Problems with knees and low back pain are perhaps two of the most important reasons why people come to yoga for help. In this article, I am providing instructions for a 30-minute video sequence with a few simple poses that can help strengthen the knees and make them more flexible.
If you already have any kind of knee pain, please try to practice under the guidance of a yoga teacher. Be careful not to engage in any movement that causes more pain or discomfort as that can further aggravate your situation.
As many of you are aware, I teach weekly ongoing yoga classes as per the schedule given below. These classes are offered both online via Zoom as well as in-person at my home studio.
Please note: in-person participation for the Wednesday class is at the Hindu Temple (HSNC) cultural hall.
Schedule:
Monday: 6:30 - 8 PM (level 1)
Tuesday: 6:30 - 8 PM (level 1)
Wednesday: 6:30 - 8 PM (level 1)(in-person at HSNC)
Registration: Fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online.
Access: In-person at my home studio, or online via zoom. Zoom access will be provided upon receipt of registration.
Schedule and Fee: Please visit my website here for the current schedule and available payment plans. If you are a new student, the fee for the first month is $40. How to pay: check, Zelle (use subhashmittal@gmail.com), Venmo (use 9199269717) or paypal (go to bottom of page)
As you may be aware, I have been offering monthly workshops wherein I discuss various aspects of yoga philosophy. The main focus in these workshops is to discuss the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in some depth. In addition, from time to time, I also discuss concepts from the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and other related ancient scriptures. In order to preserve these talks for future reference, I have been making an audio recording of these discussions and sharing them with the participants. These audio recordings are now available on the podcast channel on my blog. You are welcome to download these audio recordings for your use. In addition, you can listen to these podcasts as well as subscribe to them on itunes as well.
youtube channel
As you would have noticed from many of the recent posts on my blog, I have been adding short videos of many of the commonly practiced asana and pranayama sequences. I strongly urge you to subscribe to my youtube channel and visit the channel frequently to get instructions for your own asana and pranayama practices. Please share the link to the channel with your friends who might benefit from these detailed video instructions.
I would love to hear your feedback and, of course, would welcome suggestions for future videos that you would like to see on the channel.
Yoga in the News
‘Cyclic sighing’ can help breathe away anxiety
Feeling anxious? You're far from alone. During the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression soared around the globe, resulting in a shortage of mental health care providers and long wait times for therapy.
But, according to a new study from Stanford Medicine, there's an easy, at-home way to help lower your stress level: It's called cyclic sighing, a controlled breathing exercise that emphasizes long exhalations. What's more, it can take as little as five minutes to experience less anxiety, a better mood and even decreased rates of breathing at rest, a sign of overall body calmness.
The research paper provides a comprehensive overview of the different factors involved in pain and how they interact with each other. It highlights the role of the nervous system, emotions, and health factors in pain perception and explains how yoga functions as a systems approach to pain management that considers all of these factors.
"By recognizing the interplay between different factors involved in pain and by incorporating yoga into treatment plans, we can offer more effective care to patients and improve both the quality and duration of their lives."
A Systematic Review of Yoga and Meditation for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children
Yoga and meditation positively affect various symptoms in children with ADHD, including attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. If done in family group sessions, it also benefited the parents and family dynamics, suggesting a potential option for family therapy. Furthermore, other psychological symptoms, such as anxiety or low self-esteem, appeared to be positively impacted by these interventions.
Practicing yoga might help older adults become a little surer on their feet, a new research review suggests. The review, of 33 small clinical trials, found that older adults who participated in yoga programs typically gained some lower-body strength and boosted their walking speed. Experts said the findings suggest that yoga might help older adults manage some of the strength and movement limitations that can come with age.
With so many stressors coming from school, work and maintaining a social life, students need to take breaks and establish time to de-stress. For any student feeling overwhelmed, incorporating a short yoga routine into your daily schedule can help focus your mind on the present. A daily yoga routine can improve concentration and mental health throughout the week. Yoga has many physical benefits, like improving balance, helping with back pain, strengthening your heart and overall improving your level of energy.
Guinness alert: Indian schoolgirl becomes the world’s youngest yoga instructor
Praanvi Gupta, a 7-year-old girl from India, has created a Guinness World Record by becoming the world’s youngest yoga instructor (female). She has been approved and certified as an RYT200 (Registered Yoga Teacher) by the Yoga Alliance Organisation after completing the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course.
If you have a yoga-related question, please write to me and I would do my best to provide an answer in a timely manner. I would love to hear your suggestions for future newsletter articles.
Join any time during the month and enjoy one month of ongoing classes for only $40; you qualify for the discount if you haven't attended a class with me for over one year.
