Benefits of Yoga | St. Louis Corporate Yoga

Find Your Best Work Mojo With Onsite Corporate Yoga Classes

Find Your Best Work Mojo With Onsite Corporate Yoga Classes

Did you know that the type of breath you use, correlates with a particular state of mind. A rapid, shallow, irregular, noisy breath equals an angry, afraid or upset state of mind. While a calm, slow, deep, regular breath corresponds with a tranquil, creative and positive mental state. In our corporate yoga onsite classes, we provide all the breathing and stretching tips you will ever need. Our all level yoga classes, whether beginner or advanced, with Clayton Yoga corporate classes are geared for everyone! We often convert empty office space or conference rooms into yoga classes in no time. After each class, employees report feeling more relaxed, energized and confident. While students experience a great deal of work, showers are not necessary.

Fritz Perls, founder of Gestalt therapy, describes “anxiety as simply the experience of breathing difficulty”. We can then, unblock negativity and fear, find creativity, joy and excitement again simply through the practice of deep breathing. Our corporate yoga program now boasting over 13 weekly corporate classes weekly in St. Louis teaches, empowers and shows simple breathing tips to company employees. An increase vitality, energy and productivity results from learning how to breath through work challenges and life stressors.

After spending two decades as a traveling physician searching for potent herbs and other forms of traditional and modern medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil finds that the single most potent and practical tool is our breath.

Proper breathing is the KEY to Great Health Proper breathing cures common conditions and more serious diseases.

This is..

●FREE
●NO EQUIPMENT NECESSARY and RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSE

Stress is widely agreed by doctors everywhere to be a the primary or aggravating cause of illness. In Africa, 95% of all doctorʼs visits are peptic ulcers, neck and back pain and headaches which suggest that even in third world countries, lack of proper breathing is also the main cause and source of problems.

Working with the breath changes consciousness.

♥Provides tools and ability to center our mind.

♥We can turn our direction away from the material to the non-material.

♥Working with the breath, we have the chance to change physiology.

A good indication that patients had this imbalance, he would find cold hands. Too much sympathetic means that our system is hardwired for “the fight or flight” response too much of the time.

Some other very serious indications of an over active sympathetic nervous system include:

■high blood pressure
■slow digestion
■increase blood flow to the skin and surface of the body
■constant stimulation
■irregular heartbeat
■body responding to constant threat that never goes away
■drugs suppresses tendency of the body to rebound

Based on expansion and contraction, the stars and the body simultaneously breath. Breath is a concentrated, still essence of being. We are not trying to change the breath, simply observe the breath. Eventually, Dr. Andrew Weil believes you may reach enlightenment.

If you are interested in feeling positive mojo in the workplace again, please contact us! We can be reaching Monday to Friday from 8am-6pm, at 314-630-1677. Namaste.

Yin Yoga for Workplace Stress

Yin Yoga is a unique style of yoga that emphasizes relaxation while also providing a beneficial stimulus to the bone and connective tissue of the body, promoting optimal functioning. The emphasis is on holding poses for long periods of time while relaxing the muscles of the body.

Jack Lalanne, who passed away at 96, worked out 2 hours per day and contributed regular exercise and nutrition to his longetivity and great health. In the early 1950’s, many people avoided exercise believing that exercise was detrimental to one’s overall well-being. Jack Lalanne, coined the term “use it or lose it”. Many people at that time avoided exercise, believing that exercise wasn’t helpful and even posed a risk to one’s longevity, diminishing the number of heartbeats. Imagine…

In a very similar way, Yin Yoga educates us about the powerful proactive steps we can take to reduce the fixation and immobilization of joints and improve the overall mobility and posture of our body. Up until recently, doctors believed that it was not wise to put pressure or to exercise the joints, believing joints would only wear out.

Yin Yoga can help to promote meditation and general relaxation, the important of which should not be underestimated. A wide range of health conditions are stress related and any practice that reduces stress will have far reaching effects on the general health of the individual. In addition when people are calmer they will be more likely to engage with their family, friends and all others that they encounter in a positive way, which then will improve the ealth of the social environment on more subtle levels.

Prolonged pressure (without force) increases synovial fluid and hyloraunic acids, keeping joints supple and pliant (opposite from atrophy, imbalance, fixation, dried out, brittle, hard, and more susceptible to injury)

☀Feeling of calm and balance

☀Regulated energy levels (chi-energy)

☀Greater strength

☀Improved health

☀Stress levels lowered

☀Greater stamina

☀Flexibility of the body’s connective tissues and joints

☀Slowed signs of aging

☀Improved meditation

☀Deeper Relaxation

☀Improved practice of yang yoga

☀Conditions you to sit longer and more comfortably

☀Also helps lengthen response time, stregnthens limbic system, hypothalamus, aid in the treatment of drug and alcohol, pain and trauma recovery, and eating disorders.

To start your onsite workplace Yin Yoga class, contact 314-630-1677. We have been teaching Yin style yoga in addition to our regular Vinyasa classes for over ten years!! Feel good. Namaste.

6 Ways Yoga Increases Your Self Confidence

We all want to feel good about ourselves, don’t we? Confidence makes us feel better emotionally and mentally. Our behavior changes as a result and the quality of personal and professional relationships improves. No matter if we want to attract a new work opportunity or a new partner, feeling confident just makes all these endeavors so much easier.

Exercise generally and yoga practice specifically can be one of the best ways to boost your self-confidence. And of course let’s not forget about the great health benefits, either.

6 ways how yoga can boost your confidence

A better mood. How do you feel after a good yoga practice? Of course you feel much better emotionally and physically. A yoga workout will stimulate brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which promote a general feeling of well-being. The results are a reduction in stress and anxiety. If you lack time to get to a yoga studio before or after work, do take advantage of on-site yoga classes!

Keeps the body in shape. Being is shape involves having a well-toned body and better posture – all aspects connected with self-confidence. When you feel good about yourself, it’s so much easier to make friends and create more professional connections. In return having a flourishing personal network will make you feel more confident.

More energy on demand. If you don’t have the energy to do things, then everything becomes a chore. That can lead to feeling bad about yourself. Regular exercise helps the whole body work more effectively. Instead of dreading chores you can decide to become responsible for your actions and results. And this small shift will make you feel better!

Sleep your way to feeling awesome. It is proven that sleep is necessary for feeling great every day. Getting enough sleep is also the cheapest way to look better. Just imagine preparing for an important meeting and looking in the mirror and seeing dark circles under bloodshot eyes – how confident will you feel? Having that spark in your eyes and spring in your steps will start you on the path of more success – who wouldn’t want that? A gently yoga practice helps you prepare your mind and body for sleep. And you can even practice near bedtime.

Getting clarity. One of the best ways to clear the mind is to exercise regularly. Yoga especially gives you a chance to wipe the slate clean and start from new. In the midst of confusion or having difficulty finding a solution for a problem you face? Get on the mat to find the space for thinking without boundaries and letting go of “the way it should be”. Often, what you thought was a major problem before starting your yoga practice might turn out to be an opportunity in disguise.

Improved focus. Exercising helps you develop the necessary skills to concentrate on the task in hand. Focusing on the most important tasks every day will lead to better results at the workplace and even in your private life. And all the praise you get will make you feel more confident.

Don’t wait to experience the benefits of yoga! Get started today! You can visit Clayton Yoga Studio for a nice class. Or even better yet, set up your on-site yoga program right at your workplace with the help of St. Louis Corporate Yoga. Just give us a call at 314-630-1677!

Yoga Testimonials From Our Students

For the following blogpost, we chose to capture the most positive testimonials we hear from our folks. We featured several new Clayton Yoga student testimonials telling everyone about the many benefits of yoga they are receiving. We hope especially for beginners that you are inspired to start.

Natalie Warren, Office Representative with St. Louis County tells us for example that yoga, provides her with the much needed time to practice meditation. She finds that she can now practice using her conscious breathing in everyday difficult situations. That this breathing stuff really works! She also says that she now seeks out alternative ways to ensure that I get plenty of rest, and eat well. “I understand no one is perfect and when I do eat a potato chip or something I know I shouldn’t, I find I can let it go much easier and start again with go healthy lifestyle choices.” http://claytonyoga.com/corporate-yoga-benefits.

Lisa Watson, associate editor for Ladue News and fabulous yoga student with Clayton Yoga who talks about the amazing benefits of yoga. Recently, Lisa was set back with a minor car accident and found her back was very tight. Within 48 hours, she decided to try a yoga class with Linda and felt it was very challenging. The next day, however, she woke up feeling much better. Lisa feels she is much more confident in her body’s own healing mechanism and is 90% better and on the road to perfect health once again. http://claytonyoga.com/lisa-watson-talks-about-the-amazing-benefits-of-yoga

Walter Jones has been a housing specialist with St. Louis County for 18 years. Walter found some success with weightlifting, bodybuilding and even Pilates. But in all honesty, he was looking for something that did not build bulk, but rather helped him to feel lighter and more flexible. In practicing yoga, Walter Jones really enjoys the relaxing and soothing breathing and the conscious way he notices how to listen to his body. He likes the fact that at work, his energy levels are very high. The social community that he finds with co-workers is also fun as everyone else apparently really enjoys participating in the yoga program as well. The yoga classes relieve lots of tension and stress during the workday. Walter Jones also states that he feels renewed and more relaxed at work. https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/walter-jones-corporate-yoga-testimonial

Samantha Eulk, a Yoga Teacher currently in Training at Clayton Yoga. “Yoga came into my life at exactly the perfect time. I didn’t quite know it then, but looking back, it was when I needed it most. I had lost myself for many years, losing my drive and motivation in life, then almost six and a half years ago, I came to the realization that I needed change”.

Jamie Danieli says: “I’ve really enjoyed my Monday evenings at Clayton Yoga. Teachers here are very open to suggestions on what people want to focus on for the evening and willing to change up the class at will. It’s a different type of yoga studio than what I am used to because it feels a lot more informal. I think everyone in the class has a nice time and it’s a very personalized experience. If you are a beginner or someone who has not taken yoga in a while and are trying to get back into it, this is a good place”.

Stop by for a yoga class at Clayton Yoga soon! Check out our class schedule here, www.claytonyoga.com and if you are interested in setting up a corporate onsite yoga class, please call us immediately at 314-630-1677! N.a.m.a.s.T.e.

Sitting Is Killing You Now

Sitting is silently killing you – It is true. We wrote about this 18 months ago on this blog already. Would you like to read our article? Here is the link.

Just a few days ago The Washington Post published an awesome article summarizing the different ways sitting is becoming one of the most dangerous thing we do every single day. Who would have thought that an activity we engage in for hours at the workplace and then at home in front of the computer or TV can wreck our lives so efficiently.

The infographic in the article shows in detail which part of our bodies suffer the most from sitting way too much.

One of the most shocking finding we read is the way sitting might actually lead to an overproductive pancreas and then to diabetes. Here is the quote:

“The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that carries glucose to cells for energy. But cells in idle muscles don’t respond as readily to insulin, so the pancreas produces more and more, which can lead to diabetes and other diseases. A 2011 study found a decline in insulin response after just one day of prolonged sitting.”

Please view the whole infographic here: http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of-sitting/750/

You can also download it as a PDF. Print it out and keep it by your desk so you get a daily reminder why you must stand up and move to stay healthy!

For easy reminder we post here the part of The Washington Post infographic which gives you advice on how to deal with the consequences of too much sitting.

Practicing yoga is mentioned as an effective way to counteract the damage sitting is causing. The simple fact that you decide to use 1 (or more) lunch break to be in movement, stretching and moving those muscles will benefit you tremendously. We like to focus on poses beneficial to the hip flexors in our classes.

You can practice yoga during work hours without sweating or messing your clothes and hair up. After 50 minutes of calm inducing practice you will bale to return to your desk without any extra prep.

Would you like to hear what long time corporate student have to say about St. Louis Corporate Yoga classes? Pay attention to the wonderful benefits they enjoy as a result of yoga! Please watch our many testimonial videos!

What will you do today to cut back on sitting? Feel free to share in the Comments section!

Would you like to introduce yoga classes at your work place? Your solution is just one phone call away – call Michelle at 314-630-1677!

On-site Yoga Classes Benefit St. Louis County

This blogpost is a recent interview with Anna Gall, Employee Wellness Coordinator/HR Generalist II with St. Louis County, who speaks candidly with Clayton Yoga about the direct positive benefits Corporate Yoga yoga classes have had on the employees of St. Louis County.

St. Louis County took a keen interest in onsite wellness yoga classes after reviewing the aggregate reports that came back from an overall health assessment given to its employees. Based on these results, St. Louis County realized that its employees had a high level of readiness for fitness classes. 3 years ago, Anna Gall took the initiative to ask Clayton Yoga to present yoga classes to its corporate employees.

Anna enjoys working with Michelle Maue and Clayton Yoga for two big reasons. One, she is very impressed with Michelle’s level of perseverance and commitment to follow through on the job. Anna finds that Clayton Yoga offers a high level of professionalism, flexibility and on the job training. When there are unexpected holidays or room renovations, Clayton Yoga easily adapts to these changes.

The second reason Anna Gall is grateful she went with Clayton Yoga as opposed to mainstream high impact fitness classes, is the accessibility of yoga offers. Anybody can sign up and participate in yoga classes whether they have arthritis in their knee or are just getting started with a new fitness program.

Anna reports that employees feel more relaxed, refreshed and ready to work. Clients also say they have greater energy, much fewer migraines and the company benefits as a result of overall greater presenteeism. Employees also report greater concentration, and higher levels of positive energy in the office.

After just 2 years of onsite yoga, word got around from other employees in St. Louis County who also wanted to enjoy onsite yoga classes and the program has doubled from 4 to 9 weekly yoga classes.

Anna Gall feels strongly that the positive results for yoga classes far outweigh overall expenses. “These classes were found to be very good”, Anna says “in reducing overall stress for many employees who faced high levels of stress daily when dealing directly with the public”.

In summary, County employees were coping better with stress due to their yoga and wellness class. Even more incredible is that insurance claims were lowered on average by 2% for St. Louis County employees’ medical claims.

Anna goes on further to say, “as the level of interest continues to soar, and word of mouth grows, this yoga wellness model is creating a whole new culture at St. Louis County”. One in which Anna says “employees are wanting to take better care of themselves rather than having others take care of them”.

Anna is most grateful for the quality of work Michelle and Clayton Yoga provide. Their level of services make it easy to keep communication flowing, and offer a continuous stream of quality yoga classes.

If you know someone or are interested in starting a corporate onsite yoga program, contact Michelle Maue at 314-630-1677. We would love to have a free phone consultation learning more about your company’s unique interest and needs. Namaste!

Sleep For More Productivity

Want to become more productive in your job? There is a surprising answer to this question: sleep more and you will get more done on a daily basis – no matter what you do for a living!

Do you have a mile long to-do list that is getting longer every day? Do you feel like there is never enough time to get at least a few projects done? Do you begin new projects without finishing old ones? Could you just scream when you think about all the stuff that needs to get done in a short time? If you answered Yes to any of these questions, you know so well the stress this causes in your life.

The easiest way to handle the never ending to-dos in your job might be to work some more instead of taking some time off for recreation. You might take work home or spend more time in the office.

How do you fit all this extra work into your day? You might think about sleeping a few hours less, burning the midnight oil to get at least the most important stuff done. Unfortunately you will pay a high price if you sacrifice sleep.

Sleep is precious! Your body needs sleep to process the information flow you get throughout the day. This is the way it was constructed. Now we might try to test the limits of our systems…. But what price do we have to pay for this little experiment?

I am sure you know the feeling of fog spreading in your mind after a sleepless or short night. The ability to think clearly weakens and you feel you need to think twice to understand simple things and taking action is just a dread. Remembering things you want to get done becomes a chore and creating creative solutions is just out of question. You function but at base level at best. Now try to get productive in this foggy brain state… what are the chances of succeeding? Zero!

And no matter how we try defy the natural law of getting enough sleep, the reality is we cannot.

Protect your sleep no matter what! You need to get between 6-8 hours of sleep per night. How much sleep you need exactly is very personal. Some people thrive on 6 hours, some other need their 8 hours of zzzzzzzz….

In order to find out your natural sleep demands, lead a sleep diary for a few weeks. Note when you go to bed and how long you sleep. Also note your sleep quality. A few words or giving a note is sufficient (1 for a terrible night to 4 for an excellent night of sleep for example).

Plan for at least 7 hours of sleep per night. If you consistently wake up earlier than the 7 hours are up – this is an indication that you might need less sleep. If you cannot wake up without an alarm clock, you need to experiment with sleeping 8 hours or more.

One of a great indication if you got enough sleep is the fact that you wake up without an alarm clock feeling refreshed and ready to begin a new day full of energy.

Practicing yoga will add relaxation to your days and with a more relaxed brain you will get more done than you thought possible!

St. Louis Corporate Yoga Shares with Students the Benefits of First Chakra Clearing

In our corporate yoga onsite wellness programs, Clayton Yoga instructors share with their students beneficial ways to feel empowered, creative, less stressed.

In noticing our breath, we create a neutral, calm, peaceful center and transform tension, negativity into vitality and joy.

The specific Chakra meditation helps us to clear out our fears or blocks by connecting first with our powerful energy process centers called chakras.

The first energy center is our foundation. It is interested in physical well-being and self-preservation. As well, our first chakra determines for us our perception of whether or not physical needs are being met.

You may enjoy reading this script with a recording first, then laying comfortably on your back, playing back the audio and listening. Many of us have powerful lines of energy in our body. All we need to practice is learning to listen and receive them. Sitting comfortably or lying down with eyes closed, begin to become aware of the breath. Feel the breath as it enters with a cool feeling and then warming the breath as it gently travels down into the lungs.

Now we will begin. Bring your awareness back to the meditation and when you become distracted, know that this is natural. Always with gentleness, you will return to this present moment and be able to once again access powerful energy.

We start by closing our eyes and bringing our awareness to the tailbone located at the base of the spine. Bath your Root with red: empowering, embodying, and grounding you in the ‘here and now’. Let your Root take what it needs.

When we relax and practice yoga, we give our self space to dance with life’s changes and enjoy the fluidity of life’s mysteries. One of the benefits of this practice is to feel more at home in the busy waters of our everyday life.

Allow your eyes to comfortably close, and come down into your breath, into your body, relaxing your belly, softening your mind. And say the words: “I am here”. I have a right to be here, as I am”. “The Earth supports me”.

Fill the lungs with a deep inhale, bringing in energy, vitality and prana, the life force. As you exhale, feel the body releasing toxins, stress and any negativity that has accumulated. This root chakra allows the life force to circulate between two poles, on in the physical world of the body and the other in the realm of pure consciousness.

Feel yourself as an energy being. Feel the healing energy and light at the base of the spine, moving all the way up the spine. Fill the whole body with divine healing light and energy. Allow that energy to fill the whole body with divine healing light. Allow that healing to completely fill any empty areas or feelings of loss and hold the thoughts of those intentions as you allow the healing energy to bring your deepest desires to life and intentions into reality. Hold yourself in your own center. Stay with this deep, relaxing, peaceful feeling of bliss. Now send this same peace to those you love and to the world. May we live at home in these murky waters…Namaste!

For more information about getting a corporate yoga class started in your workplace, please contact Michelle Maue, 314-630-1677, info@claytonyoga.com today!

Playing the Edge

Playing the edge in each pose challenges us to find our own source of peace. Playing the edge in each yoga posture brings about great self-imposed limitations which then help us to feel safe, cared for, and to be at home everywhere. When we feel cared for and see this world as compassionate, alive and providing a soft landing.

The yogi knows that the true battlefield is not won or lost on the outside but exists within the realm of one’s own psyche. Stepping out of the comfort zone may be frightening but it keeps you in the flowing energy of the universe.

When we poke, prod, and stimulate opening places, it does not matter how far we go. We practice to listen to our own unique body today! Many people practice yoga as a means to get someplace else. This is not playing the edge, and the outcome reinforces our not good enough model. Slamming up against the sensations and forcing the body to open is a subtle form of violence that seeks to control, conquer, and reinforce negative messages between the mind and body. It is far better to back off especially in yoga class, and allow your body appropriate time to soften, expand, let go, and become more centered and peaceful.

Being truly empowered is not about being invincible to life. We live so often at the surface of life with all of its appearances-untapped to what is really possible. Is it truly possible to achieve enlightenment, to wake up each morning and send healing and harmonizing messages to your body, thanking the great spirit for a brand new day.

There is a Chinese Proverb that says “a bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song“. Real strength is allowing our ego to be strong enough to make those adjustments, to modify when needed and take child pose if necessary.

Yoga and playing the edge provide us continually with an awareness of this test and help us stay neutral and present to the learning process. The time when we walk backward into our uneasy qualities about ourself like being controlling, anxious, blaming, or judging are tremendous eye opening experiences. If someone asks you to point to who you are, one finger draws close to the heart. Our greatest weakness is our greatest strength because it is there in our own mind that we must fight the greatest of all battles. Many saints in India tell us to do our duty wholeheartedly and then let it go. Let go of all of the stuff, things like unrealized expectations, perfectionism, and clinging or neediness. See it, put your awareness there and then drop it, like a heavy stack of books.

Yoga and relaxation does not cure us of life’s mystery, it only serves to clarify how much bigger we are then these personal struggles and gives us ample time to transform blocks into learning.

To get a corporate yoga onsite class started, please contact info@claytonyoga.com or 314-630-1677 today! Namaste.

Yoga Research Findings Enhance On-site Corporate Wellness Classes

Dr. Benson at the Harvard Medical School found that a certain amount of stress is good. A little stress is a good thing. Whether you are doing a job, playing a game, raising a child. Some stress motivates us to adapt to more difficult situations. A little stress can be fun, motivating and even interesting.

But too much stress is a bad thing. Dr Benson uses a graph to show how increasing stress raises your performance and efficiency until you reach a certain point – after that point, more stress causes your performance to decline and efficacy to reduce. Also too much stress can cause a person’s locus of control to be placed outside of one’s own experience.

In recent survey taken at the Mind Body Institute, Americans identify stress as their number one health concern today. More than 50 % of adults in the U. S report high stress on a daily basis. Untreated, stress can seriously affect performance, health, and well-being. This chronic type of stress the never lets up weakens the immune system, making us vulnerable to disease, and harder to recover from illness.

Dr. Andrew Weil has also found that even in remote parts of Africa, more and more patients are visits doctors for stress related symptoms such as ulcers, headaches and indigestion. More than 60% of all healthcare visits are related to mind-body stress induced conditions.

The key according to Dr. Herbert Benson, is to break the chain of everyday triggers or thoughts that worry us. The Dalai Lama says there are two types of problems, one the kind we can do something about and in that case, it is very important not to worry and in the second type, this problem is something we can do nothing about, and also not to worry! When we take deeper breaths, or go for a walk or bike ride, our heart beats slower and our brain waves slow down.

According to Mehmet Oz, MD, the average person’s breath is between 16 to 20 breaths per minute. Researchers found that 23 women and men who recited Om mane padme hum and the Ave Maria prayer slowed their breathing to a rate of about 6 breaths per minute compared to spontaneous breathing and random talking. What this suggests is that prayer or mantra chanting slows the “internal metronome” lessening the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Chanting or saying prayers increases our concentration and synchronizes cardiovascular rhythms creating a sense of calm and well-being.

Also it has been reported the best physiological benefits include pulse rate decrease, respiratory rate decrease, blood pressure decrease, galvanic skin response increase, alpha wave increase, posture improves, endocrine function normalizes, endurance increase, energy level increases, immunity increases, sleep improves and energy levels increase.

There is without a doubt then, through the scientific research findings here that just with a few minutes of practice, our breathing can break the chain of stress and bring about nourishing, nurturing healing energy to the brain and body. For more information on starting a corporate on-site yoga class at your company, call us at 314-630-1677. Namaste!