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...
Sharon Gannon's DVD, Chakra Balancing Yoga, promises to "open and balance" the chakras through asana, mantras, and affirmations.
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...
A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine confirmed what many yogis have long known.
"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...
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...
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...
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...
Mayor Gavin Newsom wants to occasionally close a 3 1/2-mile stretch of road in San Francisco for yoga, bicycling, jogging, and dancing. "Instead of bringing people to open space, we bring open space to people," Newsom told the San Francisco...
Nancy Portuga Jamello teaches yoga to teenage students at the California School for the Blind in Fremont. Many of the students slouch because the constant fear of running into objects and losing their balance can produce an over-arching spine. Yoga...
Synergy Yoga Studio in Encinitas, California, is closing after 16 years of business amid allegations of abuse and brainwashing, reports 10news.com. Some students and employees claim the studio's founder, Peri Ness, is running a cult and considers herself a prophet....
If you read my post on March 10, you know that Hindu leaders have asked to preview the Mike Myers comedy "The Love Guru" (opening on June 20). Now you can watch the movie's trailer on YouTube. And check out...
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will hold its first annual Yoga Week from May 19 to May 23 at its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. This five-day event is for NIH employees but also open to the public—and free! Participants...
Kate Potter's popular show, "Namaste Yoga," can now be seen in seven countries. "In all my years of teaching yoga, I never dreamed I would be reaching out to the numbers of people who are writing to me these days,"...
Do you use yoga props at the studio or at home? In the past, yoga props usually meant a strap, a block, and a blanket. Now you can find all manner of back and toe stretchers, and more. At Gaiam.com,...
As Earth Day approaches (April 22), I encourage you to check out the Green Yoga Association (www.greenyoga.org). Its goal is "to build community among those of us who are passionate about Yoga and caring for the Earth. We believe that...
An innovative yoga studio in Greenwich, CT, has started an online food co-op. Customers shop for local organic foods online then pick up their groceries at Greenwich Yoga once a week. "It was just another aspect of how we could...
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....
A Buddha statue from the Coninx Museum in Zurich sold for $5 million at Christie's auction house in New York, reports swissinfo.ch. (There was no information on who bought the statue.) The statue is considered the most important Buddhist sculpture...
A study conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, India, suggests certain forms of yoga, along with regular treatment, can help reduce seizures in patients suffering from refractory epilepsy (those who continue to experience...
Earlier this month, the Thai government said it was "investigating claims that supposedly celibate Buddhist monks have been using a U.S.-based social networking website to flirt with women," reports the Associated Press. A watchdog group, the Network of Civilians to...
If you live in San Francisco, you may have seen or heard about Tamara Standard (aka Yoga Girl) teaching yoga on the tough streets of the Tenderloin and Mission districts in an effort to bring yoga to people who might...
Often, the creators of a controversial movie allow religious groups a chance to preview the film. For example, the Catholic church screened The Passion of the Christ and The Da Vinci Code. Now, the Universal Society of Hinduism is requesting...
This man should have died within five minutes, reports the U.K. paper the Mirror. "I knew the air wouldn't last..."
According to various press reports, actor Tobey Maguire (of Spiderman fame), who is a vegan, is asking visitors to his home to remove all leather items before entering. One guest to his house said, "I've seen women take off their...
If so, you might enjoy Punk Rock Yoga, being offered in Boston, New York, Seattle and Toronto. "I love the different kind of music, and it really gets people who wouldn't go into a yoga study into a class because...
On March 23, 2007, yoga teacher Paul Cortez was sentenced to 25 years to life for killing his girlfriend. Now, friends, family and others have created The Paul Cortez Defense Fund in hopes to raise $75,000 for legal representation during...
A recent Yoga Journal "Yoga in America" study shows that Americans spend $5.7 billion a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing, vacations, DVDs, books, and magazines. This represents an increase of 87 percent compared to the previous...
On December 5, I encouraged readers to visit www.volvoforlifeawards.com and vote for Matt Sanford. Well, guess what? He won! Matt will receive a $100,000 contribution to the charity of his choice. If you took the time to vote, I'm sure...
Poet-yogis Kazim Ali, Susan Brennan, and Jeff Davis will discuss how yoga has influenced their poetry and informed their practice of conscious activism during the Split This Rock Poetry Festival in Washington, D.C. on March 20-23. For more information on...
Yogis Jason Magness, Sam Salwei, and Paul Cassedy of Team YogaSlackers have begun their attempt to cross the entire state of North Dakota using only the wind. In 21 days, the three will snowkite more than 390 miles to promote...
The Laugh Angeles newsletter is giving away a list of 150 laughter exercises. To receive the list and for more on laughter yoga, visit www.laughangeles.com. How many of you have practiced laughter yoga?...
Feeling the mid-winter blues? Here are a few events to get you off the couch. (Not that you've been on the couch. You've been hanging on your yoga mat, right?) Anne Lamott, author of the bestsellers Traveling Mercies, Operating Instructions,...
Artist Marc Quinn has agreed to donate Red Sphinx, a white-bronze sculpture of supermodel Kate Moss in a "heart-shaped yoga pose with red lips," to an auction on February 14 for Red, the brand created by U2 star Bono to...
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Apparel manufacturer Liz Claiborne Inc. is selling the prAna brand back to prAna's founders and Steelpoint Capital Partners for $36.5 million, reports Reuters. Liz Claiborne originally bought the prAna line in November 2005 for $34.4 million. How many of you...
Dangerous amounts of lead have been found in Ayurvedic medicines such as ghasard, a brown powder given to relieve constipation in babies, and mahayogaraj gugullu, for high blood pressure, reports the Associated Press. "In a 2004 study that found high...
A university student center that incorporates both ancient design principles of Vedic architecture and environmentally friendly features will open its doors at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, on February 1. The $7.5 million Argiro Student Center boasts two...
. . . 2008 Bishnu Ghosh Cup, the Bikram yoga championship. This annual event will take place in Los Angeles at the LAX Westin on February 1-3. Regional finishers will compete for the U.S. title, and there will be an...
Financial powerhouse Dow Jones has launched dharma indexes "to track the stocks of companies that observe the values of dharma-based religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism," reports the Washington Post. "The principle of dharma contains precepts relevant to good conduct,...
The Los Angeles Times recently ran a profile of yoga teacher and Yoga Journal calendar model Seane Corn. Why, you ask? Here's why: "Since 2005, she has raised an estimated $300,000 for YouthAIDS, a nonprofit health services organization that serves...
Some of Mohandas Gandhi's ashes will be scattered in the Arabian Sea on January 30, the 60th anniversary of his death, reports the Associate Press. "A small steel urn of Gandhi's ashes — one of dozens dispersed across the country...
January 26, Yoga Day USA, is a good day to celebrate your practice. It's also a great day to get a friend more interested in yoga. Yoga Alliance created Yoga Day USA in 1999 to raise awareness about yoga's benefits...
I received this letter last night and thought it worth sharing. An Open Letter from Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg Dear Friends, We are writing to ask your support for two beloved friends of ours, Stephen and Ondrea...