Yoga Therapy - Boost the Immune System Through Yogic Relaxation and Yoga Therapy

Yoga practitioners develop self observation skills even during the relaxation at the end of the yoga class. Yogic relaxation exercises are many, and vary from progressive muscle relaxation to breath awareness.

There is however a systematic relaxation of the many body parts that deeply relaxes body and brain, and can infuse the body with consciousness even at a cellular level. Where attention goes, energy follows. Disconnection from the body is one cause of illness. This conscious and felt connection with more than 100 body parts during yogic relaxation, infuses the parts with life energy, also called chi, or prana.

Researchers, from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA) and Bangalore Institute of Oncology (BIO), tested yoga relaxation techniques on those living with breast cancer in second and third stage and found that the exercises were not only successful in fighting the side effects of the ailment, but also helped maintain immunity levels to fight the disease.

Yoga techniques include poses, breathing, hand positions, meditation, self study and relaxation. Singling out relaxation, there are at least ten yogic relaxation techniques to quiet the mind and relax muscle tension. Benefits from relaxing mind and body affect us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They include:

Increase ability to focusIncrease ability to communicate with othersContributes to increased energy levelsIncreased self acceptance and inner peaceIncreased resistance to anticipated stress
Yoga becomes therapeutic when yoga techniques are selected and modified to suit your needs. You become deeply involved as you observe and assess the effect of the practice on your body and mind. Self-observation and self assessment can or must be an ongoing practice, to keep in touch with all aspects of our being.

In a formal yoga on the mat practice, we can develop our self observation skills by paying attention to many intricate details of our physical body. "Are my shoulders stabilized?" Or on the other hand, we may find that simply being aware of and feeling whether we are maintaining length in the spine, suffice for self assessment of the physical.

Maintaining awareness of and feeling the movement of breath while we hold a pose, also develops our self-observation skills. And on a more subtle level, awareness and self assessment of how grounded we are, or how much lightness we feel is the first step to keeping us balanced energetically when in the pose.

On deeper levels, as we remain steady in the pose, we might observe and feel how much sadness our heart holds, and/or how much determination we feel. The longer we are able to hold and breathe easily in the pose, we may observe ourselves enveloped with feelings of softness, surrender or courage.

The more we are able to connect with all levels of our being, i.e. physical, energetic, mental emotional, spiritual, the more we improve the health of our immune system and foster the sense of well being. Energy follows our attention.

What steps will you take today to infuse your physical body, mind and emotions with consciousness?

And now, I'd like to invite you to claim your free download of guided relaxation and join our community when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com

From Heather Greaves - Yoga Therapist and Body Therapies Yoga Training

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Fancy Dress Ideas

When you are invited to a fancy dress party, choosing an outfit which has impact can be difficult. There are so many aspects to take into consideration. For example, if you are not confident about your body it is probably not the best idea to wear a Catwoman outfit. Similarly it is best not to wear anything which you may feel uncomfortable in as the night goes on.

There are many outfits which are popular with regards to fancy dress. Here we look at a few for the men and for the ladies too.

A very popular men's outfit is the full body stocking. These are often favoured by groups of men who are looking for something fun and attention grabbing to wear on a stag weekend or suchlike. These body stockings come in a variety of colours and patterns and can also be worn by ladies too. This is a full body suit which covers the face too. However the wearer can still see and breathe perfectly naturally through the suit itself which is skin tight but still very comfortable with lots of stretch in the fabric which is usually spandex.

Another very popular outfit for men is the superhero outfit which is fantastic for those who are young at heart. Spiderman, Superman and Batman are the main superhero outfits which are in demand due to the fact that they are very much under the media spotlight. There are no real DIY options when thinking of dressing up as a superhero but costumes are readily available online and in stores.

One of the most enduringly popular ladies dress up outfits has to be the sexy witch. This is quite an easy one to put together so long as you have the right accessories. A little black dress teamed with stiletto heels and some smoky and sultry make up will take you halfway there. Add a witch's hat and painted nails and you have your own sexy witch outfit. There are also plenty of great looking witch costumes available to buy. These are inexpensive and many are very good quality too.

Another very popular fancy dress look for women is the policewoman. There are literally hundreds of different policewoman costumes on sale. Some of them are rather daring and it is recommended that before you purchase an outfit you check that the length and amount of flesh on show is OK for you. The policewoman outfit is very popular for ladies who are on hen nights as they can have a lot of fun and laughs 'arresting' males they encounter on their travels! The accessory of choice for the policewoman look is a set of handcuffs which add to the fun and playful vibe!

Whatever outfit you choose for your fancy dress needs, always remember to make is a little playful and to have fun choosing it. Fancy dress parties can be amazing but the actual planning of the outfit can be just as much fun! If in doubt, always ask for your friend's opinion and bounce ideas off one another.

If you are looking to standout at the party this year then why not try a Halloween Morphsuit. Buy direct from the U.Ks original supplier of Halloween morphsuit costumes and check out the full range of costumes today.

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Yoga For Beginners - Explore Emotional Healing With Yoga Poses

Looking for tips on Yoga for Beginners? Yoga poses can be used to explore feelings. Think of  your time with yoga poses as an experiment; as if you were in a laboratory. Kripalu yoga developed a framework for working with emotions: Breathe, Relax, Feel, Witness, Allow.

Decide that you want to experiment with an emotion. You can choose to go deep and explore, or you may prefer to simply witness the process. There are 3 principles to consider when witnessing. Let's use 1 principle and work with a Standing Pose.

Standing poses are great to work with when dealing with emotions. They bring a quality of strength and confidence as you make effort to sustain the pose. At the same time  you remain calm and relaxed as you pay attention to your breath. The two qualities of effort and surrender or relaxation create a healthy balance in yoga poses and in life. In yoga for beginners this is an important point to grasp through experience.

With stability in the pose as well as sustained effort and relaxation, tensions held a little deeper in the body can surface. This is your opportunity to explore, eventually integrate and release.

Working with Emotions through Sensations

Choose a standing pose from the yoga poses you like.  Enter the pose and find a way to hold the pose comfortably to allow sensations to emerge and expand. Avoid suppressing or sidestepping sensations. Feel your feet on the ground and press all 4 corners of the feet evenly into the earth. Lift the toes for even more support for the feet and legs. With support and stability established in the pose, gently lengthen the spine.

Witness

After you have established a firm foundation, totally focus on the physical sensations you feel. Remember to breathe consciously, and create space for the breath with micro movements when necessary. Encourage the breath to fill the whole body and definitely touch the sensations you want to work with. Use the breath to draw your attention inwards.

Notice the size, shape, quality of the sensation. Perhaps you are able to see colors and images.  To witness is to observe without judging or analyzing.  If creating a sound helps with a release of emotions, by all means free yourself.

Healing Emotions

This process releases stuck energy of feelings and emotions. What do you notice when the energy is released?

Do share your experience of healing emotions through any of the yoga poses you choose to explore in your laboratory.

And now, I'd like to invite you to claim your free access to a guided relaxation when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com/ Type "guided meditation" to search the blog.

From Heather Greaves - Yoga Therapy Teacher Trainer and Body Therapies Yoga Training

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Preserving The Best Memories Of Childhood With Baby Stickers

Having a baby at home is the most beautiful experience for everyone, especially the new parents. They continue to find the most advanced and the most beautiful way to store their child's growing years through pictures and videos. With today's advancement, clicking pictures has become instant and you can view them on any portable device. With technology comes complications. Storing the photos on various folders of your computer can create a little trouble. Among the thousands of pictures stored on your hard drive it can be difficult to distinguish your child's age and growth.

To make things easy for yourself get monthly baby stickers if you have a newborn in the house or if you are expecting one. Recording a baby's growth is rarest of the moments and you don't experience it very often in life. Everything your child does in the beginning years of life is extraordinary and you will want to relish it throughout your life. But just clicking random pictures will be of no help unless you tag them properly. Specifically, one needs to do this with the pictures of the newborn because in the coming years you will find yourself trying to remember when the photo was taken.

With these baby stickers you can easily keep a record of your child's age. Then, when you open the album the next time, the sticker will remind you of the age of your child when the picture was snapped. Just stick the stickers on the clothes of your baby and freeze that moment in the form of a priceless picture. Along with your baby's photo you can click pictures of his/her first toy, car, doll or anything precious that kids will want to remember as they grow up.

They continue to find the most advanced and the most beautiful way to store their child's growing years through pictures and videos.

These pictures are not just for memory but if you have a look at the recent pics you can compare the growth of the child as well. (It can also keep you reminded about the vaccination months of the baby). Why just purchase it for your child? If you have a newborn around you can always gift this item at the baby shower and surprise those parents with a unique and exciting new gift. Now, you and those close to you can display your baby's pictures with their age on the social sites and also share them with the kids when they are grown.

Are you looking for the cheapest Baby Month Stickers? Get original creator of Month Stickers for Babies, offering a fun way to record your little one growing right before your eyes. Browse Baby Shower Gift, Month Stickers of bright and fun designs to match your baby style.

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Yoga Therapy - 4 Steps to Turn a Frown Into a Healing Prayer With Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy is a lot more than a prescription for yoga exercises. It takes the whole person into consideration at 3 levels: body mind and spirit. So if a frown has shown up once more on your face, here's a healing path you can choose to take. A "frown" is any negative feeling you experience. This self healing path turns a frown into a meaningful prayer from the heart, and calms the heart. Here are 4 ABLE steps that could be used in a yoga therapy session.

Acknowledge and Accept

What exactly are you feeling? Name it. Is it anger or hurt? Are you feeling scared or nervous? Are you worried or anxious? You may be feeling a milder form of emotion. You may have a combination of emotions. Take a moment and acknowledge all feelings and emotions.

Can you find a way to accept the situation, person or feeling? If you find this a difficult step, check to see if you are blaming or if you have guilt.

Yoga Therapy includes yoga psychology and asks us to question and change old belief systems that no longer serve us.

Breathe Consciously

Become aware of your natural breath moving in and out. You can even say to yourself, "Breathing in, I know I'm breathing in" when you breathe in. And then "Breathing out, I know I'm breathing out" when you breathe out. This allows you to be in the present moment, and to be with your body and breath, rather than dwell totally in your head.

Let Go

Let go of tension in the face, shoulders and any where you are holding tension. Relax the mouth, watch the frown dissolve as soften the face. When the mind is tense, it reflects somewhere in the body. Find that place and encourage relaxation. You could visualize being in your favorite nature spot, or see the tension leaving your body like smoke when you exhale.

Visualization is an important aspect of Tantra Yoga and it is included in Yoga Therapy.

End with Heart Connect

Place your hand on your spiritual heart. Thumb and index finger up by the collar bone. In the palm of your hand is a pool of energy. Can you feel it? To increase the energy there, and your level of sensitivity to the energy, rub the palms together a few times then place one hand on your heart. Gently close your eyes and let your attention rest right at that heart connect. Allow a prayer to arise from your heart, and feel this healing prayer in your body.

This is an example of working with the level of the mind in Yoga Therapy.

Take this healing path from a frown to your healing prayer as often as you need to. It is a self healing strategy that connects you with our heart.

And now, I'd like to invite you to free download of Perception Checklist when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com/thank-you-for-your-interest-in-the-perception-checklist

Heather Greaves - the Self Care Mentor and Body Therapies Yoga Training

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Silver Bangle Bracelets and Their Timeless Love Affair With Jewelry Design

When you think of traditional bracelets, two very popular designs likely come to mind right away. First, the classic tennis bracelet and, second the timeless bangle bracelet. The latter is one that is designed to either slip on and off the wrist without closure, or may be styled to open and close with the help of a slide insert clasp. Regardless of which option you choose, silver bangle bracelets are always in high demand.

As for the many reasons why so many have grown to love this classic design, silver bangle bracelets never go out of style. Their timeless beauty appeals to many women who want to know that the jewelry they purchase and wear today will still be in fashion several weeks, months or years from now. Bangles are very much a fashion statement, and not a temporary craze. The structured design of a bangle is such that it wraps around the wrist to create an uninterrupted line, which is another reason why this classic is a signature piece for many women. Many have also been known to remark that they love to hear the 'clanging' of a bangle bracelet, either next to other bangles or during everyday wear.

Speaking of everyday wear, silver bangle bracelets are beloved perhaps most of all for their simplicity. The basic design of all bangles is the same - a rigid bracelet designed to embrace the wrist offering the wearer one continual line of uninterrupted beauty. Aside from a ring or wristwatch, bracelets are the only piece of jewelry that the wearer can actually see without having to look in a mirror. As such, ladies will enjoy an accessory that is both visually pleasing and versatile.

Silver bangle bracelets are perhaps among the most versatile styles available. The icy white, neutral tone of sterling silver is beautiful when paired with any wardrobe. From office to casual and even formal, silver is a lovely choice. There are several online retailers that offers a large selection of bangle bracelets crafted in genuine.925 sterling silver. If you incorporate cubic zirconia into a silver setting, you instantly have the look of a very expensive bracelet. As a manmade stone, cubic zirconia is created to resemble the perfect diamond. Add these characteristics together, combine them with the classic bangle design and you have one breathtaking bracelet.

In closing, silver bangle bracelets are always going to be in fashion. Whether you bought one last year, last week or are just now beginning to build your jewelry wardrobe, you can feel confident in knowing that your investment will be a wise one. Many shoppers avoid certain fashion trends because they know that they are only temporary. Select designs, however, such as the bangle, have been popular for years. They have more than proven their staying power and, with designers constantly coming up with new ways to add a modern twist to this very classic style, there is definitely no end in sight to its popularity. Just like the design itself, the love of bangle bracelets continues.

Almost Diamonds, a popular online retailer specializing in sterling silver jewelry, has a complete line of items featuring cubic zirconia and genuine gemstones in a variety of styles to choose from. If you are looking to maximize your jewelry collection without minimizing your wallet, consider the affordable option of sterling silver. Not only is this a precious metal that's designed to last forever, but it also is an economical way to get the look of platinum or white gold without spending a fortune.
For more information on sterling silver bangle bracelets visit Almost Diamonds at http://www.almostdiamonds.com/

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Yoga Exercise - Self Mastery With 5 Universal Human Laws and Yoga Exercise

For greater self understanding, use a recent event that upset you or a yoga exercise like Tree Pose as a test.

The Law of Non-Harming, Non-Violence

Not harming self, others, give up hostilities.

Outcome: Deep peace within. To have such a depth of inner peace that impacts others.

Tip: Notice when you tend to harm, injure or hurt others in thoughts, speech and actions. Nurture the opposite quality. Keep it simple by identifying one area you will work with: thoughts, words or actions.

In life or your practice, notice how you speak to yourself when you lose balance.

The Law of Truthfulness, Honesty

Honesty in thoughts, speech, and actions

Outcome: Will is naturally granted.

Tip: Notice if when you tend to avoid speaking the truth.

If speaking the truth causes someone harm, is it really speaking the truth?

Notice what is happening on the inside as well, the way you are thinking and feeling, and if there is any discrepancy between this inside world and the outside world. Try a yoga exercise like standing on one leg, Tree Pose. for this.

The Law of Non-Stealing

To avoid taking from others, in both physical and subtle ways

Outcome: Things flow to you naturally.

Tip: Notice if what you take, takes some things away from others.

As you self study, check to see if your words contribute in any way to others having less time to share. And if you tend to keep quiet, could this be considered stealing by withholding information.

The Law of Chastity

To avoid dissipation of the life energy, to conserve life energy

Outcome:  Vitality

Tip: If you tend to forget the higher reality, practice the remembrance of the Divine and notice the effect on your energy.

Decide that for 30 seconds, you will avoid chasing after thoughts that surface and focus on remembering a higher ideal. For self study, notice your reaction to this idea.

The Law of Non-Possessiveness

No grasping material possessions or name and fame.

Outcome: Greater awareness of your past and future.

Tip: We identify with our job, house, car, wealth, beauty, education, country of origin, etc. What is your "I am....." statement?

Play with an image to encourage letting go. Perhaps create one of a clenched fist opening slowly. You may find that the action of opening and closing your hands symbolic. Gently wrap each hand around its thumb as you inhale, then pause the breath for as long as is comfortable. What is it, or who is it you are holding on to. As you exhale, release the breath and slowly stretch the hands wide. Is it time to let go? Repeat this yoga exercise 10 times.

And now, I'd like to invite you to claim your free download of guided relaxation and perception checklist for self mastery when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com/. and please sign up for our newsletter for more tips for your healing journey.

From Heather Greaves - the Self Care Expert and Body Therapies Yoga Training

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