Category Archives: Yoga

How to make friends at Yoga Class

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Practicing along with your newfound friend!

Practicing along with your newfound friend!

Friendship is one of the sweetest relationships between humans. A friend plays many roles in our lives. He or she can be a helper, a role model, a listener, an adviser and much more that could not be defined in words but can be felt by the people who are sharing it. A friend is not just a companion in hard times but also a partner in our stupidities and funny times. We can make friends every where we go. Even if you go to a simple yoga class you can make good friends. Rather than sitting aloof and boring yourself, just extend a friendly hand to your co-learners. This will make your yoga class more interesting and also you will get to know new people and will learn more about life from their experiences.

Here are few simple tips that will help you to make new friends at your yoga class:

Be Regular- First of all make it a point to consistently attend your yoga class. Attending yoga class regularly will help you to remember and recognize your co-learners and in-turn they will also start recognizing you.

Use Friendly Gestures- If anybody looks at you during or after the sessions, offer a friendly gesture a smile or a hand wave to the person. This will also encourage the other person to take a step ahead.

Always Say Hello to Your Neighbor- Make it a point to greet your neighbor before or after the session. Practicing this regularly will help you to start a conversation with new people.

Offer Help- In case anybody is facing any problem during the session you can offer help to your co-learner. This will help you to gain a friend.

Practice With other students- Rather than practicing alone, make a plan to practice with your fellow students. This extra session spent together will help you and the other person to start a good friendship.

Offer a Lift – If any of your classmates is traveling from same area as you, offer them a ride, or plan to travel together. This friendly gesture would help you to spend more time with the person.

We really hope that you can make good use of yoga classes to maintain your health and also make lovely friends to enjoy your life.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors  on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Outdoor Yoga In Spring: What to Wear

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Make your spring time yoga simply the best!

Make your spring time yoga simply the best!

As spring is onset, it is high time for you to think about the ideal clothing for your yoga classes. As a matter of fact, while choosing to dress for yoga and other exercises, we would be instructed to go for perfect fitting clothes that are different from tight-fitting. The dress should put us in ease to do the poses with simplicity and while doing them, we should not be cared about our clothes. So for this spring, when you get ready for yoga classes, be wise in choosing the clothes as the ideal clothes could give you the best yoga. A few suggestions regarding the outfit to choose for this spring are as follows.

The one-piece Capri Cami Unitard by Gaiam could be one of the best outfit for outdoor yoga during spring. As it is made from eco-friendly polyester, this dress could be your comfy partner to enjoy your yoga. Organic cotton yoga pants too could be a better choice as it would keep you cool by taking off the sweat as you keep on practicing. Cropped pants and leggings that are not too tight and made of cotton stuff are very much encouraged for doing outdoor yoga. We always make it a point to see that our way of dressing should not put us and our neighbors in a state of restlessness. So, this time, when you make up your mind for doing yoga, these clothes stuff and materials could be of great use for you in choosing the right outfit!

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Can Yoga Decrease Your Allergies?

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More of concentration on nasal breath could save you from allergies and that is what these yoga poses do!

More of concentration on nasal breath could save you from allergies and that is what these yoga poses do!

It would not be an exaggeration to say that yoga has unexpected health benefits when we do it regularly. And coming to the answer for the above question “Can Yoga Decrease Your Allergies? “ of course yes! Allergies might be seasonal due to pollen in the air. When we do some yoga poses and some breathing exercises, we could very easily come out of allergies. The Kapalabhati Pranayama is an ideal breathing exercise that consists of a series of long, slow and lethargic inhalations and forceful and rapid exhalations. This would very effectively push out the allergens from your nasal passage.

Nadi Sodhana is yet another form of breathing exercise in yoga that could cleanse your breathe of all the unwanted allergens. Speaking about yoga poses that could help you from allergies, back bends could be an ideal choice. Lie flat with your back touching the floor and beginning from the tailbone, slowly lift your back until it is fully above the ground. Place pillows to fill in the gap between your lower back and floor, relax on your shoulder blades and hold on for two minutes. Studies say that the ribs muscles tend to get exhausted due to continual pushing of air that could be smoothened by these back bends. Even the most common downward facing dog pose where you bend yourself completely forward by firmly pressing your legs and hands onto the floor is a good exercise for decreasing your allergies. In the final pose, inhale and exhale five to ten times slowly for more effectiveness. These are some of the poses and breathing exercises that could save you from allergies.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you! If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Yoga: Your Body’s Spring Cleaning

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With the arrival of spring season, the mind is filled with new thoughts and resolutions. Some of these resolutions may be related to our health also and we may be thinking to cleanse our body this spring season. Yoga is the best tool to achieve this goal. Here are some yoga poses that would help you to cleanse your body in the spring season.

Wide-Legged Forward Bend: – It is done by standing on your feet with wide distance amid them. The heels are turned out somewhat wider than the toes and the hands are interlaced at the back of your body. At the same time, the heels of the palms are pressed together in the form of a double fist. A deep breathe is taken in and upper body is bent forward at the line of waist while lowering hands. The spine is kept straight and the legs are used to rise up gently so as to stand. This pose helps in accelerating the flow of blood all through the body and the flow of fluid to the lymph nodes. As a result, the digestive system becomes strong which in turn helps in releasing toxins from the body easily.

Open Side Fierce- This pose is performed by standing on both feet together, bending the knees and sitting down on your heels. The right elbow is crossed over your left thigh and right palm on the floor on the side of your left foot. The left arm is straightened upwards. You must look at your lifted palm while hoarding your shoulders. At the same time, both the knees are kept parallel to each other. The pose is continued for five deep breaths and then replicated on the opposite side. This pose helps in improving the digestive system. Due to pressure on kidneys, spleen and liver, the exclusion of waste is triggered by this pose.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

Spring cleaning the body!

Spring cleaning the body!

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Nairobi Yoga Project Brings Inner Stillness

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Releasing out all negativity!

Releasing out all negativity!

The capital of Kenya, Nairobi has become a yoga center for the people dwelling in slums in this area. Although the condition of these slums is worse as there is poor sanitation system, uncontrolled criminal activities and unemployment, but the Nairobi Yoga Project has been successful in bringing about inner stillness in people living in these areas. All this has been made possible by the efforts of some deeply devoted yoga instructors.

One can imagine the mental and spiritual instability of people living in such adverse conditions. But the yoga project operating in these areas has made hard efforts to bring about inner stability in these people. In these areas, yoga is done by people on ragged mats and on the rooftops of slums. The chief aim is to incorporate yoga in the lives of these people in all the conditions so that they can deal with their lives in an efficient manner. Yoga is also being used in these areas to produce sources of income for these people.

By practicing yoga, these people are finding peace internally as well as externally. Their mind and spirit are relieved of negative thoughts and deeds and they are motivated towards productive jobs. The insanity is washed out through yoga and purity and inner stillness takes it place.

So it can be said that the yoga project in Nairobi is doing a great job for all and must be appreciated.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and  activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Yoga Brings Social Change in Kenya

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Bringing social stability through yogic power!

Bringing social stability through yogic power!

Today yoga is not limited to physical and mental aspects of human beings; it has also to do with the social aspect of human life. Earlier it was used to cure various diseases related to physical and mental aspect of human body but now-a-days it is also being used as a tool to bring about social change in the society. One such example of social change via yoga can be taken from Kenya.

In Kenya, yoga is being used to set up a value system in a healthy way. The Africa Yoga Project or AYP is one such organization which is engaged in bringing about social change in Nairobi, Kenya through yoga. Paige Elenson is the co-founder and director of this organization. According to Paige, they aim to produce jobs for all as well as their permanence in an atmosphere of social stability.

Students from all classes from rich to poor are equally taught yoga in the classes run by AYP, so the principle of classism is being challenged naturally through these classes. The mind of students is molded in such a way through yoga that they start to realize that the classism is a useless concept and should be done away with. The students start understanding that all should be treated equally and must have equal privileges and opportunities. This way a great social change is coming in Kenya through yoga.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Bad Knees? Best Yoga Poses for You

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Definitely knees have to be given priority!

Definitely knees have to be given priority!

Knees are the most vulnerable joints of our body that are prone to damage. Though it is one of the strongest bones, the chances for it to deteriorate are more as it balances our entire body weight. In case, you are having such bad knees, the following three poses could help you to recover from your pain. First one is the Mountain pose. Doing mountain pose might sound and look to be easy, but it has great effect over the knees. This pose also helps in proper knee alignment. First stand straight with your big toes’ bases touching. Then slowly align your knees over your ankles and use your thigh muscles to lift up the knee caps. Stay straight in such a way your under chin is parallel to the floor. Maintain the pose for some 30 seconds and relax. You could feel your knees relaxing!

The next pose is Bound Angle pose. This pose could be done either in sitting or lying down position. Sit up straight and place the soles of your feet together and bring the heels slowly near you. As you do, your knees would be bent to the best and allow it to rest on the floor, if possible. In case the knees do not touch the floor, gently press them using your hands. This pose enhances your hip flexibility and reduces the stress on the knee bones. Last, but not the least is the Legs-up-the-wall pose. This pose could actually relieve you from knee pain instantly. You could use a pillow to do this pose with ease. Sit on the floor and place a pillow some six inches away from the wall. Slowly lower down your torso and move your legs over the walls until they are straight.

You can remain in this pose for 30 minutes. These are just a few poses that could help you in getting over your knee pain.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on
HeyKiki too.

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Yoga with a Newborn

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Even moms soon after pregnancy can do yoga!

Even moms soon after pregnancy can do yoga!

Yoga is highly beneficial for different stages of our life. Right from childhood till above sixties there is no bar to do this healthy exercise. While the other forms of exercise have their own pros and cons, yoga is flatly suitable for all ages. So, giving birth to a baby could not restrict you from enjoying the fullest benefits of yoga! But keeping in mind certain conditions, yoga could prove to be bliss to get back to shape after pregnancy. In general it is advised to take up yoga after six weeks in case of normal delivery and even more in the case of a cesarean.

However, also keep in mind that your body is postpartum. So it would be advisable to find the poses that are suitable for you at this time and practice them regularly. The regular yoga poses like Padma Sadhana and Surya Namaskar are more than enough to aid your life even better. These poses assist you in healing from back pain, fatigue, high BP and hormonal imbalances.

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you! If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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Yoga: Protecting Your Back

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Yoga is a refined form of exercise that has to be done perfectly. Even the slightest slip could cause enormous damage to our body and so it is vital to pay proper attention while in yoga classes. We all know that yoga makes us healthy, gives mental relief, reduce all sorts of pains like neck pain, back pain, knee pain. But on the contrary, wrong postures and some difficult poses could bring pain too. The Standing Forward Bend pose, better known as the Uttanasana is the best example.

Uttanasana

Uttanasana

Though it might seem to be simple as just bending yourself and touching your feet, this pose could cause strain for the back. The practitioners refuse to bend their knees a little that causes strain on the pelvis that affects the back. As a solution, while performing this asana, the knees could be bent a little to let loose the extreme strain on the back. Cobra pose is yet another example that could be quoted giving an easy look but causing pain for the back. Giving more force in exerting to bend, that is necessary for cobra pose could lead to compression in your spine. To avoid this pain, two points have to be kept in mind. One, not to give more force on hands to come up. And two, bending the body from the mid-back instead of from the lower back as it would be more effective in making the arch easier without getting an ache at the spine.

Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose

Similar to the cobra pose, the camel pose also puts your spine in more tension. The best way to avoid this pain is to avoid throwing up yourself more forcefully backward. Yoga blocks could be used in the initial stages of practicing and once you feel you are safe, you could try to do camel pose without them. While a little “sweet pain” from stretching can feel great, it’s important to stay within your limits.

Camel Pose

Camel Pose

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.
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Airport Yoga Rooms

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People have started to realize the need for healthy and suave life that they do not want to waste even a moment! This is very much evident from the recent trend of having yoga rooms in airports. By the way, what is the significance of having yoga rooms while you are all set to fly off? Not all the people are pleasant and happy with air traveling, and so such yoga rooms pave the way to de-stress and feel calm, hours before they start their travel. There are just a few airports that had added this facility, but in the long run, yoga rooms will be an inevitable part of airports.

Some of the airports that had started this trial of yoga rooms are Burlington Airport, San Francisco Airport and Dallas Airport. Though initially, many people found that having a yoga room at the hustle bustle of the airport to be odd, gradually they started to realize the need for having yoga before an air travel. The thanking messages and testimonials that pours out at the log of visitors is a clear evidence to make sure that nearly nine out of ten people are fully satiated and benefited by the little yoga they learn in the limited time at the yoga rooms. People, who do not prefer yoga too, have the idea that doing a little bit of this mind relaxing exercise makes their journey more cozy and calm.

Yoga Rooms at airports are a welcome issue!

Yoga Rooms at airports are a welcome issue!

Just imagine a situation. The flight you are about to take today morning at 9 a. m is late by two hours, leaving you completely frustrated. Being at Burlington Airport, you might be lucky enough to have some mind soothing yoga that keeps you out of unwanted stress and weary! Is it not? In that case, would it not be wise to conclude that creating yoga rooms at airports is a vital practice?

If you’re in the New York City area, check out the yoga classes and instructors on HeyKiki and find the perfect yoga practice for you. If you’re looking for someone in the NYC area to practice with, we have yoga practice buddies on HeyKiki just waiting to connect with you!

If you’d like to learn a sport or activity other than yoga, we have other sports and activities instructors and classes in your area on HeyKiki too.

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