Indians shouted patriotic slogans and listened to a rousing speech from a charismatic yoga guru who began fasting Thursday to pressure the government to bring back billions of ill-gotten gains so-called black money citizens have stashed in foreign banks.

Supporters of Baba Ramdev jammed traffic across New Delhi as they walked to the sprawling Ramlila fairgrounds and buses from nearby states converged on the capital. About 20,000 people pledged their support for Ramdev's campaign to wipe out tax evasion and endemic corruption in India.

Squatting on the ground and fanning themselves with bits of cardboard in the sweltering monsoon heat, supporters cheered as Ramdev spoke.

"I am not against any political party. My protest is only to end black money and to bring back to this country what rightfully belongs to the people of India," he announced from a 20-foot high platform constructed at the end of a vast tent.

Though poor acoustics made it difficult to hear Ramdev, his supporters were unfazed, saying they already knew what he stood for.

"He is our hope for the future. He will save this country from the politicians," said Amulya Kumar, a farm laborer from Bihar, who was holding a small bundle of clothes and food.

Along with his teenage nephew, Kumar had traveled two days by train from Bihar's poverty-stricken Munger district for the rally.

Millions of Indians tune in every day to watch Ramdev perform yoga exercises on his popular TV show. In the past few years he has transformed his popularity as a yoga guru to highlight his campaign against corruption.

AP

Ramdev said he would not eat for three days and outlined his demands: a robust ombudsman law to keep checks on government, a strong and independent Central Bureau of Investigation and efforts to act against tax evasion and illegal money sent to banks abroad.

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Yoga Guru Holds Anti-Graft Protest in India

9 August 2012 Last updated at 03:12 ET

Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev has launched an indefinite anti-corruption protest in the capital, Delhi.

The yoga guru says he is campaigning for the recovery of suspected bribe money allegedly held overseas.

He is also demanding strong anti-corruption laws and more autonomy for government's investigation agencies.

Baba Ramdev has millions of supporters and his daily television programme is eagerly watched by millions of people across India.

Last June he held a nine-day anti-corruption hunger strike before the police evicted him from Delhi.

His latest protest - attended by several thousand people - is being held at the Ramlila ground in Delhi, the venue of his protest last year which was attended by thousands of supporters.

"We are not here to replace any political party. We don't have a political agenda. Our only concern is ending corruption in country," Baba Ramdev said.

In June this year, the yoga guru joined leading campaigner Anna Hazare to undertake a day-long fast in protest against corruption.

Last week Mr Hazare called off an anti-corruption hunger strike after announcing plans to enter politics.

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India yoga guru launches protest

NEW DELHI (AP) -- Indians shouted patriotic slogans and listened to a rousing speech from a charismatic yoga guru who began fasting Thursday to pressure the government to bring back billions of ill-gotten gains so-called black money citizens have stashed in foreign banks.

Supporters of Baba Ramdev jammed traffic across New Delhi as they walked to the sprawling Ramlila fairgrounds and buses from nearby states converged on the capital. About 20,000 people pledged their support for Ramdev's campaign to wipe out tax evasion and endemic corruption in India.

Squatting on the ground and fanning themselves with bits of cardboard in the sweltering monsoon heat, supporters cheered as Ramdev spoke.

"I am not against any political party. My protest is only to end black money and to bring back to this country what rightfully belongs to the people of India," he announced from a 20-foot high platform constructed at the end of a vast tent.

Though poor acoustics made it difficult to hear Ramdev, his supporters were unfazed, saying they already knew what he stood for.

"He is our hope for the future. He will save this country from the politicians," said Amulya Kumar, a farm laborer from Bihar, who was holding a small bundle of clothes and food.

Along with his teenage nephew, Kumar had traveled two days by train from Bihar's poverty-stricken Munger district for the rally.

Millions of Indians tune in every day to watch Ramdev perform yoga exercises on his popular TV show. In the past few years he has transformed his popularity as a yoga guru to highlight his campaign against corruption.

Ramdev said he would not eat for three days and outlined his demands: a robust ombudsman law to keep checks on government, a strong and independent Central Bureau of Investigation and efforts to act against tax evasion and illegal money sent to banks abroad.

The government said Thursday said a committee was working on a draft of the ombudsman bill, which would be placed before Parliament next month. India's finance ministry is in the process of tightening laws to curb the generation of black money and its illegal transfer abroad.

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Yoga guru leads mass rally over Indian corruption

Public release date: 8-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Beata Mostafavi bmostafa@umich.edu 734-764-2220 University of Michigan Health System

ANN ARBOR, Mich. It's no secret that pregnancy hormones can dampen moods, but for some expectant moms, it's much worse: 1 in 5 experience major depression.

Now, new research shows that an age-old recommended stress-buster may actually work for this group of women: yoga.

Pregnant women who were identified as psychiatrically high risk and who participated in a 10-week mindfulness yoga intervention saw significant reductions in depressive symptoms, according to a University of Michigan Health System pilot feasibility study. Mothers-to-be also reported stronger attachment to their babies in the womb.

The findings were published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.

"We hear about pregnant women trying yoga to reduce stress but there's no data on how effective this method is," says lead author Maria Muzik, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of psychiatry and assistant research scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development. "Our work provides promising first evidence that mindfulness yoga may be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical treatment for pregnant women showing signs of depression.

"This promotes both mother and baby wellbeing."

Mental health disorders during pregnancy, including depression and anxiety, have become a serious health concern. Hormonal changes, genetic predisposition and social factors set the stage for some expectant moms to experience persistent irritability, feelings of being overwhelmed and inability to cope with stress.

Untreated, these symptoms bear major health risks for both the mom and baby, including poor weight gain, preeclampsia, premature labor and trouble bonding with the new baby.

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Yoga proves to reduce depression in pregnant women, boost maternal bonding

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The media debate surrounding yoga injuries, spurred by the New York Times article "Can Yoga Wreck Your Body?", and an associated book, has left a lot of confusion in its wake.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120808/CG54529)

Yoga teachers report that many students are being cautioned against practicing yoga, because friends or relatives have heard that yoga is 'dangerous.' Indeed, if you're new to yoga, you may be concerned yourselfwho wouldn't be when reading the words "yoga'"and "stroke" in the same sentence?

In an effort to shed some much-needed clarity on this debate, YogaUOnline, a leading website for online yoga education, is sponsoring an online telesummit on Yoga Injuries: Facts and Fiction with leading yoga teachers and medical experts, including Roger Cole, Ph.D., Tias Little, Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T., Dr. Loren Fishman, Dr. Timothy McCall, Julie Gudmestad, P.T., Ellen Saltonstall, and Peggy Cappy, founder of the PBS-Series Yoga for the Rest of Us. The telesummit is free to attend and will be hosted streaming live on Saturday, August 25, 2012, 12 pm pm EDT/ 9 am'1 pm PDT on YogaUOnline.com.

"The article and book grabbed attention by making it sound like there is scientific proof that yoga routinely causes horrible injuries, even death," saysRoger Cole, Ph.D., a yoga teacher and Stanford educated scientist. "The evidence presented to support these claims was very flimsy, and in some cases completely false. For example, there is no convincing evidence that yoga elevates the risk of stroke at all."

"There's an important discussion to be had," Cole continues, "which is why this telesummit is so important. But ultimately the debate doesn't concern whether it is possible to get hurt practicing yoga. Of course it is, just as you can get hurt while dancing, biking, jogging, golfing, or weight-training. But that doesn't mean yoga should be considered particularly 'hazardous.'"

In fact, when compared to injury rates from other forms of physical activity, yoga comes across as relatively safe. For example, between 1990 and 2007, an estimated 970,000 weight trainingrelated injuries were treated in the U.S., according to the American Journal of Sports Medicine. With about 37 to 45 million practitioners, that's an average of 57,000 injuries per year, or about 12 to 15 people out of every 10,000 practitioners. In contrast, the number of yoga injuries treated in 2007 was at 5,500, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. With an estimated 15.8 million yoga practitioners, that pegs the injury rate at a comparatively low 3.5 out of every 10,000 practitioners. In other words, yoga appears to be about four times safer than weight training.

Still, any yoga injury is one too many. One of the greatest benefits of the telesummit is to focus participants' on where the actual risks lie and how to practice more safely.

Ultimately, the debate boils down to the question of whether taking up yoga is likely to do you more good than harm. Here the balance lies squarely in favor of yoga. While the documented risks are quite modest, the potential rewards are tremendous.

For instance, there are more than 400 studies documenting the health benefits of the practice; yoga is being used to help veterans with PTSD, people suffering from depression, kids with ADHD, those with chronic conditions such as back pain, and others. And most people are drawn to the practice because they like the way it makes them feel, physically and emotionally.

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New Online Telesummit Explores Yoga Injuries: Facts and Fiction

Hot yoga studios have been popping up all over the place, a testament to the practice's growing popularity.

But, what makes hot yoga different than a regular yoga class? The temperature and humidity of the room are key; hot yoga classes are held in studios heated to 40.5 C with 50-per-cent humidity. The increased heat warms the muscles to achieve a deeper yoga practice and cleanses the body by causing it to sweat away toxins.

The situation presents a unique fashion challenge: how do you find something that (a) is stylish, (b) keeps you cool, and (c) keeps you relatively covered at the same time?

Here are some dos and don'ts for getting geared up for hot yoga:

Don't pull out an old cotton T-shirt. Cotton is notoriously bad for sucking in moisture and will be drenched with sweat and become cumbersome within minutes.

Do opt for dri-fit or performance fabrics. They will not only help wick away sweat and keep you cool, but the nanotechnology behind them also kills bacteria and prevents odours that can develop over time.

Don't wear just any old gym shorts; they aren't designed to move with you through all the various yoga poses and bends. Given the tight quarters in most yoga studios, you don't want to give the person behind you more of a show than they bargained for.

Do find a length of bottom that works for you. Not everyone can pull off tiny spandex shorts, even if they might keep you cooler. Just make sure that whatever bottom you choose has some stretch.

Don't opt for white or other light colours; they show sweat and can become transparent when wet. Instead opt for dark colours; they hide sweat marks and make you look slimmer.

Do go for fitted garments. They will move with you as you flow through the various poses and won't drag you down when they become wet. Yoga teachers also like their students to wear fitted garments, as it helps them analyze body position during class.

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Tips for staying stylish and cool for hot yoga

Yoga books tell us that yoga is aimed to unite the mind, the body and the spirit. Yogis believe that the mind and the body are one, and that if it is given the right yoga kit and tools and taken to the right environment, it can find harmony and heal itself. Yoga, therefore, is considered therapeutic. It helps you become more aware of your body's posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. This is one of the foremost reasons people want to start practicing yoga to feel fitter, be more energetic, be happier and peaceful.

With all of the bends, twists and poses that work your body into a human pretzel, yoga is certainly a form of exercise that stretches you out. Yoga can improve flexibility, increase range of motion and just make you feel longer and leaner. If you're someone who gets discouraged because you can barely touch your toes without bending your knees no matter how many sessions of yoga you do, take heed. Yoga is about much, much more than flexibility. Being super stretchy doesn't make you "better" at yoga at all.

The biggest misconception is that one must be naturally flexible to practice yoga. That is why there are so many varieties of yoga. For starters, yoga is good for what ails you. Specifically, research shows that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, headaches, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stress and other conditions and diseases. We all have something on that list. What's more, yoga:

Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina. Reduces stress and tension. Boosts self esteem. Improves concentration and creativity. Lowers fat. Improves circulation. Stimulates the immune system. Creates sense of well being and calm.

In August, the senior center is offering yoga classes at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Sara Spevacek wants to make sure that anyone who wants to try it can, so we are offering your first time free. After that, there is a $2 charge per class. Spevacek is a physical education and health education student at Wartburg College. She has been practicing yoga for five years and has been teaching classes for two years. To sign up for this class stop by the front desk or call 433-2370, ext 0.

Upcoming events

Tuesday 8:30 a.m., Silver Sneakers. 9 a.m.. Exercise with Evie. 12:30 p.m., Cards: Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge. 1 p.m., Art class. 4:30 p.m., Silver Sneakers.

Wednesday 8 a.m., Yoga. 9:30 a.m., Tai chi. 10 a.m., Macular Degeneration. 12:30 p.m., Cards: Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge. 1 p.m., Stitching Bees. 1 p.m., Open chess. 5 p.m., Yoga.

Thursday 8:30 a.m., Silver Sneakers. 9 a.m., Exercise with Evie. 12:30 p.m., Cards: Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge. 1 p.m. , Bingo. 1 p.m., Art class. 1 p.m., Open chess. 2 p.m., Computer class. 4:30 p.m., Silver Sneakers.

Friday 9:30 a.m., Tai chi. 12:30 p.m., Cards, Bridge.

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Mower County Senior Center: Yoga classes aim to bring better balance to life

Posted: Aug. 5, 2012 | 2:03 a.m.

Using a soothing tone of voice and the most relaxing music ever recorded, yogi Willow Withy creates a serene atmosphere for her budding yoga students. And then, three dolphins swim by the observation window to wreak a little havoc on the humans. It's not so much disruptive to the class setting - it is yoga with dolphins at The Mirage, after all - but it's outrageously adorable. Which makes it hard to hold that downward-facing dog pose.

Somehow, Withy's seven students manage to resist the urge to run over and press their faces to the glass for the duration of the one-hour class.

"Yoga can sometimes be intimidating," Miami resident Allison Bass, 24, says after class. "This was really cool with the dolphins playing in the background. I really enjoyed it."

About six months ago, the Mirage Spa management was trying to introduce yoga to the spa, Withy says. They don't really have classroom space inside, so they had to think outside the box.

They came up with yoga among the dolphins.

The class is held at 8:30 a.m. Fridays through Sundays in an underground viewing room at the Dolphin Habitat. All yoga skill levels are welcome.

A giant window allows people to view the swimming dolphins.

On this recent Friday, it's the three boy dolphins, Maverick, Cosmo and Lightning, that are visible to the class. Because it's so early in the morning, these yoga students are among the first human faces the dolphins see that day. And the dolphins take full advantage of it.

While Withy instructs students to bend, twist and stretch, the dolphins do laps at high speed. Their graceful movement through the water is hypnotic. They playfully buzz by the window showing their bellies; occasionally, one stops to look into the room, his smiling snout almost touching the glass.

Original post:
Yoga Students, Dolphins Flip Over Each Other

Russell Brand is opening his own yoga studio because he has slept with too many of the ladies in the one he attends.

The 37-year-old star is hoping to buy a place in Beverly Hills, California so he can escape the lovers he has met in yoga classes earlier this year.

A source told the Daily Star newspaper: 'Since he split with Katy Perry, Russell has had sex or flirtations with quite a few of the women he used to meet in yoga classes.

'It's become quite awkward for him because now he has a new girlfriend and doesn't want to be running into former conquests every day.'

The insider continued: 'He decided that buying his own studio would be the perfect solution and has his heart set on buying one on Melrose Avenue. If all goes well the place should be his by the end of the summer.'

Russell split with singer Katy, 27, last year, is now dating 30-year-old Isabella Brewster.

He also met the former talent agent in a yoga class.

Sources said: 'No-one thought Russell would jump into a serious relationship so quickly. But he's surprised himself with Isabella. They've really hit it off. They are already talking about children.'

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Russell Brand opening own yoga studio

By Deni Kirkova

PUBLISHED: 05:22 EST, 3 August 2012 | UPDATED: 08:20 EST, 3 August 2012

Laughing, disco dancing, and socialising are not activities you'd usually associate with yoga.

Its reputation of complicated twists, stretching and 'omming' leaves little room for the inclusion of fun. The ancient Indian practice is commonly seen as, well, serious. But it needn't be.

Funnily enough, the word yoga, from the ancient Sanskrit language, literally means 'to join' or 'to unite', so there's no need to alienate it from everyday life or indulgences.

Bridging the gap: Funk the Buddha combines yoga with entertainment and socialising

Founder of the newest yoga craze sweeping Europe, Rachel Okimo, says, 'You can take the group yoga experience to the next level; out of the studio and into the playground of our cities, bridging the gap between our yoga and social sanctuaries.'

This is the philosophy adopted through her brainchild, Funk the Buddha.

The bi-monthly pop-up venture comprises of a 90 minute yoga practice, followed by entertainment and socialising with optional dinner and drinks, and a goody bag, all for a 20 ticket.

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Yoga goes pop! New craze for disco yoga hits the UK. FEMAIL dons a leotard and joins the sun salutations