Australian Yoga Journal — January 2018

12

january 2018

yogajournal.com.au

IN THE NOW

the latest

STUDY: Yoga Helps Cancer Patients

While on the subject of the positive health benefi ts of Yoga, a small study of

26 lung cancer patients, most of whom were in their 60s, found that yoga

helped improve their overall physical function, stamina and mental health

and particularly their breathing. The participants took part in an average of

12 yoga sessions. The focus was on breathing and used chest openers.

Compared to a control group of patients who did not practice yoga, those

who did had higher scores on a six-minute walking test and more stamina

and a general sense of well-being.

BANKRUPT BIKRAM

Bikram Choudhury Yoga has filed for bankruptcy, leaving legal claimants unlikel

to receive their awarded amounts. The lawyers for founder Bikram Choudhury,

who built a worldwide yoga empire on a sequence of 26 poses in rooms heate

to 40 degrees, have declared $US50 million of liabilities with only $US1 million

assets and invoked bankruptcy proceedings. A significant portion of the liabilitie

rise from legal claims of wrongful dismissal and sexual harassment levelled by

several of his staff and student teachers from his teacher training. An arrest

warrant for Choudhury was issued earlier this year. Choudhury remains at large,

possibly hiding out in Thailand or Mexico.

Grey Lady Yoga in New York City

is hosting a “Drunk Yoga” class.

Teacher Eli Walker teaches the $

basic vinyassa (or as Walker calls it,

vino-yassa) class alongside an open

bar with unlimited wine, which

students can bring with them to

their mats. Walker believes that

sometimes you need some Dutch

courage: She told Refi nery 29, “One

of my students said he can’t touch

his toes on a day to day basis, but

when he’s doing drunk yoga, he can

touch his toes,” she explained.

Cheers.

Drunk Yoga:

It’s a thing.

Really.

STUDY:

Yoga Works to

Stop Scoliosis

Continuing clinical research

shows positive results for two

yoga-like isometric manoeuvres

to decrease scoliosis curves

(abnormal curving of the spine,)

Two clinical studies have both

have conclusively shown yoga

can asymmetrically strengthen

the convex side(s) of the lumbar

and thoracic curves, which

markedly reduces both types of

abnormalities. The side plank pose

is used for lumbar curves and the

half moon pose for thoracic curves.

Scoliosis is a painful condition

that effects about 3-4% of the

population.

Yoga on the fly

While some international airports

offer communal airport yoga rooms,

Yoga on the Fly is the first private

airport studio with guided

instruction via an iPad and Sound-Off

headphones. Launched in November

at Denver International Airport in

Colorado, Yoga on the Fly is the

world’s first ever in-airport private

yoga and meditation studio. The

private mini-studios will include

wireless headsets, yoga mats, and

iPads with easy-to-follow instructional

videos that’ll let you choose specially

targeted yoga, mindfulness,

or breath sequences.