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Chicago Yoga — No comments
19
Jan 12

Beginner’s Chicago yoga promotes mind-body connection

Yoga's adaptability makes it perfect for college students of every stripe.

Yoga's adaptability makes it perfect for college students of every stripe.

At the University of Illinois, many students report being enamored with yoga. Why is the holistic regimen so popular among college students? According to the school's official newspaper, the Daily Illini, it's because yoga's soothing breathing techniques and ki energy manipulation allows stress to melt away.

This effect – which can be felt in classes in Champaign-Urbana, beginner's Chicago yoga groups and everywhere in between – is based on the regimen's attention to the mind-body connection.

That's what yoga director Deb Lister told the news source, explaining that among students, the link between the mental and physical selves is often in need of healing. She added that yoga's adaptability makes it perfect for college students of every stripe.

"The practice of yoga is about listening to what comes up to the surface when practicing – feelings, sensations, thoughts," Lister said, quoted by the newspaper. "The beauty of a yoga practice is that it can be modified to meet most anyone's challenges."

That's certainly true of Dahn Yoga, which is as popular among college students as it is among adults, kids and the elderly.

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Personal Development — No comments
10
Jan 12

With yoga, physical and personal development goals are within reach

Yoga is good for the body and the soul, and it's hard to argue otherwise.

Yoga is good for the body and the soul, and it's hard to argue otherwise.

Yoga is good for the body and the soul, and it's hard to argue otherwise. Some of the nation's leading health organizations say that the holistic healing regimen is good for reaching physical and personal development goals – a sentiment that most yoga experts agree with.

Recently, Lee Renfroe, an assistant professor in health promotion at the University of North Alabama, told the Alabama Times-Daily that doing yoga is something that more healthcare professionals are recommending, especially since the mind-body routine has been found to supplement wellness in so many ways.

"Yoga and meditation and those types of things are evolving," he told the news source. "Part of it has to do with healthcare costs and healthcare issues, and the fact that more people are going to be looking for more ways to impact their health outside of seeing a doctor."

The beauty of yoga is that it is an effective, all-natural way to soothe the body while restoring equilibrium to the mind. No wonder the Mayo Clinic says that yoga is an effective method for reducing stress and anxiety.

By joining the Dahn Yoga community, you're putting your personal wellness first!

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Ki Energy — No comments
03
Jan 12

Chicago-area wrestlers use yoga, ki energy techniques to get flexible

Wrestlers at Glenbard West High School take weekly yoga classes in order to stay loose and limber.

Wrestlers at Glenbard West High School take weekly yoga classes in order to stay loose and limber.

Wrestling is one of the few activities in which athletes utilize almost every muscle group in the body. Others include swimming and yoga, the latter of which has been taken up by a Chicago-area wrestling team as a way to get fit and flexible through the use of ki energy techniques.

According to the Chicago Tribune, wrestlers at Glenbard West High School take weekly yoga classes in order to stay loose and limber. The trend began when assistant coach Pat McCluskey tried a beginner's Chicago yoga class at a friend's suggestion.

"I thought, man, this is so difficult, it really mimics a wrestling match," he told the news source "There's no one judging you except yourself, and [it's] the same thing with wrestling: You're the only one that knows if you're really giving your all."

McCluskey's wrestlers added that even though yoga classes initially felt like torture, the team now looks forward to coming to its weekly sessions. Reportedly, several other Chicago-area wrestling teams have taken up yoga and ki energy techniques too, as a way to get a competitive edge.

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Prenatal Yoga — No comments
28
Dec 11

How can I do prenatal yoga in the third trimester?

Being nine months pregnant seems like it would put some limitations on the poses you can do. Well, never fear - prenatal yoga classes are here.

Being nine months pregnant seems like it would put some limitations on the poses you can do. Well, never fear - prenatal yoga classes are here.

Yoga enthusiasts who are planning to have a baby may wonder how they can continue to practice their mind-body exercises during their third trimester. After all, being nine months pregnant seems like it would put some limitations on the poses you can do. Well, never fear – prenatal yoga classes are here.

According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), prenatal yoga during the third trimester is not only acceptable but suggested. The organization includes the holistic healing system in its list of the Top Recommended Exercises for mothers-to-be.

Why is yoga appropriate for expectant moms? The APA states that the regimen is composed almost entirely of low-impact exercises that improve flexibility and soothe lower back pain. By comparison, high-energy activities like running or bicycling are too intensive for pregnant mothers.

Many yoga studios specifically offer prenatal yoga classes. Likewise, plenty of DVDs and books that explain the basics of prenatal yoga in the first, second or third trimester are available.

The APA notes that, regardless of what kind of prenatal classes you try, you should avoid poses that overstretch your joints or leave you lying flat on your back for extensive periods of time.

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Prenatal Yoga — No comments
23
Dec 11

Prenatal yoga poses help pregnant women relax

Prenatal yoga classes can help mothers-to-be relax and stretch away some of the aches, no matter what trimester they're in.

Prenatal yoga classes can help mothers-to-be relax and stretch away some of the aches, no matter what trimester they're in.

During pregnancy, mothers-to-be can experience all sorts of aches and pains that they've never felt before. However, rather than grinning and bearing the discomfort, expectant moms can turn to prenatal yoga poses for a little relief.

During the second and third trimesters, pregnancy-related pain typically begins to ramp up. The American Pregnancy Association (APA) states that some of the most common aches that expectant mothers feel occur in the back, sciatic nerve and round ligaments.

Back pain is already quite common among U.S. adults. The National Institutes of Health estimates that eight in 10 Americans suffer from backaches in their lifetime. During pregnancy, though, a woman's shifting center of gravity puts more strain on her lower back.

Likewise, the weight of a baby can press on the sciatic nerve, causing intense aches in the pelvis, legs and sacrum.

The APA adds that perhaps the most common form of pregnancy-related aches is round ligament pain, which is the discomfort a woman feels as her joints begin to soften and loosen in preparation for birth.

Fortunately, prenatal yoga classes can help mothers-to-be relax and stretch away some of the aches, no matter what trimester they're in.

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Chicago Yoga — No comments
20
Dec 11

Chicago yoga classes are a good place to meet new friends

Trying beginners Chicago yoga may be just the thing you need to get you out there and meeting people. After all, once college is over, it can be nearly impossible to make new acquaintances without taking up some sort of hobby.

Trying beginners Chicago yoga may be just the thing you need to get you out there and meeting people. After all, once college is over, it can be nearly impossible to make new acquaintances without taking up some sort of hobby.

If you've just moved to the Windy City and don't know a soul, don't panic. There are plenty of ways for you to meet new friends and get to know people in your area. In fact, one of the best ways to meet like-minded individuals is to sign up for one or two Chicago yoga classes.

It may sound silly, but trying beginners Chicago yoga may be just the thing you need to get you out there and meeting people. After all, once college is over, it can be nearly impossible to make new acquaintances without taking up some sort of hobby.

In her new book, "MWF Seeking BFF," author and occasional contributor to Chicago Magazine (CM) Rachel Bertsche described the process of searching for a new best friend. She told CM that her memoir recounts that search, and how she ultimately found a pal with whom she could go to yoga classes.

In fact, you don't need to be in Chicago in order to use yoga to meet fellow Second City-ers. In a recently published New York Times article, writer Jan Benzel recounted seeking out a yoga studio immediately after moving to Paris.

After signing up for a class, she met her teacher, Rajeev. Benzel discovered that he was not a Parisian, but from good old Chicago.

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Dahn Yoga Community News — No comments
15
Dec 11

Thousands attend Chicago’s Power of Meditation Event

November of this year, one thousand people attended the first Power of Meditation workshop at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. Members of the Dahn Yoga community and the public came together to celebrate Chicago Dahn Yoga’s community achievement of 10,000 Earth Citizens in Chicago and the launching of Dahn Yoga USA’s nationwide tour.

During hte event a ChunBuShinGong demonstration was given by Chicago Dahn Masters and Dotong Gunjas. The Chicago Power Drumming Team also performed. This was followed by a rendition of Nella Fantasia by Kaori Williams.

Last, Ilchi Lee gave a lecture, starting with a video clip demonstrating the power of breathing and meditation. The group was then led through Jigam, Dahnmu and Brain Wave Vibration exercises.

Lee then spoke about the three powers all humans possess: the power of self-healing, the power of insight, and the power of creation through the process of fusion. The emphasis was on the fact that each human has an unlimited capacity and that they are only limited by their preconceptions.

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Chicago Yoga — No comments
09
Dec 11

You don’t need hot Chicago yoga classes to stay warm this winter

Though it sounds alluring during winter, hot yoga can be unnecessarily expensive. And besides, yoga can keep you warm even when the thermostat isn't cranked up to the max.

Though it sounds alluring during winter, hot yoga can be unnecessarily expensive. And besides, yoga can keep you warm even when the thermostat isn't cranked up to the max.

If you've walked past a Chicago yoga studio on a cold day and thought, I could sure use some hot yoga right about now, think again! Though it sounds alluring during winter, hot yoga can be unnecessarily expensive. And besides, yoga can keep you warm even when the thermostat isn't cranked up to the max.

Most Chicago yoga classes will teach you that staying warm is an important aspect of yoga in general. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Yoga emphasizes that a little body heat can go a long way toward keeping your muscles and joints loose and limber.

Rather than driving your heating bill through the roof, it may be better to simply perform yoga or tai chi while draped with a robe or a thick blanket, the book states.

Likewise, if a winter day is fairly mild, you may consider practicing yoga outside in the sunlight. If it is too cold, try doing your yoga indoors next to a window. Direct sun exposure can help you modulate your body temperature.

Another lifestyle trick for staying snug this winter? Drink a mug of hot tea, cocoa or coffee, or sip some hot soup before doing yoga. You'll feel a warm, pleasant sensation in your belly, where your hot energy belongs!

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Chicago Yoga — No comments
01
Dec 11

Chicago yoga classes are a big hit among the city’s youth

Meditating, posing and deep breathing appear to be catching on among teens, tweens and even toddlers in Chiacgo.

Meditating, posing and deep breathing appear to be catching on among teens, tweens and even toddlers in Chiacgo.

Which sports do kids love most? You might be inclined to point to football, tennis or basketball, but according to a recent article in the Chicago Daily Herald, youth in the Windy City are increasingly turning to holistic exercise to get their ya-yas out. No wonder beginner's Chicago yoga is so popular!

The newspaper noted that meditating, posing and deep breathing appear to be catching on among teens, tweens and even toddlers in Chiacgo.

What is behind this apparent trend? Local studio owner Pam O'Brien told the news source that she believes the mind-body regimen's soothing health effects draw kids to Chicago yoga classes.

"Yoga should be about showing them the proper way to move and balance, about learning how to have proper body mechanics and alignment," she said, quoted by the news source. O'Brien added that yoga is also just plain fun, and kids can't help liking something so entertaining.

Neither can adults, apparently. A survey conducted by the Yoga Journal found that an estimated 15.8 million American adults have tried yoga. Another 18.3 million admitted being interested in the ancient self-healing art.

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Ki Energy — No comments
30
Nov 11

Take Dahn Yoga to learn how to use your ki energy

Each of us has ki energy flowing through our bodies. While it cannot be seen or heard, this force pervades all living things and contributes to health and well-being.

Each of us has ki energy flowing through our bodies. While it cannot be seen or heard, this force pervades all living things and contributes to health and well-being.

Each of us has ki energy flowing through our bodies. While it cannot be seen or heard, this force pervades all living things and contributes to health and well-being. If you'd like to learn how to use ki energy, consider signing up for a few Chicago yoga classes. Your instructors can put you on the path to mind-body reconnection.

Because we lead such hectic modern lives, it is only natural that our minds become increasingly removed from the bodies that house them. While the effects of this disconnection are not apparent at first, over time it is easy to see what stress and flurry can do to one's ki energy.

You may feel pressurized, tense, anxious or sluggish. You might find that at the end of a rushed afternoon, you can hardly remember a single thing you did all day. Perhaps you're riled up or itching to do something, though you don't know what it is.

These are signs that your ki energy has fallen out of balance. Fortunately, the forces in your body can always be redistributed through careful meditation and gentle yoga exercises.

By engaging in Dahn Yoga, you can begin to regain your ki's equilibrium surprisingly quickly. Before you know it, you'll be breathing, stretching and posing your way to sharper mental clarity.

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