Most Hatha Yoga classes combine some or all of the following elements:  asanas, pranayama, meditation and mantras or chanting.  Asanas are the physical postures or poses that have names such as Warrior I, Triangle and Eagle Pose.  Pranayama refers to the breath practices we employ, such as Ujjayi and Alternate Nostril Breathing.  Meditation may be done at the beginning or end of class, or it may be incorporated throughout the class as we connect with our practice to induce an altered internal state.  Among other benefits, this alteration may lead to increased compassion and less stress or depression.   While not typically seen in a gym setting, many studio Yoga classes may practice chanting sessions or use mantras.  Chanting is usually invoked in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, and it is believed that the tonal patterns and frequency of the sound vibration invokes a neurological and spiritual response in the listener and chanter.  The use of mantras may be employed in Sanskrit or English and are likened to positive affirmations.

Yoga provides an opportunity for us to truly connect to our authentic self and create an awareness that brings more joy, happiness and peace into our lives.  When we begin a Hatha Yoga practice (we take a Yoga class or perform a routine at home), we are setting the stage to begin to notice our breath and turn our awareness inward.  If we develop a regular practice, we will discover that knowing when to challenge ourselves to push a little farther than we thought we could and knowing when to respect our bodies and allow ourselves a moment of rest begins to create a space inside us where our mind, body and spirit meld together.  As we continue on our Yoga journey, we find that our mind and spirit becomes more involved and inseparable from our body, as we begin to turn our off our expectations of what we think we “should” be able to do and turn on our gratitude for what we are able to do in the present moment.  This is the beginning of a beautiful, deep journey that connects body, mind and spirit in a dance of sorts, where each of the 3 components glides in harmony, creating a completely new life force.

While traditionally practiced on the land, an Aqua Yoga practice provides an opportunity for us to combine the natural serenity and calmness of water with the proven benefits of Yoga.  In addition to being a calming, enjoyable environment, taking asanas into the water make them accessible to students for whom the practice may otherwise be out of reach.  Those suffering with ailments ranging from arthritis and fibromyalgia to obesity and loss of balance associated with aging may easily enjoy a water based practice.    The hydrostatic pressure of the water may bring about pain relief and offer a sort of massage to the body, while simultaneously providing additional resistance as we move our limbs through the pool.  The water environment is easy on the joints while challenging the muscles.  The buoyancy property adds both comfort and resistance as students have to engage their muscles to maintain their body position.

Aqua Yoga isn’t just for students who can’t comfortably practice on the land.  Olympic contenders and professional athletes are finding water based programs a healthy way to cross train.   Any student wanting to reduce joint stress or simply enjoy the serenity of the water may find Aqua Yoga a nice addition to their routine.

Many traditional Yoga poses can be adapted to the water…some with very little modification and others that require flotation devices (such as noodles) to make them work.  While some of the poses may look the same, they may feel very different.  For example, Warrior I looks the same, but it feels different because it is easier on the joints and a different workload on the muscles.  This pose is easier on the leg muscles from the standpoint of not having to bear all of one’s weight in the water, but it is tougher on the muscles from the standpoint of having to truly engage the muscles to maintain an upright position against the buoyancy of the water.  It particularly encourages us to engage our cores as we hold ourselves in a tall, neutral position through the pelvis and spine.   Play around with poses and find what works for you!

For more information on Aqua Yoga, please visit www.WhiteCrowYoga.com.

by:  Mary Irby
White Crow Yoga
www.WhiteCrowYoga.com

First off, I should explain that text linking is just one technique among many SEO strategies that will help your organic search engine rankings.  I will post more in the future, but for now, let’s cover what is arguably the most important.

What is text linking?

Understanding text linking is actually quite simple, but what becomes challenging is finding other valuable and relevant websites that will agree to post your links.  I actually have a solution for the latter and will get into that a little later.

A text or anchor link is defined by Wikipedia as “clickable text in a hyperlink”.  For example, the following sentence uses “yoga pose” as it’s linked text and points to a page on yogaclassplan.com that is relevant to that term.

For detailed yoga pose articles, make sure you check out the YCP directory.

That’s it, pretty simple right?

When Google and the other engines discover such a link on a relevant website that leads to yours, they will award what is called link juice credit.  The more link juice you have, the better off your organic search engine ranks will be.  Note: this WILL ONLY WORK if the site leading to yours shares relevance.   Linking from a general business directory website won’t do much for your Yoga site.  You need to link from sites like www.yogaclassplan.com to really benefit from this strategy.

If you are still unclear what text linking is, the guy in this video does a pretty decent job explaining it and it’s value in a minutes time.  If you got it and want to move forward with the strategy, please read on.

Use YogaClassPlan.com TO Bump UP Your Rankings

You may be asking yourself, what is so hard about this text linking business.  Well, it actually can be quite a pain in the butt.  The problem isn’t the technique, or finding relevant sites, but it is getting websites to agree to post your links.  Now, we are not talking garbage directory sites with thousands of articles on every possible topic, but sites that Google and the others consider valuable… sites that post 100% unique and relevant content… sites like YogaClassPlan.com .

The deal is simple.  You send in a well written article and we will give you author credit for it, including a text link of your choosing.

For example, your author bio may look something like this:

Written by Jarrett MacKay
Jarrett is a partner in YogaClassPlan.com, an online yoga software designed to help new and experienced teachers create and manage their daily class plans.  Yadda yadda…

In the sample above, I linked the term “yoga software” to our home page.  For a yoga studio site, you would link terms such as:

• Yoga in {city name}
• {city name} yoga
• {city name} yoga classes
• etc…

The best part about text linking is your 2 – 3 hour writing time investment will continue to grow in value… and forever.  The longer the article is on our site…

• the more mature the page gets (Google loves maturity)
• the more people link to it from external sources
• and the more people engage with it using social media

All of these elements improve the value of the page, which in turn increase the value of your text link, which in turn bumps your ranks.  It’s a classic ripple effect.

So, if you’re interested in testing this strategy out, we have two types of articles we are accepting contributions for.

1. Yoga Pose articles… click here to learn more about the content template and to apply, submit the form at the bottom of the page.
2. Yoga articles… click here to see a sample of the articles currently published and a list of categories we need articles written for.  To apply, submit the form at the bottom of the page.

Or, if you have any questions, please email me here.

OH, and if you think this post will help out a friend or colleague, please do use our social media buttons below.

Thanks,

J

Yoga Cat – Watch MoreFunny Videos

We would love to hear your feedback regarding the new site. I have posted a discussion area on Facebook… please let us know what you think… http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=17562&uid=287141697717

Thanks,

Jarrett

With the news that Athleta (which is owned by The Gap) is hot on the heels of Lululemon in the seemingly recession-proof yoga gear market, I wonder how many pairs of $100 wicking yoga pants and $60 structured yoga tops we need? Do you feel better when you are yoga dressed to impressed or do old gym shorts and t-shirts work just as well for you?

I think Lululemon has done an amazing job of marketing a lifestyle (with its catchy slogans and ads, free yoga classes and cute tanks in 79 different happy colors), and I appreciate that Athleta now offers free shipping on orders of $50 and more, but I also wonder if some people feel priced out of yoga – with memberships, mats, clothes and more.

What trends are you seeing in yoga wear and gear? Do you feel that you always have to dress to impress? How much of your paycheck do you spend on more yoga? And does all this make you want to say “Namaste” or “no way”?

For more information, please visit: http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20110228_10009_10009&utm_source=business&utm_medium=rss

For more information, please visit: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=48&art_id=108050&sid=31295817&con_type=1&d_str=20110215

The American Meditation Institute is now presenting a “Kitchen Yoga: Food as Medicine” workshop with Leonard and Jenness Pelmutter, the founders and directors of the institute.While this workshop on mindful food preparation, meditation, yoga, nutrition, Ayur

veda and vegetarianism is probably as good a fit with the yogic lifestyle as any, I am curious as to how food and yoga have become so inextricably linked. While the doctrine of ahimsa or non-violence leads many yoga teachers to espouse vegetarianism, the yoga/food combo has grown wildly past this concept.

Is the yoga with something tasty workshop trend due mostly to our obsession with food? Is it a thoughtful way of taking yoga off the mat? Or is it just a marketing fad that will pass?

I’m also curious about the long-term impact these type of classes and workshops have – do most people take them for the fun of it or to change their eating habits?

I think I need to chew on this one some more.

See http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/2/prweb8083074.htm for more information

Check out the following five Vancouver yoga teacher training options to help you open your heart and your body:

1. Semperviva Yoga: With more than 145 classes per week and more styles of yoga than anywhere else in Vancouver, Semperviva Yoga (semperviva means “forever alive”) offers both 200- and 500-hour yoga teacher trainings in Vancouver and in Europe. Full- and part-time options include the option to focus in hatha, vinyasa, power flow, kundalini, yin and prenatal yoga as well as classes and workshops with renowned teachers. Semperviva City Studio: #100-1985 West Broadway; 877.730.5522; http://www.semperviva.com/teacher.php
2. Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage: You can learn yoga and massage in one location at the Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage! The school offers a 200-hour yoga teacher training immersion as well as a more advanced 240-hour teacher training enriched module. Following Yoga Alliance guidelines, the Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage has full-time and part-time programs that run several times a year and focus on a variety of yoga styles. Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage: 300 – 342 Water Street; 604.688.5060; http://www.vsbm.com/yogatraining.htm
3. Divine Light. With its motto of “your own guide awakens,” Divine Light offers 200-, 300- and 500-hour teacher trainings in Vancouver. The Divine Light program focuses on yoga and spirituality, philosophy, Ayurveda, asana and meditation; this program spends more time on the spiritual aspect of yoga than many and does not focus on any particular style of yoga. Divine Light: 1311 Howe Street, Suite 200; 604.566.9642; http://www.divinelight.ca/
4. Yoga West. Home of two levels of 220-hour Kundalini yoga trainings, Yoga West’s teacher training aims to “produce teachers of Kundalini yoga who demonstrate awareness in consciousness, excellence in teaching skills, and serve as an example of depth and maturity of character.” The program is in its 20th year, is certified by the Kundalini Research Institute, and includes weekend classes (Friday through Sunday) as well as a retreat. Yoga West: 2662 West 4th Avenue; 604.732.9642; http://www.yogawest.ca/teacher-training/
5. Open Door Yoga. With an exclusive focus on hatha and prenatal yoga, Open Door Yoga opens its doors to a 200-hour teacher training that meets once a week for six months. The program’s focus includes anatomy, philosophy, asana and meditation. Open Door Yoga; 200-2940 Main Street; 778.371.8179; http://opendooryoga.bc.ca/

Please contact the individual studios with questions about their teacher training programs and to learn more about their certifications, schedules and options for teaching following completion of yoga teacher training. Many studios require Yoga Alliance certification as well, so verify that the training will provide you everything you need for teaching success.

If you’re in need of some new tunes, consider the following yoga music sources:

• iTunes. It’s not against any yoga laws to play Bob Marley, Lady Gaga or the soundtrack to your favorite movie during your yoga classes. Especially popular and enjoyable for flowing vinyasa classes, creating a playlist of your favorite music can create a fun, joyful atmosphere for your next practice. Check out iTunes for the latest music, recommendations that relate to your previous purchases and playlists from other users. Likewise, iTunes also offers more traditional yoga music for sale as well as user rankings. www.itunes.com
• White Swan Records: Offering kundalini mantras, relaxation music, spa music and much more, White Swan Records is a good option for more traditional yoga music (no rap music here). The site offers about 1,500 titles and a variety of ongoing specials. www.whiteswanrecords.com
• Amazon. Interested in buying some yoga music as well as some new yoga pants, some books and maybe some gardening gear? Amazon includes a variety of yoga music among its robust offerings, in addition to free shipping on most purchases over $25. Even better, Amazon also offers ratings from previous yoga music shoppers. www.amazon.com
• Artist websites. If you just love the smooth silkiness of Deva Premal’s voice or prefer quiet piano solos from a particular artist, check out the artists’ individual websites for more music, information and specials.
• Namasta. The North American Studio Alliance for the mind-body community also offers a variety of traditional yoga music options (in addition to DVDs and more) on its website. http://www.namasta.com/services/otherservices.php?subpageID=11
• Other teachers. When you take a class and find yourself flowing in perfect unison with a certain song or playlist, ask the teacher about his or her music – they will likely be flattered that you noticed. While you don’t want to copy an entire playlist verbatim (especially if it’s a teacher at a studio you teach at), hearing other teacher’s music can inspire you to create your own.
• Yoga studios. Many yoga studios include retail areas with clothing, skin care, books, music and more. Likewise, many of them also offer listening stations so that you can listen to song excerpts before you purchase a CD. This is a great way to support your favorite yoga studios while building your music collection at the same time.

• Take recommendations. Ask your students what they want to hear! Don’t be afraid to try new artists and music styles. This will help you create a community and connect even more with your students.

Music can be motivating, inspiring, captivating – it can bring 30 individuals together for some dolphin push-ups, handstand practice, core work or a beautiful restorative sequence. And never forget to remind your students about the music of their own breath!