A recent article summarised some of the ways that yoga can be good for you:

• Better sleep.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Reduced joint pain.
• Stronger bones.
• More positive mood.
• A healthier brain.

Yoga consists of a combination of physical exercises and more meditative practices. Both can be tailored to your needs.

Many high school and university students have exams coming up soon. In our yoga teaching tool kit we have many tools that help to calm pre-exam nerves, including simple physical yoga stretches to energise and relax, breathing techniques to help quiet an anxious mind, sleep yoga training so that you get the rest you need, and simple meditation and relaxation techniques.

If you are facing exams, a few minutes spent each day on yoga may help. If you need help, we are available for lessons privately, for small groups, in person or via Skype. We can even come to your workplace, school or tertiary institution.

We have created two closed Yoga Wabi Sabi groups on Facebook. One is for people who have been affected by childhood or adult cancer, including family members and friends. We will be using friendship and gentle, restorative yoga to try to help.

​The other group is for people who are struggling with insomnia and sleep issues. We will be using tools from yoga to try to help and so members can move towards natural sleep and away from sleep that relies on medication.

Please tag anyone who might be interested. We will work out if the groups will be internet based or small, supportive meetings, once we know how many people would like to be involved.

A program to teach simple yoga techniques has been running in the New Jersey school system since 2009.

The students report greater peace, and feeling less overwhelmed with life's problems. Yoga teaches how to pause before reacting to bad things that happen. In the New Jersey school system at last one fight was averted because the students put their training into practice. At the end of a recent session, a student said:

"I see the good in you. You see the good in me. We see the good in each other." And then the class said "Namaste" as they pressed their palms together.

We are available to work with your school if you would like to explore the benefits of yoga and how it can improve everyone's experience at school: staff, students and management.

I was stoked to read that Moby has made available, for free, a series of recordings to promote calmness, meditation, and yoga. Personally I prefer yoga without music, but everyone  is different, so this is a great  gift.

Dr Ali Binazir reminds us that the odds of a particular person being born are about 1 in 40,000,000. You being here, right now, is an astonishing miracle and a reminder to make the most of every moment.

Dr Mandelbaum highlights the need for middle aged and older adults to plan for a long and healthy life by maintaining age appropriate healthy exercise and eating habits. In addition, he highlights the benefits of yoga for older adults. If you are an older adult and have never done yoga before it is not too late to start. Engaging in physical and meditative yoga practices can help to ensure that you maintain optimal mental and physical health for the rest of your life:

“The cultivation of mental health also becomes increasingly important with age. Research has increasingly validated the value of practices such as yoga and tai chi, which combine meditation with movement. They can be as powerful as medication in reducing joint pain and cardiovascular risk, and in improving mood, but with fewer adverse effects.”