yoga practice | St. Louis Corporate Yoga

Yoga = Natural High Energy = Positive Successful Life Results

Yogi’s have known for a long time that our energy levels can facilitiate enlightenment. We have the ability to boost our own levels of energy. The key to increasing our energy is to focus on the inside in a loving and positive manner. Each of us according to the Tibetans is a piece of the divine energy.

Ways to increase our energy are:

Daily exercise
Eating alkaline-non-processed, non-dairy foods
Breathing deeply increasing oxygen rich blood back to our cells
Sleeping well consistently
Focusing on Gratitude and counting those blessings throughout the day
Develop wisdom that our weakness can often become our greatest ally
Letting go of judgment and remembering to value our intuition
Writing in a Journal
Making time for a Friend
Pray every morning you wake up

In everyday life, with all modern day complexities and lack of time, it is difficult to remain true to one’s own inner heart. Yoga trains the mind through stretching to dig deeper, to look on the inside, and find hidden treasures. Moments that we feel deep inner stillness can offer profound awakenings. We discover that although there are weaknesses or cravings, we can notice and not take the bait. Just like an underwater sea diver looking for beautiful coral at the bottom of the ocean, our soul is also searching to develop and heal.

The Buddha taught us that all life is change, temporal and fleeting. When we attach to outcome and cling, we suffer. When we let go, and let good, we allow life back in and we become luminous like a star in the night time sky. And in the words of Saint Francis d’ Assisi I wish to seek not so much to be understood, as to understand.

The Shinto Buddists do not meditate as much as they emphasize gratitude. Through one’s awareness, we come to understand we are never alone, that everything is interdependent. At my new corporate workplace, because of the constant efforts of my employer, the students who sign up, the room coordinator and the cleaning lady, we are able to enjoy a great yoga class.

Being a professional tennis player taught me that having things in itself is an empty experience. More important than things, is being able to feel confident in one’s inner nature, to have a gift, to share, to inspire, and motivate pioneering new ways of living peacefully and collectively on this planet. Now that is one great yoga pose. Being willingness to listen and grow from another, have an open mind and a courageous heart all these qualities keeps us energized and young.

Having too many struggles with people, lawsuits, adversity, and bad energy is extremely taxing to our energy body. Prolonged tension can lead to energy depletion, a cranky mood, and irritability with our friends or much worse, dis-ease in the body.

In order to make the jump into a new paradigm, the desire must come from within. If we are filling our holes or insecurity with a ‘quick fix’, that won’t do. Before we embark upon the change for self-improvement, we must get clear as to why we wish to change.

Are we motivated by joy or by guilt? Our deeper reasons for action provide us with how we shape our tomorrow. Use your breath every day, witness your energy levels when they lower, and do not panic. You newfound muscle of awareness will provide you with objectivity, neutrality and great inner strength. Once you can bow to your inner critic, your tapestry of love will expand into the light and finding deeper meaning and purpose in life again…

Diabetes and Yoga

Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007

Did you know that more than 8% of the total population of the US suffers now from diabetes? And this number is consistently growing: just in 2010 1,9 million people were newly diagnosed with this condition according to the American Diabetes Association’s 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (released Jan. 26, 2011 Source: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/). There are estimated 79 million people who are in the pre-stages of diabetes.

How many of your employees are suffering from this new epidemic or are in the pre-diabetes phase? And what is the impact on your organization as a result?

The costs of diabetes are horrendous for our society. Not just the economic burden we suffer as a result if this disease. We should not forget about the consequences of loss in quality of life for all the sufferers and their families.

Some of the most serious complications as a result of diabetes are:

heart disease and stroke
high blood pressure
blindness
kidney disease
nervous system disease (Neuropathy)
and amputations.

Here are the shocking facts about the real cost of diabetes for the US economy:

“New research provides revised comprehensive estimates that suggest that the U.S. national economic burden of pre-diabetes and diabetes reached $218 billion in 2007. This estimate includes $153 billion in higher medical costs and $65 billion in reduced productivity. The average annual cost per case is $2,864 for undiagnosed diabetes, $9,975 for diagnosed diabetes ($9,677 for type 2 and $14,856 for type 1), and $443 for pre-diabetes (medical costs only). For each American, regardless of diabetes status, this burden represents a cost of approximately $700 annually.”

Source: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/2/297.short

The above research results urge all of us to search for understanding of how to prevent and treat this new epidemic and reduce its economic toll.

Can yoga help in managing diabetes and decrease the debilitating health conditions as a result of diabetes?

We see growing evidence that yoga may positively influence the health of our yoga students with or without a diabetes condition. Some of our clients report lower blood sugar levels and a higher awareness for healthy lifestyle choices.

We found a research study critically reviewing published research around diabetes and yoga done by Kim E. Innes and Heather K. Vincent at the Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, VA, USA.

Here is the summary of this research:

“In summary, a growing number of studies suggest that yoga may improve indices of risk in adults with type 2 diabetes, including glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure. Limited data also indicate that yoga may reduce oxidative damage, improve coagulation profiles and pulmonary function, and decrease sympathetic activation in adults with diabetes and related chronic disorders. Yoga may also be useful in reducing medication requirements in patients with diabetes and could help prevent and manage cardiovascular complications in this population.”

Source: The influence of yoga-based programs on risk profiles in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2176136

Besides reporting very promising facts about the use of yoga in diabetes therapy, it also calls for more “rigorous studies … to clarify the effects of specific yoga therapies on measures of DM 2 risk and related clinical outcomes, especially in American and other Western populations that remain underrepresented in existing research.”

Our St. Louis Corporate Yoga program introduces a gentle Vinyasa yoga practice that emphasizes the importance of the body-mind connection. Offering on-site yoga classes once or twice a week for your employees will increase their health consciousness and can result in better diabetes management for those who suffer from this condition.

If this article piqued your interest, please call us at 314-630-1677 to get more information how we can help your employees stay healthier longer!

The graphics above “Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007” are from: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/2/297/F1.expansion.html

Content sources for this article:

www.Diabetes.org

http://content.healthaffairs.org/

http://europepmc.org

Sweet Sleep For Increased Productivity

Lack of sleep has a major impact on productivity. It is difficult to function 100% and keep your focus when you haven’t slept enough. We all know the leady tiredness after a night that didn’t bring enough sleep.

Sixty million Americans have occasional sleep issues. Just imagine how many of your employees might suffer from the consequences of sleep problems!

“At least 40 million Americans each year suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders each year, and an additional 20 million experience occasional sleeping problems. These disorders and the resulting sleep deprivation interfere with work, driving, and social activities. They also account for an estimated $16 billion in medical costs each year, while the indirect costs due to lost productivity and other factors are probably much greater. Doctors have described more than 70 sleep disorders, most of which can be managed effectively once they are correctly diagnosed.”

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm#sleep_disorders

Insomnia, the most common sleep problem affects more than half of all adults in the United States. Sleeplessness means the inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep as long as one desires.

Would you like to know if you suffer from this condition?

Do you have difficulty falling asleep? Does it take longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep?
Do you wake up during the night and cannot go back to sleep?

If you answered yes to those questions, you might well be suffering from insomnia.

Most often you get a prescription for sleeping pills in order to deal with your sleeping problems. But do they help? Taking sleeping pills might get addictive fast, robbing you the ability to fall asleep without the pills.

Fortunately there are ways to ensure that you can fall asleep fast and easy even after a stressful day.

How practicing yoga will lead to better sleep

Sometimes people are just too tired to fall asleep. This might sound as illogical but true. You need to relax in order to be able to fall asleep.

If you are tired before your bedtime, doing restorative poses and breathing will help. Practice for a few minutes – even 5 minutes will make a difference – until you feel more relaxed and then go to bed.
Doing yoga breathing slows down your heartbeat and helps you relax. One of the easiest breathing exercises that you can do anytime and especially beneficial before sleep is this: Inhale to the count of 3, exhale to the count of 6. Important thing is to exhale twice as long as you inhale. Breathe through the nose. You can increase the count to 4+8 or even 5+10 as you get more advanced.
Try progressive muscle tensing and relaxing when you lie in bed. Lie down comfortable in the Savasana pose. From your toes up tense and relax your body parts. It takes only a few minutes and will raise your awareness for your body. If you need help, there are audios available as mp3s or CDs to learn this method.

During our corporate yoga classes we pay special attention to breathing and restorative poses. What you learn during those classes, you will be able to use in any situation. Plus if you have any special questions, your yoga instructor can give you expert advice. Or even put together a special yoga sequence just for you!

We would love to show you how St. Louis Corporate Yoga can help to increase productivity in your organization! Give us a call at 314-630-1677 for a consultation if you are interested to learn about our company yoga programs!

Do you Live in a Friendly World or a Hostile One?

Have you noticed when you have more energy, you are more inspired and get more done? You have happier thoughts, are in a better mood and find more creative new ideas?

Albert Einstein once said that whether you live in a friendly or hostile world was the most important question of our time.

I used to look outside and wait for others to be kind. Guess what? I was spell casted into believing that someone else would one day bring me my happiness. As I practiced and taught more yoga, and opened up more about my true feelings of inferiority, I found that more people were drawn to me and inspired by my willingness to be authentic. I realized that right in the middle of our stressors, it is possible to pause, and come back to my center, to discover the creativity, vitality and wisdom within.

And wow, did I attract lots of business, new clientele and have lots of energy. No longer content with waiting for other people to change, I wanted to learn the tools to do that myself. And I discovered many cool things changing in the workplace too!

In 2001, when I began teaching corporate on-site wellness, to be honest, I really did not have much idea about what I was doing except I had faith. I believed that what I was teaching would one day bring about fantastic results and 10 years later after teaching 2,000 corporate yoga classes and training yoga instructors around the world, I believe that came true.

Since practicing yoga, I am lighter on myself and can even laugh at my own imperfections and weaknesses more somehow, just knowing, that is where the light is. For example, I am a terrible driver; I just don’t enjoy being behind the wheel and going places, except for the good music that sometimes plays on the radio. I also am not a very good cook. Despite many halfhearted attempts, and with a very busy teaching schedule, my cooking over the past ten years has not changed very much. But all of that is okay. In fact that leaves lots of room to enjoy and collaborate with the strengths of others.

Enjoy another great corporate yoga video celebrating 10 years of success for St. Louis Corporate Yoga (Clayton Yoga Studio).

With the practice of daily breathing, I have the increased energy, and perspective to go past the daily dramas and labeling and evaluation of everything and just be in a state of gratitude and wonderment. It is there that I understand how to prioritize better, laugh more and just lighten up! As I do that I recover my spirit, feel even more energy and thank the sky, the sun, the moon, and these cycles that are teaching us, anyone can do yoga, anyone can experience profound love and anyone can fly!

Would you like to get more details on getting yoga classes started at your company? Feel free to contact us at St. Louis Corporate Yoga or call us at 314-630-1677 and get your corporate on-site wellness class started today!

Practice Yoga and Find your Peak Performance

When you feel centered, calm and empowered, chances are that you feel energized and inspired to perform at a higher level. It is natural to want to excel and become a better version of yourself. In yoga, we help train you in the art of single-pointedness. Even in disappointment and setbacks, we learn to grow. Yoga immediately improves our mental concentration and focus. Breathing is a fabulous coping tool to help us achieve a state of self-mastery.

When we practice staying calm and move our body through challenging postures, we find naturally that we want to take more and more responsibility for our life. If we project or blame, we will never be empowered or happy. But by creating more space, we increase our awareness and find a greater ability to be more loving with our imperfections.

When we experience greater self-acceptance, old habit patterns of self-doubt break free and we find a whole new clearing. Stress teaches us in a good way how to adapt using creative new goals and newfound inner strength. None of us are here to have a mediocre existence. We are here to thrive and expand and be great.

For me, yoga continues to remind me to find more fun in the everyday, more appreciative for all the blessings that come my way, and find more laughter, and more love.

There is never a better time to invest in a new yoga corporate program and motivate yourself, to greater health, peace, and happiness.

Would you like to start a corporate yoga program at your workplace? Please contact, Michelle Maue, at 314-630-1677 or through the Contact page!

Workplace Yoga Programs that Best Fits Your Needs

St. Louis Corporate Yoga offers lots of benefits to corporations willing to invest in employee wellness programs. Michelle Maue, owner of Clayton Yoga, creator of St. Louis Corporate Yoga and leader of Clayton Yoga Teacher Training has trained over 100 St. Louis corporate yoga instructors since 2001. St. Louis Corporate Yoga Instructors offer the best yoga classes available in the industry today.

A study done at University of California at San Francisco has confirmed that stress really does age you. According to Thomas Perls, MD, “it isn’t the amount of stress that matters, but how you manage it”. (articles, “10 Secrets to a good, long life” July/Aug 2005 AARP, the magazine).

Corporate yoga revitalizes the immune system and the major organs of the body; removing waste products up to three times more quickly. Improved immunity means less workdays lost through colds, fatigue and other non-specific illnesses.

Yoga calms and energizes the nervous, endocrine, and caridovascular system and awakens hidden reserves of energy and vitality.

Regular on-site corporate yoga classes also develop stronger bonds between the employees and staff. When people take yoga classes together, they build better avenues of communication and trust between one another and have fun.

Tom Hinton, chief investigator for the U.S Federal Government started taking yoga for chronic lower back pain and found that “yoga helped me to detach from the problems, lower my stress and anxiety, push distractions away and increase my flexibility. I also love the music and quiet soothing instruction. I highly recommend St. Louis Corporate Yogato anyone”.

With more than 10 years of experience, we are aware that every company is different and requires a unique approach. St. Louis Corporate Yoga saves time by offering professional, courteous service.

To sign your company up for corporate on-site yoga classes, contact Michelle Maue at 314-630-1677 or through our Contact page.

Reigniting Balance in Our Work Life With Yoga

Taking time to properly care for the self, helps us rebound more quickly from day to day life’s challenges. In survey after survey, 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. (http://www.mbmi.org). Stress is like an enclosing wall all around us. By training you in the art of single-pointedness, yoga immediately improves mental concentration and focus.

Yogic deep breathing and yoga stretches create a genuine sense of inner and outer space. Tightening deadlines, conflict and other stresses will lose their grip as you learn to breathe and stand your ground.

Yoga physiologically transforms apathy and depression into happiness by oxygenating the brain and increasing the levels of endorphins in the blood.

In everyday work life, there are bound to be difficulties in the road ahead; the real key is how to maintain equanimity in the face of adversity.

In Yoga practice, we learn to develop longer, slower brain waves, which shift us from a sluggish tired state to a more energized, vital and awakened state. There we find hidden reserves of aliveness and experience greater ease throughout the entire workday. We come back to our desk after yoga class ready, alert, and available.

As Sandra, one of my corporate clients likes to say, “I am 57 and have been spending my whole life tying myself into knots, now I want to learn to untie them”.

When we stay calm, we create more balance in our lives, and stay connected to our greater goodwill. There, even in the face of difficulties, we know we are inspiring by our own very example a more compassionate, open, strong and loving stance, ready to tackle any problem, and find just about any solution.