Namaste Blog

Whether you like video games or not, you've got to be at least curious about the new Yoga for Wii game coming out later this year. As a Wii Fit enthusiast, I was definitely excited to hear that there was...

Businessmanagementdaily.com recently posted a list of tips using yoga techniques to help productivity. It's something I can definitely relate to as I sit at my desk on a Friday afternoon. It's also a fabulous lesson in applying yoga to everyday...

At $18 a class in some cities, it's no surprise that yoga studios are often a hub for financially secure spiritual seekers. It's the high price tags associated with yoga classes, retreats, and trendy yoga clothes that has some folks...

Regular yoga practice is associated with mindful eating, and people who eat mindfully are less likely to be obese, according to a recent study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The study, which was a follow-up on...

By YJ correspondent Nancy O'Brien. Normal 0 Yoga Journal, tracking down furtive reports that a yoga teacher had been arrested in a Michigan crackdown on yoga teacher training programs, has learned that state police appeared at Dancing Feet Yoga in...

In the yoga community there's an unspoken "don't ask, don't tell" rule when it comes to being a vegetarian, wrote vinyasa teacher and author Sadie Nardini in a recent blog post."Many of the most famous teachers are not only vegetarian,...

If we've learned anything from this recession, it's that yoga is not a "luxury" expenditure but an important necessity for many who have found ways to stretch their (already thin) dollars to make it yoga class. In fact, many studios...

It's not news that states are cracking down on yoga teacher training programs and asking (in some instances demanding) that yoga schools pay the same licensing fees vocational schools like hairdressing and massage therapy schools pay. After Michigan gave yoga...

Deepening your practice doesn't always mean getting your body into a deeper asana. In fact, sometimes you'll get more out of sitting down with a book and deepening your knowledge of the practice.But there are so many important yoga books...

Image: Brant Ward/The Chronicle I'm not sure where it came from, but the idea that yoga teachers should never date yoga students seems to be prevalent in the yoga community. It was taught as ethics in my teacher training course...

What do you normally get your dear ol' dad for Father's Day? A tie? Slippers? It can be difficult to find the perfect present to show your dad how much you appreciate him. If your dad's a yoga practitioner, I...

I recently caught with YJ contributor Jaimal Yogis to discuss his memoir about his experiences with surfing and Buddhism, Saltwater Yoga: A Surfers Quets to Find Zen on the Sea. A long-time yoga practitioner, Yogis (his real name--you'll have...

A study at West Virginia University found mindfulness training exercises such as yoga, controlled breathing, meditation, and tai chi can help people handle stressful situations, according to an article on CNN.com. The study followed 103 participants, half of which were...

In a lawsuit against Dahn Yoga, a yoga organization with locations across the U.S., 26 former Dahn members allege the organization subjects its members to "psychological manipulation". Dahn Yoga issued this response to ABC15 in Arizona, who has been following...

Summer traveling can be challenging for a yoga student. Hours cooped up in crowded airplanes, routine meditation and asana sessions disrupted by altered schedules, so far from your yoga studio. Travelers have long been seeking out cozy Bed and...

Unless you've been living in a cave lately (a rent-free cave) you probably know we're in a recession. And unless you've been living in that cave AND on an incredibly long media fast, you know that people are cutting back...

After a hiatus, in which I was blogging about the first-ever Yoga Journal Conference in New York City and visiting family, I'm back to blogging all of the buzz in the yoga community. (Did you miss me?) First, I wanted...

Upon waking for the last day of the conference, we learned that Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, 93, has passed. The official announcement is posted here, and you can find up-to-the-minute memorial posts and reactions from students worldwide here via twitter. What are some of your best...

Gather your girls, a few pink feather boas, and a gaudy beauty pageant sash that says "Bachelorette!" It's wedding season—and with that comes the rehearsal dinner, the bridal shower, the next-day brunch, and of course the infamous bachelor/bachelorette party....

If you've ever wondered if there's a scientific reason you feel such a warm, happy glow after your favorite yoga class (also known as a yoga buzz), the latest issue of Oprah magazine offers an explanation. The culprits are...

We all know that yoga is great for all ages—from the tiniest tots to those much later in life. But for many of us, the class title Yoga for Seniors, calls to mind images of chair yoga, gentle stretching, and...

One of the most popular articles gracing NYTimes.com last week questioned whether nasal irrigation using a neti pot can help reduce allergy symptoms. "While it is not nearly as convenient as popping a pill or using a spray, several...

Yoga teacher trainings fall under the same category as schools that teach bartending, pet grooming, medical assistance, and business, according to Michigan state officials, reports the The Detroit News. The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth has begun...

The latest Harvard Mental Health Letter touts yoga as a tool to help people manage both anxiety and depression. In the past, studies evaluating yoga as a therapeutic tool have been too small and poorly designed to be scientifically...

There has been a lot of discussion in the yoga community lately about why women make up such a large majority of yoga students. Could it be because yoga clothing companies aren't providing appropriate attire for men? Could it be...

Fashion designer Donna Karan donated $850,000 to Beth Israel Medical Center in New York to help fund yoga therapy in the cancer wing there, reports USA Today. Karan, a yoga practitioner for more than 40 years, saw the need for...

Yogajournal.com contributor Sara Avant Stover wants you to breathe better. She posted a blog at huffingtonpost.com about how to access and improve your breath in five simple steps. "In school we learn skills like how to add fractions and write...

Some yoga students are turning the recession into an opportunity of a lifetime. According to an article from Reuters.com, some recently unemployed yoga students are taking advantage of their open schedules to enroll in yoga teacher training programs. Though...

Researchers at Indiana University released a study today that showed older adults who practice hatha yoga may be less afraid of falling—which is important, the study says, because that fear can limit physical and social activity, ultimately diminishing the...

The Wall Street Journal recently reviewed some of the new yoga mats on the market. (That's right, the yoga mat industry is big enough that Wall Street Journal took notice.) "We were cheered to find that manufacturers are rolling...

A recent column in the California Bay Area newspaper, Palo Alto Daily News, opposes the idea that yoga is beneficial for competitive athletes. The column, written by Dr. Phil Wagner, the director of SPARTA Performing Science (an athletic training facility...

Researchers have found that practicing restorative yoga regularly for only 10 weeks improved the outlook and energy level of breast cancer patients. The women who did a gentle yoga practice were also less likely to become depressed than the test...

We hear about it everyday. The economy is bad, and it will get worse if our government doesn't step in and do something about it. Businesses, local governments, and individuals are looking for help in the form of bailouts....

Check out this video about how the Art of Yoga Project is using yoga to help teen girls in a juvenile justice facility in San Mateo, Calif. find more balance. To read the full story visit insidebayarea.com. Do you think...

Image from New York Times It's hard enough being out-numbered in yoga classes, but men also have the additional challenge of finding suitable yoga gear in a female-driven market. According to a New York Times article published today on...

Greensender.com recently unveiled a symbol designed to help you show your "green pride."

What do you get when Shiva Rea, six kirtan chanters, and their bands get together on the eve of an historic presidential inauguration in the nation's capital? Chant4Change. Think praise band meets dance club/mosh pit in a church. Last night...

"How you begin something is of great significance," writes New York yoga teacher Dharma Mittra in an email newsletter to his students. "Begin 2009 committed to the attainment of Self-Knowledge." In a list of recommendations for 2009, Dharma suggests students...

A recent study found that the more happy people you know, the more likely you too will be happy, reports Reuters. Research results are available in the British Medical Journal. People with the most social connections, such as friends, spouses,...

The New York Insight Meditation Center is holding its fourth annual Holiday Fair, Saturday, December 6, from 11 am - 5 pm. Admission is free. Attendees can enjoy a craft sale, free body work sessions, entertainment, and homemade refreshments. For...

Several Phoenix area yoga studios have closed, reports the Arizona Republic. All were in the Ahwatukee Foothills neighborhood. Teachers and students say it's because yoga is free at local churches or included in health club memberships, including the Ahwatukee...

Free Spirit Spheres, round wooden rooms set among the trees of the west coast rainforest of Vancouver Island, Canada, are sort of like tree houses for adults. "Uses for these spheres are limited only by one's imagination. Healing, meditation, photography,...

Reports the News Observer, "The ancient practice of yoga is finding a new following -- among doctors and medical researchers who work to discover its benefits for a variety of illnesses. 'There's been an explosion of data using yoga as...

According to the Malaysian Star, "Recently, lecturer Prof. Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan advised Muslims who had taken up yoga to stop practicing it for fear that they could deviate from the teachings of Islam." This triggered a national debate,...

You may have heard how prayer, even if conducted by others, can help you heal. Well, how about eating something that has been blessed? According to Intentional Chocolate, if you eat their sweets, you will experience decreased stress, increased calmness,...

You may bring your own mat to class. You may even wash it regularly with special cleansers. But now EquiFit SpaCare has created a supposedly easier way prevent fungus from making a home on your mat: the whole mat is...

When I think of Philadelphia, two unhealthy things come to mind: cheesesteaks and cream cheese. Brio Vim is out to change my perception with donation yoga, sliding-scale massage, Reiki services and more. "Brio Vim is supporting wellness entrepreneurs by providing...

Can't live without your wok? You may be surprised to learn that an Asian diet doesn't prevent heart attacks. But don't worry: your stir fry also won't cause a heart attack. According to a study of dietary patterns in 52...

World Vegan Day (Nov. 1) was created in 1994 to, in part, celebrate the founding of The Vegan Society in 1944. For more information, visit www.worldveganday.org. In addition, there is something called World Go Vegan Days (Oct. 26-28). According to...

On October 3, I wrote about a Massena, New York, high school that put its classroom yoga program on hold after a group of parents raised concerns about the separation of church and state, saying that the school should not...

A recent study by Emory University neuroscientists suggests that Zen Buddhist meditation may help treat depression, attention deficit disorder, and anxiety, reports The Kansas City Star. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression are characterized in part by “excessive rumination” or runaway thoughts,...

Pamela Newton wrote an article for the September 30 Huffington Post entitled Do Yoga, Get Rich?: High Rollers Are Hitting The Mat. She explains that "a surprising number of moguls and high rollers" now do yoga. Perhaps this isn't news,...

Yoga has become more popular with those in the military, not only to improve flexibility, balance and concentration, but to treat combat-related injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. That's why Jim Terr created the directory www.ReturningSoldierYoga.org— he hopes to connect returning...

Paramahamsa Nithyananda, an Indian spiritual guru, told oneindia.in that yoga should be about intention, not a formal asana practice: "There is nothing to achieve by practicing Yoga. You will be shocked to hear this. Many people have told you that...

Renowned Iyengar Yoga teacher Mary Dunn died peacefully in her sleep on September 4 at her daughter's home in Scarsdale, New York. She was battling cancer. To read her blog, click here. Specifics about the memorial service are yet to...

CNN has done an interesting piece on how yoga is helping inmates in a Mexico City prison. To watch the video, click here. One inmate says he is learning things, like yoga, that he would never have learned on the...

We live in a universe of infinite possibility. That’s why last night, along with 80,000 other enthusiasts, I did the wave in a football stadium and swished an American flag through the air for the first time since the...

DNC Yoginis Strike a Pose with Katie Couric As a yogi, the question is no longer, “What advanced pose can I do?”, but “Can I walk my talk?” In other words, can you live your yoga? This is the...

Yoga in the Oasis Greetings from Denver, where life is hot, busy, and good. The city is teeming with visitors from all over the world; and if there is anywhere that needs yoga right now, this is certainly it!...

Do your wrists hurt when doing weight-bearing poses such as Downward-Facing Dog and Plank? Have you tried or heard of the Wrist Assured Fitness Gloves? The company claims the gloves "improve comfort by relieving wrist strain, joint pain, nerve compression...

An extract of the Frankincense herb Boswellia serrata can reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis, according to new research published in Arthritis Research & Therapy. Patients taking the herbal remedy showed relief from pain, stiffness, and limited movementas in as little...

Learn to love splits in this flowing Jivamukti sequence with an uplifting beat.

According to Gawker.com, an editor at the the Wall Street Journal owns a yoga studio, and in a piece on the business of yoga, one of her employees was quoted. "Tina Gaudoin was brought over to the WSJ from the...

Swami Ramdev just finished conducting two "camps" in New York and New Jersey, yet, unlike B.K.S. Iyengar and others, he is not a household name in America. He is particularly well-known for his efforts in popularizing pranayama and yoga (which...

Maybe you've quit caffeine because you think it undermines the peace and balance that comes from your yoga practice. But, in addition to its cancer-preventing properties, here's another reason to drink green tea: A study published in the European Journal...

Researchers have discovered how meditation and yoga improve health, reports The Washington Post. "It's not all in your head," said Dr. Herbert Benson, president emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor...

Did you get my Grease reference? Anyway, have you ever wanted to design your own yoga mat? Then check out www.yogamatic.com. You can create an eco-friendly yoga mat using your own photo or artwork. Put a photo of your baby/boyfriend/wife...

Nintendo released the Wii Fit game on Wednesday (see my original July 25, 2007 post). Players use a wireless balance board, which is reminiscent of a bathroom scale, to practice yoga, strength training, and aerobics, in addition to balance...

Have you heard of slackline yoga? Created by Jason Magness with climbing partner Sam Salwei, it involves holding yoga poses while balancing on a rope. "Magness had tried to walk on the slackline, a hobby of his climbing peers. He...

If you are like a lot of yogis, you probably head to your local food coop or Whole Foods to buy beauty and cleaning products that seem safer for you and the environment than the ones sold at the supermarket....

Rod Stryker's deep study of Tantra has taught him to be fearless and joyful.