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Chicago Yoga

Chicago Yoga — No Comments
24
Feb 12

Conversation in Chicago yoga studio leads to dozens of much-needed kidney donations

Everyone knows that Chicago yoga classes are good for the body, heart and soul, but who knew they were good for the kidneys? According to a breaking report from the Independent, a brief conversation in a Chicago yoga studio ultimately saved the lives of thirty patients with renal failure.

Now, it's no secret that this holistic mind-body regimen has direct benefits for each of the organ systems, kidneys included. But this story is about the indirect, interpersonal ways that yoga can transform lives.

According to the news source, it all began when Rick Ruzzamenti, an electrical contractor from California, had a talk with a friend in yoga class about giving a stranger in need a kidney. He decided to donate his.

The niece of his 66-year-old recipient had wanted to donate to her uncle, but she wasn't a match. So she decided to give her kidney to another stranger who was a match…

And so on, and so on, until the last person in a chain of 60 donors and recipients received a kidney this week at Chicago's Loyola University Medical Center.

That's the power of yoga! It changes lives in more ways than anyone could ever imagine.

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Chicago Yoga — No Comments
16
Feb 12

Beginners Chicago yoga enlivens local gym class for kids

In the windy city, Chicago yoga classes are so plentiful that sometimes it takes a special, heartwarming story to really make one stand out. Recently, the Chicago Tribune published just such a tale about teachers to bring yoga who underserved elementary schoolers.

The newspaper explained that the holistic mind-body routine makes quite the effective physical education program for kids of all ages, and that the featured classes are a stand-out example.

Instructor Michelle Mitchell explained why yoga is such a wonderful addition to elementary school gym classes. In essence, it boils down to the way that kids unwind.

"Today, children are stressed about everything," she told the news source. "Our kids are overscheduled, they have a full day at school…and when they do get a break, it's in front of the TV or it's playing a video game, which isn't a true break for them."

For that reason, she and her colleagues are providing services to underserved youth as a way to bring yoga to the kids who need it most.

Here at Dahn Yoga, we agree that children need a holistic solution for their health. That's why we offer so many beginners Chicago yoga classes for kids.

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31
Jan 12

In Chicago yoga classes, being limber isn’t a prerequisite

People who are considering joining their local Dahn Yoga community often have a few questions about the mind-body system before they begin. One of the most common is: "Do I have to be flexible in order to do the basic Dahn Yoga poses?"

The answer is quite simple. No, you don't!

Sure, plenty of Chicago yoga classes seem to revolve around the ability to do the splits, bend yourself into a pretzel or even touch your toes. But in general, limberness is not a prerequisite for making the most of yoga.

One Chicago-based holistic health expert agrees.

"The biggest misconception is that one must be 'naturally' flexible to practice yoga," instructor and studio owner Ingrid Yang told Shape Magazine. "That is why there are so many different varieties of yoga."

She added that the best regimens focus on relaxation, breathing, meditation and tai chi, which are all what characterize Dahn Yoga as a cut above the rest.

"The beauty of yoga is that the aim is not to meet an end goal, but to set the intention to simply show up, get on your mat and be there – aware, awake and present," Yang concluded, as quoted by the news source.

If you're searching for a soothing mind-body system, look no further than your local Dahn Yoga community center.

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19
Jan 12

Beginner’s Chicago yoga promotes mind-body connection

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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20
Dec 11

Chicago yoga classes are a good place to meet new friends

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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9
Dec 11

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

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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1
Dec 11

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

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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28
Oct 11

Octogenarian teaches beginners Chicago yoga

Chicago yoga classes tend to be filled with diversity, and not only because the Windy City is a transportation hub and a major industrial center. For whatever reason, yoga seems to attract people of all backgrounds, body types and ages.

Recently, the Oak Park-River Forest Patch reported on a beginners' Chicago yoga instructor who is setting the bar for experience, maturity and seniority.

Mary Louise Stefanic teaches two yoga classes per week at Loyola University, Chicago. Many of her students are pushing 65, but she still has them beat. According to the news source, Stefanic is 80 years old.

She explained that she began doing yoga 45 years ago, back when the regimen was not nearly as popular and widely accepted as it is today.

Now, of course, yoga classes abound in Illinois. The Chicago Tribune recently reported that hundreds of instructors live and work in the city, offering everything from gentle stretching to the most rigorous forms of the discipline.

Stefanic explained that she prefers the low-impact, calming variety.

"I think it's changed the face of America," she told the news source, adding that at her age, the system helps her maintain good posture and range of motion.

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Chicago Yoga — No Comments
24
Oct 11

Chicago yoga classes get heart disease patients moving

Having a cardiovascular condition is no joke, since heart disease is the leading cause of death among American men and women alike, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recently, a study found that ki energy techniques may help people with heart conditions stay active.

Published as a dissertation, the investigation determined that participants with cardiovascular health problems tended to be more physically active when offered yoga for health problems.

In fact, increased levels of low-impact exercise may even improve the flexibility of the carotid artery, said author Courtney Duren. She noted that physical activity appeared to decrease arterial stiffness among participants who used yoga-based therapy or other, similar exercise regimens.

Duren's isn't the only study to conclude that mind-body practices, like those offered in Chicago yoga classes, can help people with heart disease stay active.

A report appearing in the journal Clinical Cardiology found that patients with coronary artery disease who performed yoga experienced a 70 percent improvement in arterial flexibility, compared to those who did not use the holistic regimen.

The authors described significant improvements in patients' blood pressure, body mass index and heart rate, which researchers attributed to yoga's soothing exercises.

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Chicago Yoga — No Comments
16
Sep 11

Articles address the etiquette of Chicago yoga classes

Being new to a fitness class isn't always easy, not least because being a novice often means knowing very little about the exercise techniques that you're expected to do. Likewise, being unfamiliar with the etiquette of group workout sessions may make it hard to avoid offending others, which is why one newspaper recently released a list of dos and don'ts for Chicago yoga classes.

Published in the Chicago Tribune, the article ran through a handful of practices to avoid when taking beginners Chicago yoga. This list is the latest in a long line of yoga etiquette rules chronicled by news organizations like the Yoga Journal (YJ) and the health website FitSugar.

Below are a few basic tips, cobbled together from these sources.

1. Turn off your cellphone. Don't set it to vibrate. Turn it off. The YJ notes that a ringing cellphone can break the mood of every single person in a quiet yoga classroom. Besides, if you're committed to mindfulness and internal exploration, you can go an hour without texting or checking Facebook.

2. Arrive on time. All three sources suggest being punctual, for much the same reason that cellphones are a no-no – namely, you don't want to break anyone's concentration.

3. Bring a towel in case you happen to sweat on a mat or on the floor.

4. Wear the right clothes. As the Tribune emphasizes, it is important to wear attire that fits your regimen. If you are taking mindfulness yoga, for example, be sure to wear a long-sleeved, loose-fitting shirt and long pants woven from organic fibers.

5. Be sure you put on the right pair of shoes after class. Don't accidentally walk off in someone else's footwear, FitSugar warns.

6. Stay clean. Keep body odor to a minimum for the sake of other noses. Also, don't drench yourself in cologne or perfume, the Tribune adds.

7. Finally, accept the free trial period. Yoga studios want you to see if their classes are a good fit for you. If they offer a free trial, go for it. That way, everyone wins!

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