The Health Benefits
of Yoga
by Dino Flacco
Although most yoga classes focus on learning physical poses known as asa- nas, they usually include some breath- ing techniques and a short meditation, too. The regular practice of each of these aspects can help establish a valu- able mind-body connection and lead to improved fl exibility, better posture and enhanced well-being. Yoga’s many health benefi ts include:
Stress reduction: With calm, precise movements, yoga draws your focus away from your busy, chaotic day toward a sense of calm, as you move through poses that build balance and concentration.
Increased fi tness: As you refi ne your practice and gain increased balance, fl exibility, range of motion and strength, you’re less likely to injure yourself in oth- er physical endeavors or daily routines.
Better sleep: Yoga benefi ts the quality of sleep through its stimulating effect upon the nervous system. Certain yoga pos- tures increase blood circulation to the sleep center in the brain, which has the effect of normalizing the sleep cycle. The practice of deep breathing brings more oxygen into the body, aiding clarity of mind and enhancing sleep.
Weight loss: Yoga can help you make the healthy lifestyle changes necessary to gain control of eating habits and drop extra pounds. Additionally, the cardio- vascular workout of heated or power yoga classes will burn lots of calories. Here in the West, there are many
on and off the mat anecdotal claims about yoga’s benefi ts by yoga students. The best way to fi nd out if their stories are true is to put yoga to the test. By tak- ing a beginner series of classes and mak- ing yoga a part of your daily discipline, you can be your own “scientifi c” experi- ment; be sure to share your “laboratory” results with a friend or family member.
Haute Yoga, 437 South Highway 101, Ste. 401, Solana Beach 92075. Call 858-345-1810 or visit
HauteYoga.com.
See ad on page 41.
natural awakenings
June 2010
35
by L. Lee Walker
ly-lit vinyasa yoga fl ow studio, located inside the Sorrento Valley Racquetball and Fitness Center, offers a welcoming atmosphere; its comfortably warm temperature helps facilitate a greater range of motion and elimination of toxins from the body. Sorrento Valley Yoga has not only attracted a group of instructors who teach
S
many different styles of yoga, it has also garnered the attention of Ricky Tran, a mod- ern urban yogi, who will present Independence Yoga Weekend from June 10-13. Tran’s asana classes can vary from an Ashtanga Vinyasa-infl uenced fl ow, fi lled
with challenging twists, bends, arm balances and inversions, to a more gentle and therapeutic, yet challenging style, as taught by Srivatsa Ramaswami. “A weekend class with Ricky can transform your practice,” advises Lessie. She explains that while the weekend will offer plenty of physical exercise, its overall purpose is to help students achieve a state of moksha, Sanskrit for freedom and liberation, which can result from closely observing the mind and its tendencies. “Once the mind settles into a state of stillness and the observer is completely aware, the Self is revealed,” says Lessie. “At the highest level, yoga is liberation of the individual Self from the bond- ages of existence,” Lessie continues. To help practitioners become Self-realized, Independence Yoga Weekend will be fi lled with yoga postures, energy awareness and locks, Patanajali Yoga Sutra dissemination, pranayama, concentration and meditation. “The idea is to inspire an awareness of something greater and perhaps bring the practitioner one step closer to complete moksha,” Lessie advises.
Independence Yoga Weekend is for the serious and the curious. Limited space is available. Entire weekend cost: $159; individual workshop: $59. Big Picture Talk/ Demo: $20; free if registered for any workshop during the weekend.
Sorrento Valley Yoga, 10999 Sorrento Valley Rd., San Diego 92121. Call 858-353-7703. Visit
SorrentoValleyYoga.com or Facebook: Sorrento Valley Yoga
Fan Page. See ad below.
Independence Yoga Weekend
June 10-13
an Diego native Reegan Sarah Lessie set out to create a space where yoga students could leave behind the hectic pace of daily life and focus on the present moment. With Sorrento Valley Yoga, she achieved her goal. The soft-
YOGA STUDIO SPOTLIGHT ON
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