Gratitude

Gratitude is an emotion usually found in the heart Chakra that radiates through the throat Chakra resulting in spoken words or gestures of, Thank you.” If you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, you create gratitude for yourself; a sense of satisfaction and acceptance of value.  What a wonderful, perpetuating system of self love. Being in love with yourself is loving your higher power and all created by your higher power. Think about that. Blessings for a heart felt Thanksgiving weekend.

Namaste’

Voice of Wisdom

As we prepare for the holidays we are often stressed about the time, money and work that requires yet more of our energy. I offer the wisdom of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, “It is not ‘what’ we do, ‘how much’ we do or ‘how much we give’ that matters. It is how much LOVE we have put in!!” May I suggest a tool using your breath and thoughts to create a happy holiday: In those exhausting thoughts recall your best holiday memory and allow the resulting positive emotion to fill your heart.  Then take five deep breaths with a long sighing exhale while saying, “I am love.” Adding a smile actually reduces cortisol ( a stress hormone in the brain) that calms the negative thoughts and your body. Throw in some gratitude and see how much better you feel. So, take a breathe and enjoy your blessings for a joyous holiday! Namaste’

New Study: Yoga a Greater Relief from Depression than Other Forms of Exercise

Numerous studies indicate that exercise may be up to 95% as effective as prescription drugs for relieving depression. And while the effect of anti-depressants often takes months to kick in, people report relief from depression within only the first four weeks of adopting a physical activity program. However, a recent study reveals that yoga for depression may be even more effective at offering relief for depression than other forms of exercise. Continue reading

How Science Supports Yoga as a Cure for Depression

Zoloft, Prozac, and many other infamous antidepressants have had thousands, if not millions of dollars funding research on their benefits. At the same time, what may be the world’s best depression treatment remains consistently under-tested and under-advertized, namely because there’s no company that stands make enough money off of it to support its promotion. Continue reading

Yoga As an Effective Way to Combat Depression

What if there were a way to treat depression that was as effective as our current medication, but instead of producing side effects like weight gain, fatigue, and insomnia, resulted in weight loss, increased vitality, and better sleep at night? Amazingly enough, preliminary studies indicate that such an alternative to drugs does exist—and it doesn’t even require a prescription.

According to a growing number of trials, exercise can provide up to over 95% of the mood-improvement that prescription drugs afford. This, of course, includes yoga. According to one recent study, yoga may be even more effective than other forms of exercise in helping people combat depression and anxiety. Think of it as  the new-and-improved Prozac! Continue reading

Yoga vs. Yoga Therapy?

Many people wonder what the difference is between yoga and yoga therapy, and which one is right for them. Here are the highlights of what yoga therapy is, what its benefits are, and how yoga therapy differs from traditional yoga asana classes.

Basically, yoga therapy uses the ancient science of yoga to enhance health and wellness at all levels of the person: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Yoga therapy focuses on the path of yoga as a healing journey that brings balance to all aspects of life through an experiential awakening of our essential nature. Yoga therapy is useful both for people who seek relief for specific health challenges, as well as for people who want to enjoy good health, prevent disease, and slow the progression of aging. Continue reading