This Cinco de Mayo, the moon will be at its perigee, which means that – because its orbit is slightly elliptical -  it will reach its closest point to the Earth. Hence, the night of May 5 will have a big, bright moon. And while it's tempting to chalk up certain yoga and health benefits to posing underneath this lunar phenomenon, it's best to give all the credit to the holistic routine, not the heavenly body.

That's the recommendation of Diets in Review, which published a short Q-and-A on practicing yoga beneath a full moon. As you may expect, it's perfectly safe to do so, though it won't confer any extra benefit.

The source noted that the full moon has nothing to do with ki energy or menstrual cycles. For these reasons, yoga is neither better nor worse when done on an especially bright night. Hence, if anyone you know attributes their personal success stories to lunar energy, tell them that that's lunacy – it's yoga that helped them, not the moon!

So, keep in mind that practicing your stretches underneath the night sky can be relaxing and refreshing, but the benefits you get won't depend on the moon's phase.

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Being in school isn't all that easy, especially as a senior in high school or a new undergraduate student. Between tests, studying, lectures, homework, extracurriculars, dating and daily chores, the stress can really climb. Fortunately, the best school-age personal success systems often include a secret weapon: yoga!

That, anyway, was the conclusion of an article recently published in The Orion, the official student newspaper of California State University, Chico (CSUC). As an inspirational story for teens and young adults, the piece was quite effective, since its recommendations were as simple as taking a weekly yoga course to relieve stress.

At CSUC, the school's students – the Wildcats – are often in need of a little decompression. For that reason, the available yoga classes tend to be very popular.

Social science student Ashley Ecklund told the newspaper that holistic healing has radically improved her ability to shake off her cares. "I can feel my mood change from the beginning of class to the end drastically," she explained, adding that most of her peers feel the exact same way.

That's quite an endorsement for yoga!

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It seems like practically every day sees a batch of new yoga and health articles published in the news, most of which are exceedingly positive. One new study in particular has set the standard for inspirational stories for women. It's about breast cancer, chemotherapy and the healing power of yoga.

Published in EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing, the paper found that doing holistic exercises can help women overcome some of the side effects associated with chemotherapy.

In particular, the study noted that yoga seems to improve cognition in these patients – that is, it often boosts mood, sharpens neural firing and improves quality of life.

This is no small feat. After all, chemotherapy for breast cancer is notorious for causing nausea, hair loss, low appetite and a crushing, all-encompassing fatigue.

That may be why the American Cancer Society recommends that, once they've recovered sufficiently from a chemo regimen, patients begin getting a little soothing daily exercise – the kind yoga is tailor-made to provide.

In the new study, participants loved doing yoga. Many said that their quality of life got a boost from the "camaraderie of class participants, motivation to get out of bed and relief of stiffness due to toxicity of chemotherapy."

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Many people do yoga basics to improve alignment, soothe sore muscles, increase flexibility or cultivate a sense of inner serenity. Of course, the regimen can occasionally result in a minor injury, but instructor Pam Schulte recently told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that this is pretty obvious, especially if you take an overly-vigorous class.

"Well, duh!" she exclaimed. "Have you seen what people do in those classes? This idea that yoga is this holier-than-thou regimen where no one should ever get injured is not realistic."

What's her remedy for a yoga routine that's too strenuous? Schulte recommended getting your aerobic exercise from something other than yoga, like running, cycling or swimming. When it comes to doing your mind-body exercises, you should never be out of breath, she told the news source.

"If you're getting a cardio workout in a yoga class, you're not doing it right," she explained.

At Dahn Yoga, we are of the same mind. One of the primary personal success factors in any holistic regimen is relaxation. It is our belief that to truly be healthy, well and wise, you need to find a system that helps you decompress, loosen up and find a state of equilibrium.

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When you're learning the yoga basics, the first things to know include how to follow in-class etiquette, what to wear to a session and how to avoid injury. According to ABC 2 News Baltimore, it's easy enough to practice yoga without risking harm to yourself.

It all comes down to asking for guidance from an experienced instructor, according to Marshall Sanders (who is one himself).

"A lot of people will go buy DVDs and buy books, and without that special touch and guidance from a teacher, it's really hard to know if you're getting the poses accurately," he told the news station.

Does he have any other recommendations? Sanders added that starting out slowly is a must, since overstretching your joints can lead to tears, sprains or general discomfort.

At Dahn Yoga, we couldn't agree more. Our teachers consistently emphasize the benefits of using relaxed poses, gentle stretches and deep, guided meditation.

These pillars of the Dahn Yoga experience help beginners learn to use yoga basics to improve alignment, ease muscle aches, relieve tension, increase lung capacity and deepen their mind-body connections.

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Yesterday was International Women's Day, and that means celebrating and appreciating the strength and grace of ladies everywhere. To that end, you can read one of the most inspirational stories for women to come out this month: Just five days ago, holistic expert Afton Carraway defended her title as the New York Regional and National Yoga Asana Champion.

After three days of competitive stretching and posing at the Hudson Theater, the former professional dancer from Florida won her second national championship, beating out hundreds of other advanced yoga practitioners.

The competition is simple: Entrants have three minutes in which to perform seven yoga postures, five of them pre-determined and two left up to the contestant.

These aren't your yoga basics poses, either. Many finalists did standing splits or hyperextended their knees. In Carraway's case, she stood on her hands while curling her feet all the way down to touch the top of her head.

According to the Albany Times Union, competitors were judged based on poise, composure, grace and level of difficulty.

Congrats to Carraway and to all the men and women who competed this year!

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If you're searching for a touching inspirational story for kids, then look no further than the Chattanooga Times Free Press. According to a recently published article, children at the independent primary institution Bright School are doing weekly yoga, thanks to a generous new grant.

Donated by a national-level nonprofit, the funds – an even $1,000 – allow the school's first-graders to participate in holistic mind-body exercises designed to specifically suit young ones.

These yoga basics for kids are optional, but teacher Denise Cooper told the news source that her students can't get enough of the new classes.

"The idea is to slip it in [to class activities], but children are so amazingly drawn to it," she explained to the newspaper. Her colleague Caroline Clark manages the actual classes, leading fun, whimsically named poses like the "double pretzel."

One 7-year-old said of yoga that "it just warms you up. It gets you ready to go and run and have fun."

She's right about that. Yoga exercises do that for enthusiasts of all ages, ensuring that practitioners, whether young or old, are feeling loose, limber and ready to share a laugh or two.

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If you follow the latest yoga and health articles that appear in the news, you may have been a little nonplussed by one that recently appeared in the New York Times. Written by William J. Broad, the piece emphasized the unlikely dangers of holistic stretching. Now, the newspaper is beginning to atone by printing other articles praising the regimen's benefits.

For instance, a blog written by Broad's colleague, Jane Brody, underscored the many scientifically tested upsides to doing yoga with any kind of regularity.

"Good scientific studies, including many supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine,…have demonstrated that regular yoga practice can improve cardiovascular risk factors like elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol and clot-inducing fibrinogen, and it can raise blood levels of protective antioxidants," Brody wrote.

She also noted that by choosing a qualified instructor, practicing a low-impact version of the routine and getting plenty of rest in between classes, practitioners can easily make yoga one of their primary personal success factors.

Brody added that yoga may even boost libido, cheekily warning readers: "Just don't try to act on this stimulation in class."

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For an inspirational story about service in a community, look no further than the yoga studio run by Lesli Kotloski. A recent article published by the Pittsburgh Almanac featured her and her journey through yoga.

The news source explained that she only just became a yoga instructor, but that she is already reaping the benefits of teaching yoga basics poses.

And so are her students. They told the Almanac that the mind-body regimen has helped them loosen up, calm down, let out their tension and take in the world around them.

Long-time practitioner Pascale Kippelen explained how the system has changed his life. "I've practiced yoga for more than nine years," he told the newspaper. "With the stress and crises I've endured, yoga has given a balance to my life. I visit this studio twice each week and practice about a half hour each day at home."

And what does Kotloski advise beginners to do?

"Look for a yoga class that fits," she said in summary. "An inviting space of calm, a teacher who is comfortable to be with and a practice that incorporates breathing, meditation, stretching, strengthening and relaxation is what is needed to deal with life and its issues."

That's Dahn Yoga in a nutshell!

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Among the many good yoga and health articles out there right now is one by Huffington Post contributor Alanna Kaivalya on knowing when to leave your yoga teacher. The subject takes a little explanation.

Kaivalya – a yoga expert and instructor herself – is not referring to "leaving" in the sense of ending a platonic relationship, or even of quitting your classes in frustration. Instead, her central thesis is that there comes a time in every enthusiast's life when their instructor will have nothing more to teach them.

This is not for lack of skill, experience or approachability, either. As the writer explained, eventually all committed yoga students will have learned everything they can from their teacher.

At that point, they are equals, and the student, as they say, becomes the master. When learning the yoga basics, this is one of the first things to know about the mind-body regimen: One day, you'll be experienced enough at it to become a yoga instructor yourself.

It's much like the child growing old enough to have children of his or her own. It's natural and something to look forward to.

At Dahn Yoga, we encourage this progression from student to full-fledged master. In this way, the holistic system can gradually expand its circle to include more and more happy enthusiasts, each of whom is paying it forward.

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