Archive for October, 2006

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Maybe your doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist, or best friend told you Yoga would be good for you. You have heard so much about Yoga; it seems that Yoga is a “cure” for almost anything. The more you hear, the more confusing it is to understand what Yoga is all about.

Should you go out and buy a Yoga book? What would be the best Yoga book to buy? If you visit the local book store, you see hundreds of Yoga books, CD’s, DVD’s, card decks, and kits. Should you buy a copy of the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali or buy one of the “for dummies” Yoga books?

Below is an overview of Yoga, which may help you decide your path of Yogic study. There is no right or wrong path of Yoga study, but be selective when you choose a Yoga teacher, Yoga book, or Yoga class..

You should first realize that there are many styles of Yoga. There are nine major styles of Yoga; many more styles exist, as well as many sub-styles. The nine major styles of Yoga are Bhakti, Hatha, Jnana, Karma, Kundalini, Mantra, Raja, Tantra, and Yantra Yoga. Each style emphasizes unity of body, mind, and spirit.

The literal meaning of Yoga is “union” or “unity.” If we can unify the body, mind, and spirit in harmony, we can achieve tranquility. One of the main purposes of Yoga is tranquility through improved health due to a holistic approach to life.

India is the birth place of Yoga. There are many written works about Yoga, but the origin of Yoga dates back thousands of years. Yoga is the “mother” of most of the world’s health maintenance systems. Asian martial arts, with an origin from the Shaolin temple, and Pilates, can trace their ancestry back to Yoga.

The “higher forms of Yoga” are said to be Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja Yoga. Each of these four styles is a complex subject, within themselves, and I cannot do them justice by a summarization.

Hatha Yoga sub-styles are the most prolific outside of India. Most new Yoga practitioners will learn a Hatha Yoga sub-style first. Hatha Yoga, and its many sub-styles, primarily emphasize physical health, which will likely result in improved mental health. Most Hatha Yoga classes, outside of India, do not approach spiritual health.

Nevertheless, Hatha Yoga is seen by fundamentalists as an “export of Hinduism.” In some rare instances, this may be true, but most Hatha Yoga teachers are content to teach improved health for body and mind.

Therefore, when you choose a book, or local Yoga teacher, be aware that the Yoga teacher or Guru is a guide – but you have a right to know which direction you are being guided to. The Yoga practitioner learns to expand his or her mind and make independent decisions “along the way.”

Yoga is non-threatening to religion. If a Yoga instructor teaches intolerance, of any kind, that is not Yoga. Unity is not sectarianism. We have to learn to appreciate diversity, and we should never tolerate prejudice. Prejudice and intolerance are often the cause of crime and wars.

On the “Grand Scale,” the goal of Yoga is world peace through unity.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Below is our November / December – Yoga / Pilates Class Schedule:

These Yoga class changes will take effect on Monday, November 6, 2006.

Monday: 6 PM – 7 PM Beginner / Gentle Yoga
Tuesday: 6 PM – 7:15 PM Vinyasa Yoga
Wednesday: 6 PM – 7 PM Pilates/ Body Sculpt
Thursday: 6 PM – 7:15 PM Beginner / Gentle Yoga
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Yoga / Pilates Body Sculpting

Aura Wellness Center
21 Park St.
Suite 202, 2nd Floor
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: 508-222-0092

Where exactly is that? We are located in downtown Attleboro on the corner of Park Street and Railroad Avenue. 21 Park Street is the Park Place Building.

Webster Bank is across Railroad Avenue and Sovereign Bank is across Park Street from us.

Grand Opening Specials:

6 Classes for $57
Or
10 Classes for $87

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Become a Yoga Instructor

Our training is up to Yoga Alliance standards. Graduates will be eligible to apply for the Yoga Alliance RYT credential.

The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga, we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule, in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

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FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter.
Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/docs/Yoga-in-Practice-eBook.pdf

Visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org
Affiliates: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/signup.html
Sister Blog: http://yoga-teacher-training.blogspot.com/
On-Site Training: http://www.riyoga.com
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FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
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By Tim Gorman

Practicing yoga is one of the best physical and emotional healers available. Anyone can practice yoga and benefit from it and there are some very basic reasons why. Besides the obvious physical benefits of a yoga workout, you also reap many positive emotional rewards.

Stress is a leading cause of physical problems, such as cardio-vascular diseases, arthritis, reproductive problems, depression, anxiety and autoimmune diseases. Yoga has such a powerful effect on our stress levels that our general physical health improves.

Yogic exercises improve breathing and blood circulation. Your muscles gently stretch and relax. You gain physical strength, which helps your body stay healthy and heal. Strong bodies will help us be resilient and bounce back from stress-related illness.

Yoga helps us relax by using proper breathing techniques and gentle, but strong poses. These poses act on our parasympathetic nervous system, which often needs help processing the damage that constant stress can cause. A sudden increase in heart rate, blood pressure, shallow breathing, muscle tensing and excessive sweating are signs that a natural stress reaction is in full-swing!

Our bodies, through our nervous system, can handle some of the stress easily and naturally, but many of us (most of us) are on overload — we can be under so much stress that we have forgotten what “normal” feels like. That’s when our natural coping mechanism begins to become overwhelmed and sickness occurs. Yoga helps with that stress; it helps us return to a healthy balance.

Continuous stress increases levels of cortisol in our body, which in turn suppresses the immune system resulting in serious health problems like those mentioned above and other symptoms like sleep disturbances, loss of sex drive and loss of appetite. Stress can cause wear and tear on organs as well, a symptom that might not be immediately apparent, but takes its toll in the long run.

Practicing yoga regularly lowers your respiration and heart rates, and your blood pressure. It stimulates and aids in digestion and helps regulate blood flow to all of your important organs and systems: digestive, reproductive, glandular, circulatory and immune! Yoga boosts our well-being and keeps us healthy.

Yoga’s asanas (physical poses) enhance blood and fluid circulation. Breathing exercises strengthen the lungs and help us regain peace of mind. Often people who regularly practice yoga reduce their dependence on medicines or other therapies.

However, do not simply toss your medication as soon as you begin practicing yoga. You do not become unwell overnight and you will likely not heal overnight, but positive effects will come. By decreasing cortisol and reducing stress levels in the body, yoga will physically make you feel better than you ever have. Its strengthening postures will give you strength and endurance that you may not have before experienced. Yoga will also help you put worldly problems into perspective, which will bring you a great sense of peace.

To learn more about the health benefits of yoga please visit Hot-Yoga-Tips.info where you will find life enhancing information on yoga for elders, yoga for men, yoga for women and the many different branches of yoga that are being practiced by thousands of yoga enthusiasts.

http://www.hot-yoga-tips.info/Benefits-of-Yoga.html

http://www.hot-yoga-tips.info/Branches-of-Yoga.html

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Matt Morrison

Yoga began during the Indus Valley civilization in South Asia. The original system was an eightfold path named Asthangayoga. First written records of yoga date back to 200 BC in Yogasutra of Patanjali. Yoga itself is really not a religion, however, it is connected to the Hindu tradition and is based on many of their beliefs such as karma and reincarnation.

Yoga originally meant “union” in ancient India where yoga was first started. Many believe that this union occurs between the mind, body and spirit. There are 8 types of yoga and asana deals with the physical side of postures or poses rather than spiritual matters that most of the other types deal with. Modern language has brought the terms asana and yoga to mean almost the same thing.

Yoga is an all encompassing system of exercise that creates a healthy mind, body and spirit. Breathing, meditation, healthy eating, and positive thinking are just some of the activities that have a beneficial effect on people that perform yoga. Yoga brings emotional and physical health together that causes a very powerful response. Yoga is practiced to balance an individuals life so they can enjoy good health and overall well-being. We will be discussing in more detail on this site poses, practice and classes.

Yoga is definitely more than just stretching. It involves a balance that is created through building flexibility and strength. Practice is a term often used to describe your personal experience with yoga, which is always changing and improving. The great thing about yoga is you can start anywhere with your practice. Even the least “talented” or most out of shape can start and improve from where they are currently.

Those wondering where to begin should definitely get started by joining a yoga class. If you are looking for a good physical workout, then joining a class at the gym is best. If you are looking to develop your spiritual life, then you may want to find classes at a yoga center. Whatever your preference is, there are classes that will suit your needs.

Matt Morrison wrote this article for a Yoga site that discusses items like positions de yoga. Visit their site for more yoga information.

http://www.yogahabits.com/

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Is Yoga a cure for depression? How can Yoga stop you from feeling hopeless? Let’s look at how Yoga can help you prevent negative thinking and the resulting damage negative thinking can have on your life.

To be honest, Yoga is not a cure fore depression, but Yoga can be an effective solution for some causes of depression. The hard part is to identify the causes of depression.

In order to understand yourself, you will have to engage in mindfulness and self-reflection. These are mental exercises to help you find the sources of negative thought within your mind. Mental health is also an aspect of Yoga practice.

What are your fears? Do you constantly worry about money, losing your job, a family crisis, or something else? Is this a real problem or a self-created situation?

The answers to these questions will enable you to discover real solutions, instead of worrying years off your life. Below are some common negative thoughts and some Yogic solutions for them.

Are you a pessimist? Do you envision your life on the “bottom of the rock pile?” If you envision anything, you can create that image with the power of your mind. Karma Yoga teaches us that any action causes an equal reaction.

Why waste your time on pessimism, when you could create positive thoughts and images? Learn from children: They are full of positive energy and not afraid to dream.

Get to know your “inner child” and create your world of positive thought. If you made mistakes – So, what?; we all do. Life is full of mistakes, but you can turn each one into a positive thought.

Do you always expect perfection? If you expect everything to be perfect, you are “killing yourself,” and those who love you. This is not a perfect world. What is the cause of your search for perfection? Most of the time, a perfectionist is driven by his or her desires.

Consider Aparigraha: This one Yama teaches us not to desire anything more than we need. The true source of perfectionist thought is the desire to have more of something than is realistic.

The desire to have everything perfect, in an imperfect world, is a mindless pursuit. When you desire constant perfection, from yourself and others, you are taxing your own health.

Holding onto the perception of a perfect world will strain relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. Ultimately, the pursuit of perfection will create a lonely and depressed world without any friends.

Pessimism and perfection are just two of many causes that can result in depression. In both cases, the guidance of a competent Yoga teacher could be a form of preventative medicine.

However, if you, or a loved one, is experiencing chronic depression problems, the advice of a competent psychologist, or psychiatrist, should be sought. Yoga is a good alternative form of therapy, but not a cure for depression.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Tim Gorman

Yoga has been practiced for over two thousand years, so it’s inevitable that over such a long period of time variations and divergences have occurred. Nowadays there are many different yoga practices and branches available to choose from. Each one serves a different need or purpose, but they all tend to have one main purpose – to harmonize and identify the equilibrium between body and mind. Let’s take a look at some of the more common branches of yoga.

Hatha Yoga

One of the main aims of hatha yoga is to increase your state of well being. It’s considered to be a primary form of modern physical therapy. It teaches meditation, which has consistent with across all branches of yoga. Hatha yoga also focuses on teaching a series of important postures, referred to in yoga terminology as asanas, and practicing breathing exercises, called pranayamas.

Karma Yoga

You’ve probably come across the word karma before, and know that it is a principle that states that everything that happens to us in our current existence is directly caused by our previous actions. Because of this, one of the main purposes of karma yoga is teaching practitioners how to eliminate all the selfishness and negativity from their current life, so that they won’t have to deal with the consequences in the future. Karma is something that should be practiced every day, whether at work or home, and there are many activities you can participate in that have the goal of helping other people and so fit well with the karma yoga journey.

Raja Yoga

The focus of raja yoga is meditation, and it is often referred to as classical yoga. This is quite a complex method of yoga training, and it’s quite common for practitioners to start with hatha yoga, to prepare the body, before moving on to the more advanced training in raja yoga. Most of the people who are attracted to raja yoga are quite introspective, and interested in learning profound meditation. There are a number of religious groups that devote themselves to this yoga path, as it is closely aligned to a monastic or contemplative lifestyle.

Jnana Yoga

This branch of yoga is mostly of interest to scholars, as it focuses on the development of the intellect by studying traditional yoga scripts and texts. It’s generally considered to be the yoga of the heart and wisdom. It’s often described as being the most difficult of all yoga practices, but in some ways jnana yoga is one of the more challenging and direct paths.

Bhakti Yoga

This is another popular form of yoga, and it promotes and sustains the idea of devotion. Bhakti yoga is dedicated to the belief that any form of creation has something divine about it. So a respect, acceptance and tolerance of all forms of life is an important element of every interaction throughout life.

These are only some of the main branches of yoga; there are certainly many, many more that you can follow. The good thing is that with so many variations of yoga, it’s possible to find a yoga practice that will closely align with your own goals and needs, and help you to find inner peace and equilibrium.

For more information about the many branches of yoga, yoga for men, yoga for women, yoga for the elderly and the life enhancing benefits of yoga please visit Hot-Yoga-Tips.info located at http://www.hot-yoga-tips.info

http://www.hot-yoga-tips.info/Benefits-of-Yoga.html

http://www.hot-yoga-tips.info/Branches-of-Yoga.html

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga is “preventative medicine” for children and adults. Yet the world does not embrace preventative action. Just look at hunger, global warming, health care, and poverty. Now you see that some people do take action, but many do not.

Educating the public about the many benefits, which children experience from Yoga practice, is a full-time job for some Yoga teachers. Although most of the public thinks of Yoga postures as a “mild” form of exercise; there are many more different aspects to Yoga practice.

Yoga is a complete holistic approach to health. Yoga teaches proper breathing, dieting, exercise, meditation, relaxation techniques, and many more natural solutions to health problems.

Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine have dieting practices based upon a person’s constitution or dosha. This same classification can be made for exercise routines. An Ayurvedic doctor will, most likely, recommend specific exercises based upon a patient’s dosha.

The entire approach of Yoga and Ayurveda is based upon preventative measures. There are also solutions for “damage control,” when a person has an existing ailment, but any doctor can agree that many of today’s health problems are preventable.

Let’s look at global obesity. The public is very tired of hearing about obesity. Your spam filters are working overtime to pull all of the “Instant weight loss” methods out of your Email box. If you read through the spam, you will notice that spammers want to sell you pills, not permanent solutions to obesity. The spammer’s approach is to make quick money off the public.

When the majority of our population refuses to exercise, the easy money is in selling pills, instant weight loss, and “snake oil.” There is a solution, but most of us will not like it. Yogic diets are full of fruit, vegetables, and natural food. Even in India, it can be observed that diabetes is on the rise, when people eat “junk food.”

As the Indian economy has improved, so has the “middle class appetite” for processed food. This runs parallel to western social and economic patterns.

What does this have to do with Yoga for kids? Yoga is a lifestyle and the earlier you expose children to good health habits, the better your child’s health will be.

As parents, we have many choices, but establishing good health habits, within our children, is an obligation. We also have to eat properly, and exercise, with our children. If you cannot go to a Yoga class, you can always take your child out for a walk. Parents are role models, and any child will copy the image, which you create for him or her.

Yoga classes for children are a parent’s gift of good health. Yoga gives kids a better chance to develop good habits, handle stress, find natural solutions to good health, and live a quality life.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Yoga Classes for the Attleboro – North Attleboro area

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Jennifer Jordan

We all know that exercise can improve us physically – lowering our cholesterol, decreasing our predisposition to heart disease, and enhancing our immune system – but, what we might not be aware of is the mind, not to be left out, can also be improved through exercise. The reasons for this are biological and emotional, benefiting the exerciser on several levels and leaving us to discover, when it comes down to it, that the mental benefits of exercise are as important to our overall wellbeing as the physical ones.

Rather than mindlessly putting on the running shoes, or climbing onto the treadmill to discharge energy and get the blood flowing, participating in yoga can give you both exercise for the brain and the heart. While providing physical benefits, it also powers your brain’s ability to focus and to recognize unconscious habits that don’t support your structure in gravity or your full potential as an emotional spiritual being.

Yoga is often described as a type of exercise, although much more than an exercise routine, when practiced consciously, it greatly aids our mental capacity. While mental health can be difficult to quantify – there is no blood test that reveals emotional health – people who practice yoga regularly can not help but adopt better moods, possess more energy, and have an outlook submerged in positivity. In a nutshell, yoga makes you feel good, and good energy always results in better mental clarity and performance. When you are filled with positive, life affirming emotions, your mind reacts in a way that makes thinking and achievement virtually limitless.

From a biological standpoint, the ways yoga aids the brain can be explained in medical journal fashion. To begin, yoga is a science and an art that coordinates the movement of the body with the breath, improves oxygenation of the blood, allowing better blood flow to the brain, ultimately producing clearer, more concise thoughts. Yoga can also boost dopamine and other neurotransmitters, boosting both moods and the retention of memories.

An essential part of yoga, breathing, is also a cornerstone of the mental aid exercise provides. While breathing does facilitate circulation – allowing vital minerals and nutrients to get where they need to go and letting all organs of the body, including the brain, function more adequately – breathing also helps the brain in a more direct manner. For example, a practice that is sometimes used in yoga is the act of concentrated breathing through one nostril at a time. In EEG studies – studies that monitor a person’s brain pattern – this practice shows that breathing through one nostril can increase activity on the opposite side of the brain (i.e., breathing through the left nostril will increase activity on the right side of the brain). This ultimately results in better communication between the brain’s two sides, creating better mental function and enhancing a person’s ability to learn.

Mindfulness, a foundational component of yoga helps students to embrace, and focus on, the present moment, can also assist mental function. This is because those who practice mindfulness train their brain to work in a certain way. By relaxing, and severing the rope that keeps you clinging to stresses and worries, yoga calms the mind. A calm mind is better at retaining information, remembering information, and concentration skills. A calm mind focuses on attention, and possesses an advanced ability to perceive sensory information. Because of this, some people suggest that yoga, a vehicle of calmness, gives you the amazing ability to open up completely to the present moment and just be more “on” – whether it is in making a decision quickly, being emotionally responsive, or seeing another solution to a problem with ease.

There have also been studies that concluded certain yoga positions can alter a person’s position on things; specific poses relay specific moods. Researchers at the University of California, for example, performed a study that found certain yoga poses were more mood-altering that others. One finding concluded that bending over backwards was one of the best ways to improve your frame of mind, giving those in bad moods something to fall back on.

While the spotlight tends to shine on the physical benefits of exercise, the mental ones are quickly coming out of the shadows and into their own. Yoga, because it exercises your physical body, is a mindful practice that helps you to embody your thoughts, emotions and your spirit. Providing the physical benefits of other exercise, yoga is helping the mental benefits of fitness to get discovered and becoming increasingly well known for giving those who practice it a piece of open mind.

TWISTED is a medical yoga studio at the Center for Osteopathic Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Twisted integrates osteopathic medicine, hatha yoga and mindfulness practices to teach optimal balance between physical, mental, and emotional health. It aims to educate and help people to live a healthy life from the inside out. Rehabilitation programs offer a comprehensive treatment regime for the whole being, empowering each person one breath at a time to stimulate the body’s natural healing potential.

Jennifer Jordan is senior editor of www.yogatwisted.com. Specializing in articles that not only teach yoga techniques, but also teach techniques on fulfillment and enrichment, she aims to educate students proudly enrolled in the school of life.

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The Beginner’s Yoga class will be open 6:00 pm on Columbus Day, October 9, 2006 at:

AURA Wellness Center
21 Park Street, Suite 202
Attleboro, MA 02703

Tel: 401-725-5133

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Jennifer Jordan

Many of us spend most of our working hours sitting at a desk, trapped within the confines of cubicle walls, typing on a keyboard. While this might not seem like the most ideal spot for exercise – with no treadmill or elliptical in sight – you might be surprised to find that practicing yoga at work is catching on, quickly climbing up the ladder of Corporate America.

It may take some getting used to, this idea of yoga at the office. But, for those who are zealous yoga students, or just hoping to ease their stiff bodies from that dreadful sitting position, it’s possible to greatly benefit from yoga while at work. Through specific asanas, or yoga poses, you will find that your body relaxes the rigidness that sitting in a chair for eight hours a day can cause. These asanas, in addition, also help you mentally, with inverted poses increasing blood supply and feeding your brain. Whether performed at work or a studio, yoga isn’t aimed just at toning the muscles of the physical body; it’s aimed at moving your energy in a way that discharges stagnation and allows for rejuvenation and restoration. One of the places we may be prone to accumulating an excess of stagnant energy is at the office. Because of this, moving this stagnant energy during working hours can be most beneficial, making yoga at work particularly conducive to employment practices.

You don’t need a yoga mat, block, blanket, or a strap to perform yoga at work: all you need is what is in front of you (your desk) and what is underneath you (your chair).

To being, start with a chair twist, then a forward bend, clasp your hands and arch your back to open your shoulders, chair twist again, stand up and move your chair out of the way so you can place your hands on your desk and walk back into L-pose to elongate your spine, wiggle your tail, don’t forget to breath, and have fun as your stagnant energy starts to move, making more space for vitality to support rejuvenation and restore your spirit.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC OFFICE YOGA SEQUENCES TO DO AT YOUR DESK – CHECK OUT OUR SPECIALITY WORKSHOP CALLED “YOGA AT THE OFFICE” – SIGN UP AND BRING YOUR BOSS!

Work can be a stressful situation – people yelling, people running around, people refusing to put more paper in the copier – and it can be rather easy to get caught up in the stress: stress generates more stress. However, practicing yoga at work helps to keep you calm, helping you to rise above the stress rather than be piled under it. This is because yoga, through breathing and mindful practices, teaches you to take one moment at a time, with little concern for the issues – a presentation, a disgruntled employee, a computer crash -that may arise later in the day. Yoga helps to center you, and to focus on positive emotions – bringing you into balance. This, ultimately, makes you a calmer, more productive employee. It also facilitates focus and concentration, allowing you to get things done one task at a time.

Practicing yoga at work gives you a well deserved break – even if you are just sneaking in an asana here or there as an excuse to take a much needed, and necessary, rest. Because sitting at a desk can be monotonous, it’s easy for your body to adapt to the monotony in the form of a cramp or an ache. Sometimes we get caught up in what we are doing that we forget to take a conscious breath, to open the body through a stretch, to get fresh air, or to take a moment for ourselves. Purposefully performing yoga, however, allows us to be more in tune with when our body needs a break. This rest is not only important to your muscular structure and physical functions, but it is also vital to your eyes, your mind, and your work morale.

Some companies, in fact, have found that advocating yoga at the office helps employees get along easier, and generates a team building atmosphere. Some research shows that employees who perform yoga routinely, on average, are more relaxed, in a state that helps them to be better at listening and better at cooperation, two things fundamental to a smooth office environment.

Yoga, in addition, can help to relieve some of the problems that office work can cause. An example of this is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the wrist affliction that often affects those who spend hours on a computer. Yoga asanas, practiced with proper shoulder, elbow, and wrist alignment can help relieve the pain of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A specific yoga sequence to free up your contracted hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back can also help alleviate the back pain an office chair sometimes facilitates.

When it comes down to it, no matter where you practice yoga – at the office, at home, at a studio – you will be very grateful for the benefits. Yoga is rich in what it does for your mind and your body. While some people may find that yoga at the office is particularly helpful to their busy schedule, others may enjoy the time spent in the solace of a studio. Wherever you practice it, just make certain one thing: practice it regularly. Your mind, your body, and your spirit will all thank you.

TWISTED is a medical yoga studio at the Center for Osteopathic Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Twisted integrates osteopathic medicine, hatha yoga and mindfulness practices to teach optimal balance between physical, mental, and emotional health. It aims to educate and help people to live a healthy life from the inside out. Rehabilitation programs offer a comprehensive treatment regime for the whole being, empowering each person one breath at a time to stimulate the body’s natural healing potential.

Jennifer Jordan is senior editor of www.yogatwisted.com. Specializing in articles that not only teach yoga techniques, but also teach techniques on fulfillment and enrichment, she aims to educate students proudly enrolled in the school of life.

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are a variety of reasons why Yoga teachers, Yoga teacher interns, and Yoga studio owners, visit us to receive on-site training. Some Yoga teachers, and interns, visit us for mentoring, apprenticeships, workshops, and onsite training.

Whether you need Yoga teacher training, private Yoga teacher mentoring, Yoga teacher workshops, specialized Yoga teacher training, or want to know how a Yoga studio is run – we have specialized Yoga teacher training for you.

Mentoring: Some Yoga teachers may want to seriously pursue the Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) credential. In order to do this, you need contact hours, but you need flexible time for your Yoga teacher training intensive.

We have a solution to fit your schedule, but we need advanced notice to plan your itinerary. We do not provide on-site housing or meals. Some visitors find room mates in the Attleboro, North Attleboro, Seekonk, and Norton, MA areas, by visiting: www.craigslist.com

We are 20 minutes north of the Greater Providence, Rhode Island area. Below is a list of recommended hotels and motels in the Attleboro / North Attleboro area.

The Colonel Blackington Inn, in Attleboro, is about a half-mile walk away from our wellness center.

The Colonel Blackington Inn
203 North Main Street
Attleboro MA 02703
Telephone: 508-222-6022

http://www.restreview.com/private_dining.php?rest=276

Holiday Inn Express – North Attleboro
707 South Washington Street
North Attleboro, MA 02760 UNITED STATES
Hotel Front Desk: 1-508-6439900 | Hotel Fax: 1-508-643-9600

Super 8 Motel North Attleboro, MA 787 S. Washington
North Attleboro, MA 08235 Tel: (508) 643-2900
Fax: (508) 643-2900

You will work with Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, at Aura Wellness Center, and at a variety of facilities in the greater Providence area. Yoga student ages will range from 5 to 95 years of age.

Therefore, lesson plans will be diversified, and you will learn many modifications.

If you require transportation, we can make it available at an additional cost.

Training cost: $200 per day or $1000 per week, without meals, lodging, or transportation.

Apprenticeship Program: Learn how to develop diversified Yoga class lesson plans for all ages, doshas, the subtle body, contraindications, how to build a successful Yoga business, or anything related to the business and marketing of your own Yoga practice.

Yoga Teacher Workshops: You can plan to visit a Yoga workshop with us by visiting www.riyoga.com to see the current schedule – under Yoga teacher training.

Single Workshop Cost: $75 per Workshop

Yoga teacher training cost: $200 per day or $1000 per week, without meals, lodging, or transportation.

If you require transportation, we can make it available at an additional cost.

On-site Yoga Teacher Training: This is a five month non-residential Yoga teacher internship program. Some Yoga teacher interns commute on Friday and Saturday, while others find housing in the Attleboro area.

If you want to know more, about the on-site Yoga Teacher Training program in Attleboro, visit www.riyoga.com to see the current and upcoming schedule on the Yoga teacher training page. Meals, lodging, and transportation are not included.

You can contact the Attleboro office by phone, if you have any questions. Tel: 508-222-0092

By Jason Rickard

Yoga is one of the most effective strategies to gain total control over the mind as well as the body of a person. Yoga is not a recently developed technique and the benefits of yoga have retained its popularity among people even now. The literature shows that yoga has a tradition of thousands of years, which was originally developed in India.

Yoga can be compared with a holistic system of medicine as it focuses to attribute total control over the physical, mental and spiritual aspect of a person. However in the beginning stages, yoga was not recognized in the West as a potential system of therapy due to the suspicion about its efficiency. But the scene gradually changed as the scientific evidences supported the benefits of yoga.

Yoga is actually a traditional therapy, which is developed purely based on the observations and principles regarding the constitution of human beings. Yoga is not only an exercise instruction but also a complete package for the total well being. The science of yoga includes yoga postures called as asanas, meditation and breathing techniques called pranayama. The benefits vary with type of yoga as it is advocated in different combinations such as Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Laya Yoga. However, irrespective of its type, the benefits of yoga in the stress management have been substantiated by modern medicine. The multifaceted benefits of yoga promote it more than a simple exercise.

The physiological benefits of yoga include the enhancement of all major functional systems of the body such as nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, respiratory system, musculoskeletal system and excretory system. It will help to improve the co-ordination and balance the body. The biochemical benefits of yoga such as decrease of LDL cholesterol, glucose and catecholamine will help to prevent all the major fatal diseases and triggers the resilience of the body. Moreover yoga balances the weight of the person without losing its strength through the different stretching asanas.

Psychological benefits are an appealing factor of yoga, which include the regulation of mood related disorders such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. The enhancement of the personal abilities such as learning skills, concentration and memory will also be an added advantage of yoga. The improved social skills and better adaptation with circumstances will also be yet more benefits of yoga. The spiritual benefits of yoga can be the pronouncing effects as the self realization and attainment of the epitome of the consciousness will be the necessity to attain the peace of mind. The command over the thought and breathing will certainly be benefits of practicing yoga.

Yoga is a therapy which provides benefits of a balanced body through the practice of effortless dynamic movements or normalized static movement. The opportunity for the attainment of well being without any strenuous exercise or consumption of any supplements can be considered as the most important benefit of yoga.

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop – Offering White Noise CDs to help block noise and relieve the symptoms of tinnitus, hypertension, colic and more – Visit Hapa Health Information for more articles.

http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com/

http://www.hapahapa.com/

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The January 2007 Yoga teacher training session is just three months away. Make your reservations now and save, with an “early bird” discount.

Aura Wellness Center has weekly classes for Yoga and Pilates. Aura has relocated to downtown Attleboro, MA.

Yoga classes are ongoing. If you are interested in Gentle Restorative Yoga or Vigorous Vinyasa Yoga we have space available for you.

Telephone: 508-222-0092 to reserve your space or for Yoga class information.

You can also contact Marie at: aurayoga2@aol.com

We have Yoga, Pilates, Personal Fitness Training, and many more programs for mind / body health.

Private Yoga training is available.

To see the Aura Wellness Center October schedule in Attleboro, visit:

http://www.riyoga.com/