Archive for November, 2006

By Aasheesh Jain

Losing weight is not an easy task. Shedding those extra pounds of flesh requires you to be consistent in your approach towards weight shedding. You should chalk out a weight loss strategy and stick to it till you get desired level of reduction in your weight. If you keep shuffling from one line of action to another, you would be simply delaying attainment of physical fitness. And it may prove disastrous.

Exercises happen to be best remedial option for obesity or weight gain. Seeing excessive weight gain problems of Americans, the government is advocating efficacy of constant exercise routine in keeping body fit. And among various forms of exercises what’s currently topping the charts is Yoga exercises. Yoga has become a rage in America because of its incredible efficacy in weight shedding.

Yoga is probably one of the safest options for losing weight as it ensures no side effect. If you are resorting to weight loss pills it may affect you adversely when taken the unregulated way. Even a reasonable dosage of weight shedding pills is sure to give you some side effects. On the other hand yoga won’t only help you in shedding weight without side effects; it would also help you in attaining permanent physical fitness.

Yoga exercises must be performed in tune with dietary measures. Yoga postures and pranayama help shed weight through two ways. The first way is to do asana to directly burn the excessively deposited fat. The other way is to improve all physiological functions that help control obesity.

If you are taking up yoga exercises as a solution to your obesity, you must know that yoga won’t give you immediate result. You need to be a little patient. This gradual weight loss process would last from two weeks to six months. If you happen to be making your maiden tryst with yoga, you should better take up easy postures at first. And once you get the comfort level, you can opt for rigorous yoga workouts.

Hatha Yoga exercises have been found exceptionally good to serve the weight loss purpose. If you want to lose weight in lesser time you can resort to hot yoga exercise. To sum up, if you could make yoga a part of your life, you would be able to solve your weight loss problem forever.

To get more information on weight loss, natural weight loss and weight loss tips visit http://www.thelosspill.com/

http://www.thelosspill.com/natural-weight-loss/

http://www.thelosspill.com/weight-loss-tips/

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – December / January Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

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

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

We will be closed December 25, 2006 to January 1, 2007, for Christmas and the New Year.

Aura Wellness Center
21 Park St.
Suite 202, 2nd Floor
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: 508-222-0092
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

By Nicki Agsten

We often lead busy and chaotic lives, cutting corners and ignoring guidelines in an attempt to do something faster, better or more efficiently. In our attempt to fit everything into a busy day we often compromise or gloss over the necessary preparation for yoga that otherwise would enhance the benefits of our yoga practice.

In order to have the ‘ultimate beneficial yoga experience,’ you need to follow certain guidelines and pointers. If you can adapt your practice to take notice of these pointers and incorporate them into your busy day it will improve your yoga practice and you will experience the benefits of yoga more deeply.

When you start your yoga routine, try and RELAX. Let your mind go blank. Give it permission to release the worries of the day. Attempt to bring your focus into you. However, don’t become frustrated if at first you can’t still your racing mind. Often this is exceptionally hard, however with regular yoga meditation practice you will learn to achieve this state of relaxation faster and faster. A good way to start is with 5 to 10 minutes of Savasana (this is the corpse pose).

Now Savasana can be practiced at any time throughout your yoga session, you don’t need to practice it at any particular time, but it is effective in calming the mind and allowing you to focus in on you and the start of your yoga practice. As it assists relaxation, savasana often concludes a yoga class with the teacher usually leading the class through a process of guided meditation.

Once you have your focus centered on you, then concentrate on your BREATHING. It takes a short while to learn to properly breathe in the yogic fashion, however once achieved it will definitely make the practice of the asanas easier. Bear in mind that yogic breathing is different.

To breathe properly in the yoga style, ALWAYS breathe in through the nose unless your instructor tells you otherwise and out through the mouth. Try and make the length of your in breath equal the length of your out breath. When you’re ready, try to co-ordinate the progression of one yoga position to another with your breath. You wish to achieve a flowing motion between breath and movement.

When breathing is established, bring your AWARENESS in to you. By this I mean, focus on what is happening in your body and in your mind while seeking to perfect each yoga pose.

Try to observe or become aware of:

1. How your body feels when it’s in certain positions. If it feels well, then move into the particular yoga position a little further, if your body twinges, then listen to it and back off. You’re not ready for that intensity;

2. What sensations are traveling through your body? Heat, fatigue or even a sense of nothingness. Each has meaning and your yoga practice can be modified to accommodate each sensation;

3. What your breath is doing throughout each yoga pose. Are you using your breath to assist you into the pose?

Most importantly, become aware of what thoughts and feelings course through your body while moving from one asana to the next and practice accepting those thoughts and feelings, without judgment. Just let those thoughts and feelings exist, observe them, without comment!

Now look at the STRUCTURE of your yoga practice. As it is important to balance the body and the mind, you need to structure your poses. Each forward bend should be followed by a backward bend. The poses you do on one side should be done on the other side of your body as well.

Now what is the best TIME to practice yoga? Many say generally in the mornings, just on arising as your mind is clear, free of thoughts and the air is still and quiet, there is no disturbance to interrupt your focus on you and your practice. The second best time to practice yoga is during the evening, those 2-3 hours around sunset. The chaos of the day has abated, and you can focus more clearly.

For many of us these times don’t suit our lifestyles or commitments. So my belief is that yoga can actually be practiced at any time during the day. Whenever you are able to take a block of time for yourself. The only caveat to that is that you shouldn’t practice yoga for at least two hours after a meal. So if early afternoon is a time that you can plan to have free, and be at liberty to focus on you without interruptions, then that is then the best time for you to practice yoga.

The last guideline for a beneficial yoga experience is to consider the PLACE or SPOT to conduct your yoga practice in. What you want is a well ventilated area, but on the other hand not one that is draughty. You need the ventilation as your body will generate heat during the practice of the poses and you will perspire. On the other hand you don’t want a draught in the room to chill and stiffen your muscles.

Also, the spot you choose should be quiet and still. So that your mind doesn’t wander it’s a good idea to choose the same spot for your yoga practice each time. If you’re familiar with the spot, you won’t be focusing on unnecessary things which will leave your mind free to focus on your practice.

If you choose to practice outside in the open air, then try not to practice in a cold breeze or conversely under the hot sun. Use common sense and find a spot that is comfortable for you.

As a final thought, always have something between you and the ground. In that regard a MAT is essential. There are some great mats and meditation pillows to be had which will definitely enhance your experience.

If you follow these simple guidelines, you can be assured that you will benefit from your yoga practice as you will have removed any physical obstacle which may interfere with your ability to build on and further your yoga practice.

For more information on yoga try visiting The-Yoga-Spot.com http://the-yoga-spot.com/index.htm where you’ll find helpful information on how best to practice yoga http://the-yoga-spot.com/Yoga_for_Beginners_and_Those_Going_Back_to_Yoga.htm what the health benefits of a yoga practice are, how the practice of yoga can alleviate back pain as well as information on the styles and types of yoga http://the-yoga-spot.com/Types_of_Yoga_Outlining_Different_Disciplines_and_Styles.htm that you can experience.

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – December / January Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

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

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

We will be closed December 25, 2006 to January 1, 2007, for Christmas and the New Year.

Aura Wellness Center
21 Park St.
Suite 202, 2nd Floor
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: 508-222-0092
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

Yoga For Healthy Life

By Jennifer Miller

Yoga position Relieve from depression, stress, and tension required regular practice of yoga. Yoga is the best exercise to get rid from the disease.

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word meaning join or unite. This implies union between body, mind and soul of the individual to achieve the good health and well being. There are 8 disciplines of yoga which includes

1. Asanas – practice of the yoga postures or position.
2. Dharana- concentration or focus
3. Dhyana- meditation
4. Pranayama- Breathing technique
5. Niyama- Principles of self conduct: purity, self-surrender and satisfaction.
6. Samadhi- the state of higher consciousness where the individual dissolves in the meditation
7. Yama- Universal ethics like sexual restraint, non-stealing, truthfulness, non-violence.
8. Pratyahara- Control of Sense

These are the disciplines of yoga but if person do regular practice of yoga position, meditation and breathing technique. He will get rid from all disease like depression, stress, back pain, high blood pressure, obesity etc.

The yoga position or postures can be classified into the seven categories like

1. Standing yoga position – Chair Position, Eagle Position
2. Forward bends – Child’s Position
3. Sitting yoga position – lotus position, Bound Angle Position
4. Lying position — Corpse position, Fish Position
5. Twisting yoga position
6. Upside down yoga position
7. Back bending yoga position

Research proved that regular practice of yoga position, breathing techniques has many benefits like weight reduction, blood pressure normalize, immune power increase, increase of concentration, increase flexibility of body, detoxification of body system. Scientific experiement proved that yoga and breathing exercise releive stress, tension and calm the body. breathing exercise is the most effective exercise to control the asthama, depression and cool the nervous system

Jennifer Miller is the associate editor to the website http://abhinavexports.com The Website offers yoga books, books on yoga position, yoga for beginner, and wide range of book on yoga and its related topic. Buy books from india online books store, visit http://abhinavexports.com/book.php?id=124 Your feed back comment and suggestions will be highly appreciated at jennifer.84.miller@gmail.com

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – December / January Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

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

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

We will be closed December 25, 2006 to January 1, 2007, for Christmas and the New Year.

Aura Wellness Center
21 Park St.
Suite 202, 2nd Floor
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: 508-222-0092
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

By Michelle Bery

Yoga – the ancient art of breathing and stretching – has long been favored as a natural way to achieve optimal fitness and ward off stress. Today, more and more people are turning to yoga to help them achieve what traditional exercise has not – a mind/body connection that offers a greater level of health and inner peace.

Yoga positions consist of holding certain postures of the body while performing deep and precise breathing techniques. There are many types of yoga practice to which different people prescribe but there is a common thread that unites all sects of yoga. They all have various postures or positions that are common to yoga in general.

Some common yoga positions include:

Seated Yoga Position – Seated yoga positions often focus on learning disciplined breathing techniques. Participants sit cross legged in an erect position and learn to control their diaphragm and let their breathing work for them.

Standing Yoga Position – Standing yoga positions concentrates on improving flexibility and spinal alignment while still utilizing breathing techniques.

Supine Yoga Position – Supine yoga positions lengthen and strengthen the spinal column thus benefiting parts of the back.

Belly Down Yoga Position – Belly down yoga positions concentrate on abs and upper body strength. Participants are asked to lift themselves from the ground and perform a series of stretch positions in a fluid motion.

Balancing Yoga Position – Balancing yoga positions improve flexibility and strengthen back and abdominal muscles. Holding a particular position for an extended period of time while balancing body weight uses muscles much more then you would think.

Twisting Yoga Position – Twisting yoga positions stretch the body – most significantly the spinal column.

Yoga can be a wonderful way to tone your body, increase flexibility, improve cardiovascular function, and lower stress. Research yoga online or turn to professionals who practice and teach yoga. A local class can be just the thing to turn you on to the benefits of yoga positions.

For easy to understand, in depth information about yoga visit our ezGuide 2 Yoga.

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Become a Yoga Teacher
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Attleboro Yoga Classes – December / January Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

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

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

We will be closed December 25, 2006 to January 1, 2007, for Christmas and the New Year.

Aura Wellness Center
21 Park St.
Suite 202, 2nd Floor
Attleboro, MA 02703
Phone: 508-222-0092
Web: 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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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Prana, which is also known as vital energy, is in the air, our bodies, and objects around us. One of my students remarked that Prana could not be in his Yoga mat, since it was an inanimate object.

After all, his Yoga mat was not a living being, so how could it contain Prana? How could ancient Yogis know of the existence of Prana about 5,000 years ago?

We cannot visibly see vital energy? None of us can see the mind create ideas either. Yet the mind creates ideas, and we put them into action, with our voice and hands. So, Prana is not an object.

We cannot see a Yoga mat move, but it is moving all the time – at the atomic level. In fact, your Yoga mat is full of open space at the atomic level. Electrons are flying around in many open spaces within your Yoga mat.

On the other hand, we are born, live, and die, on planet Earth, a moving object, which does not appear to be moving at all. The universe is infinitely vast and infinitely small, at the same time. Prana is the power behind the perpetual movement of the universe. We now know that the universe is moving at every level.

Within Prasna Upinshad, Chapter 2, Verse 5, Prana is described in this way: “It burns as fire. It is the sun, rain, Indra, wind, earth, and it is food. It is the luminous god. It is being and non-being. It is immortality.” To go a bit further on this point, you can see Prana is a power that is everywhere, is not an object, and apparently is difficult for the human mind to define.

We are smug and take our ability to learn for granted. At the touch of our finger tips, the Internet gives us much more access to knowledge than ancient Yogis had in all of their scriptures, and in any other scriptures that existed, on earth, at that time.

However, the ancient Yogis took the time to observe nature and the cosmos. They were in tune with their surroundings and the natural laws of the universe. The ancient Yogis did not have to waste their time with spam and disinformation. Achievements and mistakes are always made, but they documented them, so we could learn from them.

Without tools, computers, or machines, Pranayama is a method to alter Prana at a level, in which the human mind can easily comprehend. Pranayama is Yoga’s answer to regulating Prana, with the breath.

In Yoga, Pranayama can be used to heal in times of need. Pranayama is useful for stress, grief, anxiety, nervousness, and many more ailments, which plague mankind, but Pranayama should be learned with the guidance of a competent Yoga teacher.

For physical health, Pranayama is the most important of Hatha Yoga’s many methods.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, will be closed November 22 – 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

The best to you and your families.

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

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
Web: 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 Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga helps all of us discover self-awareness. Stop, ponder, and become aware of the situations, in life, which cause you the most stress. What kind of stress sends you “off the deep end?” When you become aware of what causes stressful situations, in your daily life, it is time to develop a pro-active plan to manage your health.

Yoga contains many Pranayama techniques for stressful situations. Natural breath, Dirgha Pranayama, Kapalabhati Pranayama, and Ujjayi are just a few of the many useful Pranayama techniques you can learn in a typical Hatha Yoga class.

Once you learn these Pranayama techniques, you can easily incorporate them into your daily life. Many Yoga instructors ask their students to practice Yoga techniques such as: Pranayama, asanas, meditation, and moderate eating habits at home, but unfortunately, the day is busy with many tasks. What is the solution?

If you intend to make a positive change in life, through Yoga practice, you must make some time for yourself. Set an appointment aside for you to practice Yoga at home. If this is not possible, you should set aside some time for formal Yoga instruction, with the guidance of a competent Yoga teacher or Guru.

Many students of Yoga feel more energized, and much less stressed, after Yoga instruction, than before. This is interesting when you consider that the most common reason people do not attend Yoga classes, more often, is that they feel too tired. These same people, who do not attend Yoga classes often, complain about insomnia and irregular sleep patterns.

This is a stress, fatigue, worry, and insomnia cycle, which will “shave years off” your life, while draining you of life energy. We know that the body contains energy; in Yoga, we call it Prana. You have the power to recharge your life energy through Pranayama, or you can get medical prescriptions.

Why would doctors of western medicine recommend prescriptions, in the above- mentioned case? Many doctors are burdened with patients who refuse to be pro-active about their health. Remember the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.”

Yoga practice is the “water,” which will break the stress, fatigue, worry, and insomnia cycle, but only a comparative small number of people, on this planet, are pro-active about health. Do you think this is cynical?

Consider this: If everyone was pro-active about health, the tobacco industry would have already diversified to selling health products. There would be more health clubs than liquor stores – if all of us took action.

Also, the fast food industry would be geared toward serving more quality products and would have more vegetarian choices on the menu. Industries “sprout up” to meet consumer demand. If we collectively demand more healthy products; we will receive them.

Yoga has many solutions for stress and complete health, but all of us have to take responsibility for our own health. The public cannot expect the pharmaceutical industry to produce “magic pills” to compensate for poor health habits.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, will be closed November 22 – 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

The best to you and your families.

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

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
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

——————————————–
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
——————————————–
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 Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga training gives us empowerment. Among the many powers we receive from regular Yoga practice is the power to say “no.” How often do you fill your plate with excessive obligations? Do you take on problems, which cannot be helped? We are not talking about getting away from your responsibilities. Some of us have a terrible time saying no to people who waste our time.

Here is an example: A co-worker has had the same problem, day in, day out, for years, and calls you on the telephone, about her problem, at your home. You have errands to run, for your family, but this co-worker spends the better part of an hour using you for a “sounding board.” You have given her advice, but she never listens because she is too busy complaining to consider listening to you or solving her problem.

Your Yoga teacher talks about mindfulness and loving kindness toward others all the time. What can you do? Do not pick up the phone or try to handle this person’s problems. You have given this person advice and she refuses to listen.

Your Yoga teacher has discussed “living in the moment.” Your objective is to make positive changes, now, for a brighter future. You cannot do that, if you are listening to the same problem over, and over, again. What is the best course of action?

As Yoga practitioners, we should show loving kindness, mindfulness, and help others whenever it is possible, but we cannot help anyone who refuses to take responsibility for his or her life.

When you empathically listen to your friends, family, and associates; you are giving your time, and this is a form of Karma Yoga, but you cannot afford to absorb their stress. See negative energy for what it is. When a person is full of negative thought, and you cannot help, you will, most likely, absorb this energy in the form of stress.

Now, let’s look at some other ways, in which, Yoga will help us with every day stress. Consider your “total health picture.” What you eat and drink can also cause stress. Caffeine, which speeds the heart rate and shortens your breath, can be found in coffee, tea, soda, hot cocoa, and chocolate.

How fast do you eat? How much do you eat at one sitting? How much sleep do you get per night? All of these factors can be modified to manage your stress levels. Yoga teaches us that moderation is the key to good health. The results of steady Yoga practice will be reflected by living a less stressful lifestyle and making a change.

One last point to mention: Many of us worry about the future, causing us even more stress. Yoga practice teaches us to live in the present moment. The future has many variables, and we cannot see all of them. Preparation and pro-active behavior should be geared toward finding solutions, instead of worrying. It is normal to worry, but we all know it is a waste of time. How often do the things you worry about really happen?

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, will be closed November 22 – 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

The best to you and your families.

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

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
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Does world peace seem like a fantasy? What is the number one obstruction to world peace? How can we overcome such a powerful obstruction, with Yoga? Does Yoga meditation give us the answer?

The ego is the largest obstruction to world peace. One person’s ego can affect the collective consciousness of an entire country and the world. Consider history’s most famous conquerors and tyrants; their personal ambitions became an excuse to justify sacrifice, cruelty, and warfare.

What starts out as a personal matter can become a social dilemma, if one person has the influence, and an ego, which is out of control. Each of us has an ego, but we often ask others to put their egos aside before we do. We are right and they are wrong. We imply that they should listen to our side of the debate first.

How is it possible to restrain the ego? How can Yoga help control the Ego?

Yoga is designed to take care of the health of a single person. In many ways, Yoga travels to the core of the human mind, body, and spirit. One method allows an individual’s mind to be isolated through Yoga meditation practice. Yoga meditation allows the mind to withdraw from the “pains and aches of society.”

What do I mean by the pains and aches of society? Unfortunately, no society is perfect. Speak to any social worker about poverty and injustice. Each social worker receives a “bird’s eye” view of social injustice. Over the years, I have taught many social workers in my Yoga classes.

It is apparent that they came to Yoga class as a sanctuary.
Why would social workers need a Yoga class for sanctuary?

Social workers feel empathy, without ego, and they want to make a positive difference in modern society. They clearly see social illness, and inadequacy, on a daily basis.

How else could Yoga meditation overcome the ego? The mind withdraws from society, distractions, and multi-tasking, which forces the mind to look at itself. Yoga meditation is a systematic healing process for the individual and a remedy for society’s short comings.

In a recent conversation with a Yoga teacher, he mentioned how Yoga meditation is considered, by the public, to be “time spent doing nothing.” He completely understood the deeper value and benefits of meditation, but was concerned about how to reach his Yoga students, with overactive minds. After all, most of them would rather perform asanas than spend time meditating in a Yoga class.

The answer is: We will have to educate them, wait for them to age, or wait for the time, when they can appreciate the meditative aspects of Yoga. If Yoga students were trained to meditate as children, they would appreciate the many benefits of Yoga meditation at this moment. However, we cannot force a person to instantly meditate and “see the light.”

In order for meditation to take place, the mind must be willing to look at itself. When the collective consciousness of a society meditates on a regular basis, it will be reflected by peaceful behavior.

Yoga Meditation is a wonderful resource for mankind because it can bring the mind to a state of peace with itself. A global society, which has an addiction to multi-tasking, needs time to “unplug” itself, and Yoga meditation offers realistic solutions.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, will be closed November 22 – 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

The best to you and your families.

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

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
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

By Varun Veer

There are many factors that influence the quality of your yoga practice and your satisfaction with the overall experience. These factors range from the style of yoga you practice, the instructor you choose through to the environment in which you practice. Some of the factors you can easily control, others may be more dependent on what’s available to you. When starting out practicing yoga, you should keep searching for the perfect combination that makes your practice the most satisfying and enjoyable.

There are however three factors that are 100% under your control, that affect not only your enjoyment of your practice, but just as importantly, the benefits you receive from each practice.

Challenge yourself

One of the purposes of yoga, like every exercise regime, is to incrementally improve your body’s physical capabilities. Yoga of course has the added advantage that it also helps to improve many aspects of your health and well-being that general exercise cannot.

Even with these increased benefits, yoga is not a magic cure-all. Achieving these benefits requires your commitment and effort each time you practice. Achieving incremental improvements to your capabilities requires (and allows) you to further challenge your own physical limitations. Over time gradual improvements result in large gains in your yoga abilities and the health benefits of your practice.

In every posture you should be looking to make sure first that you are stable and comfortable in the posture. You should then be aiming to slowly and smoothly deepen the stretch as far as it remains pain free for you to do so. In all postures you should feel the stretch in the relevant muscles and deepen into the stretch in a controlled manner to avoid damaging your muscles and ligaments. You should challenge your own abilities in order to achieve new yoga abilities, but also listen carefully to your body to know when to stop.

Breathe

There is a lot of discussion and research into the importance and health benefits of yoga breathing. While these may well prove to be real benefits, adopting relaxed, controlled yoga breathing definitely helps to improve your overall yoga practice.

The natural tendency, when practicing an asana (yoga posture) that tests your physical abilities, is to shorten your breath and in some cases, to start breathing through your mouth. This stressful breathing technique encourages you to tense your muscles and fight against the asana and the stretch. This is the opposite of the desired state for practicing yoga. Instead it’s important that you concentrate on your breathing, completing a long, controlled inhale exhale cycle that fills your lungs to capture the maximum amount of oxygen for each breath. Focusing on your breathing in this way, helps you to remain relaxed and allows you to be more aware of your physical condition enabling you to better feel the stretch, be aware of tension in your muscles and concentrate on releasing that tension and loosen to muscles you’re working on. Through this increased awareness of what you body is telling you and by noticing and releasing tension in your muscles, it’s easier to accept each stretch and go deeper into each asana and hold it for longer without injury.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

As with all exercise, the benefits only come with a commitment to regular practice. Only through regular practice of exercise does the body start to develop, strengthen, adapt and change according to the physical demands you are placing on it. Practicing yoga is no different. Regular practice helps to build the muscle strength required to hold asanas. More than that, you’ll develop increased lung capacity and provide the regular stimulation to the internal organs that helps balance chemical and hormone levels. Frequent practice helps to learn any new skill or ability and yoga is no different. In particular repetition helps your body learn the correct position balancing postures, to the extent that it becomes second nature – just like riding a bike. Another area where frequent practice is highly beneficial is learning how to slow and calm your mind, to purge your thoughts of the worries and stresses of the day.

Varun Veer is a professional Yoga instructor with more then 30 years of practice experience. He is the author of 2 books and many yoga videos. Visit Varun at http://www.TotalYogaPractice.com

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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, will be closed November 22 – 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

The best to you and your families.

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

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
Web: http://www.riyoga.com

By Jennifer Jordan

From energy drinks to energy bars, energy is something sought by people each day. Everything is made up of energy. Energy is pulsation – a pulsation that moves in a wave-like rhythm flowing up and flowing down. We may think we need to grab for energy outside of us in order to have more energy inside to function. What we really need is to learn how to balance the energy that is pulsing within us. While it may seem easy and convenient to purchase an energy product on the way to work, consuming it as you sit in traffic, quick energy fixes only lead to crashes later on. Instead, balance your energy with yoga a natural way to keep you invigorated throughout your day.

Practicing yoga is a great way to energize your day. Yoga helps release tension and clear blockages, allowing energy to flow freely, creating an overall sense of vitality and well-being. Yoga poses don’t create energy, they release energy and they also keep us from expending energy in activities that don’t do anything for us. Often we have so much tension stored in our bodies that we are forced to use our energy for support. If we can release that tension, we will be free to use this energy for whatever we really want to do.

Yoga helps you Manage Stress

Stress is a natural part of life’s pulsation. Stress can be motivating or disabling. Poor stress management drains energy out of the body, leaving you tired and unmotivated. Yoga helps you manage the accumulation of stress by helping you consciously release it. The mindfulness aspect of yoga trains the mind to focus on body sensations, to bring the body-mind back into synch. Naturally stress begins to rapidly diminish. Restoration and rejuvenation arise from the body’s ability to self-regulate as the mind-body duality diminishes.

Yoga Tones Muscles

Life is movement and movement is life – how we move can bring balance or imbalance to our muscle tone. The practice of connecting to your breath stimulates the body’s natural intelligence to move into alignment when performing yoga poses. Therefore, the integration in the body develops balanced muscle tone and increased energy.A person’s energy level is dictated by their metabolic rate, the rate at which their body is able to convert substances into energy. The expedience of this rate is based on a person’s metabolism, a process that is contingent on their muscle mass; a person with more muscle tone will have a vastly higher metabolism than someone who has a small amount of muscle mass. In other words, a person with good muscle tone will have much more energy that someone whose muscular tone is minimal.

Yoga Stimulates Blood Flow

Yoga stimulates a person’s body into an open highway, unclogging avenues through which blood, oxygen, and nutrients – all elements of energy – can travel. The way yoga does this is by cultivating balanced action when performing yoga poses… Balanced action is when we engage enough muscular energy to create stability and strength in a pose balanced with organic energy, extension through the bones, to create freedom in the joints. The breath always leads the way- it is what fuels the vehicle of the body into contraction and expansion of the body’s natural pulsation.

Balanced action helps your body to become flexible. Because a person may have a restriction that they are unaware of, gaining flexibility helps energy get to its destination with ease. Breathing, along these lines, helps oxygenate the blood, helping drive the life force of energy to muscles, organs, and any part of the body that is need of some reserves.

Yoga is Vitality

Yoga provides a direct route for tapping into your true self: a self that, by nature, is fluid and vital, not rigid and dull. All yoga postures are expressions of your true self. When the postures are practiced with mindfulness and meaning they naturally shift you out of a habitual negative rut or help you celebrate the joy that you brought to the mat. Yoga brings self awareness to our habitual patterns that either support the expression of one’s true heart or not. From this place of clarity we can then make life-affirming choices.

People can find energy in many things – protein shakes, energy powders, even energy pills – but yoga remains one of the most natural and effective ways to balance the energy in your body, giving you the ability to make the most of each and every day.

About us: 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 http://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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Attleboro Yoga Classes – November Schedule
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Dear Yoga Enthusiasts,

Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, will be closed November 22 – 25 in observance of Thanksgiving.

The best to you and your families.

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

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
Web: http://www.riyoga.com