Yoga Buzz

Who is Swami Ramdev?

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:52:51 +0000

Swami Ramdev just finished conducting two "camps" in New York and New Jersey, yet, unlike B.K.S. Iyengar and others, he is not a household name in America. He is particularly well-known for his efforts in popularizing pranayama and yoga (which he pronounces "yog") in India and Europe. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is quoted as saying "If an individual can be credited with reviving yoga in this country (India), it is solely Swami Ramdev. Yoga can cure even fatal diseases and Swami Ramdev has definitely proved it time and again." Do you follow Swami Ramdev? What have you learned from his style of yoga?

Another reason to go green

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:29:13 +0000

Maybe you've quit caffeine because you think it undermines the peace and balance that comes from your yoga practice. But, in addition to its cancer-preventing properties, here's another reason to drink green tea: A study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation showed that green tea improves blood flow and the ability of arteries to relax, thus helping to prevent heart disease, reports Reuters. Are you a green tea drinker? If so, why? Which type do you like best?

Take five

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:00:14 +0000

Sherry Zak Morris, who co-owns The Yoga Vista Studio in Vista, Calif., and Gayna Scott have created a simple way to learn about health, nutrition, yoga, meditation, and more. The website www.take5moment.com is a library of five-minute informative videos. Let me know what you think.

Meditation, yoga might affect your genes

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:30:08 +0000

Researchers have discovered how meditation and yoga improve health, reports The Washington Post. "It's not all in your head," said Dr. Herbert Benson, president emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "What we have found is that when you evoke the relaxation response, the very genes that are turned on or off by stress are turned the other way. The mind can actively turn on and turn off genes. The mind is not separated from the body."

"We all are under stress and have many manifestations of that stress," Benson added. "To adequately protect ourselves against stress, we should use an approach and a technique that we believe evokes the relaxation response 20 minutes, once a day."

I'm sure many yogis out there are not surprised by this news, but did you ever think yoga might actually be affecting your genes?

Phoning it in

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:23:07 +0000

Some New Yorkers are bringing their phones to the mat. Why? Because a group of yoga instructors are now offering "one-on-one phone yoga sessions for clients who are out of town but in need of a holistic workout," reports the New York Daily News. "Phone yoga has been adopted by a group of students at Namaste New York, which offers yoga, Pilates, massage therapy and nutrition counseling. They are all intermediate or advanced level pupils who normally have in-person solo lessons, but because of work or family demands, occasionally need an alternative." Is this something your would be will to try as a student, or offer as a yoga teacher?

Yoga event straddles US-Mexico border fence

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:10:26 +0000

On June 22nd, a group of yogis rolled out their mats on both sides of the fence that separates Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego. "The international group stretched and meditated together before exchanging hugs through the fence bars," reports the Associated Press. "The session was organized by the Border Meetup Group, which promotes cross-border understanding by staging social events on the divided beach." Did anyone participate? What do you think about using yoga "to make friends across cultural, political, societal, even emotional barriers?"

Vegan diet and yoga fight cancer

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:08:40 +0000

If you are a vegan yogis, you are already well on your way to fighting prostate cancer. Researchers found that this combination "seems to switch on genes that fight disease, while effectively turning off others that can promote cancer," reports the U.K.'s Telegraph. The findings were reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Dean Ornish, working with Dr. Christopher Haqq and Prof. Peter Carroll. How has a vegan diet and yoga affected your health?

It's official: September is National Yoga Month

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:52:51 +0000

You may have read Friday's entry about Yoga Month with some interest. But now, according to The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, September is officially National Yoga Month (just like October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month). Visit http://www.healthfinder.gov/library/nho/nho.asp?year=2008#527 for more info. How, if at all, do you think this will affect the yoga community?

Join the yoga health revolution

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:00:41 +0000

Well, if you are reading this, you probably already have joined the yoga health revolution. But if you sign up at yogamonth.org, you can receive an eNews bulletin. What's yoga month? "Yoga Month is a year-round campaign and will peak Sept. 2008 with the 10 City Yoga Health Festival Tour and with millions of health & social conscious individuals practicing yoga at thousands of yoga studios and homes around the world." Many yoga studios and teachers have already promised to participate. To find an event near you, visit http://yogamonth.org/event/index.php. Tickets are as little as $25. Does this interest you?

This mat is automatic, it's systematic, it's hydromatic, why, it's YogaMatic!

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:16:52 +0000

Did you get my Grease reference? Anyway, have you ever wanted to design your own yoga mat? Then check out www.yogamatic.com. You can create an eco-friendly yoga mat using your own photo or artwork. Put a photo of your baby/boyfriend/wife on a mat, so you can give them a kiss every time you move into Chaturanga Dandasana. Snuggle up with your pet during Savasana. The possibilities are endless . . .

Do you dream of teaching yoga on a yacht?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:52:10 +0000

If so, you'll want to visit Hands Om Crew ( www.handsomcrew.com), a crew placement agency that connects yoga and massage therapist practitioners with yacht owners. Hands OM Crew was founded by Denise Dobbs after she had retired from ten years of service in the yachting industry as a massage therapist. Has anyone ever worked on a yacht?

Dude, where's my yoga mat?

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:41:20 +0000

Yoga and surfing: two great tastes that taste great together? Totally dude, according to Liquid Yoga + Surf. And now is the perfect time to check out their New York-based classes, clinics, workshops, and camps. For more information, visit www.liquidyogaandsurf.com. On the West Coast, try www.yogaforsurfers.com or www.surfingyoga.com. Can the surfers out there recommend other classes or workshops?

Olympic Yoga?

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:55:53 +0000

Should yoga become an Olympic event? According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, members of the competitive yoga movement (many are Bikram yogis) hope to win over the International Olympic Commission in time for the 2020 summer games. What do you think?

Yoga action figures!

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:08:37 +0000

Not just for kids, yoga action figures were created by yoga teacher Raymond D. Fogleman to help new students with their home practice. The "3-D Yogis and Yoginis Box of Poses" set is made with recycled plastic, paper, and cardboard, costs $29.99 and is available on Fogleman's website, www.rayzodyssey.com. Would you use these to help your practice, or maybe just to pass the time while on a long conference call?

Talk radio with a yogic spin

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:10:40 +0000

I admit it, talk radio makes me cringe. But, aha!, here is something yogis might find interesting. It's a new radio program called Beat the Health Out of You (www.beatthehealthoutofyou.com). You can listen in on Sundays, from 1-2 pm central time, at www.710kcmo.com. The show is hosted by yoga teacher Sumya Anani. For more on Anani, visit www.sumya.com. And let me know if you listen in this weekend.