mario

...g the taboo of being naked in class. While others enjoy the lack of constraint. Most yoga students who practice naked see it as a spiritual experience, a way of stepping out of the conditions established by our society.

In America, naked bodies are associated with erotic sex and sexual fantasies. While in countries like Spain and France, it is not inappropriate to go to the beach topless or in Speedos. As a result of this sense of liberation, most Europeans feel comfortable in their body. And, it does not phase them to look at a naked body. They are accustom to seeing their moms, aunts and girl friends topless at the beach. The European way of relating to the body is natural and embracing. Stud...more

10 Best Reasons Older Adults Need to Practice Yoga and the Soft Martial Arts

...most important parts of a senior fitness program is balance training. seniors who exercise and practice balance activities, like those found in yoga and Chi Gung, can avert the devastating effects of a fall the second leading cause of accidental death for seniors. Balance is an intangible force that many people take for granted.

6. Increased Energy Yoga and Chi Gung are, in essence, ancient renewal and balancing systems for our vital energy. More than the sum of their parts, these practices gently revitalize the body. The term Chi itself means energy, and Chi Gung literally means energy work.

Mind - Challenging the mind is crucial to staving off diseases like Alzheimers. Be sure to stimulate your intellectual dimension through learning new information and exploring topics that require judgment and decision-making. The physical aspects of a mind-body practice lead directly to a mental sense of rootedness, stability and balance.

7. Intellectual Stimulation Learning a mind-body exercise is like learning a new language with its own vocabulary and rules. It takes focused attention. It is a practicea journey of exploration. Yoga and the soft martial arts also invite us to explore a way of thinking that may be very unfamiliar to us.

8. Emotional Support The philosophies infusing yoga and Chi Gung encourage us to be mindful of ...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 and Relaxation

...accumulated stress and has a long list of other health benefits as well. It can improve our mental outlook and capacity, help us resist many diseases and conditions, including many associated with aging, while enhancing our ability to enjoy life to the fullest, physically and emotionally. While doing all this, it can help us experience a more relaxed state in our daily lives.

Really! I haven't forgotten about my original topic of yoga and relaxation. Just...well, relax...and stick with me.

Okay, you're starting to get tense because I haven't gotten there yet, so just let me say that meditation is easy to learn as a formal practice and does reduce stress and induce relaxation. Better yet, a meditative state which produces these effects can be achieved without learning HOW to meditate. Deeply religious people at prayer, and people who take long walks experience many of the same benefits offered by a meditation sessi...more