Dahn Yoga News

Where Dahn Yoga practitioners share their experiences

Monthly Archives: April 2011

Yoga may supplement psychological treatment for eating disorders

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Dahn Yoga benefits people of all ages, backgrounds and body types, which may be why so many satisfied members have written testimonials expressing their jubilation at having found the regimen in the first place. Besides being an appropriate exercise for people in a frail condition, yoga may augment psychological therapy for individuals with serious mental conditions.

Yoga has been found to accommodate the physical needs of patients in relatively weak conditions. A study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine recently determined that low-impact yoga exercises may help elderly individuals with chronic heart failure stay active.

Now, research appearing in the journal Eating Disorders suggests that the holistic discipline may be an appropriate supplement to rehabilitation programs for anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating disorder.

Laura Douglass, the author and an interdisciplinary studies student at Massachusetts' Lesley University, is careful to note that on its own, yoga is not a thorough treatment for people with these conditions. Instead, it may be a constructive part of an integrated mental and physical healing program, she states.

Douglass notes that yoga may come at the problem of body image by way of sociological, neurological and spiritual inroads.

In addition to making an individual more aware of his or her own physique, Dahn Yoga mindfulness meditation can emphasize the importance of maintaining a strong, accepting connection between mind and body.

Filed under Yoga News
Apr 29, 2011

WITC offers new administrative degree for those looking to make a personal change

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Individuals who are looking to make a personal change in their life, such as enrolling in an advanced degree program, may be surprised to learn about all the options that are available to them.

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC) will now be offering a two-year administrative professional associate's degree, which will be completely online this fall.

School officials said that this is a way to meet the high student demand for the program, while also working with nontraditional students' schedules, as some may have families or careers that they need to devote the majority of their time to.

"WITC received many requests from students to provide the program online," said Leslie Bleskachek, the school's academic dean. "This recognizes the need for full-time employees to have an option to enroll, even if they are working during the day and can’t attend day classes. A degree in this program can often be a stepping stone into higher levels within organizations after initial placement."

Filed under Lifelong Learning
Apr 27, 2011

Charlestonians practice yoga, flash-mob style

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Individuals who practice Dahn Yoga brain wave vibration – which is a form of moving meditation – know that the urge to practice yoga can occur anywhere, since it can be done effortlessly out in the open. To wit, a flash mob of 100 people recently performed yoga in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, according to WCBD TV, an NBC affiliate.

Skip Rector, a yoga instructor at the College of Charleston, told the news station that the idea occurred to him in 2010, when he visualized hundreds of students doing the "sun salute" pose together.

After conferring with some of his students, Rector decided that they could all do a little yoga in public as part of a flash mob, which is a group of individuals who suddenly perform an unexpected activity in the middle of a crowded area before quickly dispersing.

"The students in my classes were extremely enthusiastic when I mentioned it and we just went from there," he told the news source. "During the mob, seeing so many people doing yoga was empowering – students coming together in unison to do something that is good for them individually and also to show observers that anyone can do yoga."

Filed under Yoga News
Apr 26, 2011

Milos is a colorful beach destination for yoga buffs

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Those who want to practice Dahn Yoga exercises in a warm-weather destination may want to look to the Greek Island of Milos, where "natural beauty is the main attraction," according to The Associated Press.

Many people often think of Santorini and Mykonos when it comes to Greek islands, but that's what makes Milos the perfect escape. It is a quiet area that is not a typical tourist trap, and its naturally beauteous land is the perfect backdrop to a meditative yoga or tai chi session.

The rock formations that line the Aegean coast are "otherworldly," says AP writer Marc Levy. "Its most unusual feature is an array of colorful sandbelts, running from cream to black, with pebbles of nearly every color."

With such chromatic sights on the volcanic-ash beaches, it can be quite a stunning complement to the blue-green waters that are clear enough to offer a deep look into the local marine life.

Those who want to explore the terrain of Milos can trek to the village of Tripiti to see the sunlit alleyways, or to Sarakiniko to check out the pumice dunes created by volcanic remains.

Filed under Yoga Basics
Apr 22, 2011

Yoga in the military? Sir, yes, sir!

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Dahn Yoga exercises are low-impact, comfortable, quiescent ways to ease out of life's daily tension. In that regard, yoga has little or no place in the military, right? Wrong, say a number of wounded veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, who recently told NPR that yoga has helped them heal.

The Warrior Transition Union in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has developed what it calls "enhanced physical training," a regimen for injured soldiers that involves yoga, stretching and meditation.

One veteran, wounded Specialist Michael Stefan, told the news source that for him, yoga instruction strikes a balance between physical activity and mental repose. This equilibrium has helped him begin to overcome the damages of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"Seeing soldiers get killed, and working on them and the memories and flashbacks that go along with that, this is the outcome," he said to the news channel. "But now I'm at my point in life where I'm transitioning out of the Army…so now I need to better take care of myself."

Studies have shown that mild yoga and meditation can help those with PTSD ease their psychological symptoms and reduce the physical feelings of panic.

Even for civilians who have never left their hometowns, the meditative pursuits of Dahn Yoga can soothe away anxieties of all kinds.

Filed under Yoga News
Apr 21, 2011

Potential pitfall for online job searching

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The job hunt has evolved tremendously in the past decade. Nowadays instead of circling postings in the want ads and pounding the pavement, people are turning to the internet to help them find their new career.

The internet is an incredible tool for job searching but there are some drawbacks, an article from CNN cautions.

The article said that while it may be an obvious piece of advice to not search the internet for job openings while at one's current job, a surprising amount of people take part in this risky behavior.

"It isn't just about the ethics of your current situation — it's also about the impression you're creating," Dr. Katharine S. Brooks told CNN. "If your potential new employer sees that you use your company's e-mail to correspond with them, use the company phone to call them, and appear to be contacting them during work hours, they will assume you will do the same thing when you work for them."

Being true to one's employer and one's self is always important for those concerned with their own personal change and integrity, and that is why searching for a job should take place during one's personal time. 

Filed under Personal Success
Apr 21, 2011

Practicing yoga may help addicts make it through recovery

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Thousands of Americans engage in Dahn Yoga, often as a way to unwind, stay fit, reduce one's burden of stress, control the body's energy flow or reconnect the mental and physical selves. However, yoga also has a number of therapeutic uses, not least of which may be the ability to help drug addicts overcome their substance abuse problems.

A master's thesis published by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University states that yoga may contribute to a recovery plan, since it may help addicts calm and comport themselves.

This effect is not solely intended to make detoxification easier, writes thesis author Mark Griffiths. Instead, it is conceived as both a self healing technique and a behavioral aid, the latter of which might help social workers make the most of a person's recovery period.

Griffiths noted that even the teacher-student relationship between a yoga instructor and a new pupil can act as a type of interpersonal guidepost for recovering addicts, allowing them to accept their newfound freedom from drugs and to learn to interact with others in a healthier, more committed way.

Regardless of a person's age, background of physical state, Dahn Yoga accepts members from all walks of life.

Filed under Yoga News
Apr 15, 2011

Yoga newcomers often need advice on choosing classes, instructors

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Personal growth and mind-body reconnection do not happen overnight, which is why many individuals who are interested in Dahn Yoga seek out yoga communities in their area. Once a center is found, though, what then? What is a new yoga member supposed to do to kick things off?

One of the first items on their list may be to find a suitable yoga instructor, and this search does not have to be as intensive as it may seem, according to the East Valley Tribune.

That said, the news source emphasized that choosing a teacher is rarely a matter of following one's gut instinct. Instead, there are practical steps a beginner can take when searching for a yoga tutor.

The first is to accept that the first teacher you choose may not be the right fit, the newspaper emphasized.

"The good thing about yoga is you can still date around," Sacramento yoga studio owner Anne Marie Kramer told the source. "It's great to be able to experience different teachers. You always take away something from each class."

Typically, the second step is to talk to a potential instructor and learn a little about their holistic philosophy. After that, it's time to give a class a try, the news source concluded.

Dozens of Dahn Yoga community centers exist across the U.S., each of which offers a multitude of classes for yoga enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Filed under Yoga News
Apr 14, 2011

New long-term nursing certificates offered to those looking for personal growth

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Long-term nurses can often offer tips for patients to relax, such as Dahn Yoga meditation practices, which can put the individual at ease. However, while it's important to have these skills on hand, it's crucial that a nurse has the education background in order to treat patients to the fullest.

Care2Learn Incorporated, a company that focuses in online training for healthcare professionals, announced a partnership with the American Association of Long Term Care Nursing (AALTCN) to develop four new online certificate programs for LTC nurses.

Among the available online certificates are director of nursing in LTC, licensed practical nurse in long-term care, registered nurse in long-term care and a nurse assessment program. This will allow these medical professionals to further their understanding of the field to better assist their patients.

"With the input of long-term care nurses nationwide, AALTCN has developed highly respected certification programs that help to define the unique competencies and responsibilities of various LTC nursing positions and contribute to the advancement of LTC nursing practice," said AALTCN's executive director Charlotte Eliopoulos.

Filed under Lifelong Learning
Apr 12, 2011

Scientists explore meditation from dozens of theoretical angles

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The self-disciplinary art of meditation is an activity whose history can be traced back several thousand years to the East Asian continent. Today, the practice is still going strong. Meditation can help Dahn Yoga members – and nearly anyone else, for that matter – reduce their perceived pain levels, and scientists are currently trying to figure out why.

A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that slightly more than an hour of peaceful contemplation each day increased participants' pain thresholds by an average of 25 percent.

Similarly, a chapter of the recently published textbook Psychological Selection and Optimal Experiences Across Cultures has suggested that mindfulness meditation can improve energy flow throughout the body.

Another report, published in the journal Schizophrenia Research, determined that the adoption of a regular meditation schedule helped patients with schizophrenia improve their symptoms, accept themselves and boost their levels of positive emotions.

Other studies have linked the pursuit of meditation to potential improvements in joint pain, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.

Deep breathing exercises and peaceful contemplation are essential aspects of the philosophy and practice of Dahn Yoga.

Filed under Yoga News
Apr 12, 2011

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Though it was founded in the 1980s, Dahn Yoga's basic precepts and techniques are directly descended from methods practiced five millennia ago in East Asia. These precepts include the importance of the mind's partnership with the body, as well as the need for a balanced bond between the two.

Today, thousands of Americans practice Dahn Yoga everyday, many of whom are delightedly trying it for the first time. Taking a little time out of one's day to stretch, breathe, pose and meditate with a gentle smile on one's face can radically change one's mood and outlook.

This blog offers responses to news items that prominently feature Dahn Yoga and its neighborhood centers.

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