...lf-respecting organization should have ethical guidelines, so there is no excuse for teachers who know better and violate them.

In regard to discrimination and intolerance: This goes against the very foundation of Yogic principles. There is no excuse for discrimination of gender, age, race, religion, color, nationality, disability, or sexual preference.

In regard to vices: Moderate behavior is expected of Yoga teachers. If you are a living example of a healthy lifestyle, moderation in all forms of behavior, is an expected part of your teaching practice. In fact, when a person is abusing himself or herself - counseling and rehabilitation should be a priority. Any organization, involved in the certification of Yoga instructors, should never condone addictions, or self-abuse, which are counter-productive to the path of holistic health.

Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publicationsmore

Yoga Teacher Guidelines for Assisting, Part 3

...r students; while some students leave Yoga classes that have hands on assists. This hang up about touching may seem ridiculous to some Yoga teachers, while other Yoga instructors avoid touching like the plague. Remember that touching another person can be difficult if you have a personal history where touching was used to gain trust, and later betrayed. It is also not looked upon favorably by some cultures.

For example: As a child and a younger adult, when I met martial arts masters, from Okinawa and Honshu, students were informed to bow and keep the small talk to a minimum. Hand shakes were not to be offered,...more

Simplify Your Life With Yoga

...ditions. With just a little research, youre sure to find whats right for you.

Fran started as a weightlifter. Thats what got me into trouble. I was in so much pain in my hips. I went to my first power yoga class. I loved it. It was letting go, a big simplification. You dont even need shoes for yoga.

But is yoga enough of a workout? The power yoga was an all-inclusive workout. I got cardio, cleansing (I was sweating like a pig), stretching and strength using my entire body.

Her story with yoga changes, however, as she grows into it. Frans friend Vashti agrees that a persons yoga practice changes over time. Yoga is an amazing form of exercise, but its something more, too. Look, people study 80 years or more doing this. They have gone into the mountains in their pursuit of yoga. I have to be a little reverent about it.

That being said, yoga is not a religion or belief system. Yoga is a practice of putting yourself together in the present moment. Its a system of exercises that unify breath, attention, and the body. In fact, the word yoga means to yoke, to put together, a union. You can practice yoga as a Catholic, a born-again Baptist, a Mormon, Buddhist, Hindu, Unitarian, Agnostic. Whatever your spiritual orientation, yoga can enhance your life by bringing it all together.

Fran observes, After one year it became more than a physical workout. Thats when I began to progress. I began to see yoga as applicable to someth...more

Coping Strategies - Yoga For Menopause Relief

... preparatory and counter postures. And if you have a particularly tense neck, it may be better to do a standing forward bend than downward dog (and certainly not shoulder stand or headstand), as the angle of the shoulders, combined with the weight on them, can cause tension in the neck.

Other good postures for menopause can be the standing postures - including triangle pose, half moon, and the extended side angle pose. These open up the front of the body, and the hips - which can be an area of stiffness for many women anyway!

Whatever poses you incorporate into your daily life during menopause, remember to be flexible. The needs of our bodies change, areas of stiffness change, symptoms change. Learning to respond to this, like the challenges that life can send our way, is the best way to tailor a practice to suit your needs.

References:
1. Australian Yoga Life, Nov 2006 - Mar 2007
2. A Mohan, Yoga For body, Breath, and Mindmore

Yoga International February 1998 Issue