Yoga & Body Web Highlights: Power Napping, Are You Holding Your Breath?, Yoga Etiquette
Practicing the Nap
Interrupting the mayhem of corporate life with a power nap is a staple in Japan, but in the U.S? Not so much. But evidence shows that CEOs and even small business owners should take heed of the practice. This blogger discusses a segment she witnessed on the benefits of napping, hosted by Dr. Sarah Mednick. Apparently, just a 20-minutes snoozer can decrease sleepiness, and increase alertness and memory. You would think bosses would want this, right? I mean, doesn’t it stand to reason that napping can actually increase productivity? Well, Nike thinks so. They even encourage their employees to visit the pillow each day. Read about it here and watch the video: competent-advantage.blogspot.com.
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If Freud were around today, would he recommend yoga instead of analysis to help a patient with panic attacks? He just might. Sometimes it takes a celebrity to expose a sensitive topic in order for people to take notice. In this case, 26-year-old English actress, Samia Smith (of the popular “Coronation Street” television show) revealed that she’d been suffering from panic attacks since the age of eleven, and that yoga has helped her overcome this affliction. She began practicing a yoga regimen six days a week, which, she says, has helped relax her. The breathing aspect of yoga is the likely helper in relaxing the nervous system, which is key to helping calm a panic attack. This week’s blogger offers links to read further about yoga’s benefit to this unnerving condition. More at 
At ReflectionsOnYoga.com, our blogger, Laura poses a simple question. In mountain pose (Tadasana) where do the feet go? Typically, the teacher will tell you to place them hip-width apart. But Laura says she has been instructed in at least twelve different ways to place her feet in this pose. Who’s right? Well, the bottom line may just lie in what feels right to you, and this should apply to every pose. Outside of placing your feet in a harmful or painful position, maybe the best thing to ask yourself before any asana is, “Do I feel grounded?” What this blogger has come to believe is that each teacher puts a slightly different spin on each pose, so just stick to what feels right for you. See 
YodaDude blogger, Paula, has been testing out Tony Horton’s Ten-Minute Trainer Videos and giving the honest lowdown on them all. Overall, she loves ‘em and swears by ‘em. She also gives hints on how to approach each one (don’t do this one barefoot, this one left me sore for three days). She has admittedly joined the “40 Club” and is equally quick to claim that, “Yoga is essential to any well-rounded workout.” So, take a peek at these video reviews, and if still interested, follow the link she offers to Tony Horton’s Ten-Minute Trainer Videos. To go 
The literal fence that divides Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego, California has been bridged through a mediation and yoga class. Coordinator Dan Watman of the Border Meetup Group has a goal of uniting folks on both sides of the beach for social, cultural, and political events. So, last Sunday, a bunch of people on each side greeted each other through the fence, rolled out their yoga mats, mediated together, and had an international yoga class. This event truly embraces the literal meaning of yoga, which is “union.” For more, see 
Yogis know that there are nearly a gazillion variations of yoga out there. Just a list of the more popular ones is enormous –- Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram, Vinyasa, Restorative . But did you know that there are also a number of different forms of Pilates? The yoga community as a whole tends to also have an interest in Pilates but they may not be as well-versed on all the ways to practice, so here is a great new blog for the yogi who wants to test the Pilates water and learn about the available offerings. Go to 
Are men sneaking out of the boardroom during their lunch hour to do a little yoga? One studio in Little Rock, Arkansas says “yes.” Cliff Riggs is a 70-year-old teacher at the Yoga Studio of Little Rock who teaches professional men during their lunch breaks. Since these corporate bigwigs face major decision-making challenges, it makes sense that they seek a clear and balanced mind before doing so. Riggs says that while these men typically start off gun shy about letting on to their office mates about their downward dogs, they eventually become the studio’s biggest advocates. Could yoga be an integral part of calming the corporate mind and should someone be telling them that it’s OK to practice and be proud of it? Read about it here in 
Why not incorporate your love for yoga into a vacation destination? There are travel companies that specialize in finding just the right fit for you, whether you’re looking to hike the Rocky Mountains, meditate in an Ashram in Costa Rica, or get a full lifestyle makeover in Florida. The first step is to decide what you’d like to accomplish. If it’s a weight loss retreat, consider 
Yoga has made its way into the classroom in Minneapolis, and teachers say the results are amazing. Yoga Calm is a program that was developed by Lynea Gillen and Jim Gillen, a married couple who are both teachers from Oregon. Their low-cost yoga curriculum, designed for children, is now being employed in a kindergarten class in Minneapolis where 500 teachers in 37 schools have been trained in yoga. Teachers say it’s been helping the kids develop a sense of participation, to problem-solve, increase their strength, boost their confidence, and help them relax. With such positive results, they’re hoping to extend the program to the entire district. More at 
Dr. Lisa M. Belisle is an avid runner; in fact, she is considered an all-around athlete of perhaps the staunchest kind. In her latest blog post, “Yoga-licious Running: Maintaining Balance,” she speaks to the athlete’s list of woes: the ankle twists, and stress on the bones and muscles, and praises the usefulness of adding yoga to the mix. In preparing to talk about this in her blog, she came across an article in the magazine, “Runner’s World,” addressing this very issue. Like most runners, Dr. Belisle knows about the importance of stretching to prepare or cool down the muscles, but she finds that yoga takes it to the next step. It adds a sense of balance, strengthens the core, and adds the mindfulness of breathing. Athletes might benefit from her sage advice at 
The Indian Olympic Association is hoping to see an event happen in New Delhi that would involve adding yoga to the competitive sports roster. Looking towards the 2020 Summer Olympics, India would like to see their spirit-sport enter the athletic arena. Tae Kwon Do and Judo have already seen their day in the world of competition so why not yoga? Many schools in India teach yoga as part of the regular curriculum so finding capable participants would be easy. In fact, they’d have to turn away many proficient young yogis. Some yogi traditionalists are frowning upon this, though, saying that the ancient spiritual practice should not be turned into a sport. Read about it at 
Yoga is one of those versatile physical practices that can accommodate people at any level. An advanced student may be standing on his head while another is using a block for triangle pose. But even people with disabilities can have a fulfilling yoga practice. Adaptive yoga caters to those with physical limitations and even serious illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, cerebral palsy, and cancer. Adaptive yoga classes usually welcome those in wheelchairs or with walkers, and people with guide dogs. Others who also might benefit from adaptive yoga are post-surgical patients or those recovering from injuries. Here’s a timely article that discuses the wonderful offering of adaptive yoga. See 
The Art of Living Foundation announced in an article this week that they will be offering breathing and yoga techniques to help people with road rage. The course is designed for students who will soon become new drivers, but the idea of using yoga and relaxation techniques to help behind the wheel is a subject many are addressing. Another article focusing on this very topic appeared in Jennifer Jordan’s “Mindful Manners on the Road,” where she says that the breathing component of yoga helps “to remove external stress factors, including that car honking in the background.” She emphasis the philosophical side of yoga as the most beneficial in thwarting road rage, including the concept that yoga heightens your awareness and strengthens your inner power to effectively deal with external annoyances. A company called DriveTimeYoga claims to be “Your resource to transform your commute, relax, tone muscles and arrive feeling great!” Here are links to the two articles: 
In a culture that screams, “Push harder, take it to the limit,” even enlightened yogis sometimes forget to give themselves a break during their practice. Tax day is over, take it easy. When you need to relax into child’s pose, go ahead. No one’s watching and no one cares. When you’re in a challenging pose, ask yourself, “How can I make tiny adjustments that will help me ease into this pose without pain?” A blogger at The Everything Yoga Blog uses what Baron Baptiste once said during the blogger’s workshop with him: “You can try hard or you can try easy.” Another helpful quote came from a favorite teacher, Eoin Finn, who said, “Do without doing.” The the blogger’s thoughts on taking it easy can be found at 
First they admitted to eating quiche, now they’re admitting to doing yoga. In John Capouya’s new book, Real Men Do Yoga, more than 20 professional athletes wax on about the important and beneficial role yoga plays in their lives. NFL running back and Heisman Trophy-winner, Eddie George, NBA superstar, Kevin Garnett, and hockey goalie, Sean Burke, are among the many tooting yoga’s horn. Myles Knapp, of the Mercury News in the Silicon Valley, says of the book, “It’s a non-new-agey book that will convince you there is a lot more to yoga than just a bunch of folks all tied up in pretzel poses. Yoga can make you a better athlete and a healthier person, conquer back pain, build muscle and increase flexibility. It can even improve your sexual performance. And I’ve been told it has fewer side effects than Viagra.” More at 
