Amanda Goe’s journey to SWIHA all began as the main health education teacher at Desert Vista High School. “I was asked to brainstorm a course I would be comfortable teaching in addition to Health, and I was immediately drawn to the idea of a yoga class.” The first year it got put into the course catalog, she had three sections of about 45 students each. “I wanted the best education possible to be the best teacher I could be--that's when I found SWIHA and SOY.”
Read MoreTopics: holistic, SWIHA, yoga, breathe, healing, Breathwork, YTT, Tempe
SWIHA has one of the most divserse college communities; one classroom may hold veteran soldiers, nurses, policemen, school teachers, scientists, fitness coaches, or freshly grduated teenagers. The wonderful thing about thaving this kind of eclectic student body, is the diversity of stories of how everyone ended up at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.
Read MoreTopics: holistic, Massage, Polarity, SWIHA, yoga, breathe, energy healing, Reiki, Yoga Teacher Training, Breath, asana, releasement
Stress is a natural reaction as a response for our bodies to protect us from threats. The sympathetic and parasympathetic system work together to create the fight-or-flight reaction. Hormones are released to make your heart beat faster, blood vessels constrict, and digestion slows so your body can react quickly. When you’re in danger, your mind and body take over to do what it has to protect itself. Once you’re out of danger, your body goes back to its normal state. The longer stress lasts, the worse it can become for your mind and your body, and then it is considered chronic. Chronic stress can create disease and many other issues that can stop you from living the full life you deserve.
Read MoreTopics: sleep, Whole Foods, Mindfulness, breathe, Stress, Be Present, exercise, Breathing Techniques, Healthy Eating, Healthy Eating Tips, Diet, Reduce Stress, Chronic Stress, Breath
Today we are sharing a breathing technique taught in our Yoga Teacher Training programs! It is commonly used during yoga practice and meditation. It can also be a great way to start your day, recharge midday, and unwind at the end of the day.
It is the Ujjayi Breath or Victorious Breath. Ujjayi (pronounced oo-jai) breath creates a sound that helps synchronize the movements with the breath during a yoga practice. In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali suggests that the breath should be both long and smooth.
Begin by sitting tall and comfortably and you can close the eyes for more focus. Start to take deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then, start to exhale like you are trying to fog up a mirror. Continue breathing like this. Notice the contraction you are creating in the back of your throat. Half way through your next exhale, begin to close your mouth while still exhaling like you are trying to fog up a mirror.
Read MoreTopics: yoga, breathe, Yoga Teacher Training, Yogic Breathing, Ujjayi Breath, Breathing Techniques, Patanjali, Yoga Sutras, Breathwork, Pranayama, YTT
Many experts talk about the mind-body-spirit connection, yet what a lot of them don’t understand is how to actually connect them. That’s where the breath comes in. The body is connected to the mind and spirit through breath by mindfully concentrating on the breath. In a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, researchers claim to have found the measurement of mindfulness through breath counting. However, the lead researcher said, “Counting isn't the main focus; it's the experiential awareness of breath.” In other words, the breath has the ability to take us to a special place, a place deep within the mind and body to reach that spiritual connection. Spirit is within the breath, not without the breath.
Everyone and everything is made of energy, just vibrating at different frequencies. That energy may be moved and shifted with the breath to clear blockages, remove stagnant air, and open one up to new life. The practice of mindful breathing keeps the energy flowing and moving within the body, mind, and spirit. The more we practice connecting with the breath, the stronger the connection becomes between the mind, body, and spirit. This pathway through mindful breathing allows us to connect to our inner knowing for positive transformation and healing.
Read MoreTopics: Mindful Breathing, Mindfulness, breathe, healing, mind body spirit
