, whether you really want to or not. Client dinners, group holiday parties, celebratory cocktails, the list goes on and on. Yes, of course you can decline when offered, but we all know that saying no to a drink can occasionally come with a price tag in business, fair or not. And, besides, a few drinks can make the unbearable work affair bearable.

And then there is your social life. A night out with friends, talking and laughing over cocktails is fun. But sometimes you forget to pace yourself, and that's a sure ticket to Hangover-land. Life is life, and we should live it to the fullest, even if it means getting slightly overpoured from time to time. (Next time you go out, eat one of these Pre-Party Meals to Avoid a Hangover beforehand.)

The first time I went to yoga hung over from a never-ending client dinner the night before, the teacher hovered over me for what felt like the whole class, pontificating on the evils of alcohol, coffee, meat, cheese, capitalism, and leather, for that matter.Seriously-shut-up-now-please-my-head-is-pounding, I thought, as I attempted a Tree pose, wavering in the alcoholic winds of my breath.

But as I developed my personal yoga practice and continued my studies, I soon learned that yoga can actually help hangovers, as it is one of the few physical activities that penetrates the deeper layers of the body—namely, the organs. The key to yoga as a hangover helper is to practice specific poses that target and heal the places that alcohol has attached. (Furthermore, not all ancient yoga traditions ban alcohol, so there is no need to involve guilt of any kind.)

The vast majority of my students have come to me with a hangover at least once. I have treated hundreds of them with my Retox methods. Now, even if a student tries to hide their hangover, I see it. The glossy eyes, the disheveled hair, the faint scent of vodka sweating out their pores, the backward stretchy pants... I keep the student after class, not for a talking to, but for some simple tips that will offer relief. (Try The One-Day Cleanse Hangover Cure.)

I have put together a combination of poses to eradicate toxins, oxygenate the bloodstream, and wring out the liver, the organ responsible for processing all the booze.

Excerpted from RETOX: Yoga*Food*Attitude Healthy Solutions for Real Life by Lauren Imparato. Reprinted by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. © Lauren Imparato, 2016.

 

Total Time: up to 15 minutes

You will need: Chair, Mat

1. Twisting Cleansing Breath

A

B

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Sit in your seat and place your fingertips on your hips, or on your shoulders. Inhale to a comfortable level. Begin short, sharp breaths our of the nose, where the inhale is simply a reaction to the exhale, as the diaphragm pumps on the abdominal wall. It should flel somewhere between sneezing and b'owing your nose.

B.

As you pump, on each exhale, twist left and right. Continue pumping the exhales and rotating from side to side for thirty to sixty seconds. End in the center. Relax your arms and breathe normally.

Sets:

1

Reps:

1

2. Fists Into Abdomen Forward Fold

A

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Make your hands into fists and bring them to your abdomen, below your rib cage, knuckles touching. Inhale fully, then exhale and press your fists into your abdomen. Inhale again, and on your next exhale, fold forward, keeping your fists pressing in and now up into your abdomen.

Sets:

1

Reps:

1

3. Kidney Relief Backbend

A

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Place your hands by your sides or on the chair behind you. Inhale, lift your chest. Exhale, find a backbend in your middle and lower back. Breathe into your kidneys and optionally drop your head back. Hold three to ten breathes.

Sets:

1

Reps:

1

4. Sun Salute A

A

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Start standing with your feet together and your hands touching at your chest. Inhale, reach your arms overhead. Exhale, fold forward, and bring your forehead to your shins. Inhale, extend your spine, look forward. Exhale, Chaturanga or Plank pose. Inhale, Up Dog. Exhale, Down Dog. Close your eyes and hold here five breaths. Then inhale and step or jump your feet between your hands. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, reach your arms up, look up. Exhale, hands to your heart.

Sets:

1

Reps:

5-10

5. Twisted Chair

A

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Stand with your feet together. Inhale, bend your knees into Chair pose and lift your arms up. Exhale, twist to the right, bringing your left elbow outside your right knee, palms touching and thumbs to sternum. Look up and hold five to 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Sets:

1

Reps:

5-10 on each side

6. Reverse Backbend Lunge Twist

A

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Start in a high lunge, right leg forward. Inhale, and lift your left arm up and back. Exhale, place your right hand on your back thigh. Twist and bend back, looking at the palm of the hand or down at the floor. Breathe five to 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Sets:

1

Reps:

5-10 on each side

7. Handstand at Wall

A

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Place your hands on the floor, a palm's length from the wall. Lift one leg into the air. Jump up onto your hands until your heels reach the wall. Rest your body on the wall, press into your hands, look down, and breathe. Hold for as long as you can to boost your circulation.

Sets:

1

Reps:

1

Want to sleep better? You'd better book a lesson!

7 Yoga Tips for Better Sleep

Huffington Post

Posted: 01/19/2016 8:28 am EST Updated: 01/19/2016 2:59 pm EST

Yoga, including physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation, can help calm down a busy mind and get rid of nervous energy. Yoga has both energizing (brahmana in Sanskrit) and calming (langhana) elements, and the combination of the two can help a sense of balance. Yoga also helps you become more aware of the mental and physical states that are preventing sleep. Yoga can be safely integrated with the current main form of therapy for insomnia: cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

Yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness have been shown to improve sleep in several studies, including helping people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, military veterans, the elderly, and nurses. Yoga also can improve sleep quality in people with physical illnesses, including osteoarthritis, breast cancer,Parkinson's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. A recent national randomized controlled study found that a yoga program that integrates poses, breathing, and meditation improves overall sleep quality and memory in cancer survivors.

One study used focus groups to find out how mindfulness changes sleep. Several people found that mindfulness helped them relax so that they could "just decompress and fall asleep." One person experienced immediate effects:

My sleep was almost immediately, positively impacted though I didn't sleep longer, but I slept better. So, I woke up more refreshed even though I wasn't sleeping more, and that happened for me very quickly.

Mindfulness also increased awareness of disruptions. One person stopped using the phone at night and reported becoming "possessive of my winding down time."

Participants also noticed that consistent practice is key:

I couldn't meditate during the vacation. And I noticed that the benefits left me. I came back home and here was the chatter all back again, "I shouldn't have said that. Shouldn't have done that. I said the wrong thing to that person."...It was all back.

And as I went to lay down and go to sleep I couldn't go to sleep. And when I do the meditation that chatter goes away. And I can't even say how it goes away, it just goes away. I lay down at night, and I'm not chattery.

"Body scan? That's sort of everybody's enemy or best friend at some point. I remember I really hated it at first," one person observed. Not everyone will enjoy the same elements of yoga. You might find it difficult to sit still in meditation, or you might find poses repetitive. But just because it feels frustrating, you can find rewards over time.

So find what works best for you, and keep in mind that your experience of the identical exercise will change day to day.

Here are seven tips on how to use yoga for better sleep. Do these exercises after your regular nighttime routine so you can go straight to bed after the last exercise. Avoid doing these exercises in bed since your bed should be reserved for sleep as much as possible. Part of good sleep hygiene is a routine that prepares your body and mind for sleep. Consistency is important, so do even a little every night.

1. Start with self-compassion.
One fundamental basis of yoga is being kind and compassionate to your body and mind. Notice if you are holding onto harsh thoughts. Try to weave in self-compassion for both your body and mind throughout your practice, and let go of the idea of perfection. Do not do anything painful.

2. Get in touch with your breath.

  • Find a comfortable seat or lie down on your back.
  • Close your eyes.
  • Place one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest.
  • Begin to take smooth, slow breaths as if you are sipping air through your nose. Exhale through your nose slowly, keeping your mouth closed.
  • Pace your breath by repeating these phrases in your mind:

On the inhale, "I breathe in, and let go of the day."
On the exhale, "I breathe out, and let go of the day."

3. Release tension using a yoga breath called Lion's breath.

  • Inhale through your nose.
  • Stick out your tongue and exhale through your mouth loudly, as if you are fogging up a mirror.

4. Calm down using forward folds.
Avoid using your hands to pull yourself forward or forcing the shape of the pose--it's not about your hands or head reaching the floor or your feet. Instead, let gravity do most of the work.

Standing Forward Bend

  • Arm variations: Place your hands to opposite elbows, or clasp your fingers at the base of your head
  • Bend your knees as much as you need to in order to rest your torso on your thighs.

Embed from Getty Images

 

Wide-Legged Forward Fold

Embed from Getty Images

 

Head to Knee Forward Bend

Embed from Getty Images

 

Seated Forward Bend

Embed from Getty Images

 

5. Gently stretch your hips.
Be cautious if you have any hip injuries.

Bound Angle

Embed from Getty Images

 

Reclined Figure Four

 

Reclined Bound Angle 
If you have tight hips, try placing blocks or a folded blanket underneath your knees or placing your feet further away from your tailbone.

6. Try a gentle inversion.

Legs Up the Wall

Embed from Getty Images

 

7. Wind down at the end of your practice with a body scan meditation.
Body Scan for Sleep meditation (12 minutes)

If you're still stressed, check out Yoga Poses for Stress Relief.

Connect with Dr. Wei: Facebook / Twitter / Harvard Medical School Guide to Yoga

Follow Marlynn Wei, MD, JD on Twitter:www.twitter.com/newyorkpsych

It's not all about Yoga! This is from someone who has been coming to Yardley Yoga for at least the last 9 months.

 

 

There was a young yogi named Guy

Whose client was painfully shy

When doing the plank

She buckled and sank

Whilst muttering “yoga, oh why!”

 

There was a great dog named Stan lee

Whose gait was remarkably free

He could do downward dog

It was never a slog

And was happy, as happy can be.

 

There once was a fine pup called Larry

Whose motto was “never to tarry.”

He barked and he ran

As young dogs just can

Whilst looking for something to carry.

Kathy Harris.............

 

 

 

Still not sure it works? Read this and then come and give it a go.....

It Works: New Study Outlines What Meditation, Yoga, & Prayer Can Do To The Human Body

January 16, 2016 by Arjun Walia.

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The medicinal benefits of meditation and yoga are now firmly established in scientific literature. One of the latest studies to emerge on the matter comes from Harvard researchers working at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). They determined that meditation literally rebuilds the brain’s grey matter in just eight weeks. It’s the very first study to document that meditation produces changes over time in the brain’s grey matter. (1)

Another promising study has recently come out of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). These researchers conducted the very first study where the use of the “relaxation response”was examined in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and the first to investigate the genomic effects of the relaxation response in individuals with any disorder. The report was published in the journal PLOS-ONE. (source)

When it comes to ‘prayer’ or ‘distant healing’ — directing human attention on physical systems — significant results have been obtained that warrant further investigation. For a selected list of downloadable peer-reviewed journal articles reporting studies of psychic phenomena, mostly published in the 21st century, you can click HERE.

Scientists over at the HeartMath Institute have demonstrated that when a person is feeling really good, and is full of positive emotions like love, gratitude, and appreciation, their heart beats out a different message that’s encoded in its electromagnetic field, which in turn has positive health effects on their body overall. You can read more about that here.

Factors associated with human consciousness (thoughts, feelings, emotions, perception, intention) have long been studied to see how they affect and interact with our physical world. You can read more about that here.

The Power Of Meditation, Yoga, & Prayer on Human Health

Meditation, yoga, and prayer are all grouped into a category (in medical terms) called ‘relaxation-response techniques.’ These techniques have been subject to several studies which clearly show that regular practice directly affects physiologic factors such as heart rate, blood pressure, stress, anxiety, oxygen consumption, and more. It was first described over 40 years ago by Herbert Benson, Director Emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute and co-author of the paper presented in this article. 

The new study, out of the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, from the Institute for Technology Assessment and the Benson-Henry Institute (BHI) for Mind Body Medicine, found that people participating in the ‘relaxation-response program’ actually used fewer health care services in the year after their participation, compared to how many they used the previous year.

The Harvard gazette reports that relaxation response techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and prayer, could reduce the need for health care services by 43 percent.

“Our study’s primary finding is that programs that train patients to elicit the relaxation response — specifically those taught at the BHI — can also dramatically reduce health care utilization. . . . These programs promote wellness and, in our environment of constrained health care resources, could potentially ease the burden on our health delivery systems at minimal cost and at no real risk.” – James E. Stahl, lead author of the study

The study was published last Tuesday in the journal PLOS ONE.

So, how did the research team analyze the impact of mind-body interventions on modern day medical techniques? They gathered data on people who have been participating in the BHI Relaxation Response Resiliency Program for the past eight years. After analyzing more than four thousands participants, and comparing it with a control group of almost fourteen thousand (while also taking other factors into consideration — read the study for more), the participants engaging in the relationship program displayed an average reduction of 43 percent when it came to using their regular health care services over the year after their participation in the project.

“I think of it this way: There are many gates to wellness, but not everyone is ready to walk through a particular gate at a given time. From a public health perspective, it is better to be prepared to offer these tools to people in their customary settings than to wait for them to seek out these interventions. For that reason, we feel that mind-body interventions — which are both low-cost and essentially risk-free — should perhaps be incorporated into regular preventive care.” – Herbert Benson, founder and director emeritus of the BHI and co-author of this current study

Meditation/Yoga Prayer Techniques

Personally, I believe a common misconception about meditation is that it must be done in a special way, or you must sit in a certain position. All you have to do is place yourself in a position that is most comfortable for you and focus on your breath, in and out. It’s not about trying to empty your mind, it’s about more so about developing a “non-judgemental awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind” (source). Let your thoughts and feelings come and go, then return your focus to your breathe. Telling yourself not to think will only produce the opposite effect, but you can work on choosing how to feel and respond to those thoughts. Meditation can be similar to state of mind, in that some might have the ability to produce the same brainwave frequencies that are commonly seen in meditators without actually meditating. On the other hand, there are many devout students of meditation who spend hours of their time each day devoted to this ancient practice.

If you are someone who doesn’t have much experience with meditation and would like to try it, you can check out some of our articles on the topic that offer some advice/tips on meditation, as well as find some guided meditations here.

As far as yoga goes, here is a 20 minute yoga class for complete beginners, and here is a list of articles we’ve written that provide more instruction and information about yoga.

 

Join the Slow Yoga Revolution.

Slow Yoga Revolution

by YD

in YD News, YogOpinions

 

by J. Brown

On the outskirts of the last decade, a small and humble minority has been pushing back against the pumped up power craze that swept through the nineties, and still largely has a hold on modern postural yoga. Now that the longstanding kingdoms that once guarded yoga’s legacies have fallen, and individuals are left more to their own devices, this once obscure and unsung song is finding a new chorus of practitioners.

Two years ago I wrote a piece called: “Gentle is the New Advanced.” It was mostly a response to a NY Times article on the meme of the yoga selfie. I observed that some old-school teachers seemed to be finding a niche among the new-school vinyasa scene by billing themselves as “Gentle Flow.” I also suggested that the allure of the flashy pose and its ability to attract followers was a hollow pursuit that would wither over time. Recent trends might suggest that not only are people reevaluating the merits of Instagram, but younger teachers are beginning to embrace and emulate old-school wisdom.

People are discovering again that yoga is not necessarily something you do to yourself so much as something you do with yourself.

I first noticed the old-school teachers reemerging while at one of the larger holistic learning centers on the national circuit. Whenever I teach at one of these venues, I feel like I am getting a glimpse into the broader commercial yoga world. Over the last three years, I have been changing the title of my program. First, it was: “Fundamentals of Therapeutic Yoga” and the folks who showed up all had conditions that they wanted to have addressed. Then, I called it: “Making Vinyasa Yoga Safe” and a number of old-school teachers attended to bolster their repertoire and ability to meld into the new vinyasa conventions. This year, I presented: “Vinyasa Slow: More Power, Less Pain.” My hope was to attract new-school teachers with a sizzling title. It didn’t work. The participants ended up being people who I had previously met or were already on board with a slower and safer approach.

But a funny thing happened on the way out of my program one day. You see, there was a “Vigorous Vinyasa” class happening in the space after us and the teacher was waiting in the hall. She had noticed the title of my program. She said: “Are you the teacher? I saw the title of your workshop and that is totally what I do.” I looked at the sign that had replaced mine with “Vigorous Vinyasa” quizzically and she continued: “Moving slow is so much more work.” She then proceeded to immediately come into a high lunge and slowly lift and lower her arms to demonstrate. I smiled and said: “I couldn’t agree more.”

For many, power and hot yoga have become like that friend who you initially hit it off with and had so much fun with but now when you hang out it just feels negative and draining. Eventually, you drift apart.

The concept of “Slow Yoga” is not just about the pace with which we move our bodies. It’s aquestion of purpose. Are you doing yoga practice because you want to sweat? Are you doing yoga practice because you want to be stronger and more flexible? Are you doing yoga practice because you have pain and want relief? Or are you doing yoga practice because you just want to learn how to be well? Perhaps, all of the above. Whatever question you’re asking yourself and whatever the answer you may arrive at, space enough for the inquiry is going to be required. Slow Yoga takes emphasis off accomplishing something and puts it more on experiencing something.

Like any relationship, as a yoga practice progresses over time, the initial buzz wears off and we are left with either an appreciation for the subtlety and nuance of the in-between moments or the empty feeling of nothing ever being enough. We can struggle and fight against this, attempting to forever change things and find new ways to spice things up or we can embrace this mundane inward turn and see what it holds. One thing is for sure: yoga practice that covets what has yet to be attained will always overshadow the beauty of what is already in place.

I told myself that I would stop writing about what is happening in the “yoga world” and just focus on yoga. But it occurs to me that there is no way to separate these out from each other. The “yoga world” consists of people who are interested in yoga practice. The motivations at work and the actualities of people’s experience that make up the yoga world have everything to do with yoga. And up until recently, singing the song of simplifying and slowing things down have always felt like pushing against the tide. Now I’m seeing a wave of new voices picking up the tune.

Fast and intense may serve for a time but it is unsustainable and will invariably require some reevaluation. For in the slowness of our lives is where we are able to perceive its worth. Yoga practice is no different.

~

J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere. Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com.

Here's a great article on how yoga can help with stress....

Marlynn Wei, MD, JD Become a fan

Harvard-trained Psychiatrist, Certified Yoga Teacher, Author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Yoga www.harvardguidetoyoga.com

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15 Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

Posted: 12/09/2015 9:23 am EST Updated: 1 hour ago

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Yoga can help you cope with stress and improve overall health and satisfaction with life. In a national survey, over 85 percent of people who did yoga reported that it helped them relieve stress. Exercise is a very useful way to relieve stress, but yoga is different from spinning class or a gym session because it powerfully combines both physical fitness with an underlying philosophy of self-compassion and awareness.One of the main concepts in yoga is being non-judgmental toward both yourself and others, which is a powerful tool for stress relief since much of our stress comes from us being hard on ourselves or frustrated with others.

A fundamental principle of yoga is that your body and mind are one and connected. Stress in one domain will affect the other and vice versa. Many of us live primarily in either our mind or our body, which creates imbalance and even a lack of awareness. For example, people with very analytical careers may spend a lot of time in their mind, and may not realize how much tension is stored in their body. Or if you're an athlete, you may be keenly aware of your body, but could benefit from becoming more aware of your mental state. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, yoga you helps balance and tone the connection between your body and mind.

Yoga also trains your counter-stress response system called the parasympathetic nervous system. With regular yoga practice, your chronic daytime stress hormone levels drop and your heart rate variability increases, which is measure of your ability to tolerate stress. This has been shown to improve even after afew sessions of yoga.

How can you integrate yoga into your daily life to reduce stress levels?

1. Use your breath.

Breath is key to connect to your body and turn down the dial of stress.

  • Start with learning Ujjayi breath (a.k.a. Ocean Breath) and use it in each pose to remind yourself to breath in each pose.
  • Take a deep slow breath through your nose and exhale through your nose while constricting the back of your throat in the "ha" shape, but keep your mouth closed. Your breath should be loud enough that someone next to you could hear it and should sound like the waves of the ocean or like Darth Vader from Star Wars.

2. Try these yoga poses for stress relief, and use your Ujjayi breath to hold each pose about 10 to 15 breaths, depending on how long it is comfortable for you.

You can also combine these poses with a soothing Moon Salutation sequence, a gentle sister version to the Sun Salutation sequence.

Standing Forward Bend

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Wide-Legged Forward Bend

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Low Lunge

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Twisted Lunge

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Fierce "Chair"

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Yogi Squat / Garland

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Lizard

0

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Half Pigeon

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Bound Angle

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Seated Spinal Twist

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Reclined Bound Angle

0

Reclined Hero

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Easy Supine Spinal Twist

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Happy Baby

0

Legs Up the Wall

 

View image | gettyimages.com

Dr. Wei is a psychiatrist, certified yoga teacher, and author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Yoga.
Connect with Dr. Wei on Facebook / Twitter / www.harvardguidetoyoga.com

Follow Marlynn Wei, MD, JD on Twitter:www.twitter.com/newyorkpsych

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Yoga can help people who suffer from migrane.

Yoga for relief from migraines

Bharat Thakur guides you through the practices of this ancient Indian discipline

(Published: 16:54 December 7, 2015

By Bharat Thakur

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Migraine is a neurological disorder that can cause intense throbbing in an area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. This pain can last anywhere between 4 to 72 hours. The cause for migraines is not known but lifestyle and hormonal changes have been identified as triggers.

 

How yoga helps

Stress, irregular sleep cycles and digital eye strain are commonly known to cause migraines. Regular exercise along with conventional care has been found to be helpful in reducing, if not curing, migraines. It is interesting to note that some complain aerobic exercise can be a trigger (reason is unknown) and hence avoid exercise. Slower movements or static postures in yoga done with mindfulness followed by relaxation techniques have proven to be more beneficial than pure aerobic exercise.

Regular practice of yoga helps in balancing the autonomic nervous system through enhanced activation of the parasympathetic drive (rest and digest response). Hormonal balance is restored as stress hormones, such as cortisol, decrease and there is an increase in endorphins. So, those suffering from migraines have been known to sleep better, with decreased levels of anxiety. Sleep is also a pain relieving factor during an attack.

 

Tips and techniques

- Identify the triggers.

- Do not skip meals.

- Get sufficient sleep every night.

- Practice yoga regularly. Include the specific postures listed in practice of the week.

- Avoid eye strain.

 

Reducing eye strain

Palming: Sit quietly and close the eyes. Warm the palms by rubbing your hands together vigorously. Place them gently over the eyelids without undue pressure. Feel the warmth and energy transmitted and the eye muscles relaxing. Remain in this position until the heat from the hands has been absorbed by the eyes. Lower the hands, keeping the eyes closed. Repeat the procedure at least three times.

Make sure the palms and not the fingers cover the eyes.

Palming also stimulates the circulation of the aqueous humour — the liquid that runs between the cornea and the lens of the eye — aiding the correction of defective vision.

 

Blinking: There remains state of habitual tension in the eyes with constant glaring at the screen. This exercise encourages the blinking reflex to become spontaneous, inducing relaxation of the eye muscles.

Sit with eyes open. Blink 10 times quickly. Close the eyes and relax for 20 seconds. Repeat five times.

 

Another useful practice is to splash cold water into the eyes at frequent intervals.

 

Practice of the week

Practice joint rotation (wrist, shoulder and neck) along with the following postures for relief from migraine.

Dwikonasana

Gomukhasana

Kandharasna

Shashankasana

 

Next week: Yoga techniques to relieve eye fatigue

Here's another reason why you should come and give it a go!

Yoga and meditation can cut healthcare cost by 43%, says study

  • PTI, Houston
  •  |  
  • Updated: Dec 03, 2015 15:31 IST

Studies suggest that practitioners of yoga and meditation benefitted from neurologic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal ailments. (Shutterstock)

 

Here’s more reason why you should start your day with meditation or yoga. According to a new study, practices like yoga and meditation can help curb the need for general healthcare services by almost 50%. “Evoking the relaxation response or a physiologic state of deep rest, helps alleviate stress and anxiety, while also affecting heart rate and blood pressure,” according to a study by Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment and the Benson-Henry Institute.

“Our study’s primary finding is that programmes that train patients to elicit the relaxation response can also dramatically reduce healthcare utilisation,” said James E Stahl. “These programmes promote wellness and in our environment of constrained healthcare resources, could potentially ease the burden on our health delivery systems at minimal cost and at no real risk,” he said.

Read: HTLS 2015: Why modern India is not fit enough

Read: The home run: Jogging helps develop new brain cells, says study

By doing a comparative analysis of information available on Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) of Partners HealthCare and data on individuals participating in the BHI Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) from 2006 to 2014, researchers came to the conclusion that practitioners of yoga, meditation, prayer spent significantly lower than non-practitioners, on medical services.

The study also found that practitioners primarily benefitted from neurologic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal ailments.

Yoga does it all!!

3 Yoga Moves For A Better Butt

Prevention

November 28, 2015

(Photo: Hilmar Hilmar)

Ever notice how yogis have such powerful, lithe lower bodies? That’s because so many of those age-old meditative poses require not just strong breath work but active muscles in the buttocks, hips, and thighs.

Chair Pose and Warior III are two of my favorites for firming the lower body. (Transform the rest of your body in just 10 minutes a day with Prevention’s Fit In 10 DVD!)

Because you’re not using weights, which require a recovery day, you can do these poses as often as you like. Daily practice will help you develop strong, sexy yoga buns and boost your serenity and balance.

Related: The No Squats Belly, Butt, And Thighs Workout

Chair Pose

(Photo: Hilmar Hilmar) 

A. With knees and feet together, squat down several inches, like you’re about to sit in a chair. Raise arms overhead, palms facing each other.

(Photo: Hilmar Hilmar) 

B. While in Chair Pose, raise right knee until foot is about 12 inches off floor and hold for 3 full breaths. Lower leg and stand back up. Repeat with left leg. Do 2 reps with each leg.

Related: 6 Moves That Target Stubborn Cellulite

Warrior III

(Photo: Hilmar Hilmar) 

A. Stand with left foot behind you so toes rest on the floor. Extend arms overhead and clasp hands together. Keep shoulders and hips squared and facing forward.

(Photo: Hilmar Hilmar) 

B. Raise left leg behind you and slowly lower torso until left leg and upper body are parallel to floor. Hold for 3 deep breaths. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

Don’t…arch your back or let hands separate during this pose.

Related: The No Squats, Belly, Butt, And Thighs Workout

Pigeon Stretch

(Photo: Hilmar Hilmar)  

This move stretches your hips and buttocks. Sit on heels with knees bent and shoulders squared straight ahead. Slowly straighten left leg and slide it behind you so top of foot rests on floor. Slide right foot toward top of left thigh, pressing right hip toward floor. (It’s okay if it doesn’t touch.) Hold for 5 breaths, then repeat on other side.

By Denise Austin

This article ‘3 Yoga Moves For A Better Butt’ originally ran on Prevention.com.

The Telegraph knows what they are talking about, read their latest on yoga.

Why yoga cures everything

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ISN'T EVERYONE DOING YOGA NOW? CREDIT: ALAMY

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  •  Lucy Fry

17 NOVEMBER 2015 • 10:45AM

Sometimes I think everyone must be doing yoga. From Demi Moore toMadonna, no celebrity seems too busy to roll out their mat and move into downward dog. But I know that some people still need persuading of its benefits. By following this advice, you can solve (almost) any health problem, from poor posture to a bad back.

Posture

Regular yoga sessions helped me move my hips and shoulders more easily – they had been chronically tightened by long periods of sitting. Yoga also improved my posture and made me less achey. Stewart Heffernan, a yoga teacher, says: “With regular practice we become aware of when we are out of alignment. Along with the many postures that open the shoulders and hips, this helps us to improve posture and body awareness.”

Best yoga pose for better posture

Downward dog. This stretches out the middle back, shoulders and the back of the thighs, all of which, when tight, can contribute to slumped posture.

Begin on all fours with your knees directly below your hips and your hands just in front of your shoulders. Turn your toes under and spread your palms, then push your knees away from the floor. Bend your knees as much as you need to and gaze down at the mat or towards your feet.

Downward dog CREDIT: ALAMY

Anxiety

Yoga also made me feel more relaxed. It has been brilliant this year. In September, I returned from a two-week yoga retreat in Morocco to find my London life calmer and more appealing. I didn’t mind slow-footed tourists or late-running trains.

Studies suggest that yoga can even reduce the level of stress hormones in those with depression – more so than those just using antidepressant medication.

Best yoga pose for relaxation

Child’s pose. Kneel on a mat with your bottom on your heels and your forehead on the floor. Place your arms alongside and behind you for total relaxation or outstretched ahead for an extra back stretch.

The child's pose CREDIT: ALAMY

Back problems

Yoga can also help prevent back problems. Ali Hill, founder ofyogahaven, says that when people start yoga any back problems often improve.

“Yoga poses involve twisting, bending the arms and legs, and extending the spine, which means you are constantly opening up and creating space in up to 26 joints in or near your back.

Poses also open up your hips and hamstrings, which can relieve tightness across the lower back,” she says.

Best yoga pose for back problems

Spinal twist. Lie on your back with your bent knees to one side, touching the mat and level with your navel. Your arms should be outstretched either side. Look in the opposite direction of your bent knees.

Spinal twist CREDIT: ALAMY

Improved concentration

Heffernan says: “Yoga helps us to focus our attention on one point, whether it be the breath or the gaze, or our conscious placement of the body. These practices help us to be more focused, mindful and clear the chatter that normally stops us from concentrating.”

Best yoga pose for concentration

Sit with crossed legs, focus on breathing.

Sitting position (lotus) CREDIT: ALAMY

Joint pain

Research suggests that hatha yoga (one of the more gentle types) can help arthritis sufferers, too.

Jess Lee, 31, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis seven years ago. She was regularly seeing physiotherapists, swimming and taking painkillers. “Some days I couldn’t get out of bed,” she says. “I could barely walk to the bathroom, and struggled to get in and out of a car or sit down. Within five months of doing yoga five times a week, the pain had pretty much disappeared. I feel like I have a new back and hardly ever need medication.”

Best yoga pose for joint pain

Eagle pose reduces tightness, and loosens your ankles, hips and shoulders. Bend your knees slightly, wrap your right leg over your left, and with your arms directly out in front, place your right elbow over your left, and squeeze.

Five years on from my first class, my big question is no longer why are so many people doing yoga? It’s why isn’t everyone?

Eagle pose CREDIT: ALAMY

Find out more

 

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Here's the latest from Huffpost healthy living on the benfits of yoga.

Bobbi Hamilton Become a fan

Creator of the fun new Phresh Mat & Yoga Game for Kids and Families

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Increasing Emotional Health in your Family Through Yoga Therapy Techniques

Posted: 11/09/2015 4:15 pm EST Updated: 11/09/2015 4:59 pm EST

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We all love yoga for its therapeutic effects, yet you may not know that yoga makes great family therapy. Integrating yoga as a quality inter-relational activity builds communication, supportive relationships, fosters the expression of love, and structures healthy bonds and boundaries.

Parents, caretakers, and teachers face a myriad of modern complexities in child-development, yet there are many commonalities:

Emotional/behavioral issues. Violence/bullying/sexting. Transitional difficulties in divorce. Anger. Distant and unreachable. Inability to focus. Lack of energy and exercise. Nervous system 'ticks" from overload of electronic devices. Difficulty getting kids to eat healthy. Inability to reach satiation.

Frustrations can arise seemingly out of nowhere. So what is the hidden message in the emotional stress, and how do we get to a resolution?

Being that yoga calms the mind and opens the nervous system, it helps us to access our truth within, and allows us to articulate the things that cause emotional stress. However, in order for kids and families to be willing to share what arises without inhibition, we need to create a safe space to explore psychological and emotional sensitivities. Then we can speak freely without fear of blame, judgment, or denial. This grounded effect assists the process to better understand the emotions, root causes, and reactions, and help us work towards transforming the situation and turning reactions into healthy responses.

Here are suggestions on how to address and resolve emotion:

1. Breathe-In through the nose and breath-out through the mouth. 
This is the best technique to let go of frustration! One can feel the stress fall off from them in just one breath, and breath-by-breath. Kids notice an immediate change in their state of being from just one deep breathe and "letting go" exhale. Remind students and children to take one breath in through the nose and out of the mouth, followed by 3 breaths in a row. Count the breaths. Talk them through it and breath with them.

2. Come from an open and compassionate heart when addressing the emotion, and be ready to listen (really listen!). Be ready to hear the truth. Be ready to accept your role in the situation. Be ready to be soft.

3. Get on the floor or yoga mat with the child. It makes them feel you are on their level.

4. You can also weave together talk therapy with movement therapy/yoga therapy. Older kids often respond well from more insight through vocal feedback and information.

5. You can begin a Yoga session by addressing any emotional issues (but without judgment or emotional charge), and then lead child/student through the yoga practice or physical therapy lesson to move the stress out of the body.

6. The time following yoga is a great opportunity to open conversations and transform relationships. It can be useful to have a mediator/teacher allow each person to express his or her inner emotions and to feel properly heard. When kids feel supported and protected they are much more willing to share. Trying to understand the true meaning behind the child/teen/parent aggravation is sometimes enough to open the door to a deeper and transformative conversation.

7. Always resolve! Once everyone is heard, set the tone for change. What can each parent, child, teacher, or caregiver do to personally make the situation better? Make sure everyone understands the situation, and agrees to work towards being their best self. To heal is the gift.

Adults often feel the need to exercise and practice yoga to reduce stress and simply function in the world. Definitely take the time for self-practice; however make sure to set aside time for family yoga. Above all, address and resolve emotional stigma. If you practice yoga with your family, students, and friends, you will find it is easier to communicate and you will deepen relationships and ultimately make it easier to deal with the hard stuff. It's best to build this bond of trust in the early stages. With the door of communication open, we can become a child's confidant, ally, protector, and trusted guide.

I'll leave you with these two SUCCESS concepts that I adore:

• Success can be measured in the number of difficult conversations you're willing to have.

• Happiness is the highest level of success.

Namaste~

Telegraph.co.uk

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Sunday 01 November 2015

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Mindfulness has changed my life. And it could do the same to yours

After five days in silence on a meditation course, I discovered an invaluable sense of stillness and calm, writes Anthony Gordon Lennox.

 

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Mind over matter: meditation can act like an antidepressant  Photo: Getty Images

  

By Anthony Gordon Lennox

2:23PM BST 09 May 2014

54 Comments

I had no idea what mindfulness meant. All I did know was that a handful of my most senior clients, and a number of close friends, talked about it as a completely indispensable part of their lives. As a result of this, I signed myself up for a five-day course in the middle of Herefordshire titled The Art of Meditation, taught by a meditation expert called Burgs. It was for beginners – and its intention was to teach the basic art of meditation to a collection of people who’d never meditated before in their lives.

By the end of the five days, spent in complete silence, I came away feeling that I had begun a process that had the potential to be as truly significant as I had been led to believe. Sitting still, being aware and, perhaps most crucially, learning again how to concentrate – all perceptibly such simple traits – were the key drivers behind the five days.

What did I learn about myself? I learnt that to concentrate on sustaining a quiet and uncluttered mind was something that I found almost impossible. However, achieving, for the very briefest of time, the feeling that you have truly entered the space of still and quiet is one of the most powerful feelings that I have ever experienced in my life. Completely rejuvenating, those momentary times of total calm allowed me to review so many daily thoughts and anxieties with a completely fresh and more rational perspective.

So how do you begin to empty the cluttered and complicated minds that we all carry around with us on a daily basis? We were taught to focus on our breathing, to follow and to think about our breath as it moved into our bodies. We were taught that such a simple thing as to focus on the breath and to sustain concentration on this for as long as possible, has the ability to engender a feeling of calm and insight into the mind and the body. In particular, that the mind is not something that sits in isolation, but is wholly connected to of the rest of our physical being.

Over the last eight years I have had the privilege of working with leaders across all sectors. My company has also worked with young people, "leaders of tomorrow", and children. I’ve worked on authentic self-expression with all of these people. There is a common denominator behind all these different groups in their yearning for a greater sense of self-awareness, as well as finding the time to sit still, without books, music or any other distraction.

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My five days on this course renders me a total novice but it has awakened me to a means or a process through which people from all walks of life, through the most simple of techniques, can find a sense of stillness and calm reflection that, to my very cluttered mind, could be invaluable.

Anthony Gordon Lennox is the founder and CEO of AGL, a communications agency. He is a visiting fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

The Art of Meditation - here is the latest from Burgs, always worth a read!

 

The Joy of Service

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To make the decision to live consciously is a very noble, challenging and courageous thing to do. Not everybody is going to give you a pat on the back for doing it and you should certainly not expect one. These are not easy times, even though we are the most fortunate human beings to have appeared throughout history and we are the most fortunate group of human beings right now, and we find life hard, we don’t find it easy! But in all history there have never been human beings who are as well provided for as we are, who could so easily take for granted the basic requisites that support our life.

The Buddha talked about 5 fortunate kammas, but let’s just say the 5 good fortunes without which life is a struggle on a daily basis. And most of us have all 5 of them. We are born of sound body and we are born of sound mind, we are not born in a time of strife and conflict, we are not struggling daily for food and shelter. And the teachings, encouragement, towards ways by which we might live considerately and responsibly are available to us, and that is not always the case. It’s very often not the case.

This fortunate human life that we have now, it’s so hard to fathom how much good fortune, how much merit you must have to have been born as fortunate as you are. In the greater scheme of things its like coming in with a huge bank balance that this much comfort and ease we can take for granted, so that our main concerns are whether we’re getting what we want and whether we’re not getting what we don’t want. Whether my friends like me, or whether I’m doing the job that’s really meaningful to me. We don’t have to walk for 2 hours to get water, skin animals to keep ourselves warm, fight with each other for the rights to the land and all the other things that might make life actually a real challenge.

So it is worth stopping for a moment and asking ourselves the question, that in spite of the fact that I might find life a bit overwhelming at times and it might be pretty challenging, what am I actually going to do with it now that I’ve got this extraordinary life because it doesn’t last for long, a few brief years and it will be over?

It’s very easy in those few brief years to come in with that huge stock of good fortune supporting this life, failing to recognise how rare that is and to not invest in the time that we’re here so that we might have used up our good fortune and leave with an overdraft having taken more out of this life by far than we put back.

The planet is creaking under the weight of our taking out and not putting back. It’s not creaking under the weight of those people who are struggling to find the requisites by which to support themselves, it’s creaking under the weight of carrying those who are already so well supported. It’s us, we are that most fortunate group of human beings in all of history and alive right now. We have to be here for a reason, there has to be something that got us here. What do you think that might be? In all the times that you could have been born on this planet and all the places that you could have found yourself in and all the places we could have been born what could have put you here?

Think about that. Yes, you are very fortunate. Which means that somewhere inside of you at some point in the past you must have decided to give of yourself for the benefit of others and give back more than you took out. Because nobody ends up this fortunate without doing that, that’s for sure. The tragedy is that we don’t know that, somehow we arrive here having forgotten what it takes to get here. It is a kind of a paradox isn’t it that those who don’t have it in their hand to make a difference would probably long to be able to, and that we who have it in our hands have forgotten what we came here for.

It’s difficult, it’s very very difficult, the inertia, the momentum behind our forgetfulness is so strong that turning it around takes so much effort. I know that everyone at some point would have been moved beyond words by something, a longing to do something that would make a difference to others, and still in spite of that, it is so hard to get to the point where we do.

The Buddha said, when asked who is it who fares well upon the path, is it the fortunate, is it the intelligent, who is it that fares well, that finds peace and happiness easily? He said, “it is those whose needs are few and who are easy to serve.” And if you were to strip life bare of all its bells and whistles it’s nothing but an invitation to learn to be of few needs and easy to serve. Now that is wonderful for one who has little and is looking for a way to make peace with the fact that that’s so. But it is far more wonderful when those who are well provided for and have far more than they need get to the point of being of few needs and easy to serve, because think what they could do for others.

I don’t that often do one on one counselling or consultation type sessions with people and but when I do the people that I tend to see a lot of people who are depressed. The one thing time after time, after time, that comes up when I say ‘what’s up?’ Is – “I don’t know what to do with myself, I can’t find something meaningful in my life and I’m depressed about it.”

Now I don’t know…but how can it be that we have reached a point where we consider that making our life meaningful requires turning ourself into somebody that other people are going to think is special in some way. What it is we think is worthy of the admiration of our peers and what it is we feel is not. Something seems to have gone horribly wrong by the way in which we compare ourselves to others and decide whether our life is meaningful or not.

Nothing gladdens the heart quicker than the delight in doing something for somebody else. Nothing gets you over that being all in a muddle with yourself than turning your hand to something that is for someone else’s benefit. And yet for some reason it’s not obvious to us. Learning this delight in simplicity does require breaking our addiction to being stimulated and it’s a painful withdrawal. To get to the point where you can really really deeply enjoy simplicity, and having space your mind has to withdraw from, being so used to being stimulated, distracted, gratified in some way… that’s the problem that we’ve got to break …. It is so worth trying to do this because there’s a bit inside all of us that just longs for peace. It doesn’t need to be seen, it doesn’t need to be famous, it just longs to be at peace. And yes there’s another part of us that can’t sit still for 5 minutes.

Once you do withdraw from being stimulated, the heart starts to open and it is that which gets us in touch with the joy of simplicity. And from there if we really sit down and think about it we would delight in the idea of being able to give of ourselves in this life and it would be nice if our needs were less and we could get by with far less than we do. It’s when our hearts are open that these things occur to us and we are likely to be moved by those sorts of sentiments and go out and get jump in. To get in touch with everything that we could be and to be it, which is what we’re all longing for and to give everything we could give, its what we’re all longing for.

The challenge is finding that critical mass of energy and motivation to just cross over the threshold of inertia that keeps us blocked so we can find the courage to move in such a direction. What’s it going to take?

So why don’t we all make a start at trying to just find ways to do things for other people. It is more important than anything else. Honestly, and I’m a meditation teacher, if you said if you had one spare hour a day what would you do with it? I would say one day meditate and one day go and do something for somebody else. That would be better for you than an hour’s of meditation every day. And if you have 3 hours to meditate every day then meditate for 1 and give 2 hours to somebody else.

So let’s start to delight in service. Or get together and say ‘what can we do for others’. And when there is a few of us suddenly there’s a tremendous amount you can do. It is difficult to find ways as individuals to do things that make a difference. We can do little things, like do the shopping for your neighbour or whatever. But once you get together in groups and start pooling your creativity and your ideas instead of thinking about what can we create that the world needs, how about, what can we do for each other?

The point is it doesn’t matter how you get going, it’s about sowing the seed in your heart and turning your mind in that direction so you start thinking that way. Anyway we are beings of great resource we’ll find a way to give back once we put our hearts to it. Get your mates out. Start to do things, try being outside more, making yourself more robust physically, be intelligent about the way in which you use your consciousness, and share it, try little projects just giving wherever you can. Then the world will start to change with you, a little bit here and a little bit there. Thats how change comes about.

So don’t wait for everyone to get on the same page, just start to respond to the call in your own heart, to go out there and find out what you are truly made of.

 

Here's the website, 

http://theartofmeditation.org/

 

 

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The many pleasant surprises brought about by yoga

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Jan Parker Dial / Healthy Living columnist

 

 

 

Posted: Sunday, October 25, 2015 4:00 am

 

By Jan Parker Dial / Healthy Living columnist

Of all the reasons people come to try yoga, few, if any say it’s because they want a different way of life.

Yet almost all, after only a few months, recognize that a regular practice brings exactly that — the yogic life. Liken it, if you will, to those who who have chosen a life on the water, who sail and dock in Maine for the summer and head south to Panama for the winter. They will tell you it is more than geography — it is a lifestyle that fills something deeper than a desire to travel. The open water, the seasonal friendships, the cultures.

So it is with yoga. Teachers and studio owners hear from tentative callers who’ve heard yoga is one way to help maintain balance and flexibility as our bodies age, or heal various ailments.

“Who wants to be a stiff old woman who falls all the time?” Sarah Baxter said she started yoga as she began practicing yoga as she approached a milestone birthday, wanting to “maintain my suppleness and help me avoid a loss of balance.”

Others may even try yoga out of sense of curiosity, expecting nothing. “It looked so graceful yet powerful,” said Nic Elmore, who has been practicing for several years and occasionally teaches. “It is the perfect companion to any traditional physical exercise routine.”

Debbie Freeman, who attends classes with Baxter and Elmore, had a sense of yoga as “something positive, both physically and spiritually.” She came to yoga at a time in her life when she was seeking more to do in both realms, and said she no longer visits a chiropractor because the yoga postures and regular practice have eased years of back pain.

Like Baxter and Elmore, Freeman said she has found so much more.

“Yoga has exceeded my expectations. What started out as ‘something to do’ has become my lifeline to good health, a way of life.”

Baxter echoes her sentiments recommending that anyone suffering from sciatica or low back pain try yoga. “It has been an added and much appreciated benefit for me.” She said others suffering from the same symptoms might find it “perhaps more effective and certainly less expensive than medical treatments.”

Additionally, Elmore said yoga “fosters a quiet spirit in me,” as important as the strength and flexibility.

It is that spirit, that feeling of calm that draws others to yoga. While hearing or reading of only the basics of what yoga might offer, they are nevertheless drawn to yoga, for both its unique approach to fitness, and its accompanying link to the mind and spirit.

Christie Sproba, always conscientious about her health, tried yoga after several surgeries and other health challenges prompted her to explore a less competitive exercise regimen.

“Yoga is unique for every individual and after class you truly feel good about the time you spent taking care of yourself. It is a calming presence in an otherwise chaotic world.”

It is this message that Vikki Hartsock said she wants to share with anyone who may be struggling emotionally and might be helped by yoga. Hartsock had suffered from depression and addiction for years.

“I love yoga. I feel like this is what I’ve been looking for my whole life.” Vikki had never tried yoga until relatively recently but had read enough to know that it had a meditative facet complemented by the physical regimen. Eventually she ordered Yoga for Dummies from Amazon, and shortly after found a local studio.

“After the very first class I walked away with a sense of peace I hadn’t experienced in a while.” Vikki added that in first hearing about yoga she thought it was “just for Hindus. But it has been a spiritual journey of my own as a Christian.”

If you want to try yoga, there are many Montgomery County studios offering classes. None require a long-term commitment and all offer one-time “drop-in” rates.

Jan Parker Dial is the owner of Grace Yoga and can be reached at jpd1978@yahoo.com. She’s also a columnist for the United Way Healthy Living Alliance.

Yoga can even do this! Don't wait come and give it a go.....

How yoga can help you lose weight

October 12 2015 at 03:30pm
By ALICE SMELLIE Comment on this story

AFPThere are thought to be well more than half a million people practising yogas various forms in the UK.

London - When celebrity cook Nigella Lawson said that the secret to her new slimline figure was practising Iyengar - a slow form of yoga - many of us sneered slightly.

How can simply shifting through a sequence of poses create such a stunning result?

Surely, we muttered, she has just been starving herself and is yet another example of a celebrity pulling the wool over our eyes. However, the famously curvy cook insisted it was not so.

“I feel like I haven’t lost weight, but I’m possibly in better shape,” she told Good Housekeeping magazine. But is Nigella telling the truth?

Can yoga really achieve such dramatic results? We ask the experts.

 

WHAT IS YOGA?

A 5 000-year-old form of exercise, the word yoga derives - so many people believe - from the ancient Sanskrit root Yuj, meaning “union”.

Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism.

There are thought to be well more than half a million people practising yoga’s various forms in the UK.

“Yoga is movements and postures for the body which combine the mind (focus and attention) and energy (through breathing practices),” says Jonathan Sattin, managing director of Triyoga, which has four studios in London.

Yoga has long been associated with considerable health benefits.

The British Wheel Of Yoga website lists these as improved efficiency of lungs and cardio- vascular system, better posture, flexibility and strength, improved concentration, better quality sleep and reduction of anxiety and depression.

In addition, as a weight-bearing exercise, it can be good for bone health, blood-sugar levels, and for those suffering from arthritis, back pain and fibromyalgia.

 

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT?

Yoga is not just about boring old calorie-burning.

According to research, you burn on average between three and six calories per minute - which adds up to 180 calories in an hour’s class - not that many when compared to a brisk walk, which burns 300 calories per hour.

However, an extensive American study in 2005 of more than 15 000 middle-aged men and women found that those who regularly practised yoga for at least four years were less likely to gain weight.

Even more interestingly, those who were overweight but doing yoga lost an average of 5lb (about 2.2kg) during this four-year period, whereas the overweight non-practitioners gained more than a stone (6.3kg).

“Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity - a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat,” says Jonathan.

Yoga practitioner Angelka Cavana adds: “Clearly, there is some burning of calories, but bear in mind that whatever type of yoga you practise, your posture will be improved. Just tucking in your bottom, drawing in your stomach, pulling up your chest and relaxing shoulders will instantly make you look taller and more slender.”

Once you start to use your body correctly, your internal organs are able to function correctly, so you’re increasingly likely to crave healthy foods, rather than quick sugary fixes.

“Finally, mindfulness is a buzzword, but rightly so,” says Angelka. “Practising yoga is a mindful exercise. You are focusing on your body rather than worrying about what’s happening in your head. This promotes self-awareness, which helps us to understand our personal triggers for comfort eating.”

 

WHAT SORT OF YOGA?

“It’s almost impossible to name the total number of yoga styles now on offer, but at least eight are widely available,” says yoga teacher Pippa Richardson.

Just as there isn’t one diet which works for everyone, so different styles suit different people, depending on your level of fitness, health concerns and need to lose weight. The more you do, the better you feel, says Jonathan. “I’d say that two or three times a week is excellent, with maybe ten minutes of practice a day at home as well.”

Pippa agrees. “Optimal results come from 30 minutes or more a day, but that’s not realistic for everyone. Some people experience benefits after the first class, including feelings of calm and mental clarity.

“The physical benefits of weight-loss, building strength and toning are more likely after you’ve been practising for a month.”

 

A guide to how different styles of yoga can help your weight loss...

 

BEST TO STOP COMFORT EATING: HATHA

“Ideal for beginners, Hatha is a great introduction to understanding the benefits of yoga, as it taps into that self-awareness which stops us constantly turning to the biscuit tin,” says Angelka.

“We spend so much of our lives bent almost double in cars or at desks. Here, you will be taught the basic poses, stretching the body out, and correct breathing for relaxation.

“Breathing through the nostrils with the lips gently sealed is vital,” she continues.

Most of us breathe shallowly, but breathing deeply floods the body with oxygen, which relaxes us, aids the digestion of food and helps to relieve emotional problems. If you can conquer your emotional problems, you can conquer your weight problem.

 

BEST TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM: IYENGAR

Iyengar is the yoga practised by Nigella Lawson. “A slow form of yoga, with the focus very much on alignment, precision and posture,” says Angelka.

“Improved posture automatically means the impression of weight loss. Standing tall will make you look slimmer, more confident and more attractive. You aren’t doing much calorie burning, but you are completely engaged with your body.

“As well as feeling relaxed, you may well find that you sleep better. There are links between poor sleep and poor diet, and sleep deprivation means that your metabolism doesn’t function properly.

“Nigella looks happy and healthy,” says Pippa. “Not going on a crazy diet means you’re not shocking your body into weight loss, so you’re more likely to maintain a healthy, balanced weight.”

 

BEST TO FIGHT STRESS: RESTORATIVE YOGA

“Restorative yoga focuses on deep relaxation and uses props to support the body,” says Pippa. “It’s great for anyone in need of relaxation and also for those struggling with their weight.”

A 2013 study showed the benefits of restorative yoga for weight loss. Over a period of 48 weeks, 171 clinically obese women did restorative yoga and the results were quite remarkable.

The yoga group lost 34cm of fat, compared to just 6cm in the control group, as well as an average of 1.7kg, compared to 0.7kg.

The researchers suggested that this might be because yoga reduces levels of cortisol - the stress hormone. Less cortisol means less fat storage, and the better you feel, the less you will want to eat.

 

BEST TO BURN CALORIES: ASHTANGA

This is a much more vigorous and physical type of yoga, so “you need a certain level of fitness to take part,” says Angelka.

“The practice is known to produce rapid results.”

It’s said that the ever-youthful celebrities Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow are fans, and an hour- long class could burn more than 300 calories.

 

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Burgs - The Art of Meditation - Why is this so not obvious?

 

The Give Back Generation

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When I was young I ran a clothing label called “Mad rags” and the strapline was; “Make Madness a Way of Life.” It has taken me over twenty years to fathom just how inappropriate that really was. Back in the early 90’s we were only just starting to recognise that we simply can’t take life for all its got, and that sooner or later we would have to start looking for ways to give back.

The 13th of August this year was “Overshoot day.” Overshoot is a notion identified by the World Wildlife Foundation as part of their “Living Planet Index” that calculates the day of the year that Humanity as a whole for that year has consumed everything the planet will be able to replenish in that year. What it means is that from 13th August until 31st December, we will be running on ‘resource overdraft.’ Literally we will be writing cheques our planet can’t cash! Starting around 1970 we crossed an invisible boundary, where for the first time in history we consumed more natural resource in a year than the planet was capable of replenishing.

I teach hundreds of people each year from all walks of life how to meditate, and I can see that a growing number of them are feeling increasingly overwhelmed, stressed and despondent about life. I feel this is such a shame, and so certainly worth taking a deep look at. How can it be that at a time of unprecedented good fortune, with our personal consumption levels at an all time high, there seems to be a diminishing sense of contentment and personal meaning in so many people’s lives. It seems that life has become so high paced, pressurised and stressful, that there is a deep sense that we all need to come up for air catch our breath and take stock. It is taking so much out of us to acquire the things we need to make life satisfying, that all too often we have little energy left to enjoy the good fortune that we have.

Best selling author and New York Times journalist Chris Hedges, in his brutally honest book, “The World as it Is”, quite simply says, “Our way of life is over. Our profligate consumption is finished. Our children will never have the standard of living we had.”

However, it is not just an economic and ecological crisis we face but a spiritual and moral crisis. The man made world is holding sway over the natural order of things, and our lives are ever more held together by the things that we create, and ever less so as a reflection of our connection to that natural order and the intelligence behind it, that we actually depend upon for our security.

 

Whilst almost everywhere there seem to be indications that we might have to embrace a wholesale change in the way we set out our lives, we have yet to find the kind of determination to seek the solutions that are being asked or demanded of us. Spending a few weeks working and travelling around the UK this summer, I sensed that in general people are more numb and disconnected than ever before. This cut deep, it is profoundly upsetting.

There is of course a lot of positive movement in many quarters to seek out solutions to our problems, but all too often such initiatives are occurring on the fringes of society. it is all too easy to reflect upon the challenges we face and feel that we are facing an insurmountable problem. Which is why we have to start at home, with ourselves, by simply asking, “ How can I respond to what is happening to us as humans?” It is not enough to wait for change to be initiated from the top down. we must remember now the 100th monkey effect and simply find the courage to seek to embrace change at a personal or folk level.

The movement towards change is going to be a folk movement, and the real revolution is going to have to start in our own hearts and minds as we look deeply at how we each of us have come to the point that we are at and bravely and imaginatively seek solutions. Rather than waiting to see what our leaders are going to do and which way our economy is going to go, our first step is to make a personal resolution to place our longing for peace and happiness at the head of our agenda.

I am always being asked for advice on how people can improve their feeling of contentment and personal meaning. I can honestly say that in fifteen years I can count on one hand the number of people for whom the answer to this question isn’t just “simplify your life and get rid of what you don’t need (preferably by giving it to someone who does)”.

The Buddha used to say that he who is of few needs and easy to serve is close to being happy. He who is of many needs and hard to serve is far from being happy.

Over the years, many people have come on retreat to learn meditation and almost all of them are hoping that meditation will in some way enrich their lives. At the end of a retreat, I explain two basic principles that our welfare and progress in the future stand upon. I do not say, “It is important that you practice meditation everyday.” However enthusiastic I am about the value of meditation in bringing us to a point where we delight in simplicity the real guidance I offer is: “Be totally unwilling to harm yourself or others in the pursuit of your desires and to not expect to take out more than you put in.”

Meditation is a means rather than the ends. The journey may start with overcoming unwholesome states of mind, such as restlessness, craving and aversion, but ultimately it points to these two golden rules, of harmlessness, and accountability.

When you start to re-establish your connection to the life that you are actually a part of, you will start to see that your real needs are far fewer than you might think, and daily when you wake up you’ll recognise that you are a part of something rare, precious and extraordinary. While we are more connected than ever before through technology and social media, in our intoxication with ourselves and our need to be seen, we are losing touch with that place in the heart where we’re all connected and what it is that we are connected to.

Re-establishing this connection is a very deep, profound and personal journey. Rather than fearing simplicity, we start to delight in it. Rather than being overwhelmed with life, we breathe a sigh of relief as we start to let go some of the things we have been struggling to stay on top of. In stages, our aspirations change. In many respects, it is the ultimate rite of passage, the transition from spiritual adolescence to adulthood.

One of the biggest challenges we face when we undertake this transition is a lack of the necessary support, whether at a financial, spiritual or community level. While I have been teaching these principles over the last fifteen years, I feel the time has come to offer a tangible, living model, from which a community can emerge, putting theory into practice and leading by example.

The result is Dharma Vihara, our new retreat centre in the French Pyrenees. It is not principally a place for people to come and learn meditation, although many do. We have a full retreat schedule in the UK for this purpose. Rather, Dharma Vihara is designed as a halfway house for people seeking to transition into a simpler, more sustainable life, built on ethical principles of sharing, caring and contribution. Our aim is to give people an opportunity to fully imbibe the profound healing effect of living simply in nature while exploring the balance between spiritual practice, co-operative service and the delight in being alive.

There is an organisation called Escape the City which helps burnt out executives from London find more rewarding jobs. In a sign of the times, it has more than 200,000 subscribers. In a sense, Dharma Vihara is the ultimate Escape the City. One of the students who joined our inaugural 3 month retreat funded her whole experience through renting out her flat in London. Not only did this pay for her entire stay out here but she returned home with money in her pockets. Another student, rather than being overwhelmed by a challenging divorce, has moved here and is running his business in the peace of the mountain air, while the legal wranglings are formalised back in London. In doing so, he has found a way to do in three hours a day online, what was before taking him all day, everyday, in an over-powered office in central London, leaving half the day to explore, help out or meditate.

By sharing resources, eating together and being powered by renewable energy, we are all investigating a pathway to a more sustainable and simpler way of life, whilst replenishing our depleted minds and bodies from the exhausting pace and demands of modern life. We are reducing our impact and we are not frying our heads. Indeed, the natural space we are in is crystal clear, allowing consciousness to thrive. Everyone here gets a thorough digital detox and the opportunity to unplug yet reconnect.

The world so needs each of us to start giving back. To live in such a way that our presence here is neither a burden to the planet or those around us is to succeed in life.

For every day that we take out more than we put in, our soul withers in some small way. Every day we put in more than we take out, our souls shine a little more brightly. So when we explore how we might learn to give more than we take out, we begin the process of the regeneration of our world and the healing of the wounds we have inflicted in the past. In doing so, we secure the way for others.

It takes more resources to keep a first world human alive in the way we have become accustomed to today than it would have taken a whole community to be alive 200 years ago. In the past 50 years, more resource has been consumed in the whole of history before us. It cannot go on. We do not have the time to indulge ourselves at this level any longer.

With our new communities retreat in the Pyrenees we are investigating how we can embody the kind of changes that are being pointed at. We are not alone. All around there are people gathering at a folk level exploring viable solutions to these issues. Organisations, from Schumacher College to Findhorn in the UK, Plum Village in France and Eco Dharma in Spain, point the way to a more sustainable and enriching way of life. Each of these communities, like us, are hoping to offer micro solutions that could have macro implications.

We are all intelligent enough to see what is happening to us, if we are willing to pay attention. But our welfare in the future will not be built on understanding alone, it will be built on conduct and choices. We are living, both individually and globally, the effect of our past choices. Our life will roll out in the future as a reflection of the choices we make now. That is now, as it has always been, the predicament and the challenge that faces mankind, each of us as individuals, together as groups, and as a species, seeking to secure our long term future, survival and happiness upon this earth.

A cluttered and overcomplicated life leaves little room for contentedness, happiness and inner peace. The more we have around us, the more vexing it is to maintain. At every level, simplification and a lighter footprint is the way forward. We all need to step back and catch our breath. By working, sharing and collaborating together, whilst learning to be of few needs and easy to serve, we can change for the better.

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8 Responses

  1. burgs

    21/08/2015 at 9:13 am

    If you have been feeling that you want explore ways of giving…Get in touch. There are so many of you out there dying to contribute… Share your ideas, and get in touch with each other.

  2. Sally Sargeant

    21/08/2015 at 2:35 pm

    Working on my laptop, worrying about decorating my home, I thought, I should give it all up. And in drops your video. Thank you.

  3. Celia Hinton

    21/08/2015 at 2:57 pm

    Brilliant, Burgs! Thank you. I feel there’s a groundswell of movement in this direction, particularly with the Pope’s encyclical challenging every single status quo ecologically and economically.

  4. Richard

    21/08/2015 at 3:32 pm

    Thanks Burgs for the words and showing the way forward. It is definitely the way forward. Moving to Dharma Vihara has been an extraordinary journey from utter fear and trepidation in taking those steps to a revelation of the sheer joy and happiness to be part of community supporting each other and helping wider causes. It was definitely a leap of faith worth taking.

  5. Hugo Sandon

    21/08/2015 at 4:08 pm

    I’m 100% in, what an amazing thing if we did turn things around. I hope so, simplicity all round!

  6. Millie Alvizua

    26/08/2015 at 4:10 pm

    Dear Burgs. Thank you so much for such enlightening words. I feel your words go hand in hand with the sense of stewardship and support we must have for our fellow man. As so often said….we must be the change we want to see in the world….Thank you.

  7. Stephanie Crosby

    27/08/2015 at 10:08 pm

    Thank you Burgs, I read your book before I did my first Vipassana earlier this year, it was a powerful read, thank you for sharing so deeply.
    I’d love to visit Dharma Vihara, to share and learn. I often get stuck when considering what actions I can actually take, seeing and being part of an example would be wonderful for me.
    Maybe I’ll see you one day.

  8. burgs

    02/09/2015 at 6:04 pm

    Thanks for all the emails and feedback on the “Give Back Generation.” The biggest question I am being asked, is what do we do next. I know t is tough to get motivated and moving, even after we feel highly inspired or motivated. As I say in the video, we are each of us going to have to start thinking creatively and imaginatively about how we can play our part in giving back. And it is going to take courage. But we have it in us. We just need to support each other in this. We have organised a day in London in November where we can gather and share ideas on this. We will post information on this soon. Keep the ideas coming folks. Thank you.

Read how yoga can help to improve your focus!

Cristina Iacob Become a fan

creator of Yoga-Eat-Play** = Authentic Therapeutic Yoga + Intentional Nutritional Practice + Fun, Relaxing activities to Reset Mindset

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5 Quick Yoga Steps to Help Improve Your Focus

Posted: 09/29/2015 8:05 pm EDT Updated: 09/29/2015 8:59 pm EDT

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Sitting in front of the computer trying to gather my scattered "modern" thoughts with all the to do lists, choices and time constraints, while noticing that I need more honey and lemon in my tea and trying to pull it all together and focus on the task right in front of me is a daily occurrence in my life. Maybe the phone rings or the Facebook IM dings and distracts me right in the middle of my first "focused" sentence.

I know I'm not alone swirling into a chaotic mess of thoughts in this instant gratification, instant reply expectancy world that demands our attention right away. And I can't be the only one who's crying for a quick way to settle my mind and the outside world and be able to completely focus on the task at hand. One at a time.

There's no end to the multitude of methods I tried to accomplish that, but the one that has proven to be the most effective and reliable for me has always been yoga.

While I practice yoga, I am present and aware of my posture and focused on my breath. So, my mind is as engaged in the practice as my body. Somehow this carries into my life outside of my yoga practice and seems to have an immediate affect on my cognitive performance. Right after even a short yoga practice of about 20 minutes, my productivity increases exponentially. I feel like a Super Woman!

My quick "focus yoga" practice, as I dearly call it, follows these 5 steps:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Surya Namascar or Sun Salutations -- I do at least six rounds (if not the complete 12) to get my blood moving and push some vitality into my body and brain. Careful with the sequence and the breathing. Stay with your breath. Do not move into the next posture in the set before you have fully exhaled or inhaled (depends on what the posture asks for). Be mindful and aware. This is a beautiful dance of gratitude to the sun for bringing and maintaining life on this planet on a daily basis. Smile and "dance."
  2. Do a series of balancing and twisting poses that help waking up the spine, engaging your core and focusing so you don't fall and injure yourself. Depends on the day but I usually do a combination of Eagle Pose (Garudasana), Warrior III Pose (Virabhadrasana III), Tree Pose (Vrksasana), Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana), Extended Hand-to-big-toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangustasana), Candle Pose or Shoulderstand Pose (Sarvangasana), Headstand (Sirsasana) and Sitted Spinal Twist Pose or Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendhrasana). Pick three or four, no need to do more, especially if you only have a limited amount of time for this. Pick fewer poses, but do them correctly, with awareness of body posture and breath.
  3. Trataka or Concentrated Gazing. No need for candle. Just draw a half inch dot with a sharpie on a blank paper and then tape it to the wall at eye level. Concentrate on the dot only and try not to blink for the next two or three minutes. Not that easy, huh? But the more you do it the more of a focus ninja you become. You can increase the time after a week or two of practice. Be gentle but firm with yourself when it comes to this practice. It's very powerful.
  4. Pranayama -- Any breathing technique will require your full attention in order to do them correctly. This in itself will teach your mind the discipline of concentration which will be practiced outside of yoga as well. Do your favorite pranayama for 3-5 minutes. My two favorite ones are Alternate Nostril breathing (Nadi Shodana Pranayama) and the Bee Breath (Bhramari Pranayama).
  5. Meditation -- Don't run away from it even if you think you suck at it. Doesn't matter. Start with five minutes. Close your eyes, stay in a comfortable position and listen to your favorite song, or sounds of nature or the sound of your own breath. If your mind wanders, laugh at its naughtiness and bring it back to the meditation with unconditional love like a parent would do with a playful child.

Right after you are done with this yoga practice, you will fill revitalized and ready to take on the world. Use the first hour or two immediately following the practice to do your hardest tasks of the day. Your mind is clear, focused and inspired!

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Office Yoga: 5 Poses To Reduce Stress And Lower Back Pain While At Work

Office Yoga: 5 Poses To Reduce Stress And Lower Back Pain While At Work

September 29, 2015 5:33 PM By Lizette Borreli

 

These five office yoga poses, from Chair Cat Cow Stretch to Seated Double Hamstring, can boost your health while you work. Furniture At Work

After sitting at your desk all day long, you finally stand up and feel your hips, lower back, and shoulders extremely tense and sore. Rather than feeling this discomfort at the end of the day, however, there's a way you can leave work tension-free and energized: office yoga. In the infographic, “Office Yoga,” Furniture At Work, an office furniture company in the UK, illustrates five yoga poses, from Chair Cat Cow Stretch to Seated Double Hamstring, to reduce stress and lower back pain while at work.

Taking breaks at work with yoga is seen as one of the most effective ways for employees to relieve stress and even become more refreshed and focused. The Chair Cat Cow Stretch involves a deep-breathing exercise of inhales and exhales from your chair. When you inhale, you should arch your back, look up, push your belly forward and shoulders backward. To exhale, you should round your spine, bring your shoulders forward, and look downward to get into the cat position. You can continue moving between cow and cat inhalations and exhalations for five breaths. This can help reduce stress-related back pain.

Lower back pain and hamstring tightness from sitting for too long can lead to the development of sciatica. This pain radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, branching from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg, according to the Mayo Clinic. This condition usually affects one side of the body. The Seated Double Hamstring pose can stretch out the hamstring and lower back, improve circulation, and ease leg tightness.

This pose requires you to sit near the edge of the chair and place your feet on the floor. Then, take a towel around the balls of your feet, lengthen your back, and lift your sternum from the hip crease and lean forward. Remember, only go as far forward as you can with your back and knees straight to prevent muscle strains.

View the infographic below for more yoga moves that can give your health a boost while you work.

 

From Visually.