Yoga Retreats Around The World For That Soul Searching Vacation

As we saw in our last post (Introspective Vacations Inspired By Eat Pray Love), soul searching vacations are becoming increasingly popular, and rightly so! With our fast-paced, material driven lives taking a toll on us, it’s crucial for us to stop for a breather and look for that inner peace that will invigorate our souls, enrich our minds and rejuvenate our bodies to continue on this journey called life.

Unfortunately unlike the author of ‘Eat Pray Love’,  many of us can’t afford to traipse across the world to Italy, India and Bali to find ourselves, so we have to look a little closer to home. Here’s a look at some Yoga Retreats around the world for wherever you may be:

Kailasam Yoga Centre in Kerala, India -”Located in the beautiful village of Kovalam, in Kerela, South India, you never have to leave the resort premises to get the yoga holiday of your dreams. designated strictly for finding inner-strength, beauty and tranquility. British-born Diana draws on her Indian and European background to teach the classical Sivananda-style of Hatha yoga. There are 2 sessions each day, and while the morning sessions are more physical – touching on asanas (posture) and flexibility – the afternoon classes are designed to be more meditative. As a Kerala physician, Diana’s partner Mohan specializes in Ayurvedic massage treatment; which is a popular option for detoxification and to learn about South India’s ancient techniques and unique approach to healing. ” – Yoga Insight

Amrit Yoga Institute in Florida, United States- “Located in Salt Springs, Florida, this center is set in the tranquil beauty of the Ocala National Forest and run by run by Yogi Amrit Desai. Yogi Desai offers weekend, week long, and special one-day yoga retreats and events scheduled throughout the year based upon the Amrit Method® of Kripalu yoga, which has it’s primary focus on the mental, meditational side of yoga but also includes physical asana practice. His retreats range in price from about $295 for a weekend to $950 for almost a week. Some single classes or seminars are even offered for free. Accommodations are available on site and included in most packages, which also include meals.” Source

Clermont La Grausse, France - “Study with the highly experienced resident yoga teacher Dagmar at Domaine de la Grausse high in the French Pyrenées. The estate features an 18th century château with extensive grounds, two large yoga studios and accommodation in two newly-renovated traditional stone barns, fully-equipped for self-catering. With yoga classes morning and evening, there is ample time in the middle of the day to visit the waterfalls and cave paintings of the Ariège valley, take a barge on the underground Labouiche River, and explore the medieval strongholds of the Cathars.” Source

Gaia Retreat & Spa, Australia -”A stay at the Gaia Retreat and Spa in Byron Bay, Australia, feels like home away from home among a utopian panorama of hills and valleys for as far as the eye can see. Whether your intention may be to lose weight, detoxify, de-stress or get fit, or maybe you just need peace and serenity to regain balance and ground you in your own space and time. Gaia provides everything you require to help you on your path. Emphasis is on the cleansing of the mind, body and soul. Sessions occur twice a day and guests at Gaia are strongly encouraged to participate as frequently as possible for optimal results. Morning sessions are based on the Vinyasa style of yoga; while afternoon sessions concentrate more on core strengthening and meditation. Personal instruction and one-on-one attention guarantees a stress-free yoga experience, appropriate for enthusiasts of all ages and levels.” Yoga Insight

Pura Vida Retreat and Spa in Costa Rica – “Pura Vida, meaning “pure life,” is 100% committed to wellness. The most popular program is its Mind-Body-Spirit sessions, which incorporate many aspects of what is offered into one peaceful, but invigorating week. You can choose to do as much or as little as you’d like, while taking full advantage of the resort right in the midst of Costa Rica’s beauty. Yoga is a central component of Pura Vida and the facility and world-class instructors are without comparison. All levels are welcome and nurtured with the objective to improve quality of life and leave the guest feeling rested and re-energized. A large selection of yoga styles are offered such as Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini and Vinyasa.” Yoga Insight

COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali – “This residential health retreat promises total commitment to your improved wellbeing. Como Shambhala uses a holistic approach, offering guests new challenges designed to inspire a lifetime devoted to better health. Retreats, led by Visiting Masters, are specialist weeks focusing on subjects such as Yoga or Pilates. Usually they involve five hours of practice daily over a five-day period. They also include Learning Seminars and appropriate therapies.” Source

NaBalam Hotel in Mexico – “The NaBalam Hotel, on Isla Mujeres, in Mexico is a host to more than 20 yoga events throughout the year. It has become one of the most popular resort choices for nurturing the body and soul. This yoga-lovers’ sanctuary, caters to everyone from the beginner to the well-practiced expert. NaBalam’s yoga programs are a combination of mentally invigorating techniques, mixed with the bonus of beautiful and detoxifying surroundings.” Source

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Bahamas - “If you really want to get away from it all and recharge your Pranic (energetic) batteries, and are serious about your yoga, then what better place to do so than on a bonafide paradise island in the Bahamas? Nassau’s Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat follows a specific pattern. You’ll rise at 6 a.m., meditate through dawn, chant until tea time and do two hours of hatha yoga before breaking for your 10 a.m. vegetarian meal. The afternoon follows a similar pattern with a session of karma yoga, where you’ll help with ashram duties (known to non-yogis as chores). Nonetheless, this is all offset by the retreat’s island paradise, complete with crystal blue waters, white sands and swaying palm trees.” Source

*Photo credits:  photos by Sami Taipale and michelledwagner on flickr

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Introspective Vacations Inspired By Eat Pray Love

Since the wide success of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Eat Pray Love” and its movie adaptation starring Julia Roberts, introspective vacations to ‘find ones true self’ are becoming increasing popular. People are trading in the sun, sand and 5 star resorts in search of places that will enrich your life, warm the soul, and nourish your body.

Just as the author found inner-peace and a part herself she felt was missing, through her travels to Italy, India and Bali many of us are in desperate need to delve into our souls, cleanse our minds and awaken the dormant energy that lies within us to find that balance in our lives that can lead us to contentment and bliss. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for anyway?

If you’re stuck in a rut, find it hard to figure out what you want exactly, are just plain old unhappy and feel like you’re merely existing instead of living life to its fullest, you’re missing out. Most of us reach these points in our lives at sometime or the other and it’s only a matter if you want to do something about it or not. While it’s typical to try and squeeze in a yoga class or meditation session whenever our busy schedules permit, it often leaves you wanting more or not feeling completely satisfied. An hour a day, couple of times a week or a month or in some cases introspection of our lives just once a year at new years is not a solution to the problem. You can squish your feeling and keep it dormant for a while, but the unrest will always be present if not building up in you. What you need is a real soul searching get-away away from the crazy rat race we call our lives.

A time away to soak in the revitalizing effects of some introspective practices like yoga and meditation. Some reflection into our lives and ourselves, real soul searching with the help of experts or people who know what they’re teaching. Yoga centers and ashrams have programs catering to people looking for different things, spanning different lengths and covering a variety of ways to achieve what you’re looking for. Yoga is a great tool for achieving a good balance in your live and finding inner peace. Be it from the mental or meditative side of yoga; cleansing practices; Ayurveda Health; or the physical aspect of the ancient practice, it can truly rejuvenate your body, mind and soul and put you on the right path to a richer, happier life.

Stay tuned for our next post on Yoga Retreats Around The World For That Soul Searching Vacation for more.

Other related posts:

• 15 Ways To Keep Your Soul Alive
• Color Healing – The Power Color In Our Lives
• Living Foods: Adopting a Raw Food Diet
• The Key To Meditation
• Seven Ways to Boost your Mood
• The Power of Asking
• Gratitude: The Key To A Happy Life

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Pi Yo – The Combined Power of Pilates and Yoga

Yoga and Pilates the two of the most talked about fitness activities out there today. However, there’s always a dilemma and on going debate on which one of the two is better. While there’s no correct answer, as it’s subjective to exactly what an individual is looking for from them.

Yoga meets the needs of a person looking for a low-impact, body toning fitness exercise that improves balance and flexibility along with, the tranquility, relaxation and balance of mind, body and spirit. Yoga will definitely help you stay fit, be more energetic, happier and peaceful in your overall life. If you’re looking for a dynamic workout sans the spirituality, then Pilates is just the thing for you. With core focus on strengthening muscles, improving posture, stabilizing and lengthening the spine, Pilates is an overall vigorous workout and fitness routine.

However to get the best of both worlds you can always combine the two with the new modern blend of the two known as “PiYo”. Pilates Yoga gives you the best of both practices – the stretch from yoga, the strength from pilates, the breathing techniques from yoga with the cardio workout from pilates and finally the relaxing tranquility from yoga meditation together forms a well rounded fitness regime unlike anything else. You can really have it all!

The two practices although different in principle, have some similarities as  creator Joseph Pilates, was somewhat influenced by the ancient yoga practice. However, his techniques adopted the purely physical aspect of yoga and the postures and exercises he developed are centered around the abdominal muscles, lower back and buttocks referred to as ‘The Powerhouse’. Pilates teaches six principles – concentration, control, centering, breathing, flow and precision. They are aimed at optimizing a full body workout without putting strain on the body itself, with the help of specialized equipment.  Whereas on the other hand, yoga aims at uniting the mind, the body and the spirit through a philosophical and spiritual focus. The physical aspect of yoga, i.e the poses, stretches and  postures are only one of the 8 parts of yoga. Combining the two is a good way of getting more out of both practices.

PiYo classes are conducted in one of two ways:

• By starting the session with pilates exercises to warm up the muscles and strengthening the core in preparation for a yoga asana practice followed by a relaxing meditation session; or
• By incorporating the pilates principles for a workout in the form of modified yoga asanas and sequences. For example, scooping the abdomen inward and out before settling into Paschimottanasana, or Seated Forward Bend.

The combination of the two practices is truly a match made in heaven, as they both compliment each other perfectly. The blend of pilates and yoga is well rounded and helps bring about a balance of body, mind and spirit which most other practices can’t achieve on their own. So, if you haven’t already your local yoga studio or gym for Pilates Yoga classes, sometimes called Piyo or Pi-yo.

*Photo credits: photos by myyogaonline, FitnessOrlando on flickr

Cy-Yo Or Cycle Yoga: The New Fusion Yoga In Town

Everyone looks for a fitness workout which brings together the mind, body, and spirit. If you believe that there is one goal but different paths, you should try Cy-Yo or Cycle Yoga. This is the kind of fitness program that could especially be beneficial for people who prefer to combine both Eastern and Western practices and philosophies – yoga and cardio. It helps to improve muscle toning and body mechanics, as well as stretching and concentration on proper breathing and energy flow.  However, remember to dress for the occasion with good quality active wear when performing this kind of fitness routine.

Cy-Yo classes entail a one hour holistic cardio workout which combines the elements of yoga and cycling. It was first introduced by a fitness instructor – Curt Dalton. The ultimate aim of this fusion yoga is to focus all aspects of our being to achieve optimal physical and spiritual results. It is a known fact that cycling is an effective way to lose weight and burn calories really fast.  And it’s combination of yoga breathing and visualization techniques help with directing life force energy through the body optimally.

A class begins with 10 minutes of  yoga for energizing the muscles, warming joints and opening up the energy centers. This is followed by 40 minutes of an indoor cycling class which involves visualization techniques and breathing patterns so participants are clued in to find their stress zones. The aim of this part of exercise is to release negative energy, detoxify your body and increase higher energy fields. A class usually ends with another 10 minute yoga session and meditation to calm the body, relax and refocus the mind.  Overall, you treat your muscles right -  with a warm up before spinning and stretching afterwards.

Music is one of the significant elements of Cy-Yo classes. It is designed to speed up the heart rate and help to pedal against your negative energy replacing it with positive energy. As compared to the soothing music found in traditional yoga classes, here you will find more upbeat and energetic tempos. Typically the most popular choice are different Celtic music tunes.

Cy-Yo is a great way to increase flexibility, physical fitness and mental wellness. It is a combination of  the cleansing and static strength of yoga and the cardiovascular workout of spinning. Yoga fans  experience a harder work out to burn fat  while cyclists learn new ways of warming up and cooling down  using their mind along with attuning themselves to the energy flow within them. Cy-Yo is recommended for intermediate yoga practitioners as it is considered to be one of more advanced yoga styles which takes a certain amount of balance. It is should also be avoided by those who are trying to treat an injury through yoga.

*Image credits: photo by adifansnet on flickr

Benefits Of Yoga For Your Sex Life

It’s popular knowledge that Yoga is a great way of improving your physical self. Regular practice of yoga has proven to do the following – improve flexibility, strengthen muscle tone, improve balance, increasing stamina and physical energy. Take that all into the bedroom and it can drastically change and help your sex life. But, that’s not the only way Yoga can help int the bedroom.

To add to its already myriad host of physical, emotional and spiritual benefits, yoga is stated to be just the thing to boost or simulate your love making. How?

For one, the physical changes brought on by yoga helps instill confidence in a person. Feeling good and being in shape creates a reverence for your body that translates in the way you walk, talk and express yourself. With the leanness and muscle tone yoga brings, it’s hard not to feel sexy. Then there’s the flexibility, and you don’t need me to tell you how that can help.

Other than just the physical aspect of the act however, Yoga can help awake the sensual side in you. Yoga poses designed to stimulate the 7 Chakras, especially the Sacral chakra which governs the sexual organs in our body. Yoga asanas like Bhujangasana or the cobra pose that emphasize that region, helps open up your second chakra and energizes it. By focusing on this life force center in our body, situated below the navel near, the lower abdomen stimulates the release of your sexual hormones and helps you achieve a new sexual equilibrium. The Root Chakra in the region of the pubic bone as well as the Heart Chakra have an impact on our love lives and it’s more than just a physical act, it’s emotional as well. Hence stimulating these chakras can have an effect on our sexual life.

If that’s not enough, yoga has poses and postures to help achieve very satisfying results for both parties involved in the act. You’ve probably heard of the hundreds of sexual positions and ancient secrets in the Kama Sutra. Many of them involve asanas and poses of the other ancient practice of Yoga. Said, to help treating premature ejaculation in men and helping women reach newer levels of heightened arousal, there are positions for everything possible. You just have to be open to trying it for that extra va-va voom in the bedroom.

On an emotional level, the breathing exercises and meditative aspects of yoga can deepen the connection with your partner, improve on your communication and help you achieve balance within yourself and your loved one. The harmony of mind, body and soul will help you be better in tune with your partner’s needs as well as your own.

Just as yoga unites all aspects of your life, it can connect all aspects of your love making: the physical, emotional and spiritual, making it just great and satisfying in all ways.

*image credits: photos by Tiger Mask and kamakyri on flickr

Celebrities That Swear By Yoga

One of the growing reasons why yoga is gaining popularity in the modern Western world, is the fact that celebrities are adopting and introducing to public this ancient practice. A lot of people try yoga for the first time just because their favorite star is doing it. And though for many, the primary focus is yoga’s physical benefits, some become interested in the spiritual side of the discipline as well. Perhaps one of the most attractive features of yoga for celebrities, is that yoga helps to quickly relieve pressure and provide new energy within their stressful lives.

Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Jane Fonda, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Meg Ryan, Sting, Tina Turner, Oprah Winfrey… are just some of the names of the long list of celebrities who practice and swear by yoga. When discussing the benefits of yoga, these celebrities usually describe this practice as not only a way to tone the muscles of their body, but more importantly to calm their spirit and obtain inner strength.

Here’s a closer look at Celebrity Yoga lover and what they have to say about it:

Meg Ryan, 49, American actress and producer, practices yoga every day at home. The most important aspect for her is a meditation as it helps to concentrate on what is really important in life. Ryan declares that yoga made her calmer as it puts you in the place of witness. And this is what supposed to be the right focus of living.

Jennifer Aniston, 41, American actress, does yoga sessions several times a week. She credits yoga with helping her to survive difficult times after the divorce. Aniston also used yoga to help her to quit smoking. Mostly for her yoga is the way to relaxation and breaking from the busy life.

Ricky Martin, 39, popular singer, says he is using yoga as a technique to restore inner peace and to relax. Martin practices Hatha yoga and prefers to exercise at home rather than to go to a studio. In interviews Ricky Martin declared that yoga is the perfect way to get to know yourself, to link heart and mind. This is what keeps him from making compulsive decisions in life.

Christy Turlington, 42, American top model in the past, is one of the most devoted to yoga celebrities. She also incorporates principles of Ayurveda and Vastu in her life. Having studied religion and philosophy at New York University she is a serious student of six branches of yoga in all its physical, spiritual and intellectual aspects. For the first time Turlington took yoga classes at the age of 18. For many years since she practices at home three mornings a week and additionally attends classes. As she says, it was interest in cleaning the body on a deeper level which attracted her to yoga first. But now she believes that the real lesson yoga gives you is how to be present. Some time ago she started up with German company Puma a line of clothing ‘Nuala’ for sports like yoga, tai chi and chi gong. The line was inspired by dance, movement and yoga.

Sting, 59, famous singer, and his wife Trudie Styler practice yoga daily. Sting was introduced to yoga at his late 30s which now he considers too late. Since then he has mastered complex asanas of Ashtanga Yoga while also practicing special variety of Jivamukti yoga. Sting says his aging process is reversing thanks to yoga. Overall, he and his wife praise yoga for maintaining their well-being and the high energy levels. Today Sting is famous as an active promoter of yoga.

Madonna, 52, pop diva, began to practice Ashtanga yoga in 1996 to get back in shape after delivery. Apparently she became worldwide known fan of yoga and has experimented with several forms of it including Hatha yoga. She states that yoga is an active force in her life, workout for body, mind and soul combined. According to Madonna, there are several values in yoga which should be accepted in everyday life like ‘take it slow’, ‘don`t skip to the next position’, ‘don`t judge yourself’, ‘let it go’.

Overall, yoga as a fulfilling path of relaxation which helps these and other celebrities to overcome the anxiety, stress, depression of their lifestyle. So why not for you?

For special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Yoga Asanas To Avoid For Certain Medical Conditions

While yoga can help alleviate many ailments as we saw in our last post- Yoga: A Route To Health & Vitality, not all poses are advisable if you have some medical conditions or are recovering from an injury.

First of all there are common rules like, never forcing your body into a position that causes discomfort, distress, or pain in order to avoid injury. Always start gradually with yoga.  Do not neglect warm-up exercises to avoid strain. Take into consideration the characteristics of environment in which you are practicing. For eg.  if you are practicing in a hot environment (105 degrees Fahrenheit and more) your heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure increases, muscles expand and one can stretch the body more. This may harm the muscles if you stretch them too far. Moreover, there are general principles regarding sequences of yoga asanas which are advised to be followed through. So you should consider starting yoga with good professional to learn those sequences.

Yoga can also be  practiced even while you suffer some health problems However, in this case the affected region of your medical condition, whatever it may be should be placed correctly in an asana/pose. That’s the only way you will get relief and benefit from it. If not, it may worsen the problem.

Here’s a closer look at some yoga asanas and poses to avoid if you have the following medical conditions:

• Yoga exercises like Sun Salutation, Cobra pose, Locust pose, Bow pose, Standing Forward Bend, Kapalabhati and Ashtanga yoga series (which involves jumping) are strictly not recommended if the person is diagnosed with hernia.
• It is inadvisable to do the inverted poses (headstand, shoulder stand and reverse posture) with conditions like high blood pressure, dizziness, serious eye problems, ear problems, glaucoma, head and neck injury and osteoporosis.
• Women are advised not to do yoga asanas during menstrual period though they are still allowed to do pranayama and shavasana; for more advanced students it is enough to avoid inverted poses during this period of time.
• Pranayama should be practiced with precautions if you have asthma or other breathing problems.
• Avoid standing poses and back bends if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.
• Sitting poses should be avoided when you have had a hip replacement or knee injuries.
• Avoid twists and bends if you have a prolapsed disk
• You should not start practicing yoga for the first time during pregnancy; if you were advanced before pregnancy you will still need qualified instructor to guide you.

Overall, it is always sensible to check with your physician embarking on any exercise program including yoga if you suffer from any medical conditions no matter how little or grave they may be.

*Image credits: photos by Cocoa Dream and katca_78 on flickr

For special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

Yoga: A Route To Health & Vitality

Yoga definitely can help you to find your own route to health and vitality. The well-being which you get from the practice of yoga, not only  has physical benefits, but also affects your spiritual and emotional aspects.

Today many of us accept yoga as an alternative medicine. But yoga is not a used as a substitute for medical care. Although, it can be of great assistance in the treatment of many conditions,  it is better to consider yoga as a kind of preventive medicine rather than a treatment.

There are numerous health benefits you can get from practicing yoga as we’ve previously seen in our posts such as Nourishing Yoga: Body, Mind and Spirit. Besides the well known effect of boosting the immune system, yoga has proved to provide better concentration, co-ordination and sleep, to lower blood pressure and control cholesterol, improve flexibility and the digestive system. Compared to other forms of exercise, while practicing yoga asanas all the joints of body are used to a full extent and kept mobile, and yoga poses have a tremendous effect on abdominal organs and thoracic organs.

There is also evidences that yoga helps to treat medical conditions like allergies and skin problems, menopause, menstrual cramps, heart problems,  slip disc, knee and hip problems, hypertension, acidity, anemia, depression, obesity, insomnia, Alzheimer disease to name a few.

To be more specific-

• Seated postures are used to treat constipation, diabetes, arthritis, and genital diseases.
• Standing poses are beneficial for improving your posture, strengthening your muscles and opening the hips.
• Balancing poses are great for improving balance and strengthen specific body parts, for example shoulders and back.
• Back bends which shouldn’t be done unsupervised, helps people with back problems, pain or injury, improves spinal flexibility and strengthens the back. It also benefits the abdominal organs, energizes the heart and soul by opening the chest.
• Inverted yoga poses are beneficial for women to normalize their menstruation cycles as corrects the displacement of the fallopian tubes or uterus if any. It also rejuvenates pituitary and thyroid glands and stimulates the nervous centers of your brain. Inverted poses can proven an effective tool in preventing as well as treating varicose veins.
• Forward bends keep your spine strong, release tension and soothe the nervous system.
• Finally, relaxation and restorative poses are also useful when you are sick, stressed or recovering from childbirth.

Some people say they feel worse for up to two weeks after starting practicing yoga. The reason for this is elimination of toxins from your body. After this initial period of body cleansing, the way you feel will considerably improve. The change you’ll feel in terms of health and vitality will be the most fulfilling, you’ll see.

*Image credits: photos by rivieramaya26, Jason Verwey on flickr

For special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

5 Tips To Making and Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of the year again year, the past is in the past and it’s time to begin anew. It’s easier to make changes in the new year, as it’s a fresh start, a new chapter so to say. However keeping those new years resolutions is a whole different ball game and much tougher one, I may add. So here are a few tips to making and sticking to your new year’s resolutions for 2011:

1. Be realistic and set an obtainable goal. Yes, we’d all like to look like the famous faces that grace the covers of magazines or that are splashed across billboards. But how about just setting a goal for losing 20lbs in the first quarter of the year. Take baby steps, don’t set yourself for failure, instead work towards a very doable easy goal. Maybe even forget the 20lbs goal, vow to eat healthier, or substitute sodas for juices, cut down your alcohol intake to 3 glasses a wine a week or whatever you think is easily achievable.  It becomes harder to follow through, if you’re struggling the whole way. So think of it like a marathon and pace yourself so your not charging at it the first few days of the new year, but are conserving energy to make it to the end.

2. Instead of one or two big resolutions, break it up into smaller ones. Forget the bigger picture for a minute and jot down step by step smaller to-do’s that will help make your year brighter, better and happier. Don’t forget the happier, it’s a key. Being able to check off these smaller things is encouraging and builds up momentum and determination to for the bigger things. So, setting smaller actionable steps can really make a difference.

3. Shout it from the roof tops. Studies show that making a resolution public is a great motivator. So tweet it, make it your facebook status, or say it out loud to your friends and family. Now, you don’t want to fail in the eyes of everyone right?…that’s what I thought. Plus the encouragement from your loved ones it just the thing you’ll need to stick to it. That takes us to point 4….

4. Get help. You don’t have to go at your goals alone you know. And if you aren’t comfortable having someone help you, don’t worry. Today’s the world of technology and there’s a website, program or application to provide you the help, no matter what your goal is. If it’s financial ‘mint.com’ could be very handy. If it’s dieting, there are a dozen apps for your phone to help you shape up. Point is, get help, however you want to.

5. Visualize success. Just close your eyes and imagine the feeling of elation and pride swelling in you that you achieved your goal. Picture those savings in your account, that your feeling healthier, you finally finished a project you’ve been putting off. Whatever the goal, visualize finishing it. Now isn’t that motivating….

Whatever you’re goals or resolutions for the year, remember one thing…they are for the better. That said, don’t be upset or discouraged if everything doesn’t go by plan. Be flexible and let life happen to you. Sometimes things happen for a reason and while it may seem like a roadblock, it may be aligning you for better things to come. Everyday is a new day and if you happen to muck up a few, don’t worry, it’s how you pick yourself up and go on that will get you to the end happy and content.

Here’s Wishing you A Happy New Year and a Better, Brighter and Fuller Future!
~ From everyone at Comfort In Style Magazine and Yogacara

This article is brought to you by YogacaraShop.com – your source for special Yoga Apparel, yoga inspired clothing, comfort clothing clothing designed according to the Colors of the Chakras and the best trendy, high quality and comfortable  Fitness Apparel do visit YogacaraShop.com

*Image credits: photos by [ Mooi ] and storem on flickr

Don’t Hibernate From Your Yoga Practice This Winter

As tempting as it is to laze around in front of a blazing fire and do nothing but cozy up in a warm blanket and sip on some hot cocoa, winter is not the time you should be skipping out on your Yoga practice.

The cold winter weather brings with it the ‘winter blues’ as some call it. Depression, seasonal affect disorder, feeling lethargic and simply down are part and parcel of the heaviness of winter weighing on the mind and moods. Yoga exercises and the holistic teachings of yoga that brings about a complete balance of the mind, body and spirit can uplift your moods and help keep the blues at bay.

The drop in temperatures in the winter season is cause for a number of health related issues too. Immunity levels a lower than usual with our body’s burning more energy on keeping warm. You’ll notice that you’re more susceptible to colds, the flu, fevers and similar illnesses in the winter months, more so than in other seasons. People with asthma an respiratory problems find that this season brings on the worsening of their conditions. But, with Yoga’s deep breathing techniques you can help decrease your respiratory rate, which in turn maximizes the absorption of oxygen-rich air for your body which will greatly help reduce respiratory related health problems like asthma, bronchitis and clear the nasal passage and sinuses. It also makes the digestive and endocrine systems much more effective and strengthens the immune system.

In the cold, the body’s joints tend to stiffen. Anyone suffering from arthritis will testify, to the winter being the hardest for them. Tight hips, hamstrings and lower backs have often been identified as the problem areas in the cold months of winter. There’s nothing better than yoga stretches, poses and sequences to help you keep fit in this season. You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your homes to keep with your practice.

A warm room, preferably infront of a crackling fireplace, a yoga mat and a willingness to practice is all you need. True practice of yoga needs none of the other ‘bells and whistles’. Just remember like we’ve said before…. Yoga is a Lifestyle, Yoga is Everywhere, Yoga is You!

*Photo credits: photo by Gare and Kitty on flickr

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