2019 – Yoga Enjoy

Practicing Aerial Yoga with Kids: Benefits and Tips

December 7, 2019

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Most people assume that aerial yoga is only meant for adults. But the reality is that children can also benefit from doing yoga swing workouts.

By practicing aerial yoga with kids, you will be encouraging them to live an active and healthy lifestyle from an early age. Consequently, this will enable them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Practicing aerial yoga with kids also provides a great means of bonding with them, and besides, aerial yoga can be a super fun means of hanging out with your children and spending quality time with them.

And, research has shown that kids who spend ample quality time with their families tend to perform better in school, and they have lesser behavioral issues.

Furthermore, It provides the perfect opportunity of unplugging from your electronic devices and doing something that will offer health benefits to everyone.

In this article, we will walk you through some of the key benefits of practicing aerial yoga with children. We will also give you tips for practicing aerial yoga with kids, to ensure a fun, safe and effective session.

With that said, let’s dive straight in.

Benefits of Aerial Yoga for KidsAs highlighted above, practicing aerial yoga with kids or teaching kids yoga swing workouts comes with numerous benefits.

Here are 8 incredible benefits of yoga swing workouts for children:

Enhanced Cognitive FunctioningYoga swing workouts can help to improve cognitive functioning as well as focus. As you may have probably noticed, practicing aerial yoga requires a certain level of concentration, both for the mind and body.

Regardless of the pose that they’re doing, they will have to pay close attention to their body’s movement.

You will also have to focus on your breathing so that it can align with those body movements. And, when you practice aerial yoga with kids regularly, their cognitive functioning and focus will improve.

This increased focus will make them better in various aspects of their lives. For instance, their academic performance may improve or they may start performing better in sports.

Improved SleepDoing aerial yoga poses that entail mindful breathing and slow deep stretching before bedtime, will get the body moving. And this will help to alleviate stress. Consequently, you will find it easier to sleep better and longer, compared to when your body is tense, your mind is full or you are feeling stressed.

Practicing yoga with kids, especially before bedtime, can also help to release stress, relieve tension and remove negative emotions that may have accumulated throughout the day. As a result, you will help them to enjoy quality sleep at night.

So, if your child has been suffering from insomnia, you should consider introducing them to bedtime aerial yoga.

Can Help to Soothe Sore MusclesChildren spend a considerable amount of time playing. And while playing is highly encouraged and healthy activity for children, they may end up with sore muscles or feeling extremely tired, especially if they participate in an exercise they are not used to or harder than their level. And, this tiredness or fatigue can make it hard for some children to fall asleep.

Fortunately, gentle and relaxing yoga swing poses can help to alleviate the tension, fatigue and muscle strain that children may experience after an entire day of playing outside. By alleviating the muscle soreness and fatigue, your child will fall asleep faster.

And as you may probably know, quality sleep is important for all children, when it comes to their growth and development.

Improved Self-Regulation

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Self-regulation refers to an individual’s ability to recognize and change their emotions, thoughts and behavior, depending on the situation or circumstances at hand. And, aerial yoga can help to enhance this ability.

Whenever they are doing various yoga swing poses, kids will pay attention to their bodies and minds. Also, they will get a better understanding of their thoughts and feelings. And with this understanding, kids will be able to manage their emotions better, depending on the situation at hand.

For instance, if your kid is feeling frustrated at school or they’ve had an altercation with a classmate, they will struggle to pay attention to the learning material. And if this keeps happening, they will not retain any of the information being taught. Consequently, they may lag behind their classmates.

But when you practice aerial yoga with them, you will help to enhance their self-regulation. They will be able to reflect inwards and adjust accordingly, depending on the situation.

So, as much as they may be feeling angry or frustrated, their self-regulation will help them to cope with that issue appropriately and effectively, meaning it will not interfere with their learning.

Improved Breath Control and StrengthYoga swing poses require a considerable amount of strength to execute, both physical and mental. And with regular practice, you will notice several cognitive and physical changes within yourself.

For instance, a regular aerial yoga workout session can lead to enhanced flexibility, increased mental clarity and more upper body strength. And, all these benefits mainly stem from breath.

When you breathe quickly or harshly, you will reduce focus, increase muscle tension and increase your fight-or-flight response. And all these will have serious negative effects on the body and mind.

By practicing aerial yoga with your children, you will teach them proper breathing techniques while helping to enhance their mental and physical strength from a young age.

Consequently, the improved mental and physical strength will help to lower the chances of obesity and depressive symptoms, while increasing self-confidence and self-awareness. Also, practicing yoga swing workouts with kids regularly will help to boost their overall well-being.

Teaches Responsibility and DisciplineAerial yoga is more of a journey of a lifetime and not a destination. It requires plenty of patience and discipline.

When your children begin learning at a young age the advantage of a committed practice, it will transfer into other areas of their life, be it their activities at school, relationships as well as responsibilities.

And when they learn that antigravity yoga requires constant practice and patience as opposed to being an instant achievement, they will learn and accept that life, in general, is a path. They will have some good days, bad days and something in between. In short, they won’t grow up thinking that everything will be perfect every day.

And by accepting the reality of life, they won’t end up feeling frustrated or disappointed, in case things don’t turn their way sometimes. Through aerial yoga, they’ve already mastered the practice of picking up the pieces and moving on.

Boosts CreativityWhen practicing aerial yoga with kids, you can sometimes incorporate games and other themes, which will make the session more engaging and fun. For instance, you can allow your kids to come up with their own poses, designed to align with a particular theme.

By allowing them to come up with such poses, you will not only make the session fun and playful, but you will also be enhancing their creativity and boosting their imagination. And, this creativity will come in handy in several stages and areas of their life.

Boosts Self Esteem

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As earlier mentioned, aerial yoga requires a great deal of strength, focus, flexibility and concentration. And whenever you practice with your kids, they will eventually develop these key attributes.

Eventually, their confidence will grow. For instance, if your kid successfully executes the Crow Pose, they will believe in their capabilities.

With time, their self-esteem will grow, which will help to enhance their performances or productivity in other areas of their life.

For instance, a child with high levels of esteem will perform better in academics or sports, compared to one whose self-esteem and confidence are low.

Tips for Practicing Aerial Yoga with KidsWithout a doubt, practicing aerial yoga with kids comes with a wide range of benefits for both the child and the entire family as a whole.

If you are planning to get started on this practice, here are some pointers that will help you to enjoy a fun, safe, and effective yoga swing workout session with kids.

Choose Age Appropriate PosesThe yoga swing poses that you will select for a three-year-old, an eight-year-old or a teenager are all different.

After all, children in these different age groups are at different levels of growth. Besides, they have varying levels of understanding and abilities to grab different concepts.

To this end, you need to make sure that the yoga swing poses that you choose for the kids you are training align with their age.

For instance, if you intend to practice yoga swing workouts with a pre-schooler, then you should incorporate imagination and stories. As for the poses, they should be light and easy to execute.

At the same time, if you are practicing antigravity yoga swing poses with an eight-year-old, you can still incorporate some storytelling and imagination but you will also make the poses a bit more challenging.

In case you are practicing with teenagers, then you should incorporate poses that entail lots of stretching, strength and flexibility. At this age, kids are ready to transition into advanced aerial yoga poses like meditation techniques and pranayama breathing.

Practice in the MorningKids experience varying levels of energy throughout the day. For instance, when they wake up, they are bubbling with energy and they are ready to go outside and start playing.

But by the time the afternoon comes around, they are already quite tired and sleepy. So, if you want to practice aerial yoga with your children, it will be highly advisable to slot the practice session for the morning hours, when their energy levels are extremely high.

Also, the concentration levels are equally high during the early morning hours, compared to afternoon hours. Hence, you will find it much easier to get them to focus.

Besides, they will be in a better position to manage demanding poses, compared to the afternoons when their bodies are already tired and their focus has diminished.

So, if you want to practice yoga swing workouts with your children, the morning hours will be the most ideal.

Make the Session Lively and Fun

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When practicing aerial yoga with children, you need to find ways of making the sessions fun and lively. Doing so will not only help to grab their attention but it will make them easier to master various aspects of this practice.

Fortunately, there are several available strategies and approaches, which you can use to make the sessions livelier and more fun.

For instance, you can play some age-appropriate, yoga-friendly music. Such music will help to make the practice more fun and enjoyable.

And when children are enjoying themselves, you will also find it easier to teach the different yoga swing poses based on their age group.

Apart from music, you can also incorporate props like scarves and feathers. You can use such scarves to visualize movement and breathing, thus making it easier for the kids to understand whatever you are trying to teach them.

Mandalas will also be a great tool to incorporate into your aerial yoga swing sessions with kids. They can help to aid concentration and mediation.

With mandalas, you simply need to print them from online sources or even print out our lotus logo!! You can then have the kids color them using beautiful patterns. This activity will help the kids to focus their minds while calming them down.

End the Session with Relaxation PosesJust like a relaxing aerial yoga practice for parents, you should end the session with some meditation. Ending the practice this way will help their bodies to cool down, relax and unwind.

For kids, it doesn’t have to be something complicated. You can simply have them lie still on their backs, as you narrate a story about something imaginary, which will help to shift their minds somewhere else. A brief session of around 10 minutes or so should be enough.

From there, you can then share some snacks you may have, praise them and leave them to their day.

Wrapping It Up

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Practicing aerial yoga with kids can help to enhance their physical, spiritual, and mental well-being in various ways.

By observing the tips we’ve shared in this guide, you can make your aerial yoga swing session with your kids more enjoyable, safer, effective, and more productive.

Good luck!!

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Acro Yoga

6 Effective Acro Yoga Poses For A Healthy Body

November 23, 2019

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If you have mastered the art of traditional yoga and want something new, try giving it a touch of acrobaticsi . If you are up for a challenge, you must try doing the most effective acro yoga poses.

Acrobatic yoga or acro yoga is ever-evolving, giving it plenty of scope for experiments. Out of the many such fun and thrilling acro yoga poses, we have shortlisted the seven most effective postures for you to get started with.

It is almost impossible to perform these poses if you are new to yoga or acrobatics. So, beginners should first make their foundation strong to get there eventually.

Before we go ahead, let us first understand what acro yoga is all about. Keep reading!

What Is Acro Yoga?

Acro Yoga is a partner-based exercise that combines yoga and acrobatics. In this method, you use gravity and your body weight to strengthen and stretch in poses with complete breath control. Its uniqueness lies in increasing your physical capabilities and coordination by several notches.

The practice involves engaging with another person and building trust with them to support and be supported during a pose. Acro Yoga encourages constant verbal communication, unlike solo practice where we spend time solo.

Acro Yoga is all about working together in a seamless flow and building partnerships. By blending movement, connection, and play, Acro Yoga is highly useful and inspiring.

One of the oldest demonstrations of Acro Yoga is that of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, a well-known yoga guru, with a child in the late 1930s. It has been evolving ever since.

Acro Yoga involves three significant roles called the base, the flyer, and the spotter. The base usually lies on the ground with the back completely touching the ground. The flyer is the one who lifts off the ground with the base’s support. Then, there is the spotter who observes the base and flyer objectively and makes sure that the flyer lands safely from the elevated position.

Kristin Hansen, a blogger, has been practicing acro yoga since 2013, initially learning through videos and personal experience. She writes, “It is the yoga of trust. It blends the wisdom of yoga, the dynamic power of acrobatics, and the loving kindness of healing arts. These three form the foundation of a practice that cultivates trust, playfulness, and community (i).”

Now, let’s understand the concept better through the following Acro Yoga poses.

Acro Yoga Poses

Front Bird Pose

Star Pose

Throne Pose

Back Bird Pose

Whale Pose

1. Front Bird Pose

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How To Do: The base should lie down on his back. Keep your legs parallel to each other. Bend your knees and place the soles on the ground. The flyer should stand near the base’s feet. The base should lift his feet and place them on the flyer’s hips.

Then, the base should hold the flyer’s arms by her elbows and straighten his legs up in the air, lifting the flyer along. Now, the flyer should balance herself, keeping the toes pointed out. Release the support from the base and raise the arms in a flying position.

2. Star Pose

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How To Do: The base should lie down on the floor on his back. The flyer should stand at the head of the base and hold hands with him. Now, the base should lift his legs off the floor, with the soles of the feet facing upwards towards the sky. Then, the flyer should bend forward and place her shoulders on the base’s feet. The flyer should then lift the hips and feet into the air.

3. Throne Pose

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How To Do: The base lies on the floor on his back with the knees bent and soles facing upwards towards the sky. Maintain shoulder-width distance between the feet. The flyer stands in front of the base at the feet.

Place the soles of the base on the upper thighs of the flyer and press the length of the foot upwards. The tips of the toes must touch the lower rib cage of the flyer. Now, the base holds the hands of the flyer and straightens his knees, lifting the flyer into the air.

Take the help of a spotter and make the flyer bend her knees and wrap it around the front of the base’s legs. Now, the flyer should lift her torso and let go of the hands of the base. The flyer should now wrap her feet around the calf muscles of the base.

The base’s feet should be placed on the mid thighs of the flyer. The flyer should straighten her back, sit straight and spread the arms out.

4. Back Bird Pose

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How To Do: The base should start off in the Dandasana or the Staff Pose position. The flyer should face her back to the back of the base’s legs for the basic inversion. The base should bend his knees so that the buttocks of the flyer settle snugly onto the soles of his feet.

The flyer should stretch her arms backward with the palms facing outwards and reaching out to the base’s hands. The flyer should bend backward, and the base should straighten the legs, lifting the flyer.

The flyer should straighten the left leg and bend the right leg. Also, she should stretch backward in a semi backbend position and let go of the hands with the base so that the flyer can spread the arms out.

5. Whale Pose

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How To Do: The base should lie on his back on the ground and raise his legs upwards with the feet facing upwards. The flyer should stand near the shoulder of the base, with the back facing towards the base and feet hip-width apart.

Now, the base should hold the flyer’s ankles and bend her knees towards his chest, making it convenient for the flyer to lean back onto the base’s feet.

The base should place the soles of his feet on the flyer’s shoulder, with the length of the feet running downwards onto the shoulder blades and mid-back.

Now, the base and flyer should work together to lift the flyer by straightening the base’s legs and lifting the flyer up by the ankles by the base’s arms.

The flyer should stretch out her arms and keep her ankles aligned to her hips with the help of the base.

The above poses are a mix of Acro Yoga for beginners and intermediaries. Hope you got an understanding of the Acro Yoga method through these poses.

6. Bow Pose

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How To Do: The base should lie on their back, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, and arms extended overhead. The flier should stand near the base’s feet, placing their ankles in the base’s hands. The flier should lean forward while keeping their hands on the base’s knees for support. Both partners should engage their core muscles for balance while the base extends their legs and lifts the flier up.

As the flier leans forward, they need to arch their back, creating a “bow” shape with their chest up and looking backward. The flier should hold their ankles with their hands to make a curved pose. The base should use their legs and core to stabilize the flier. Communicate with your partner to create balance. Hold the pose briefly, then gently release.

Scroll to the next section to learn how Acro Yoga benefits your health.

Benefits Of Acro Yoga

Acro Yoga will help you build core strength.

It will build muscles in your legs, arms, and chest.

Acro Yoga stretches your body and provides relaxation.

It makes you aware of your body in space.

Acro Yoga builds stamina and improves memory.

It brings harmony to relationships.

Acro Yoga may help you make quick decisions and overcome the fear of falling.

It promotes mindfulness and may teach you to address conflicts head-on.

Variations of yoga are never ending, isn’t it? Mixing and matching the traditional yoga form with new exercises only makes it more fun and brings together the best of both the systems. Acro Yoga is one such form, and its practice is sure to be an enjoyable experience. Get started, and you’ll find out for yourself.

Acro yoga is perfect for those who want to go beyond traditional yoga and try something new. It helps you develop body awareness and encourages building new relationships as it involves exercising with a partner. Moreover, effective acro yoga poses help build core strength, strengthen the muscles in your chest, arms, and legs, build stamina, and enhance memory. However, acro yoga is not meant to be done by beginners as it involves a lot of stretching and balancing. It is advisable to perform it under the guidance of a yoga and meditation coach or join a yoga community to improve your skills. Start with the basic yoga poses and slowly climb up the difficulty level.

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Yoga Nidra

The Myths Around Yoga Nidra Versus the Reality

October 20, 2019

Myth 1: It is just deep sleep

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Although the body is relaxed with a similar experience of deep sleep, yoga Nidra is much more than that. It helps us disconnect from the outside world to reach a dreamless state, where we can channelize our negative thoughts in a positive, productive manner. One becomes more aware of oneself and one’s inner thoughts, which later helps in making decisions and leading your life in a stress-free manner.

Myth 2: It is Similar to a High

Although you may have a similar experience, in the beginning, Yoga Nidra is not equivalent to the high you get after consuming an intoxicating substance. It moves your consciousness into a deeper and more productive state, where you can think clearly without any baggage. And psychic sleep does not give you false hopes or assumptions about your life. Rather, it brings you closer to reality.

Myth 3: You do not need sleep if you practice Yoga Nidra

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The two are widely different from each other, even if the terms are similar. Sleep is essential to promote brain health, as well as skin health and other organs of the body. Psychic sleep cannot replace that altogether. So, you need both to lead a healthy and positive life. Besides, Yoga Nidra helps us explore our consciousness positively and calmly and ensures clarity of thoughts.

Myth 4: It Helps Divert your Mind from Negativity

No, it does not. Yoga Nidra increases your mind’s capability to process negative thoughts, like anxiety, stress, depression, anger, sadness, and more, and absorb them completely. Escapism is not encouraged in Yoga Nidra. If you divert your mind from all negative thoughts and feelings, you are not solving the problem but postponing it to come and trouble your mind later. In a state of complete relaxation, your mind is more capable of letting all thoughts (negative and positive) flow through it and get processed and absorbed, thus giving you enormous power over the external happenings. Thoughts are like clouds, and they pass. But if you let your thoughts pass freely through your mind without interrupting its sense of equilibrium, the negativity gets neutralized. That is exactly what Yoga Nidra does. However, you need to practice it properly to get the desired benefits.

Myth 5: It is the Same as Hypnosis

On the other hand, it is better than hypnosis. While with hypnosis, someone else controls your mind and thoughts, and you just follow the instructions, Yoga Nidra gives you full control over your mind. Here, you are the captain of your ship, and your mind follows your orders. You are not just a practitioner but also your own teacher.

Myth 6: It is Peaceful and Full of Bliss

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Is life always full of blissful thoughts? No, right? Yoga Nidra is also not. Not all thoughts are positive or stress-free, just like life. As psychic sleep gives you the power to open up to everything that is in your mind, you may feel a little disturbed at first. It will take some time before your mind is fully equipped to process all toxic feelings and neutralize them. So, yes, it is not entirely peaceful but quite beneficial. One thing you should note is, you need not escape from negativity. It is as much a part of your life as happiness. What you need to do is, do not let that negativity affect all your life’s decisions. And Yoga Nidra helps in that.

By now, hopefully, you better understand what Yoga Nidra is and is not. So, now let us explain its benefits to you in detail.

The Inherent Benefits of Practicing Yoga Nidra

By busting the myths above to reveal the truth about psychic sleep, you may already have noted some of its benefits. The following expands on those benefits to give you a clear idea of why you should practice yoga Nidra.

It Reduces Insomnia and Related Issues

An hour of Yoga Nidra regularly can get rid of insomnia and other sleep-related issues. Lack of sleep not only affects your productivity but gives rise to other physiological and psychological problems as well. It may affect your digestive system, rendering it less powerful and also lowers the strength of your immune system. If you practice Yoga Nidra before going to bed every night, your mind will already be in a relaxed state, thus ensuring better sleep.

It Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, uncontrollable rage, all affect our nervous system, as well as other parts of the body. The world is already dealing with such problems regularly and it needs no more. Yoga Nidra can help relax the mind by processing all such thoughts and emotions productively. If you think that you can manage stress on your own without any additional practice, you should reconsider. Chronic stress increases the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in the blood, which may lead to untimely fatigue, sleep issues, and even heart attacks. On the other hand, non-abrasive methods like Yoga Nidra can help restore peace without any baggage.

It Helps with PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, affects the lives of 7-8% of people in the US. In other words, these people may experience PTSD at some time in their lives. Yoga Nidra can help reduce trauma and the issues that arise from it to a great extent. No wonder it was recommended to soldiers returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Yin Yoga

YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

September 20, 2019

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THE KRIPALU APPROACH TO YIN YOGA

Yin Yoga is a deep, rewarding practice that synthesizes the contemplative power of meditation with the energy-enhancing properties of yoga and pranayama. It is a perfect complement to active lives and yoga practices, and suitable for practitioners of all levels. Enhance your teaching and discover new ways to explore the body-mind connection using the tools of Yin Yoga in a training that combines hands-on didactic teaching and powerful psychospiritual inquiry.

In this immersive training, you learn

The principles of Yin Yoga

Pranayamas that support the energy body in Yin postures

An understanding of the meridian and organ systems and how they relate to Yin Yoga

How to heighten your observation skills.

Return home ready to safely and competently lead others in the practice of Yin Yoga.

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Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga and Why You Should Try It

August 11, 2019

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If you’re looking for a style of yoga that feels more like a dance workout and less like a slow-paced and restorative practice, consider vinyasa. Vinyasa involves moving quickly from one pose to the next in a flow. As you move through postures and sequences at a faster pace, you increase your heart rate.

“The hallmark of vinyasa is the organic flow of breath and moment. It literally means ‘to move in a special way’ and that special way is with awareness,” says Jonah Kest, a Nike trainer and vinyasa and ashtanga yoga instructor.

In vinyasa flow yoga, you synch movement with every inhale and exhale. For example, you inhale during the lengthening phase or the expansion part of the pose and exhale as you move into the deeper part of the pose, according to the American Council on Exercise.

Many people refer to vinyasa as a form of ashtanga yoga, where there is one breath for each movement. Other styles of yoga, such as hatha yoga, tend to be more rigid and require you hold a pose for a few seconds before moving into another posture. But with vinyasa, the free flow is like a dance, and your breath is your partner, Kest explains.

You can expect to do traditional yoga poses and postures, such as downward-facing dog pose, plank post, upward-facing dog pose, forward fold pose, and warrior I, II, and III poses, as well as sequences that involve sun salutations, binds and twists in a vinyasa class.

Now that you know what vinyasa is about, read on to learn some of the benefits of following this style of yoga, whether for beginners or more advanced practitioners.

The Benefits of Vinyasa Yoga

1.Improved Cardiovascular Fitness

Because you transition from one pose to the next in vinyasa flow, you increase your heart rate and make your body work harder for a longer period of time, even though you’re moving at a lower intensity.

“The cardiovascular and lymphatic systems greatly benefit from vinyasa yoga. Stamina increases as you practice as well as heat builds in the body. This creates more circulation and ultimately purifies the body,” Kest says.

According to a small August 2020 study in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, which enlisted 24 moderately trained participants to do a 90-minute yoga class, vinyasa yoga effectively improved their cardiovascular fitness and promoted weight loss. Plus, yoga counts as a moderate-intense physical activity according to an August 2017 study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

This means that vinyasa yoga is a great low-impact and moderate-intensity cardio exercise to do in between other demanding workouts, such as HIIT, running, and cross training, throughout the week.

2.Strengthened Muscles

By working with the resistance of your bodyweight, you’ll strengthen different muscle groups, including your arms, back, core, butt and legs, Kest says.

For example, holding a plank pose in yoga builds up your core while enlisting the strength of your arms and shoulders to maintain stability. Doing chair pose targets your quads and glutes, and warrior III recruits your back, core, glutes and hamstrings to balance.

3.Increased Flexibility and Mobility

Flexibility is your muscles’ ability to move a joint or group of joints through its full range of motion. Vinyasa yoga moves your muscles through a variety of poses in different directions and ranges of motion — which naturally increase their flexibility.

The more pliable your muscles are, the more you’ll be able to make your workouts more effective and reduce your risk of injury and pain. In fact, doing any form of yoga, including vinyasa, can help relieve chronic lower-back pain by strengthening your deep core muscles, which support your back, according to Harvard Health.

4.Reduced Stress Levels

Kest says that vinyasa is essentially a moving meditation because you’re connecting your breath to your mind through movement.

“I always leave a practice feeling lighter physically and emotionally than when I walked in,” Kest says. “You can increase your focus, become more emotionally resilient and bring yourself closer to your spirituality. It’s amazing how turning your attention inward can bring this much benefit.”

In a small June 2019 study in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 17 college students followed a six-week program that involved doing a 60-minute vinyasa yoga class once weekly. By the end of the program, the students significantly reduced their stress and anxiety levels, suggesting that vinyasa yoga can be effective in lowering stress as part of meditation and mindfulness practice.

Vinyasa yoga has also been shown to help reduce stress associated with quitting smoking. A small January 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy found that doing a 60-minute vinyasa class, which included breath exercises and relaxation techniques, twice a week, helped participants cope better with cigarette cravings and stress. It also helped them feel more relaxed and increased their body awareness.

Who Can Benefit the Most From Taking Up Vinyasa Yoga

Kest says that vinyasa yoga is a generally safe and effective workout for everyone. “If you are breathing, you can practice yoga,” he says. But it’s particularly beneficial for those who find it hard to relax and are experiencing a great deal of stress.

“The high-strung type-A personalities can benefit especially, as vinyasa can really help one get out of their head and into their body,” he says.

That said, make sure to consult your doctor before beginning a new workout routine, especially if you have a health condition or are easing into exercise after an injury. Working with a certified yoga instructor who specializes in vinyasa can also provide you with modifications if a posture or sequence feels too challenging or is causing pain or discomfort.

If you’re a seasoned athlete, doing yoga is a nice break from your high-impact and more intense workouts. And for fitness newbies or those who prefer low-impact exercise, yoga can be a great bodyweight cardio workout that’s easy on your joints. Vinyasa flow yoga can complement a variety of other fitness programs.

For beginners, the most important thing is to have an open mind when starting a new yoga practice — vinyasa flow included.

“Come with an empty cup, no expectations. Sometimes it’s best to just throw yourself into the fire. There is no preparation for life and vinyasa is the dance of life,” Kest says. “Ultimately, vinyasa is a breathing practice first; everything else is optional.”

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Acro Yoga

VINIYOGA: A PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA

July 22, 2019

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Discover the Viniyogaa pedagogy which proposes a personalized practiceadapted to the specificities of each person. Can’t find a yoga style that really suits you? The problem may not be the discipline you practice but your approach to it!Introduction

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INTRODUCTION

Before we begin to trace the history of Viniyoga, here are some interesting facts to know if you have never heard of this “style” of Yoga:

The word Viniyoga belongs to the classical Yoga, it is found in chapter 3, sutra 6 of the book of Yoga-Sutra by Patanjali. It was traditionally associated with meditation, but nowadays it also concerns postures and breathing.

It is not really a style of yoga but more a lineage that has inspired many yoga masters over the years.

Viniyoga is also called “Madras Yoga” after the place where the method was developed or “Desikachar Yoga” after the master who created it.

It brings together all forms of practice but with a particular intention of transmission, as close as possible to the needs of each student.

The French Federation of Viniyoga defines its concept as “a specific pedagogy of Yoga“. So it is not the yoga that is different but the way the teacher transmits and teaches it.

HISTORY OF VINIYOGA

As you can see, Viniyoga is not a style of yoga in its own right, but rather an approach to yoga that can be adapted to each practitioner. But how and where was it created?

It is in India, at the beginning of the 20th century that the master T Krishnamacharya developed this current of thought. At the end of the 19th century, he was teaching yoga in India but the discipline was reserved for an elite, mainly men, and was transmitted in very remote places. Yoga then began to open up during the 1930s. Nevertheless, Krishnamacharya continued to find that the practice and learning of the discipline was still not suitable for everyone, especially women.

He then introduced the idea that yoga should be adapted to each practitioner. This includes physical condition, gender, but also origin and culture which play a key role in the approach and learning of the discipline. He then said this famous quote: “It is not the person who must adapt to yoga, but yoga that must adapt to the person.

Sri T Krishnamacharya had many students, including such well-known students as BKS Iyengar, Sri K Pattabhi Jois andhis son, Sri TKV Desikachar. It is then the latter who will really develop the concept of Viniyoga. Indeed, after having followed his father’s teaching for more than 30 years, Desikachar took over his concept and allowed his values and philosophy to spread all over the world during the 1970s. He then trained a large number of Western teachers, especially from Europe and the United States.

However, it was important to Desikachar that Viniyoga not be considered as a style of yoga or as a school but that it be seen as an approach to the discipline. It includes all forms of Yoga, and is therefore a direction to get all the benefits of its practice. According to him, it is essential to adapt the techniques by listening to the needs of the students but also of the teachers. Viniyoga means “right application of the practice”.

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THE ARRIVAL OF VINIYOGA IN THE WEST

Thanks to the teachers trained by Desikachar, who themselves trained new teachers, the philosophy of Viniyoga was able to spread to the West.

One of the teachers who has been essential in sharing these values is Claude Maréchal . Born in Belgium, he discovered yoga at the age of 20, which helped him improve his performance as a top athlete. However, following an injury, his career took off and he became a PE teacher. From 1966, following the advice of a friend, he concentrated on teaching yoga.

He went to India for the first time in 1969 and met TKV Desikachar who spent several years training him. Claude Maréchal regularly spends several months in India to continue his training, which represents a total of 6 years spread over 40 years. He then learnt from Desikachar but also from his father, Krishnamacharya, who personally invited him to develop the principles of Viniyoga in the West.

Claude Maréchal then spent many years training teachers in Europe, not only at the Viniyoga school in France but also in Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal. He also teaches this philosophy in Quebec. Finally, he teaches yogatherapy and is the editor of the magazine Viniyoga which was created in 1983. His influence in Western Yoga is therefore very important.

THE PRINCIPLES OF VINIYOGA

Viniyoga finds its techniques in the traditions and philosophies of yoga whileadapting them to the Western world. According to Desikachar, yoga is far from being a simple sequence of postures for which the work is only physical. The philosophical dimension is equally important, such as meditation, mudras and breathing.

Here are the 3 essential principles of Viniyoga:

The teacher must be a practitioner himself and apply the techniques of yoga with great discipline and accuracy

The teacher must also develop a great capacity for observation

Viniyoga must take into account the particularities and needs of each student

As previously explained, Viniyoga is adapted to each person according to age, physical and psychological state, cultural and religious affiliations, but also to his or her expectations, place of living, professional activities, abilities, etc.

The Viniyoga pedagogy therefore takes into account all aspects of a person and pays great attention to the particularity of his or her needs and potential in order to offer the most adapted and constructive teaching.

On the other hand, Viniyoga is the meeting of an Eastern tradition in a Western context. The fundamental texts are therefore very important but they are adapted to the evolutions and to the contemporary man.

The practice of Viniyoga and its pedagogy take their full meaning during face-to-face meetings between the student and the teacher.

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Tantra Yoga

5 Days Tantra yoga retreat in Nepal

June 13, 2019

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The 5-days tantra yoga retreat takes you on a journey aimed at understanding the working of the universe. Along the way, you will develop skills in meditation, breathing, and hatha yoga. Through the meticulous comprehension of the minor details, then only will you be able to interpret the mysteries of the universe. The journey to such a miraculous feat includes self-enlightenment as well.

During your time in this retreat, you will not only learn tantra yoga but you will learn about hatha yoga as well. As we dwell deep in the subject matter, you will gain valuable insight regarding meditation and controlled breathing exercises. A combination of yogic teachings and quality food will put you a step closer towards achieving your goal.

In a nutshell, the 5-days tantra yoga retreat is a knowledgeable and fun getaway that will provide you with a much-needed insight into the yogic world.

Itinerary

This retreat program not only provides you with much-needed relief but helps you to observe life from a new perspective. The class lasts for 5 days and in these days, you will take part in a variety of activities. We apologize for not being able to provide exact details of this retreat as this getaway revolves around the palm of the teacher.

However, we can provide you a timetable and description of the activities that you will do in this retreat.

Schedule of Tantra Yoga Retreat

6:00 am: Wake up and drink green tea/herbal tea

7:00 am: Morning Hatha yoga session

8: 00 am: Breakfast

9: 00 am: Morning tantra yoga session

10:00 am: Break

11:00 am: Hatha yoga session

Noon: Lunch

3: 00 pm: Herbal tea and snacks

4: 00 pm: Tantra yoga session

7: 00 pm: Dinner

Highlights

An insight into the major ideology behind Hath yoga

An insight into the core foundations of Tantra yoga

Enjoying different types of vegetarian cuisine

Cleansing and detoxifying the body from the inside and outside

Accentuating meditation and breathing

Tantra yoga

Tantra yoga can be defined through two approaches. One states that it is a study of the universe by studying minor particles. On the other hand, another school of thought believes that it is a technique to enhance awareness in all states of human consciousness. In this tantra yoga retreat, you will learn about both these topics. However, the depth of the subject matter will depend on your teacher.

The approach in Tantra yoga composes a relationship between meditation, breathing practices or pranayama. These poses can be done either alone or with a partner. These practices prioritize on cultivating the kundalini energy. The Tantra yoga enables you to experience the relationship with the heavenly being and walk on the road to enlightenment.

Hatha yoga

‘Hatha’ is derived from two words namely ‘ha’ which means sun and ‘tha’ meaning moon. Hatha yoga is an approach towards balancing the sun and moon energies within oneself. You will learn more about this in detail at the tantra yoga retreat in Nepal. To put it simply, Hatha yoga is an approach to shorten the gap between the physical body and the divine being.

In this session, our teacher will lead you through a variety of yogic asanas. Depending upon your level of expertise and practice, he will teach you difficult asanas as well. For starters, you will do the mountain pose, tree pose, standing forward bend pose, and the locust pose. Although these poses might be a bit difficult, once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier.

Food and Accommodation during Tantra Yoga Retreat

You will live on a strict diet during this 5-days tantra yoga retreat in Nepal. The diet is strictly vegetarian. You might feel bored to eat vegetables only but fret not, our talented chefs will make sure that you get to taste a wide array of authentic Nepali cuisine. The food is prepared in such a way that it helps to accentuate your performance in yoga and simultaneously, detoxify your body.

In terms of accommodation, you will reside on a retreat that lies near the vicinity of the Shivapuri Nagarjuna National Park. The rejuvenating air and fresh ambiance make it an ideal place to practice yoga. The rooms have air conditioners, Wi-fi, an attached bathroom, and windows. The quality of service is simply unmatched.

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