Returning from our trip to India, my friend Bonnie gave me the The New York Times Magazine, dated January 8, 2011, because of the article "All Bent Out Of Shape: The Problem With Yoga" by William J. Broad. The author is a senior science writer at the paper and the article is adapted from his... Continue Reading →
Integrated Yoga Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis
The effect of an integrated yoga routine for osteoarthritis of the knee, conducted by Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in India was published in the September 27, 2011 issue of the International Journal of Yoga. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of adding integrated yoga to electric and sound therapy to randomly... Continue Reading →
Do Yoga Classes Hurt Your Back?
As yoga related injuries are rising, can yoga classes hurt your back is a relevant question to ask. You are invited to share positive and not-so-positive experiences so we can all learn from each other. In reading about the subject of back pain and injuries, I came across http://www.alisoneastlandyoga.wordpress.com and her blog posts Are yoga classes bad... Continue Reading →
Updates on Surya Namaskar Practice
I need to clarify that the sequence of 12 movements in surya namaskar is half a round the way we do it. A full round is 24 movements. I will post a chart in a later post when we have our Internet services back after this last storm. For now, I have listed the positions... Continue Reading →
Q&A:How To Practice Surya Namaskar
The results of the study in the previous post are in line with expectations. Studies often raise more questions and the blog has received several questions on how to practice surya namaskar. I hope this answers the questions. 1. How does one define slow versus fast surya namaskar? I don't think that the study in the previous blog post... Continue Reading →
Physiological Effects of Slow and Fast Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar, or sun salutation, is the most popular dynamic sequence of asanas that are coordinated with the breath. There are many variations of surya namaskar. The traditional sequence of 12 movements can be performed slowly or rapidly. In the International Journal of Yoga, India, web publication date September 27, 2011, researchers have published a study of... Continue Reading →
Cautions for Summer Yoga
Here are some reminders for summer yoga: Avoid doing asanas in direct sunlight, except at dawn or dusk. Do not do dynamic sun salutations, especially 12 rounds. It may overheat the body. Switch to a more passive sequence that allows the body time to settle and rest in each asana for a comfortable amount of... Continue Reading →
Yoga Asanas for Anxiety and Stress
For people who are unrestricted in their movements, the following combination of dynamic and passive may be helpful for anxiety and stress: Asana: surya namaskar (sun salutations), shavasana (corpse), vipareeta karni (inverted pose) or sarvangasana (shoulder stand), shavasana, matsyasana (fish), bhujangasana (cobra), ardha shalabhasana (half locust), shalabhasana (locust), dhanurasana (bow), ardha matsyendra (half spinal twist),... Continue Reading →
Yoga Do’s for Anxiety, Stress, Depression
How can yoga and meditation help with anxiety? Often stress and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Sometimes they join hands with depression. However, everyone who is anxious and stressed does not have to be clinically depressed. Yoga asanas may be very helpful in dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression as shown by the Harvard and Bangalore studies... Continue Reading →
