...er trained the first Yoga student, there had to be a bonding for the relationship to progress, and for Hatha Yoga to flourish into the many physical Yoga sub-styles, we see to this day.

There are times when, despite all the verbal cueing skills imaginable, a Yoga teacher must make a physical assist. No matter what is said, some Yoga students will learn more from a solid assist than by cueing. This helps a student feel where he or she should be. A verbal explanation is close, but is not the same as feeling proper alignment while an Asana is practiced.

This is difficult, if you are from a culture where men and women do not casually touch each other. Sometimes, some students just do not feel comfortable getting physical assist from their Yoga teacher. So, what do you do?

Firstly, before giving an assist, during Asana practice, a Yoga teacher should ask permission. If anyon...more

Is Yoga a Myth?

... all for it. However, yoga is all about what you make of it. Every class is a unique experience based on what you want from the class, how much you can focus and how hard you wish to push your body. now, as for the heart attack issue, yoga helps to relieve stress through rhythmic breathing techniques and physical exercise. Stress, for example, has been scientifically demonstrated to CONTRIBUTE, not cause, heart disease. If yoga can alleviate that, then the benefits, or potential benefits are immediately obvious. Yoga will not make you live forever and everyone is different. Genetics play a huge role. Perfectly healthy people die all the time simply because their bodies were making too much cholesterol. Diet and exercise could not save these people. Essentially, the example of the 96 year old yogi is much like saying that yoga can make you a blond when you were o...more

Yoga for kids: Building Self-Image, Part 1

... look at the positive aspects for children within a typical kids Yoga class. Although, Yoga is a vast subject, and there are a number of topics to discuss; children are better off being taught to focus on four components within a Hatha Yoga class.

These four components are posture, breathing, relaxing, and meditation. A child will find all four of these subjects easy to grasp, but all of them are a challenge. For many kids, the relaxation and meditation are easy to understand, but mastering them is another matter.

Now, lets look at how a Yoga class for a child can have a profound and positive impact on his or her self-imag...more

Yoga for Brain Injury

...For people recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion or head trauma, yoga offers gentle exercise with therapeutic benefits. Many survivors find themselves unable to pursue former ways of staying in shape. Balance difficulties, loss of motor control, vertigo, and neck injuries limit physical activity, further restricting an already curtailed lifestyle. Fortunately, a yoga practice can adapt itself to any illness or injury, lending itself particularly well to TBI recovery.

Where to start? With yoga's recent popularity in the West, students can now choose anything from hot yoga to kundalini to Ashtanga. People with neck or back injuries in addition to head trauma probably want to begin with a teacher trained in iyengar yoga, which uses props to support proper alignment without strain. kripalu trained teachers also tend to offer calmer, restorative classes. Any yoga class that emphasizes flow (not too fast, though) will help retrain sequential processing-an advantage for people who suffered damage to their left-brain or rational side. A vinyasa sequence links breath and movement, emphasizing step-by-step progression in a set order. learning and remembering such movements through repetition becomes a form of cognitive therapy.

Before beginning a yoga practice, survivors should...more

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