Yoga for Stress Relief

As many of you probably know, I am a big fan of yoga as a form of stress relief. Yoga combines deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and muscular relaxation to create a powerful way to relax your entire body. My personal experience with yoga has convinced me that profound emotional and physical changes can occur when a person commits to a regular yoga practice. In fact, research is increasingly showing that yoga can be wonderful therapy for anxiety, depression, and many other mental illnesses and issues.

Yoga classes can be a great way to get started and there are many local resources available to us. However, for many people individual practice is the best option due to time and financial constraints. There are many great DVDs and videos that can get you started with this powerful practice. Here are a few of my favorites.

I've recently discovered that the web can be a wonderful place to learn more about yoga. In fact, many websites are offering streaming yoga videos that allow you to practice for free in the comfort of your own home. My favorite, http://www.yogatoday.com/ , offers a free, hour-long yoga class for every day of the year. You can also sign up to receive a free 15 to 20-minute yoga podcast that can be downloaded directly to your video i-pod or mp3 player at http://www.yogamazing.com/ . These are just two of the many resources a person can find on-line and can be a wonderful way of relieving stress, (and, for my students, a great way to complete their relaxation homework assignment!) Namaste!