Breathing Room leaves space for beginners - Yale Daily News

By Natasha Thondavadi

Breathing Room, a boutique yoga studio located in Federal Plaza, took me by surprise when I went there to attend a class Monday. I didn’t expect to find a trendy yoga studio in a somewhat-unmarked stairwell behind the courthouse. The décor features a mixture of urban grunge elements, such as an unfurnished brick wall, uncovered scaffolding and exposed piping, and more typical yoga fixtures, from Japanese lanterns to bamboo plants. After a long, stressful Monday, I appreciated the familiarity of soothing music and ambient candles, but that was the limit of the similarity between Breathing Room and previous yoga studios I had visited.

Breathing Room describes Yin Yoga, the style of the class I attended, as “a complementary yoga practice to the other more dynamic and invigorating yoga styles offered.” Yin Yoga emphasizes deep stretching and passive floor postures. At first glance, this just seemed like normal yoga stretching, but the class was much more than that. The instructor introduced a series of poses, urging us to hold each one for slightly under 10 minutes (which felt more like half an hour in my head). Due to a combination of inexperience and clumsiness, I often got these poses completely wrong on my own, but the instructor made an effort to check each student’s posture before leaving us to hold the pose. The session I attended consisted of only four students, including myself, which led to an incredible amount of personal attention.

The charm of the session was supplemented by its meditative elements. While we held each pose, the instructor read inspirational passages from a book. If you need silence to meditate, this may not be the best place for you, but the guiding nature of the passages helped me to focus my thoughts. The last segment of the class gave us an opportunity to meditate independently as the instructor rubbed a soothing oil, which she referred to as a “life force,” on our heads and necks, relieving the tension that had built up over the previous hour.

I left Breathing Room feeling refreshed and ready to do my innumerable hours of reading. The studio made me feel at ease and offered a smaller, less intimidating option than Payne Whitney. The majority of classes are held after 5 p.m., and the studio allows participants to pay for each session individually, allowing flexibility for busy schedules. The studio also offers class packages, such as five-class or 10-class cards, and provides a discount to students. Yoga supplies, including mats, blankets and props, are provided free of charge, and water is available for purchase. With its chill attitude toward achieving inner peace, Breathing Room provides an experience appropriate for busy students and professionals alike.

Yoga for every body: Exploring yoga through classes - Arizona Daily Star

Now that you've decided to explore the benefits of yoga, how do you know what kind of yoga to do?

The first question is, should you join a class or take yoga privately? There are good reasons for each. We'll look at that in two parts. Today's column is about joining a yoga class.

In ancient times, yoga classes were for children usually between 8 and 18. Adults always studied privately. However, we don't live in ancient times and we're not all between 8 and 18, so why go to a class?

A yoga class is a good way to "dip your toes in the water" before you jump in. It's also a good way to find a community of people who share some of your goals.

Another good reason to take a class, or several, is that it gives you an opportunity to try out some of the many styles of yoga. That way you can determine what feels right for you.

Yoga should leave you feeling balanced, alert and calm all at the same time. It is an internal exploration that will leave you with a sense of self-empowerment and well-being.

Yoga should never exhaust you, although it may call upon you to work in a strong way.

According to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 2.46, asanas (postures) are steady and comfortable.

Another criterion is the teacher. Yoga is an experiential practice, so teachers should have regular personal practices of their own.

Of course you want someone well-qualified and knowledgeable. Often instructors will be registered with the Yoga Alliance, but not always.

When I began teaching, there was no registry and students had to be discerning. Whether a teacher is registered or not, you still must be discerning.

A good teacher guides you with an open heart and has a clear understanding of the science of yoga and an ability to modify and adapt postures appropriately to enhance your practice while keeping you injury-free.

A good instructor will lead you toward a more peaceful and fuller sense of yourself while gently challenging your abilities.

Once you've found a class and teacher that fit, you're ready to embrace your yoga journey … enjoy the ride!

E-mail Vicki Jackson at foothills@azstarnet.com

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Lilias! Yoga Workout Series Daily Routines for Beginners (Boxed Set) [VHS]

Yoga has become wildly popular among many age groups because of its immense benefits to the skeletal and muscular structure (not to mention the meditative calm that can be achieved through practice). Denise Austin: Xtralite, Beginner's Yoga Essentials delivers a basic workout that explains the core postures and functions of yoga. If Denise Austin is one of your favorites, this format and approach will suit you well. Austin exhibits the energy and enthusiasm that she is known for while teaching this session in an approachable and uncomplicated manner. The 40-minute workout comprises four sections that range in difficulty and focal points. The first of these sets spotlights floor postures with a range of movements from back bends to forward bends. These poses lengthen and limber the hamstring and lower back muscles while putting minimal strain on the joints of the legs. The second segment works on standing postures to increase strength, stamina, and balance. The mountain, triangle, and tree poses are demonstrated here and concentration is essential to keep steady grounding. Cueing lacks some important safety info here (example: not extending the knee over the toe while in lunge position), but with some attention to Austin's body alignment, even the true beginner should be able to pick up the correct form. The sun salutation combines 12 successive movements within the third set and will make you sweat with the constant motion and deep poses. The final portion teaches relaxation and breathing techniques that are central to any yoga practice. Terminology throughout this workout may differ slightly from other yoga classes, but the basics of the practice are provided with that straightforward Denise Austin energy. You will need a mat or towel and a strap. --Olivia Voigts

Price: $19.95

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US magazine slammed for oversexualization of yoga - Daily News & Analysis

The 'oversexualization' of yoga in a US magazine has received criticism, as not everyone is happy to see the practice portrayed in a sexy, commercial context.

The October issue of Yoga Journal has a black and white Toesox ad featuring well-known yoga teacher Kathryn Budig in a variation on a handstand, reports the Globe and Mail.

Apart from a pair of the organic-cotton non-slip yoga socks, she's naked, strategically positioned to reveal no body parts that would be considered scandalous on Sesame Street.

Respected fitness photographer Jasper Johal has shot the image.

Judith Hanson Lasater, one of the founding editors of Yoga Journal 35 years ago, wrote a letter to the magazine that ran in its September issue.

In it, she expressed her sadness and confusion over the "photos of naked or half-naked women" and how they relate to the practice of yoga.

Yoga blogs and message boards jumped on her response, mostly in agreement.

"Hats off to Judith for having the courage to speak out against sexualized yoga advertising!" wrote Montrealer Roseanne Harvey on itsallyogababy.com.

"Everyone thinks they know what yoga is and it's become just about asana [poses] and body," said Hanson Lasater, the former Yoga Journal editor.

"[Nudity] is a natural thing and not a bad thing.

I love beauty in all its forms, but is this objectification what we want to combine with yoga? ," she added.

Kaitlin Quistgaard, Yoga Journal's editor-in-chief, doesn't think readers are necessarily prudish or unaware of the way advertising works.

"It's that they're protective of yoga," she said.

"They might subscribe to Yoga Journal and also to Vogue ... and have different expectations," she added.

ENDS CS
NNNN

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New yoga club aims to relieve students' stress - RU Daily Targum

Not Just Yoga, a campus organization catering to students interested in yoga and meditation, seeks to provide students a refuge from the chaos of campus life.

Bhaskar Mitra, a School of Engineering postdoctoral associate, founded the club early last year.

"[Not Just Yoga is] an organization dedicated to relieving stress via healthy methods," said club President Justine D'Souza.

At a standard club meeting, members engage in meditation, practice breathing techniques and hold discussions.

"It's also a good outlet for people interested in peace and spirituality," D'Souza said.

But as the name suggests, Not Just Yoga goes beyond the realm of yoga mats and breathing exercises. Members also volunteer and give back to the community.

"[Not Just Yoga] offers members the opportunities to participate in community service initiatives throughout the semester," club administrator Najuk Mehta said. "Whether it's tutoring elementary school children after hours or spreading smiles across the campus with the ‘RU Smiling' campaign."

Club leaders also host "De-Stress" events for students in the University's residence halls with other campus organizations.

"Any student would benefit from this organization," D'Souza said. "Everyone endures tension and experiences difficulty in managing it single-handedly."

D'Souza spoke from experience.

"There was one meeting where I was really tense, because I had so many things to do after the meeting," she said. "After participating in the meeting's meditation, however, I felt great. I thought to myself, ‘If I can bring this to others, I can't wait to do so.'"

Mehta elaborated on the club's benefits. Unlike everyday activities, programs at Not Just Yoga put members in tune with themselves and bring them to a new level of understanding, she said.

"It's amazing what we don't notice about ourselves day in and day out," Mehta said. "We get stuck in the same patterns, and we often miss simple truths. But with a little awareness and wisdom, we can look deeper into these patterns of the mind and can be much more free and relaxed, enjoying the present far more."

School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Emily Chou expressed interest in joining Not Just Yoga.

"I currently take yoga classes at the College Avenue Gym," Chou said. "It's really relaxing and calming because it makes you forget your stress. A club about yoga would be beneficial to all the students, especially during exam time. I'd definitely like to attend."

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Yoga festival in Millis this Saturday - MetroWest Daily News

The 25th annual New England Kundalini Yoga Festival will be held on the grounds of The Baba Siri Chand Yoga Center at 368 Village Street, off of Rte. 109, in Millis on Saturday, Oct. 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The festival will feature an entire day of yoga classes, kirtan, performances, shopping, practitioners of healing arts such as massage and Reiki, and more.

Admission to the full festival is $89 for the entire day or a $10 donation for entrance to just the shopping bazaar. A catered vegetarian meal provided by Whole Foods in Bellingham is an additional $10.

For more information, call the yoga center at 508-376-4525 or visit www.YogaAtTheAshram.org.

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Yoga expert to hold class in Wausau - Wausau Daily Herald

Yoga expert and founder of the television show ?Namaste Yoga? will teach a workshop this weekend in Wausau through the Woodson YMCA.

Kate Potter, 49, of Vancouver, Canada, will lead the workshop Friday through Sunday at Camp Sturtevant, 2701 Northwestern Ave. in Wausau.

Wausau is lucky to have a visit from a top yogini, or female yoga expert, said YMCA yoga instructor Celine Kline of Wausau.

?There is definitely a yoga movement across the United States, and this is a good opportunity for anyone interested in yoga to immerse themselves in it,? she said. ?Some big names, like aerobics instructors, won?t come to areas like this.?

The workshop, which is open to all skill levels, costs $225 for YMCA members and $275 for nonmembers, a high price tag, but worth the cost, Kline said. She said workshops in other parts of the country will charge thousands of dollars for one weekend.

?I think that price is unbelievable,? she said. ?I?ve done yoga trainings for $500 with nobodies.?

Read the full story in Monday?s print and online editions of the Wausau Daily Herald.

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Shiva Rea: Daily Energy - Vinyasa Flow Yoga

Presents seven twenty-minute sessions combining movement with rhythmic breathing.

Price: $19.99

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Grateful Yoga helps some Northwestern students relieve stress - Daily Northwestern

When Prachi Murarka came to Northwestern, she wanted to become a senator. Now the SESP senior is training to become a yoga teacher in hopes of helping people become more conscious and caring.

Nick and Lela Beem, the owners of Grateful Yoga, 1108 Davis St., helped bring about that shift, Murarka said.

"I was inspired by how two people can live a life of yoga, make that their entire life, and really help people in the process," Murarka said. "Seeing the fact that they can make it and feeling their encouragement throughout the entire process was definitely one of the major factors that got me here and even to consider this as an option."

The Beems, a husband-and-wife team, opened Grateful Yoga in June after teaching at the Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster Ave., for five years. Grateful Yoga's teaching philosophy includes the idea that yoga is more than a workout, they said.

For them, yoga's tradition of meditation, philosophy and postures can bring people to a more balanced life, as it did for them in college.

While writing her senior thesis, Lela Beem said she smoked and drank to ease the stress. Yoga gave her the resolve she needed to change her habits, she said.

"I remember a moment in yoga," Beem said, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. "I really like to breathe deep, the feeling of breathing. My body so much more wants to breathe than it wants cigarettes, so it was just over for me."

Yoga not only changed Lela Beem's habits but also brought her closer to her future husband, she said.

"That was, from the start, one of the things that attracted us to each other, and our relationship grew as we both grew as yoga practitioners," Nick Beem said. "It's all woven together pretty intimately."

He said ideas from yoga and meditation made them understand how they are responsible for their own actions and cannot blame their partners, which helped their relationship.

Classes at Grateful Yoga focus on these ideas, allowing students to learn the history and philosophy of yoga in addition to the postures, said Richard Joseph, an NU professor who takes classes at Grateful Yoga.

"There's a lot of yoga that's done as a form of exercise," Joseph said. "Their teaching is as far removed from that as it can possibly be."

The studio consists of one large room with a hardwood floor, spotless white walls and green curtains. The space facilitates the practice of yoga and meditation, Communication senior Kelsey Melvin said.

"The decor itself puts you in the right state of mind," said Melvin, who also takes classes at the studio. "As soon as you step into that place, you know that it's a safe place, a place where you can practice yoga on your own terms. It's a stress relief."

For Murarka, the classes not only reduced stress but also helped her look more deeply into her everyday life and her future.

"A lot of times Northwestern students get bogged down by what we have to achieve and don't really take the time to nurture and deal with who we are," Murarka said. "We'll work on the deeper level and can really make more of an impact in whatever we're doing, whether in business, medicine, engineering, journalism … all the things Northwestern has to offer."

yenyu2013@u.northwestern.edu

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Westin in Avon hosting Jim Keegan yoga workshop - Vail Daily News

AVON, Colorado — The Riverfront Club at The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon will host a Yoga Weekend Workshop with renowned yoga instructor Jim Keegan on Oct. 16-17.

The two-day workshop will feature four sessions that explore the many aspects of your Yoga practice, including:

Twists and inversions — Twists help detoxify and reduce stress, while holding inversions can promote cardio-like blood flow to the head and heart. The class will help cleanse glands and organs, improve digestion and still the mind.

Arm balancing poses — Learn stability and strength through proper technique using the entire body in these levitating like poses.

Biomechanics — Learn the key muscles of Hatha yoga and how to use gravity as an expansive energy to take you deeper into your physical practice. Focus on ancient breathing techniques, such as Simhasana (Lion's Breath) and Neti nasal rinsing.

Nine obstacles on the yoga path — Move past the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual blockages through conscious discovery.

Keegan, the founder of Yoga Nirvana Studio in Tempe, Ariz., served as the head yoga teacher at Arizona State University for nine years and has taught workshops and retreats both across the country and internationally. The cost of the weekend workshop is $100 for the full program or $30 for each individual session. Early bird pricing is available until Oct. 8 — $80 for all four workshops or $25 for each individual program.

Make a weekend of it with a stay at The Westin Riverfront Resort, which is offering workshop attendees a special overnight rate of $139 per night for a studio suite (up to two people) plus one yoga session per person. Additional yoga sessions may be added for a fee. Rates do not include taxes or resort fees. To book, call or 1-866-949-1616 or visit www.westinriverfrontbeavercreek.com and mention rate code YOGAPKG.

The Riverfront Club will also offer an wight-week Zumba class with Michelle Keane starting on Oct. 6 at 6:50 p.m. Bring your dancing shoes as Zumba is a high-energy dance workout featuring Latin and International music. The first demo class is free. Cost after that is $15 per class for Alpine Members, who can also their punch cards, or $20 per class or a $100 eight-class package price for non-members. The class is free for Riverfront Club Elite Members.

On Oct. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m., The Riverfront Club will host the Yoga Studio Tour for the Cure. The special practice will raise awareness and support for the Shaw Cancer Center Support Program. The class will be free, but donations are encouraged.

For more information or to sign up for a program, please call The Riverfront Club at 970-790-2051.

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Yoga practiced for peace - The Daily Collegian Online

Yoga enthusiasts practice call and response chanting during the yoga for peace at the Lotus Yoga Center on September 24, 2010. (Kelsey Morris/Collegian)

The smell of Indian food wafted through the Lotus Yoga Center as university students and Centre County Big Brothers Big Sisters members gathered on floor pillows preparing for an hour of yoga.

“Yoga’s a really good release of stress and it allows positive energy to come through,” Jennifer Rockwell (junior-public relations) said. “I also think it’s really cool that Big Brother Big Sister is working with this — it’s such a great cause.”

Rebecca Thorsen, a mentor for the Centre County Big Brothers Big Sisters program, came to the yoga session through an invite from the organization.

“I’ve done yoga before,” she said. “I found it relaxing. It takes me a little outside my comfort zone, which is a fun thing to do. Really I’ve come tonight to make a new friend through the program, and to have fun.”

Erica Kaufman, owner of Lila Yoga Studio said the majority of classes were filled throughout the weekend, and the studios raised $1,280.

The Centre County Yoga Teachers Association organized this weekend of free yoga in an effort to exhibit the growing yoga movement in Centre County. Since last winter, four new studios for yoga have opened in State College.

“This is a real celebration of yoga in our county,” said Kaufman. “It’s a beautiful time for yoga, a real renaissance of joy — there is more now than there has been in the past.”

Kaufman said the Yoga 4 Peace weekend, seeking to inspire peace from the inside out, is a celebration of International Peace Day. The yoga studios of Centre County opened their doors to a weekend of free yoga, inviting both novices and experts to join together in peace.

Students said they agree yoga helps reduce stress levels and improve overall health.

Michael Policelli (senior-materials science and engineering) does yoga at least once a week. He also said yoga greatly helps health and fitness.

Kaufman said the weekend had been a success — she enjoyed the aid she could give to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and other local causes.

“One of the great things about living in a small town is that the impact of one person, or one business is really felt — it feels good to have a yoga studio that is bringing goodness to our town,” she said.

The power of yoga can enhance everyday life, Kaufman said.

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Yoga tougher than it appears - Longmont Daily Times-Call

Yoga is not my thing. Never has been; never will be.

Slowly, I?m realizing that?s a formula for disaster.

It?s not just an excuse for the wife to get out of the house, or to get some free time while you?re lounging on the couch watching football in your underwear.

If you think that, you?re wrong. Way wrong.

This is serious business.

I had just finished my recovery week ? six days worth of yoga, core and stretching ? and hopped in the shower. Standard procedure following a do-your-best workout.

Shower off, I reached for my towel. Normal routine.

Feeling spunky, I whipped the towel around with both hands and dried my back.

?Uh oh.?

The upper left side of my back and lower neck were in big-time pain.

Nothing like being naked and in excruciating discomfort. Awkward, I know.

Before I was even dressed or could complain about pulling a back muscle, reality set in.

?That?s why you do yoga,? my wife said. ?Quit skipping it.?

Thanks for caring.

No worries, though: She gave me plenty of back rubs and neck massages the past few days.

Truth is, I don?t always skip the Yoga DVD.

During a normal P90X week, yoga is sandwiched in between hardcore chest, back, arms and cardiovascular workouts.

It?s like me wearing spandex. Just doesn?t fit.

So, I normally substitute the Cardio X DVD. Instead of an hour and half, like yoga, it?s 45 minutes.

Much easier on the body. Still sweat like a madman, too.

Plus, the first 15 minutes of the workout is yoga, followed by kenpo drills, plyometrics and cardio exercises. So I?m still flexing, bending and balancing.

However, five days before pulling a muscle drying off, there I was in front of the TV doing yoga. Rumbling, bumbling, stumbling.

They say yoga opens the mind, cleans the body, relaxes the muscles.

?I do things now at 45 that I couldn?t do when I was younger,? says P90X creator Tony Horton. ?Why? Because I do yoga.?

Guarantee you Horton doesn?t pull muscles in the shower. Just a hunch.

Wife by side, I stumbled through the Yoga DVD. ?How?s my form?? I asked, every 5 seconds.

The moves, poses and stretches were so muddling, my head exploded.

Prayer twist. Reverse Warrior. Half moon.

My body had no response.

Since it was recovery week, I was supposed to do yoga a few days later. Didn?t happen.

Man, my neck hurts. Stupid yoga gods.

Check back every Monday to follow Ray Sobczyk?s P90X journey. He can be reached at rsobczyk@times-call.com.

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