YogaFit 2020 Magazine and Mind Body Fitness Conference Schedule

® WORLDWIDE

Beth Shaw on Healing Trauma with Yoga

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2020 YOGAFIT

MIND BODY FITNESS CONFERENCES JOURNEY TO INDIA PELVIC FLOOR HEALTH POSTWORKOUT RECOVERY

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Join our community of yoga enthusiasts, instructors, medical professionals and wellness practitioners at YogaFit’s Mind Body Fitness Conferences.

For questions, please email mbf@yogafit.com

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2020 MIND BODY FITNESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE JANUARY 8-12 RIVIERA PALM SPRINGS 1600 North Indian Canyon Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 FEBRUARY 5-9 HILTON MARK CENTER 5000 Seminary Road Alexandria, VA 22311 FEBRUARY 20-23 RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL 300 Jarvis Street Toronto, ON M5B 2C5 MARCH 11-15 DOUBLETREE CHICAGO North Shore Conference Center 9599 Skokie Boulevard Skokie, IL 60077

MAY 27- 31 HILTON DOUBLETREE PARK PLACE 1500 Park Place Boulevard Minneapolis, MN 55416 JULY 8-12 THE SCOTTSDALE RESORT 7700 E. McCormick Pkwy Scottsdale, AZ 85258 AUGUST 12-16 HILTON BOSTON/WOBURN 2 Forbes Road Woburn, MA 01801 SEPTEMBER 16-20 HOUSTON MARRIOTT WEST LOOP 1750 W. Loop South Houston, TX 77027

APRIL 14-19 WYNDHAM GRAND PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWN 600 Commonwealth Place Pittsburgh, PA 15222

OCTOBER 7-11 HILTON MARK CENTER 5000 Seminary Road Alexandria, VA 22311

APRIL 22-26 RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL 300 Jarvis Street Toronto, ON M5B 2C5

NOVEMBER 4-8 THE DAVENPORT GRAND 333 West Spokane Falls Boulevard Spokane, WA 99201

For a full list of trainings, workshops and special events offered at every conference, visit: bit.ly/2020MBF

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wenty-two years ago,YogaFit led our first Yoga Teacher Training in Fargo North Dakota. Many still ask me, “Why Fargo?”

In the mid-90s, I opened a yoga studio within a health club in Southern California. It was very successful and the first of its kind. A fitness trade magazine asked me to write the following article: “Turning your Yoga Program into a Profit Center.” In exchange, they gave me a half-page ad. I mocked up that black and white ad myself. It said, “I train, certify and help you hire yoga instructors “ There was also a photo of me in a bikini doing fish pose.

When that ad produced 200 responses, I knew I was on to something. I cannot be sure how proficient my follow-up skills were at the time, but as a result of that campaign, we booked a training with a group of four YMCAs in Fargo, North Dakota. In September 1997, we delivered that first training to 26 instructors, and YogaFit Training Systems Worldwide was born.

My angel investor, who was one of my students, helped me raise capital and incorporate the business. At that time, we were operating out of my living room and YogaFit clothing was often stored in the trunk of my car.YogaFit quickly accelerated with trade shows, international trainings, and the YogaFit Studio in Hermosa Beach, California.

The next few years were a blur. I was in my late twenties, and I did not have formal training in running a business, managing a team, or handling finances. I literally learned on the job and am still learning.

Here we are in 2019;YogaFit currently offers more than 50 different educational modules. We lead numerous trainings and each year we host 15 Mind-Body Fitness Conferences across North America. I’ve written four books, produced more than 200 CDs and DVDs, and presented at fitness, yoga, and business conferences around the world.

It’s been a beautiful, wild, and intense ride.

My life has largely been dedicated to YogaFit; it’s been my longest relationship and one that continues to grow and evolve. The beauty of my work is that it also keeps me on a path of self-growth, exploration,

and evolution. During this process I have made many mistakes, taken a number of wrong turns, and have been brought literally to my knees on many occasions. I have learned patience, persistence, and stoicism.

The lessons are many. I have met amazing people across the globe, attracted the most talented trainers, and enjoy a very dedicated team.

Gratitude fills me daily.

Of everything that YogaFit has contributed to this planet and its people, I am most proud of our community service outreach program.

This program now exceeds three million hours that YogaFit and our participants have contributed to the larger community through teaching, service work, and give backs. Everyone who completes YogaFit’s Level One training is required to complete eight hours of service work by teaching to a group of people who would normally not have the opportunity to experience yoga. This has been the cornerstone of our school since day one in September 1997.

We also raise funds for local shelters (people and animals) at every one of our Mind Body Fitness Conferences. In a world where many major yoga schools are owned by large venture capital companies and private equity corporations,YogaFit remains a small privately-owned company that operates with extreme integrity.YogaFit is truly run by a team who is flexible and dedicated. Everyone truly cares about quality education, the healing transformation of individuals, and making the world a better, more peaceful place.

Thank you for being part of our mission,

Beth Shaw

YogaFit® is an education company dedicated to enhancing, transforming, and inspiring total mind-body wellness.

YogaFit® encourages and supports the philosophy of “Conscious Business.” We believe the companies that are socially responsible will prosper from good will and good karma. Together we are changing the paradigm of what it means to do good business… really good business.

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YogaFit

BodyLi t

TM

the original headstand bench

Start or continue your journey with our industry leading yoga teacher training and ongoing education. YogaFit offers 200, 300, and 500 hour Yoga Alliance registered trainings, an International Association of Yoga Therapists Accredited Yoga Therapy Professional Training, and speciality programs. Specialty programs include YogaFit for Warriors, YogaFit for WarriorKids, YogaFit for Athletes, YogaFit for Active Adults, YogaFit for Wellness, YogaFit Ayurveda Lifestyle Coaching Program.

Contents

2019/2020

6 HOST A YOGAFIT TRAINING

8 YOGAFIT WARRIORS

Trains Trauma Informed Teachers

10 HEALING TRAUMA WITH YOGA

14 YOGAFIT'S FAVORITE THINGS

16 YOGAFIT HEALTHCARE

Accredited by IAYT

16 THE VEGUS NERVE

How Vagal Resonance

Improves Health and Well-being

20 WHY WORKOUT

YOUR PELVIC FLOOR

For the past 40 years, the original TM BodyLift yoga headstand bench has allowed users to safely perform a headstand without using your head! The BodyLift TM requires no special strength or agility. Your shoulders rest on the foam cushion while your head is supported.Your neck stretches naturally to relieve tension and headaches.

Evolution

Health.com

tools for those who wish to change

use coupon code yogafit15 for $15 off your purchase

TM

22 JOURNEY

TO INDIA WITH YOGAFIT

YogaFit’s sacred journey

to the birthplace of yoga.

27 ENHANCE YOUR LIFE

WITH AROMATHERAPY

28 WHY RESCUE

Simple acts of activism

can include giving an animal a loving home.

30 EXPERIENCE YOGAFIT

Through Podcasts or

books, you're covered.

32 NEW TOOLS FOR

ATHLETIC RECOVERY

W O R L D W I D E

Refer and Save!

YogaFitÂŽ Referral Program

Bring a friend, family member or coworker to YogaFitÂŽ, and earn money toward your own education by joining our loyalty referral program!

HELP US HELP OTHERS AND HELP YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS Earn credits towards trainings from every referral you make, applied as discounts to future training registrations. There is no limit to how much you can earn simply by sharing your registration link. You can manage your referrals and training credits through the new student portal. Once you sign into your student portal, you will see your unique referral link. All you need to do is share your referral link with your friends. When they register for a training using your link, we'll apply a $30 credit on file on your YogaFit account.

STEP 1 Share your unique link with friends, family, and colleagues STEP 2 Wait for them to register using this link (if they use another link, it won't work) STEP 3 You will receive your rewards, and can use the credit towards any future training registrations Please e-mail host@yogafit.com for assistance.

Please note the link will only work once per person (the same friend cannot use your link twice).

And the credit cannot be used retroactively.

Host a YogaFit Training Are you interested in offering yoga teacher trainings, speciality workshops, or continuing education opportunities to your staff, students, or club members?

Let YogaFit do it for you. For more than 20 years, our highly skilled master trainers have brought yoga’s unique perspective to a broader audience.YogaFit’s non-competitive, non-judgmental, alignment-based focus makes yoga accessible for all fitness levels.

Our yoga programs are ACE approved and CanFitPro preferred and our 200-hour and 500-hour trainings are Yoga Alliance approved.YogaFit also has a Yoga Therapy Training program that is accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

Any of these trainings are ideal for facilities that want a dedicated yoga program or simply wish to enhance the skill set of their fitness professionals. CE units available.

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Benefits of Hosting a YogaFit Training • Provide in-depth, quality programming onsite for your fitness professionals, students, and members.

• Learn from some of the best teacher trainers in the country.

• Be able to attract the best, safest, and most well-trained instructors in the Industry.

• Attract new members to your facility.

• Have free access to YogaFit’s comprehensive Marketing Kit to help fill your classes.

• Receive a free Training Listing on the YogaFit® website and active email marketing to to previous students in your area.

• Receive complimentary registrations for you and/or your staff.

• Give back to your community. Every YogaFit® Level 1 teacher trainee is required to provide eight hours of free teaching in the nonprofit sector of their community.

Learn More About Hosting For more information visit: www.yogafit.com/host-training.

If you are ready to host, fill out our online application or email info@yogafit.com

Contact Hosting Manager, Kirsten Lee at Kirsten@yogafit.com

The Hosts Speak Out

Shauna Harrington YogaFit® Host, VSP Global, Rancho Cordova, California

Are you dying to take that one class or series, but it isn’t offered close by? Have you ever wondered how you can make a difference in your community and also save time and money while working towards YogaFit® certifi-

cation? Become a host! Whether you partner with a gym, church, community center, studio, or even a conference room at work, it is an opportunity to increase accessibility to fellow yogis and community members.

It started for me with just one class I needed to complete my 200 hour YogaFit® certification. I partnered with the key leaders at my employer,VSP Global, who donated the facilities to offer the class onsite in a conference rooam on the weekend. The class was available to employees and the general community. We had 15 attendees that included local yogis, some from out-of-state and an employee and her son who had returned from military service.

The class was amazing and a military veteran in attendance touched many of our hearts— leading to more of us continuing to take classes and earn our Warriors Certification.

Through hosting, you have the power to make a difference in your practice and to positively impact others.

Anna Taggart

Fitness Director, Department of Recreational Sports, Texas A&M University

We have enjoyed hosting YogaFit® trainings and workshops over the years. Our facility is large and centrally located in Texas. The majority of our trainings have done well and have brought people from all over the country. Hosting these trainings has benefited our program by enabling easier access to students, faculty, and staff for certifications and trainings. We have had several people obtain their 200 hour RYT certificate at a much more reasonable cost through YogaFit® by hosting. We also feel that by providing easier access to this knowledge and information, we are bettering the community around us.

Monica Turner

Metropolitan Training Director Training Partner YMCA of Central Ohio, Columbus, Ohio

The YMCA of Central Ohio, in Columbus, Ohio have been hosting events for YogaFit® for approximately 12 years, hosting 10-15 classes a year. Kirsten has been amazing to work with when scheduling events; she works with our busy schedule.We have always had outstanding trainers who are knowledgeable, personable, consistent, and have developed a good rapport with all of the participants.

Our staff have truly grown in their skills, knowledge, and confidence in teaching. As a result, our participant numbers have consistently increased and so has retention.The CECs received have helped our staff maintain their various certifications. I fully support YogaFit® and recommend their trainings.

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YogaFit Warriors Trains Trauma-Informed Teachers Learn nervous system regulation

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ogaFit for Warriors is a comprehensive trauma-informed yoga program focused on activating the body’s neural,chemical, and biological healing mechanisms using yoga postures, breath, and mindfulness.

Exposure to trauma, abuse, or neglect is the number one unaddressed physical and health concern in the world. Exciting new neurological and psychological discoveries, including polyvagal theory, allow for a more expansive understanding of the full impact of trauma. We are also starting to understand exactly how and why yoga helps mitigate these impacts. Somatic processing and treatment methodologies like yoga are being used to help repair and rebuild distressed nervous systems. This in turn helps the brain integrate and “file” distressing memories.

What makes a trauma-informed yoga class?

The primary difference in a trauma-informed yoga practice is the focus on HOW we practice instead of WHAT we practice. While we are certainly moving through postures, it is more the state of being we are in versus the focus on pure physical form in a pose. Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) activation is the key to creating a more sustained healing state of being.This is instead of the elevated cortisolreleasing state of being in the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS).

The SNS has been shown to stay perpetually “on” after a traumatic event or during chronic stress; the SNS is the primary inhibitor of our natural healing mechanisms. A good trauma-informed yoga practice teaches and empowers individuals to intentionally activate their PNS system. This empowering approach helps establish an enduring personal resiliency after a disempowering traumatic event.

Yoga classes with large or fast movements can actually get in the way of healing due to increased SNS activation. Through our unique methods, students learn to feel when their SNS is activating. They are then better able to regulate their nervous system using breath, gentle movement, trauma-sensitive language, specific meditations, and limbic-center focused guided imagery. We have found our students are better able to release stuck energy once they feel safe and when they are able to gently acknowledge their bodies instead of disconnecting or disassociating. The part of the brain linked to healing is the limbic center or emotional brain. We intentionally activate this system by grounded and mindful movements. This creates a gradual tolerance of increased sensations that students learn to manage.

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YogaFit’s Trauma-Informed Program YogaFit for Warriors is a trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed yoga program designed by military veteran and yoga therapist, Shaye Molendyke (C-IAYT) and yoga therapist, Kristy Manuel (C-IAYT).

YogaFit’s Master Trainers who teach the Warriors Program have a depth and breadth of knowledge in yoga as well as in mental and physical health fields. Our trainers maintain the highest certification in the Yoga profession as Certified Yoga Therapists with decades of experience.They are working at the cutting edge of the latest yoga therapy techniques.

The Importance of Slow Mindful Movements YogaFit’s Warriors classes use slow mindful movements to activate the healing limbic system. We believe that the rhythmic vinyasa flow style is critical to restoring the natural processes of the body. These include the cardiovascular, endocrine, and digestive systems as well as the circadian and cranial rhythms that get disrupted after a traumatic event or prolonged stress. We also incorporate unique ilsiopsoas (psoas) activating and releasing practices. These practices are vital to reclaiming the internal emotional support structure of the body through the psoas lines of energy that run down through the legs and up through the diaphragm, heart, and jaw areas that mobilize in stressful events for fight, flight, and even bite.

YogaFit approaches yoga from a non-judgmental non-competitive viewpoint.We encourage language/cueing that is inclusive and awareness-oriented versus goal-oriented. Awareness-oriented cueing instills a sense of safety and connection creating the potential for healing.

These concepts are the foundational cornerstones of our Warriors Programs as well as our 200 and 300 RYT yoga teacher training programs. This is why YogaFit’s Level One: Foundations is a requirement in the Warriors Program.

YogaFit’s style of teaching is invitational in nature, gently encouraging students throughout their practice as well as offering choice through generous use of modifications.Yoga teachers may inadvertently trigger students by using command-style language, body language, or improper or unwanted physical adjustments. That’s why we focus on how to move students gently in and out of poses while empowering them to make effective choices in their practice. Over time this creates and reinforces a sense of resiliency, self-efficacy, and the ability to emotionally self-regulate.

Who Can Take YogaFit for Warriors The YogaFit for Warriors program is designed for yoga teachers, mental health professionals, and anyone who wants to understand trauma and PTSD at a deeper level. This includes but is not limited to our military and their families, emergency and first responders, and healthcare workers.

This program is also appropriate to help those who suffer from the range of physical and emotional traumas including chronic high levels of stress, anxiety, and other stress or trauma related mental medical and physical conditions.

Note: Military members and spouses may be eligible to attend YogaFit for Warriors workshops through the Post 9/11 GI Bill licensing and certification program. Military spouses may be eligible to use their MyCAA benefits (this is only for military spouses.)

Addiction and Recovery Understand addiction in its many forms, including but not limited to drugs, alcohol, smoking, gambling, sex, overeating, shopping, and exercise.

YogaFit for Warriors Kids

A good trauma-informed yoga practice empowers individuals to establish personal resiliency.

YogaFit for Warriors * There are 100 and 140 hour YogaFit for Warriors Programs available. * Five workshops are required for 100 hour program. * Seven workshops are required for the 140 hour program. * The YogaFit for Warriors program provides foundational training that also meets the requirements of the YogaFit for Healthcare Professional Yoga Therapy Program.

This 100-hour program includes the following 2-day workshops:

*

Healing Emotional & Physical Trauma * Warrior Kids Focus on the unique nervous system and brain response of traumatic events in children as well as chronic emotional and physical abuse to include neglect. We address the somatic healing gaps in current therapies. * Fit and Focused Kids The best mindful movement, breath and guided imagery practices to enhance and support the learning environment. Bringing yoga into the schools can reduce anxiety and stress, enhance focus and self-regulation, and promote compassion in young children and teenagers. * Yoga for ADD and Autism Learn how to incorporate yoga postures, mindful breathing techniques, and the latest integrative therapeutic techniques into your work with children and adults who are navigating the challenges of ADD or Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Electives: Choose 2 of the following 1-day workshops

* Level 1 YogaFit's foundational yoga teacher training educates train-

ees how to safely guide students through yoga poses using transformational language and the Essence of YogaFit. * YogaFit for Warriors (PTSD) Focuses on psoas release exercises, slower movement, breathing exercises, meditation, and specific imagery techniques to address PTSD and other common issues that develop in military settings with returning veterans as well as their families. * Healing Emotional & Physical Trauma Explores how trauma affects the brain and becomes stored in the body, and explains how yoga is the perfect mind-body modality to release trauma. * Restoring Balance: Training the Parasympathetic Nervous System Learn how to use Heart Rate Variability to design optimal treatment methodology.

YogaFit for Mood Balancing Highlights the somatic component of anxiety and depression while teaching breathing and meditation practices to facilitate balance.

Art of Storytelling: The Therapeutic Narrative Learn the brain science behind storytelling and how it helps to foster greater learning and creativity in both kids and adults.

Caregivers If you work with elderly patients, children with special needs, or foster kids trapped in the system, this one-day workshop can provide the tools necessary to revitalize and reconnect to your center.

Kids Using mindful movement, games, share circles, breathwork and visualization, learn how to create an active, safe, and inclusive environment for kids and teens.

Look for YogaFit for Warriors at 2020 Mind Body Fitness Conferences and at sites across the country. Visit www.yogafit.com for updates to the schedule and look for Warriors Intensives in Kentucky and Toronto in 2020.

Help us bring YogaFit for Warriors to the people who need it most. Connect your communities with YogaFit to host a training.

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HEALING

Trauma with Yoga

By Beth Shaw, Founder, YogaFit®

H

aving a better understanding of trauma and the impact that a traumatic event makes to the brain and body can give insight into the healing process. When a traumatic event occurs, a person’s life can be altered through the physical and mental changes that happen during and after that experience. In order to heal trauma, we must learn to identify our patterns of thought and behavior, especially when those patterns are new. It is important to be open to the idea that there are unresolved “issues in your tissues” that are creating the post traumatic injuries, illness, or events in our lives. Knowing why these changes occur, and how your life and well-being are altered drastically by trauma, can bring meaning to the recovery process and help your body and brain become normalized once again.

In order to understand the treatments used today to address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is helpful to understand some of its history.To witness how its treatment has evolved from shaming to compassion is a journey that has a fitting conclusion with the inclusion of yoga. A valuable window into the evolution of progress in the treatment of PTSD is found when investigating veterans and people affected by natural disasters. Clearly, these are not the only causes of trauma, but these are categories that are heavily researched. Symptoms of trauma are varied and diverse, but much of the treatment is similar.

It wasn’t until the mid-1800s when physical and mental symptoms were linked with traumatic events. Mood disorders and associated symptoms were sometimes labeled hysteria with “mysterious” origins.

Then Jean-Martin Charcot, the father of modern neurology, identified a connection between common patterns of hysteria with traumatic stimuli. Sigmund Freud, a student of Charcot’s, later termed the phrase traumatic neurosis. Freud then formed a treatment of verbal expression combined with emotional discharge, believing that responses to trauma could be differentiated from the symptoms.

In the early 1900s, Pierre Janet described how a traumatic event and the intense emotional responses led to dissociation. Dissociation, which describes how the mind and body connection can be broken, is a way in which a trauma victim can step out of their experience and detach from it in order to “survive.”

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, “Exposure to traumatic experience has always been a part of the human condition.”

Research and treatment for that trauma, though, began around 1915 during World War I. Because the devastating effects of war presented itself in such magnitude and with so many undiagnosed conditions, the governments of many countries, like Britain and the US, invested in research and treatment for the soldiers. Symptoms of PTSD definitely predated WWI, as did treatments and names. From shell shock to PTSD, trauma treatments have evolved from shock therapy to holistic

approaches such as yoga and are recorded through the research and treatment of our veterans.

Traumatic stress and the resulting symptoms and disease states may be more widespread in the world than may be recognized. There are many types of trauma. Trauma can be represented by repressed childhood memories—or may even show up as a result of seemingly “normal life” events.We may suffer symptoms or even experience recurring diseases or accidents that may be evidence unresolved trauma. Trauma can impact us in ways that do not show up for years. Also consider that there may be countless undiagnosed and borderline cases of trauma which collectively affect the the health of our society and nation.

My own approach to living with trauma, depression and emotional dysregulation is simple yet complex. It involves a constant vigilance and being the witness to the body, mind and emotions. This is where my yoga practice has become essential. Yoga teaches us to be the witness to the body, mind, and emotions.

As described in the Bhagavad Gita, "Yoga allows us to differentiate the field from the knower of the field.”

This ability to both be the witness and to learn to differentiate our experience is why we must learn to become mindful when addressing trauma. Mindfulness includes living your life in the present instead of being stuck in the past or the future. Practicing mindfulness helps us become more aware of our thought patterns, our emotions, and how our thoughts and feelings affect our reactions to events.

Becoming the witness and mindfulness allows us to make better choices that contribute to the following: healthier lifestyle, positive mood, better relationships, improved quality of life, and balanced living.

From the place of being the witness, we can then seek the appropriate treatment with clarity.

Even when the impact on the brain seems overwhelming and difficult to comprehend, the healing process is possible. The changes to the brain during trauma is substantial, but it can be reversed with the attention and self-care that it needs. The amygdala can transition back to calm and relaxed; the hippocampus can once again maintain memory consolidation; the nervous system can balance between reactive and restorative modes. A proactive effort to rebalance the body and mind is the key to healing.

The body and mind can recalibrate through exercises and activities specifically designed to focus on tension release, such as yoga. But as each trauma experience is unique to the individual, so is the healing process.With time and dedication, the symptoms of PTSD can be drastically alleviated, if not eliminated completely.

As military veteran Greg tells his personal story, “In 2014 I was diagnosed with PTSD and started practicing yoga. I didn’t know what it was about yoga, but I knew it was helping. I remember a session with YOGAFIT.COM

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my psychologist who challenged me and asked what it was about yoga that I was finding helpful. My response was that it grounds me and reconnects me with my body. It didn’t make sense to me then, but thanks to my training through YogaFit, it does now. How we disconnect from our bodies in an attempt to survive; how our bodies need to recover and bounce back from a fight and flight response. I am so grateful for yoga and the unification it has given me with my mind, body, and soul. The acceptance of who I am and the contentment it brings and the space it creates within me. I am grateful for the teachings of Ayurveda; and how, coupled with yoga, it can help me find physical and spiritual centering.”

Greg goes on to say, “I believe that transformational language and positive affirmation are fundamentally the building blocks for a trauma informed yoga class. I find it fosters a safe and inclusive environment, promotes trust, and helps keep me present—all very significant barriers for a trauma survivor to overcome. Trauma certainly holds no prejudices and does not discriminate. It kidnaps bodies of all ages and is a cancer to our true self. It is not exclusive to military personnel and first responders.”

The impact of Yoga on healing is profound. Greg says, “Yoga gives me a profound connection to a divine spirituality that resides within me. It resides within each and every one of us. It is a spirituality of love and kindness. It is one that is never ending and one that perseveres. It is a spiritually that has nowhere to go but out.”

Yoga is a science of mind that can be used to understand, accept, and shift the mind-body. I like to say that “yoga meets you where you are, whenever and wherever you are.” Yoga is a safe haven for all. In yoga, we learn that if we can find contentment and focus on the present moment, we will find joy. Trauma survivors can lose this connection to the present moment and, as a result, can easily lose their sense of peace, joy, and connection to others.

The eight limbs of Yoga teach skills and habits needed to heal and become whole. These are: Yamas (the physical principles that involve speaking, eating, and breathing in a way to lead to living your best life), Niyamas (how we relate to ourselves, our inner world), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breathwork), Pratyahara (self-study to be the witness to the mind-body), Dharana (concentration, one-pointed focus), Dhyana

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(meditation, the ability to be both free and control the mind at the same time), Samadhi (to achieve a state of natural ecstasy with ease and with bliss). The eight limbs of Yoga offer a guideline from which to live and provide goals for us to become closer to the universe, all consciousness, and ourselves. The greatest opportunity for total transformation is to become fully present to yourself, your life’s purpose, and your infinite potential. Yoga gives us that space, and trauma-sensitive yoga helps victims of trauma reenter their bodies and find that peace and relaxation.

As the study and practice of yoga for trauma expands and deepens, we see its many proven successes in the treatment and relief from many symptoms of trauma. One has a hard time healing the body when we can’t inhabit our bodies. After we have spent years numbing the pain from trauma, it is hard to inhabit one’s body again. Yoga makes that journey possible and, while it may seem at times scary, yoga holds a safe place for us all.

In our YogaFit trainings, we teach every enthusiast, novice, teacher, and practitioner seven steps to help them relate to themselves and their students. They assist us in staying present in the moment and remind us to have grace while listening to our bodies.This process allows us to move through the storms that can be our feelings, staying connected to ourselves.

The Essence of YogaFit guides us mentally and psychologically through our practice allowing us to stay on our path of healing. The Essence of YogaFit is the following seven principles. Breathing. Feeling. Listening to our bodies. Letting go of competition. Letting go of judgment. Letting go of expectations. Staying in the present moment.

Living your best life requires daily practice. It requires that you show up, be present for yourself, and take action. Remember that only intention plus action creates results. Some days will feel impossible and others will be smooth. Such is the flow of life.

This material is excerpted from Healing Trauma with Yoga: Go From Surviving to Thriving with Mind-Body Techniques by Beth Shaw. Published by Blue River Press, 2019. Printed with permission of the author and publisher. Order your copy and learn more at: BethShaw.com or YogaFit.com

Food is Mood: Clean Eating for maximizing mental health

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e are what we eat. Food affects mood.The food we consume each day plays a vital role in our overall mental and physical health. Making healthier choices will help lift our moods, keep us in proper weight for our unique bodies and provide a long-lasting support in energy and focus.

Self-care is critical for anyone dealing with trauma.The foods we eat can either enhance and support our healing or get in the way of the healing to occur It can be hard to eat well when we are dealing with trauma. Selfcare can be a real challenge and the idea of eating healthier can seem overwhelming.

Many people dealing with trauma can easily slip into addiction as a way of self-medicating. Food addiction is perhaps one of the most pervasive addictions that exist. For many to rely on food to soothe and comfort is more socially acceptable than becoming an alcoholic or drug addict. Food is a lot more readily available as we do have to eat. In a nation where more than 39% of the population is obese – clearly there is a lot of work to do here.

Our food choices not only affect our physical health but they also affect our mental health. We also want to eat foods that will support our serotonin and hormones levels, our cognitive function, balance our insulin levels and enhance our digestion. Constipation, gas, bloating and water retention do nothing for our good mood and contribute to generally feeling bad. Eating foods that work for our unique and individual bodies are key and developing “ lean consciousness” is paramount. As stated in my book YogaLean, through the practice of yoga we learn to gain a sense of our bodies. We learn how to listen to the needs of our bodies so that we make the right choices and stay in optimal health. We then maintain both our physical AND mental health through knowledge, practice, belief, and intention.

What is clean eating?

Clean eating means choosing whole, real foods like vegetables, fruits, grass-fed meats, whole grains, healthy fat sources (avocados, nuts, and seeds), and healthier oils such as avocado and olive oil. It also means steering clear of the Standard American Diet (aptly named SAD) which consists of fried foods, factory-farmed and processed meat, fast food, refined grains, pizza, and high-sugar foods and drinks.

Foods to Boost Mood Our nervous systems produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps calm and soothe us, giving us a more relaxed, cheerful mood. maintain a healthy mood and self-confidence, and can even help sustain deep sleep, a healthy appetite, and social engagement. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate appetite, sleep, inhibits pain, and mediates moods. The majority of serotonin is produced in our gastro-

intestinal tract which is lined with a hundred million neurons or nerve cells. Therefore we want to feed ourselves foods and supplements that support a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

Some of these supportive foods include the following.

Avocado: In addition to healthy fats, avocado contains Vitamin B6 which helps the body make serotonin and several other neurotransmitters.

Almonds: In addition to being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, almonds are also a great source of magnesium. Magnesium is helpful for calming your nervous system.

Asparagus: This veggie contains folate which is a mood-boosting nutrient.

Blueberries: In addition to their high antioxidant content, blueberries are also rich in Vitamin C which have been shown to help provide relief from anxiety.

Fermented foods: Kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut are a few examples of foods that support digestion.

Prebiotic foods: These inulin fiber-rich foods nourish probiotics and include dark chocolate, asparagus, garlic, onions, and jicama.

Probiotic-rich foods: Kefir, miso, plain unsweetened yogurt, and unfiltered apple cider vinegar.

7 Fast Rules of Clean Eating 1. Eat simply and steer clear of excess sauces, complicated foods, or processed items containing additives or preservatives.

2. Cut all portions in half.

3. Include green vegetables with most or all meals.

4. Reduce or eliminate white flour.

5. Reduce or eliminate refined sugars.

6. Discover if you have any food allergies or sensitives.

Saliva or blood tests can be helpful.

7. Drink beverages before eating (rather than during or after a meal) to maintain the strength of your digestive fire.

Food is fuel! Let’s make sure we are fueling up for optimal mental and physical health.

This material is excerpted from Healing Trauma with Yoga: Go From Surviving to Thriving with Mind-Body Techniques by Beth Shaw. Published by Blue River Press, 2019. Printed with permission of the author and publisher. Order your copy and learn more at: BethShaw.com or YogaFit.com YOGAFIT.COM

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YogaFit’s Favorite Things 6.

4.

2.

5.

1.

3.

1. ITOEN TEA

3. TRUEHOPE

4. SOS ELECTROLYTE DRINK

This is hands down my favorite beverage. I love the sencha shots, and I often drink many a day. I also love Itoen’s green tea bags manufactured under the Kirkland (Costco) brand. (I buy them on Amazon). Itoen green teas give me a lift and lighten me up; they provide energy and keep me balanced.

I started taking the EMPowerplus Advanced Daily MultiVitamin Replacement at the suggestion my friend, actress, author, and health enthusiast Mariel Hemingway.

At the time, I was trying to taper off of some prescription antidepressants. In June 2019, I started taking this vitamin, mineral, and amino acid supplement and felt better within a month. I am happy to say I am now medication-free. This micronutrient-filled formula has also reduced my PMS cravings and increased my energy. My health coach at the company Teresa has worked with over 1,000 psychiatrists to help people reduce their prescription drug use by optimizing their nutrition. All I can say is these vitamins work.

Use the code YogaFit123 to receive 10% off of your purchase at www.truehope.com

These single-serving packages are great pre- and post-work out and are also amazing for rehydration if you’re nursing a hangover. I carry them with me everywhere and am partial to their coconut flavor. www.sosrehydrate.com

2. BRAIN GEAR

I’m obsessed with cognitive function. For years I have been taking a variety of natural supplements to improve my brain power. But now, thanks to Brain Gear, most of those amino acids and supplements have been blended into one easy-to-consume and digest beverage. Brain Gear is a liquid formula that comes in single serving small bottles; many mornings I drink one on an empty stomach. www.braingear.me

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5. MAGIC WEIGHTED BLANKET

When I am stressed out, I cover myself with my 17 pound weighted magic blanket and listen to a guided meditation.

This is my go-to for stress reduction and it really works. I love my weighted blanket; it’s like getting a big hug. Research confirms that using weighted blankets reduce anxiety. They can also reduce insomnia and can aid people with ADHD or sensory processing disorders. I only wish I could get one for my dog, Bentley. Use the code YF10 for 10% off your Magic Weighted Blanket Purchase. www.magicweightedblanket.com

6. EVOLUTION HEALTH’S BODY LIFT HEADSTAND BENCH

I’ve been using Evolution Health’s Body Lift headstand bench for more than 18 years. I try to invert daily for improved mood and brain health as well as for the benefits of inversions on longevity and anti-aging.

This apparatus allows you to enjoy the benefits of inverting with reduced pressure on the cervical spine and therefore reduced chance of injury. Inversions allow you to literally and figuratively turn things around and upside down. They stimulate the nervous system and increase blood flow to the brain, eyes, face, neck, and scalp. A few minutes a day will make all the difference in your mood, your skin, and your brain. Use the code yogafit15 for $15 off purchase. www.evolutionhealth.com

10.

8.

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Your Personal Posture Trainer

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Upright Technologies Ltd. Aug. 2018

7. TRUELIGHT™ ENERGY SQUARE BY TRUEDARK

8. LIFE CYKEL MUSHROOM FORMULAS

I love all of the benefits of Red light therapy. It feeds your cells, increases energy, rejuvenates skin tone, and decreases inflammation. You can buy small units online or visit a Korean or other spa with a full infrared room. True Dark is offering our YogaFit Friends the code yogafit10 to save 10% on purchases. truedark. com/product/truelight-by-truedark-energy-square/

I met the founder of these amazing mushroom formulas and from the moment I started taking them I was hooked.

The functional LifeCykel formulas address a variety of issues: digestion (turkey tail +), hair, skin, and nails (shiitake +), relaxation (reishi +), energy (cordyceps +), and focus/my favorite (lion’s mane +). As LifeCykel co-founder Julien says, “Mushrooms are the new CBD.” These formulas come from Byron Bay Australia, where the land is clean and the mushrooms are organic. Use the code yogafit10 to receive a 10% discount on purchases. www.us.lifecykel.com

9. UPRIGHT GO

10. PRIOBIOGEN

Bad posture can lead to many health-related disorders. This smart gadget is the ultimate posture trainer and something we all need now. Available through online retailers, Upright Go is currently the number one selling app in the health section of the iTunes store. Download the app, position the Upright Go between your shoulder blades with easy adhesive they provide, or wear as a nice necklace. The Upright Go will beep anytime you are out of postural alignment to help you literally stay upright. It’s so smart and makes a great gift. Use the code YogaFit10 or 10% off an Upright Go system. www. uprightpose.com

Probiotics are essential for digestive system health which affects the health of the entire body. Since I travel so much, I take probiotics daily to support my mood, immune system, and digestive health. Probiogen probiotics contain what is called Smart Spore Technology™ with a blend of DNA verified spore strains that are both stable and effective since they make it to where they need to go in the body. www.probiogen.com

YOGAFIT.COM

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YogaFit Heathcare Accredited by International Association of Yoga Therapists

By Kristy Manuel, Director of YogaFit Healthcare/Yoga Therapy Program a total of 945 hours. All required courses and hours must be completed successfully for program completion.

Y

ogaFit Healthcare is accredited by the Accreditation Committee of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.YogaFit’s Yoga Therapy program YogaFit for Healthcare’s vision is to prepare students to be modern-day yoga therapists working in integrative healthcare and wellness environments with groups and individuals.

YogaFit Healthcare is a student-centered yoga therapy program with a schedule that makes it possible for people to attend who want to embark on this field of study while continuing to maintain their lives and responsibilities.YogaFit Healthcare is structured and delivered in line with YogaFit’s other programming, allowing students to decide where and when to take trainings and how to appropriately pace yourself. The program also includes specific components (Intensives and Practicum experiences) which allow students to be in a cohort of people with the same prerequisite training and a curriculum that allows trainees to develop and hone the skillsets necessary for becoming a successful Yoga Therapist. The fact that the YogaFit Healthcare program is an IAYT Accredited Yoga Therapy Training Program allows graduates to be eligible to apply for IAYT Certification (C-IAYT) as an accredited program graduate.

YogaFit Healthcare Program Overview The YogaFit Healthcare Program is delivered in a combination of residential hours (in-person trainings), distance learning hours, online course material, and self-directed components in order to complete the full range of competencies necessary to be a Yoga Therapist.

The program consists of 624 residential learning hours, 16 distance learning hours, and 230 hours of practicum delivery with 75 documentation and mentorship hours for

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The YogaFit HealthCare program is set up in three stages and three themed modules.

Three stages: 1. Foundational Courses (1-day to 4-day in-person trainings) 2. Intensives that integrate material and unite cohorts. (5-day trainings for 40 hours per intensive).

3. Practicum Delivery (305 hours.

These hours are in addition to a practicum readiness course and a practicum final course.)

Three themed modules: Foundations Trauma/Mental Health Chronic/Lifestyle Disease Students can register for each integrative intensive only after successfully completing the required coursework, including any homework and prerequisites. To be eligible for enrollment in an intensive, one must have completed all of the foundational courses, have completed the homework assignments and be formally enrolled in YogaFit Healthcare, and be approved by the program director.

Module 1: Foundations Coursework: • HealthCare 1 • HealthCare 2 • HealthCare 3 • Biomedical • Yoga Therapy for the Upper and Lower Limbs • Ayurveda 1 • Ayurveda 2 • Sound & Mantra Yoga Therapy

• Yoga Nidra • YogaBack • Yoga as Primary Care

Module 2: Mental Health & Trauma Informed Focus Coursework: • Warriors (PTSD) • Emotional and Physical Trauma • Restore Balance: Training the Parasympathetic Nervous System • Addictions and Recovery • Mood Balancing • Warrior Kids (Childhood Trauma) • ADD/Autism • Expanding Consciousness: The Healing Mindset • Positive Psychology • Story Telling: The Therapeutic Narrative

Module 3: Chronc/Lifestyle Disease Focus Coursework: • Yoga Therapy for the Heart • Yoga Therapy for Diabetes • Yoga Therapy for Nervous System Disorders • Yoga Therapy for Chronic Pain • Cancer Care and Recovery • Yoga Therapy for Caregivers Students can take the coursework at anytime without having to enroll in the Healthcare program and can take the coursework in any order unless specified prerequisites are listed for a course. The intensives must be taken in order and all prerequisite coursework and homework must be completed. We expect to offer at least one session of each of the three intensives per year and more if demand arises. Please direct your questions to Kristy Manuel and Felicia Tomasko at therapy@yogafit.com. For more information visit: yogafit.com/teacher-trainings/therapy.

Your Favorite YogaFit Classes can stream straight to your Smart TV, Phone or Computer!

Go to bit.ly/yogafit-tv to get started!

We’re constantly adding new classes - exclusive for subscribers!

Use codes YogaFit to save $2.22/month YogaFitYear for $22 off the annual subscription

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YOGAFIT.COM

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How Vagal Resonance Improves Health and Well-being YogaFit Trainings and Vagal Tone

By Dr Amanda Frame

O

ne of the areas of current research and interest in the practical application of yoga is how yoga affects the vagus nerve by improving vagal tone and resonance. There are a number of YogaFit trainings that include a focus on the health of the vagus nerve.

What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is a long, complex, and multi-branched pair of nerves that connects the midbrain with the internal organs. It resides at the center of our body and provides an intersection between our physical nervous systems (the central and autonomic nervous systems), our conscious and subconscious minds, and serves as a bridge between our physical and our subtle bodies. The vagus nerve links the neck, heart, lungs, and abdomen area to the brain. It is the primary sensory nerve for the throat, heart, and lungs, and even the sense of taste behind the tongue.

The vagus nerve also allows our body to feel visceral pain. Examples of this type of pain is felt with ailments such as gallstones, appendicitis, angina, and even menstrual cramping. Visceral pain is typically only associated with physical ailments, however can be associated with pain in the presence of trauma in the stomach or heart. This nerve also provides motor functions for neck muscles and contributes to the motor functions of swallowing and speech. In addition some of the most well-known functions of the vagus nerve involve the regulation of the parasympathetic responses of digestion, respiration, and heart rate function.

Why We Care About the Health of the Vagus Nerve: Polyvagal Theory

Researcher Stephen Porges developed Polyvagal Theory. This describes how the vagus nerve is important in experiencing and fostering social bonding. A healthy vagus nerve is also crucial to our ability to observe, perceive, and make complex decisions. Impaired vagal activity has been linked a variety of disorders including depression, panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, violent mood swings, fibromyalgia, early Alzheimer’s Disease, and obesity.

Yoga Practices Support the Health of the Vagus Nerve A yoga practice that includes pranayama, meditation, and asana can improve vagal regulation, which improves overall health. As yogis,

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we learn to connect to our breath, refine our breath (pranayama), and to move (asana). Scientific studies have confirmed that contemplative practices such as asana, prayer, meditation, and chanting increase parasympathetic tone and these practices are everyday ways to improve vagal tone.

Asana shifts our pelvis that influences the vagus nerve below the diaphragm thus affecting our digestion. Pranayama influences the resonance of the vagus nerve above the diaphragm improving control of respiration. Chanting also influences the vagus nerve above the diaphragm, specifically in the throat. When our contemplative practice becomes a ritual, our heart rate lowers (cardiac pathway of the vagus nerve), face and neck muscles relax, and we are able to find a moment of intimacy in stillness. This intimate moment in stillness connects our conscious and unconscious body. This is how yoga improves vagal resonance.

Vagal resonance is the ability of our body to assimilate daily information and rejuvenate as well as to create an internal safe space to deal with trauma, loss, or stress. The key to improving vagal resonance is being consistent with contemplative practices that feels good to your body.

3 Practices to Support Vagal Tone and Resonance

1. Chant or meditate for 10 minutes daily. You can start with just one or two minutes and work your way up to 10.

2. After your asana practice, spend some time in savasana!

Allowing your body to rest following asana allows our body to connect our conspicuous and subconscious self.

3. Take two minute contemplation breaks when feeling stressed.

Pray, meditate, or even chant. End the two minutes with gratitude and a smile. This is very helpful when you need a time out from stress.

Learn more about vagus nerve regulation in YogaFit trainings, including the YogaFit Warriors Program, YogaFit for Addiction and Recovery, YogaFit for the Heart, YogaFit for Nervous System Disorders and Biomedical Aspects of Yoga and Yoga Therapy.

Dr Amanda Frame is a yoga therapist, master trainer with YogaFit, and vascular surgery nurse practitioner. She teaches local classes in Augusta, GA and leads workshops around the globe.

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Why Workout Your Pelvic Floor

By Brandi Bernard, YogaFit Senior Master Trainer

L

et’s talk more about the pelvic floor. After all, a strong pelvic floor is linked to upright posture, easy balance, a healthy bladder, good sexual function, and even the ability to take a deep breath.

The pelvic floor consists of muscles, ligaments, and nerves that act like a supportive sling or hammock providing stability for your organs. These muscles may have weakness, or even what some may believe to be excessive tightness. This is occasionally, but not always, associated with hypertonicity. There can also be an imbalance with one side weaker or stronger than the other.

Pregnancy, for example, can lead to a weakened pelvic floor muscles from the strain of supporting the weight of the growing baby and accumulated fluids for nine months. In this case, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and increasing their tone is important for balance.

The pelvic floor muscles can be tight as a result of factors including bad posture or long periods of sitting. In these cases, a person may experience symptoms such as pain, constipation, or inflammation. It is important to learn how to release the muscles of the pelvic floor before performing strengthening exercises.

People can also have an imbalance of the pelvic floor muscles.

As a yoga teacher, you may have looked around the room in final relaxation and noticed students with one leg that externally rotates more than the other. There can be many reasons for this, including structural anomalies or

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muscular imbalances. A muscular imbalance may be caused by habits such as always crossing the same leg when sitting, or even habitually standing on one leg and throwing your other hip out to the side.

So thinking about this, do you think someone can fix pelvic floor issues with Kegels alone? Probably not. Not only is it important to learn how to engage the muscles of the pelvic floor, it is equally important to learn to relax them. But there is good news. Practicing Yoga is a great way to improve pelvic floor health!

Here are four practices for improving pelvic floor health through Yoga. Connecting breath and intentional practices can help reeducate the pelvic floor muscles so you can intentionally contract and release them for balanced strength and relaxation.

1. Link your inhalations and exhalations with Cat/Cow. As you are inhaling into cow, lengthen and release the muscles of the pelvic floor. On your exhalation into to cat, recruit and tone the muscles of the pelvic floor.

2. Goddess Flow or Moonflowers, with some pelvic floor-based breath programming. On an inhalation, sink into goddess pose and lengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. As you are exhaling, come back to the five pointed star shape and feel the pelvic floor naturally contract liked to the breath.

3. Half happy baby or dead bug.

Bring awareness to the pelvic floor during the pose. Completing this pose one leg at a time will help you to find which side of the body might be holding more tension or which side might need to be strengthened.

Let go of judgement of the body and maybe give a few extra breaths to the tighter side to help find greater release.

4. In final relaxation, use props to connect to the pelvic floor.

Place a bolster under your knees, a blanket under your head, and maybe some sandbags or a small weighted blanket on your upper thighs. Before you fall asleep, pay attention to your breath. Deep inhalations help relax the pelvic floor and on the exhalations, the muscles of the pelvic floor should gently and naturally lift and contract.

Learn more about the pelvic floor at YogaFit’s Kegels & Cocktails Workshop as well as at the new training: YogaFit for Improved Pelvic Floor Performance. Check out the schedule online at: yogafit.com.

Only

$159

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YogaFit teamed with beYogi Insurance Plus to offer comprehensive yoga liability insurance.

Despite a yoga instructor’s best efforts to teach safe happen. With thousands of yoga related emergenc and even more doctor’s visits, injuries happen more o While unfortunate situations don’t arise often, t devastating without the backing of a solid insurance p

We recommend that all YogaFit teachers carry liability insurance. Why get liab ✓ There is an element of risk involved in teaching yoga. ✓ Get peace of mind knowing you are covered in the event of an acciden ✓ Protect your career from potential legal action against you. ✓ Many employers and landlords now require you to carry liability insura Program Benefits:

Only

$159

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for yoga, fitness and personal YogaFit teamed with beYogi Insurance Plus to offer✓✓ Coverage its instructors thetraining most No restrictions on hours worked or class size ✓ Professional & General Liability Insurance ($2 Million per occurrence, $ comprehensive yoga liability insurance. ✓ Product Liability Insurance ($2 Million) ✓ Rental Damage Insurance ($100,000)

Plus Identity Protection Plan Despite a yoga instructor’s best efforts to teach safe✓✓yoga injuries do Plus Stolenclasses, Equipment Insurance ($1000) ✓ Plus Free Professional Website happen. With thousands of yoga related emergency room visits each year, How do I sign up?

1. Sign up online at bit.ly/beyogi-yf and even more doctor’s visits, injuries happen more often than we’re aware of.

2. Call 800-516-8822 and mention YogaFit and your Trainer’s name.

While unfortunate situations don’t arise often, Notthey can be financially ready to buy yet? Just refer back to this form when you are ready! devastating without the backing of a solid insurance plan.

bit.ly/beyogi-yf

We recommend that all YogaFit teachers carry liability insurance. Why get liability insurance? ✓ There is an element of risk involved in teaching yoga. ✓ Get peace of mind knowing you are covered in the event of an accident. ✓ Protect your career from potential legal action against you. ✓ Many employers and landlords now require you to carry liability insurance.

Program Benefits: ✓ Coverage for yoga, fitness and personal training ✓ No restrictions on hours worked or class size ✓ Professional & General Liability Insurance ($2 Million per occurrence, $3 Million per year) ✓ Product Liability Insurance ($2 Million) ✓ Rental Damage Insurance ($100,000) ✓ Plus Identity Protection Plan ✓ Plus Stolen Equipment Insurance ($1000) ✓ Plus Free Professional Website How do I sign up?

1. Sign up online at bit.ly/beyogi-yf 2. Call 800-516-8822 and mention YogaFit and your Trainer’s name.

Not ready to buy yet? Just refer back to this form when you are ready!

bit.ly/beyogi-yf

Journey to India with YogaFit YogaFit’s sacred journey to the birthplace of yoga.

T

here are moments in our lives that are pivotal, times we will always reflect on and realize–right then—when we learned the lesson. I believe those moments are a gift from the Universe and meaningful enough to penetrate the veil of our daily existence.

And so it was on my first trip to India, traveling to Rishikesh, 2008.

After a 23-hour flight to Delhi, cramped in the back of the plane, we got into a car only to learn we would be on the road for another six hours.

Surrender was the message I received from the Universe. Every time I am challenged, I remember being in the back of that car, in the dark, driving through the dusty roads of India. Motorbikes, buses, bikes, and rickshaws were all sharing the road in a perfect chaotic rhythm.

We landed in Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, at dawn, to the sounds of chanting emerging from many temples. It was simultaneously otherworldly and extremely familiar—and that dichotomy still baffles me. For many of us deeply connected to yoga, Rishikesh is home. I have rarely felt so at home in a place.

On that first trip, I watched people who were struggling to live

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the essence of YogaFit: No judgement, no expectation, no competition.

For them, the trip was difficult. My trip was about constant surrender, curiosity, and acceptance. Yes, I definitely had to live the essence of YogaFit on that trip.

Six months later, I returned to India, bringing 28 YogaFit students with me. It was with great pleasure that I observed many of them experiencing breakdowns, breakthroughs, and transformation.

One of my favorite parts of our YogaFit trip to India is a hike through the foothills of the Himalayas outside Rishikesh to the Maa Kunjapuri Devi Temple. At this temple, I sit on a concrete platform, overlooking the mountains and the Ganga. I reflect on how this was one of the places where legend says that Shiva cried the tears that would land and transform into the sacred seeds of Rudrakshas.This place always makes me cry; it feels like a portal to the Universe as well as a place of purity and great history. Rishikesh is in my bones, my blood, and my soul in a way that is difficult for me to put into words. It’s a part of me that I believe always existed and yet because of my multiple trips to this sacred land – always resides close to the surface. — Beth Shaw

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India Immersion – The YogaFit® Way

By Kim Gray, YogaFit Senior Master Trainer

“Letting go of expectation.” This instruction that is a key part of of the essence of the YogaFit® lifestyle is also one of the key pieces of advice to remember when traveling to India. As of 2019,YogaFit® has completed 10 group trips to India, offering attendees an immersive experience in the birthplace of yoga. In November 2018, I joined 40 adventurous souls to embark on this adventure. Trip facilitator Tracy Jennings-Hill’s upfront communication prepared us well with recommendations for flights, securing a visa, and even packing for a smooth trip. She reminded us that traveling to India is not like traveling in the US, and requires preparation including the practice of letting go of expectations. Expectation-free, the well-organized journey allowed for immersive experiences beyond what I could have imagined.

Most days began with a group puja (prayer ritual) ceremony at 6:15 am. This was followed by meditation, and later a 90-minute (or longer!) yoga practice led by one of our hosts at our home base outside of the town of Rishikesh, in Northern India. Our group classes included pranayama (breath techniques) and kriyas (practice sequences).

We had evening satsang, which is a truth or wisdom circle. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear and discuss the philosophical concepts from the ancient texts transformed into relevant discourse.

Our group was immersed in the culture and history of the region through trips to temples, ashrams, and sacred grounds. We rafted on the famous Ganges river (also known as the Ganga), traced the steps of The Beatles at the now-abandoned Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, took part in in a huge puja ceremony along the Ganga at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, and watched the sun rise on Thanksgiving morning at the Kunjapuri Devi Temple. We participated in a havan, a ceremony during which offerings are made into the fire.

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We each wrote something we wanted to release and something we wanted to cultivate onto slips of paper. These papers were given to the fire and a then a kautuka, a red and yellow ritual thread, was tied around our wrists to keep us steadfast to our commitments. The threads fall off when the wearer has succeeded in this.

In our free time, Ayurvedic massage and other treatments were available, and an Ayurvedic doctor came to the center for private appointments. Sometimes we hiked around the area or got a car into town for dining and shopping. (Take my advice: Bring an extra empty suitcase!)

The transportation itself was eye-opening; animals, cyclists, pedestrians, and two-, three-, and four-wheeled motorized vehicles weaving between lanes and vying for the same space, while honking constantly!

The grounds where we stayed are beautiful and nestled along a tributary of the Ganges. Many of us spent hours of our free time meditating along the famous river. The accommodations were comfortable and included a warm shower and a familiar Western-style toilet. Most meals were taken in our assigned dining center, and many of you will be happy to learn that various coffees could be ordered there. The food was sattvic and prepared fresh for each meal. Fresh-made peanut butter and toast, porridge, and fruit were breakfast staples. Rice, various preparations of dal, a vegetarian main dish, naan, and chapati were offered for lunch and dinner. On Sundays we were served gulab jamun: delicious honey-soaked donut hole-like treats. I loved Sundays!

I learned so much from the experiences of actually being in India, much more so than just reading about it. Actually sitting in a sacred cave where others before had lived as renunciates, being in a sacred temple receiving a blessing, imagining the life of other seekers as we toured through the Sivananda and Kriya Yoga ashrams, and observing a way of

life far different from my own. Being among my YogaFit® tribe provided the familiarity needed to soak in the wisdom and the experiences.

No trip to India would be complete without a visit to the Taj Mahal. On our final day we enjoyed a guided tour through the grounds followed by a group luncheon where I enjoyed the Indian food I’d been waiting for all along – butter chicken! Soon after, we began departing in groups for our flights. Letting go of our expectations before the trip allowed us to be stretched each in our own way and we were all much richer for the transformative experience. Until next time, Ma India!

More than a Decade of YogaFit® India Pilgrimages

By Tracy Jennings-Hill, YogaFit Senior Master Trainer and India Guide India was the game changer for my yogic journey. I didn’t know it would be when I initially signed up for YogaFit’s initial pilgrimage to India in February 2007. That first trip was magical. Beth Shaw, myself, and four others spent 15 days traveling throughout northern India, where we continue to go with our YogaFit family every two years.

During that first trip, we spent some time in what is considered to be the birthplace of Yoga: Rishikesh, which translates to mean “City of the Seers.”While in Rishikesh, we experienced the flavors, sounds, and

smells of India. And more significantly, we were able to participate in a deep introspection of what Yoga really is. We were able to experience it and live it! Our pilgrimage included meditation, asana practice, and learning first-hand the history of yoga by visiting sacred sites such as the original Sivananda Ashram, Vashistha’s Cave, and the Maa Kunjapuri Devi Temple (one of India’s 108 sacred sites and one that honors the feminine forms of the goddess).

To this day, I remember standing on Rishikesh’s famous Lakshman Jhula walking bridge crying because I didn’t want to leave. I knew I would return, but little did I know at the time that this would become a regular pilgrimage.

Our second week was spent traveling on a train from Haridwar to Agra to walk through the majestic grounds of the Taj Mahal. Agra is one of the stops on northern India’s famous Golden Triangle route which includes the capital city of Delhi, the palace complex in majestic Jaipur with the nearby Amer Fort, and of course, Agra. Every city shared its unique magic.

Ma India teaches you about life—over the years my relationship with this place has deepened so I now consider it to her my second home. I am so honored to be the tour guide for our YogaFit Family.

Beth and I both believe that as dedicated students of Yoga, we need to travel to our amazing, magical, transformative, introspective, teacher Ma India at least once in our present lifetime. When are you joining the journey? Registration is open now for YogaFit’s upcoming 2020 trip to India.

Join YogaFit™

in India Traveling to India is the trip of a lifetime for a serious yoga teacher or student. YogaFit’s guided excursion to the birthplace of yoga offers a group experience that is an educational and enjoyable itinerary for every body.

Dates

NOVEMBER 19 - 30, 2020 Our pricing includes all in-country travel, double room accommodations (single room can be provided for an additional cost), 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day and most activities. Airfare is not included. If assistance is needed to book your round-trip flight to India, let us know−we will gladly assist you!

$3,700 EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Enhance your Life with Aromatherapy

E

ssential oils have added a whole new layer to every aspect of my life.

Different oils can help set a tone or a mood, whether I’m looking for enjoyment, inspiration, motivation or relaxation.

Aromatherapy is an integral part of my yoga; addressing all of the sense is literally essential.

Whether I’m teaching or in my own personal practice, oils set the stage. At home, I diffuse oils in the entryway and bedroom so that aromatherapy welcomes me and supports my sleep.

The following are seven of my favorite essential oils that support my yoga practice and daily life.

Lavender: I love using this calming floral scent to encourage sound sleep and for relaxation during meditation.

Lemon: In the morning, diffusing lemon helps wake me up and sets an enlivening tone for my day.

Grapefruit: Another morning diffuser favorite for cleansing the air.

Peppermint: I’ll dab some peppermint behind my ears to uplift when I’m getting steps in during a walk. I also love spraying diluted peppermint on my mat before or after a hot yoga session.

Eucalyptus: This is another scent that I dilute and spray on

and around my mat before or after hot yoga.

Patchouli: I love this earthy grounded oil on and around my mat to support a calming restorative practice.

Whisper by DoTERRA: My go-to signature scent. (Whisper contains the following essential oils: rose, jasmine, bergamot, cinnamon, cistus, vetiver, ylang ylang, cocoa, vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli.)

YogaFit has partnered with doTERRA, the world leader in providing the most pure and potent essential oils available.

Co-Impact Sourcing: initiative to source the highest

standard of plants to ensure that small scale farmers, harvesters, and distillers are treated ethically with fair compensation & safe working conditions.

Healing Hands Foundation: empowering people and communities worldwide to make a positive change including partnerships with Mentor’s International, Days For Girls, OUR Rescue, etc.

Healthcare: clinics providing an integrative approach to medical care from primary care physicians and specialists.

Elevate your practice: Learn more about doTERRA’s products and business opportunity here: doterra.com/US/en/site/yogafit YOGAFIT.COM

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Why Rescue?

Simple acts of activism can include giving an animal a loving home.

By Beth Shaw // Photography by David Young-Wolff

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y life, my work, and my travels bring me into contact with a lot of people and a lot of dogs. I’m amazed that in 2019, more people are not aware of the damage they are contributing to when they purchase dogs, cats, or other animals.

When encountering a dog and owner combo at the dog park, in the street, or even in the elevator in my building, I often ask, “ Rescue?”

On the phone or at a meeting with someone who tells me about their dog, I ask, “Rescue?”

I cannot count the number of times someone will say, “No, but I support rescue.” I’m not by nature a rude or violent person, but I will admit to having some dark thoughts when I hear this.

It all boils down to supply and demand. We have a larger supply of domestic animals than there is a demand. Yet people still purchase from puppy mills, breeders, and pet stores while companion animals languish in shelters waiting to be euthanized. For every animal that’s purchased, another one dies.

For those of you who don’t know my rescue dog Bentley Shaw, he has his own Instagram: @Bentley77_ He is a purebred labradoodle and the group where I rescued him (IDOGRESCUE.com) specializes in Doodles. Every day I see beautiful dogs of every age, size, and color available for adoption. Yet most of the Doodle owners I meet know nothing of breed-specific rescue groups.

The belief that freedom of choice should apply to all things is as American as apple pie. The more choices we have equals more freedom to choose our unique individual lifestyle. Unfortunately, the endless quest for infinite choices has, in part, led to a proliferation of expensive designer breeds. These are costly animals who sometimes have severe health issues from the rigorous breeding effort to provide ever more extreme expressions of their species. People looking for these animals ignore the millions of animals who don’t come with pedigrees and high price tags.

In 2018, California became the first state to pass legislature that prohibits pet stores from selling any dogs, cats, or rabbits that were not obtained from animal shelters or rescue organizations. I worked for years on legislation in the State of California in favor of mandatory spay/neuter laws as well as the abolition of pet stores who sell puppies. We successfully passed mandatory/spay/neuter legislation for Los Angeles and pet stores selling dogs were shuttered. This all points to major steps for a country that perceives any limitations on our right to choose from a myriad of options as an infringement upon our rights.

There are nearly 70 million stray and homeless dogs and cats in the U.S. who don’t make it into shelters (according to broadwaybarks.com).

And approximately 1.5 million shelter animals (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats according to the ASPCA.org ) are euthanized annually. My concern is that these numbers are vastly underreported. But the important question is this: Why not choose one of these animals longing for a loving forever home?

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There are many different ways to adopt and rescue a homeless animal, change its life for the better, and give it a forever home. For those whose hearts are set on a corgi or Australian shepherd, they need not fret, there are many breed-specific rescue sites available. Also there are a number of “Silver muzzle” organizations that specialize in the adoption of senior dogs.This is significant as many senior dogs become abandoned or orphaned due to their owners’ passing or their inability to continue to care for their animals.

Save lives and be responsible by spaying or neutering your pet. A sobering statistic says that an intact female cat can have up to three litters a year producing average 12-18 kittens annually, and over a lifetime of 13 years, could produce 234 kittens in her lifetime. (pets.thenest.com) In the more temperate areas of the U.S. cats reproduce year round, in colder northern states it slows throughout the winter. But at any rate, regardless, the potential is horrifying and unsustainable. An unspayed female dog can produce an average of 12-21 puppies a year, over a lifetime a stray or feral female could produce upwards of 200 dogs!

Cats may become pregnant when they are as young as four months old and dogs as young as five or six months old, according to spayfirst. org. It’s recommended to spay or neuter at two months or two pounds.

Younger pets recover more quickly than older ones, experiencing less blood loss and post-operational complications. Again, unsettling and unsustainable.

You don’t have to be a large organization or a state to make a difference. For example, The Munchkins’ Mission (themunchkinsmission.org) is a small organization that just completed it third year, trapping, spaying, and rehoming feral cats in a two county area in Michigan. This nonprofit is personally funded by a tiny core group of committed individuals who have spayed and neutered over 150 cats so far. This has made a huge difference in these animals’ lives. It has also benefitted the area’s wild small bird populations that often become prey to wild and feral cats.

With so many animals without a secure loving home, you too can help. If you cannot adopt a pet for whatever reason at this time, there are lots of ways to do your part. Walk dogs at a shelter, donate food and towels to rescue organizations, do fundraisers for a local humane society. Most importantly, be an advocate for humane and sensible treatment of animals. You can make a difference. If you are a yogi, humanitarian, or simply a conscious person, PLEASE ADOPT and DON’T Shop. Spread the word …

The animals and I thank you Namaste,

Beth Shaw

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The YogaFit Podcast Photo of Life Cykel Co-Founder Julian Mitchell and Beth Shaw by William Tarashuk

L

isten to the growing list of episodes in the YogaFit Podcast. It is an informative and engaging series of interviews and discussions.

As Beth Shaw says, “I started it to showcase tools and techniques that can help people heal, live healthier lives and help others – things that are not just yoga. My guests are related to anything that I am personally using, am passionate about, or am interested in learning more about. I am inspired by living in optimal health on every level and I hope that my guests reflect this.”

Link to the YogaFit Podcast podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ the-yogafit-podcast/id1318817984

Select Episodes of the YogaFit Podcast 30 YOGAFIT.COM

Teresa Kolpak Discusses the Importance of Micro Nutrients In this episode, Beth Shaw introduces the concept of micro nutrients and how they’ve changed her life in this interview with nutritional expert and Naturopathic Doctor Teresa Kolpak who has worked with more than 1,000 psychiatrists to help people get off of pharmaceutical medications by using micronutrients. If you are looking to improve your health, this episode is a must-listen.

Dr Pam Peeke on Trauma & the Brain Beth sits down with scientist Dr Pam Peeke, author of five New York Times bestsellers.

They discuss childhood trauma and its impact on the brain. Learn healthy lifestyle hacks, remedies, and more.

Your Diet and Your Mood Food can either be your fuel or your downfall. In this exciting podcast, Beth Shaw shares the foods that will improve your mood, keep you feeling balanced, or make you feel anxious, depressed, or lethargic.

Discover what to eat to feel good.

The Meditation That Healed Me Use this meditation to heal yourself! In this podcast, Beth Shaw guides you through a meditation that literally healed her, and it can heal you. It’s guided, it’s easy, and it works.

What is Trauma Informed Yoga?

YogaFit for Warriors Director, US Air Force Lt Col Shaye Molendyke and YogaFit Master Trainer Mary Erteschik discuss the wide topic of Trauma Sensitive Yoga, also known as Trauma Informed Yoga.

Healing The Pages of YogaFit Trauma withYoga Healing Trauma with Yoga What Readers Say….

Go From Surviving to Thriving with Mind-BodyTechniques

Beth Shaw “Beth Shaw’s book Healing Trauma with Yoga is an essential read for all yoga instructors and anyone who practices yoga....[She] has gifted all of use with a blueprint for recovery and healing from trauma through yoga.”

—from the Foreword by Pamela Peeke,MD, MPH,FACP,NewYorkTimes bestselling author of Body for Life for Women

Healing Trauma with Yoga offers a solution-oriented perspective on trauma. It is vulnerable, relatable, and real. It is written for anyone facing challenges in their life as well as yoga teachers and healthcare professionals. Beth Shaw shares her personal experience addressing childhood and other trauma and also shares the stories of people who have found meaningful healing through yoga and other practices. With practices and other useful techniques, this book is a must-read for everyone looking for balance in their life.

Yoga For Trauma by Beth Shaw integrates trauma research with traditional mind/body practices such as Yoga and Meditation to go beyond symptom relief and create daily mindfulness practices that are simple and effective for anybody and any body. Readers will be inspired by touching stories of men and women who learned how to take charge of their healing process, and gain a sense of purpose in life after traumatic events. —Claudio Micco Beth Shaw is a transformational leader, yogini, and inspiring force for trauma sensitive yoga. Her work touches thousands worldwide. She shares inspirational and personal stories that strengthen my body and mind. —Amanda Frame

YogaFit (third edition) What Readers Say….

This was part of the curriculum for yoga certification and it has been a lifesaver. It is an excellent resource to learn how to teach yoga poses with proper alignment and cues. Still learning in my journey as a yogi, but would recommend to start.

This is really helping me plan my yoga classes. It also includes preplanned classes in the back of the book. Good asana illustrations and descriptions and when each pose is best integrated into a class.

YogaLean

What Readers Say….

I keep my copy of YogaLean in my kitchen all year It is my GO-TO recipe book, but it's so much more than that. YogaLean is like a user-manual for how to live in tune with your body. As a personal trainer and yoga instructor, I am constantly recommending this book to my clients. This is a total lifestyle program that I could not recommend more: there are recipes, exercises, healthy living tips, and so much more. If there is ONE modern-day yoga book that needs to be on your bookshelf (or kitchen counter!) then YogaLean by Beth Shaw is it.

YogaLean is so much more than a diet and exercise bookThis book is a guide to personal growth that clearly explains how to incorporate the principles of a yoga lifestyle and improve from the inside out.

The YogaFit Athlete What Readers Say….

The easy to understand format, organized by sport, is very user-friendly. Although most of the poses are basic, there are a few new variations. Clear, large photographs help demonstrate poses. I especially like the emphasis on restorative poses at the end of the book. I highly recommend this book to any athlete looking for the edge that comes from yoga.

I have been a personal trainer for 8 years and a yoga instructor for 13. Naturally, I've incorporated yoga into my personal training clients’ workouts for years. Beth Shaw offers fresh, imaginative ways to engage my clients who normally wouldn't even think of trying yoga. My favorite part of the book?

Guided imagery and meditation relating to sports. Some of my weekend golf fans love using the guided imagery to enhance their concentration and performance out on the course!

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New Tools for Post-Workout Recovery

By Beth Shaw

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e all love exercise; in fact, if you are like me, you may even be addicted to it. Because it feels so good, I can often push myself, so I may find myself sore, sometimes depleted, and on a few occasions – injured. Listening to the body is crucial and a yoga practice gives us that gift. But what happens when we get to the gym and we overdo it? You could end up like myself, now nursing a partial achilles tendon tear.

Fortunately now there are technological solutions to support a more active recovery. If you are often sore or if you are looking for ways to boost your physical or athletic performance – give one or all of these a try!

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is any treatment that involves the use of freezing or near freezing temperatures. Doctors and sports medicine specialists have long recommended using ice packs on injured and painful muscles to reduce inflammation. In addition, blood circulation is increased after the ice pack is removed, which promotes healing and pain relief.While stepping into a freezing chamber may not sound like your idea of a good time, it can speed healing, reduce inflammation and promote the body’s ability to flush lactic acid from the muscles. Cryotherapy can help alleviate muscle pain, and has even been shown to have a positive impact on some joint and muscle disorders, such as arthritis.

Compression Sleeves

Compression sleeves for legs or compression socks have a wide variety of uses for recovery. Wearing them speed up muscle recovery and improve athletic performance. Compression can speed up lactic acid removal, reduce swelling, decrease inflammation, and even play a role in injury prevention. The more oxygenated blood that the heart can supply to the muscles, the better the muscles can function. Wearing compression sleeves stimulates arterial dilatation. This increases the amount of blood flowing to the muscles, thereby delivering more oxygen and nutrients. With this increased circulation, post-exercise recov-

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ery becomes faster with less discomfort. Compression leg sleeves or socks also provides gentle, graduated pressure to your calves which can help fight the effects of gravity.

Red Light Beds and Portable Red Lights

Red light therapy is also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation. It uses low-energy light emitting diodes (LEDs) or lasers as an alternative therapy for pain relief, or to promote better overall cellular metabolism and function. In contrast to high power lasers which can damage tissues, certain wavelengths of lasers are effective in applications such as speeding up wound healing, mitigating the symptoms of restless leg syndrome, and reducing pain in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Evidence shows it can increase collagen production and stimulate lymphatic circulation.You can find inexpensive handheld units to target pain areas.

Weighted Blankets

Using a weighted blanket can feel a lot like receiving a firm but gentle hug and can reduce stress and tension in both body and mind. A weighted blanket is typically filled with small plastic pellets and can range in weight anywhere from five to 17 pounds. They work to reduce stress and anxiety and boost mood through deep touch pressure which increases the release of serotonin. The result include reduced cortisol levels, decreased stress, and even lowered levels of inflammation.

To order a weighted blanket visit www.weightedmagicblanket.com and use the code YOGAFIT10 to ask for your YogaFit discount of 10% off published prices.

Move to Recover

Let’s not forget the importance of light movement, yoga stretching, and meditation. When it comes to recovery, a little movement is key. Studies have shown that active rest is also a key component to flush lactic acid, speed healing, and improve circulation. Happy resting and recovery!

YOGAFIT'S 2020 MIND BODY FITNESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE JANUARY 8-12 RIVIERA PALM SPRINGS 1600 North Indian Canyon Rd. Palm Springs, CA 92262 FEBRUARY 5-9 HILTON MARK CENTER 5000 Seminary Road Alexandria, VA 22311 FEBRUARY 20-23 RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL 300 Jarvis Street Toronto, ON M5B 2C5 MARCH 11-15 DOUBLETREE CHICAGO North Shore Conference Cntr 9599 Skokie Boulevard Skokie, IL 60077

APRIL 14-19 WYNDHAM GRAND PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWN 600 Commonwealth Place Pittsburgh, PA 15222

AUGUST 12-16 HILTON BOSTON/WOBURN 2 Forbes Road Woburn, MA 01801

APRIL 22-26 RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL 300 Jarvis Street Toronto, ON M5B 2C5

SEPTEMBER 16-20 HOUSTON MARRIOTT WEST LOOP 1750 W. Loop South Houston, TX 77027

MAY 27- 31 HILTON DOUBLETREE PARK PLACE 1500 Park Place Boulevard Minneapolis, MN 55416

OCTOBER 7-11 HILTON MARK CENTER 5000 Seminary Road Alexandria, VA 22311

JULY 8-12 THE SCOTTSDALE RESORT 7700 E. McCormick Pkwy Scottsdale, AZ 85258

NOVEMBER 4-8 THE DAVENPORT GRAND 333 West Spokane Falls Blvd.

Spokane, WA 99201

For a full list of trainings, workshops and special eventsoffered at every conference, visit bit.ly/2020MBF

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