Top Spiritual Websites for Yoga, Spirituality, Holistic Health and Wellness

by Jasmine | Mar 14, 2012 | Alternative Health, Meditation, New Age, Reviews, Spirituality, Stuff I like, Yoga Health, Yoga Retreat, Yoga Teacher training

Top Spiritual Websites

I set out to create a representations of the top spiritual sites for yoga, spirituality, meditation, holistic health and wellness. Over these subjects overlap and so many of the yoga sites I reviewed had all kinds of great content about health and wellness. Many of the sites were promoting teachers, products or places that I had a personal connection or experience with. I included many yoga teachers, studios or retreat centers that I had been to.

Some of them of them were aspirational. I have never been to Rancho La Puerta in Mexico right near San Diego but since I used to work at SpaFinder and my parents have been there a few times, I feel pretty well acquainted with what they have to offer and the value they provide. When I used to work at SpaFinder, almost every single day I would come across a destination spa somewhere in the world that I just absolutely “had to go to”. I looked at so many pics and videos of the most luxurious properties and was just drooling all the time over these incredible sanctuaries of luxury and beauty.

Of course, I had to include places like Kripalu in Western MA in the Berkshires since that is where me and my hunky, Hellenic hubby saw our friendship blossom into romance and we met at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY in the Hudson Valley just outside of New York City almost 4 years ago. Even if these places didn’t play such a pivotal role in my own personal life history, I think they would have been included anyway since they both offer so many outstanding spiritual and personal growth seminars and workshops in idyllic locations.

Spiritual Sites for Mind-Body-Spirit, Yoga and Holistic Health

This top 100 spiritual sites listto be a great gateway into the holistic world of wellness and well-being, with lots of juicy yoga-centric links since I’m a yoga teacher. We, Yogis need special clothes, training, props, mats, music and equipment so I included some of my favorite sites to buy all things yogic-ally.

If you have been involved with the yoga community for a while you will recognize some of the sites on here and likely find a myriad of awesome resources. I encourage suggestions for other top spiritual websites that can be included in next year’s list. Some of the sites are just loaded with all kinds of free tips, articles, downloads and videos. Like yogadownload.com where you can get your down-dog on at home (or out and about on your mobile phone). I had to include Yogajournal.com but recommended the little know community section which is like YogaJournal’s own little Facebook where you can post pics, videos, blogs and comment on other members content.

While we all value directness and constructive criticism, please be professional and refrain from disparaging comments… no trashing anyone on this list or that will disqualify you from being considered for next year.

Ideally, you would nominate another company but I do accept self-nominations. I reached out to the webmasters

Simply click on this image and enter your e-mail to download this 12 page PDF!

of most of the sites and if something is in quotes, then it is in their words and not mine. So this is my list of the top Spirit Mind Body Websites. I also include resources for yoga DVDs, books, clothing, retreats.

Yoga and Retreats near Philadelphia for Couples

by Jasmine | Mar 6, 2012 | Couples Retreat, Couples Yoga, Date Night, Romantic Date Ideas, Spirituality

Looking for Yoga and Retreats near Philadelphia, NJ or PA?

There are so many areas of natural beauty in the surrounding countryside of the Philly Metro Area. West Chester, Lancaster County and Chester County all have

Scenic trails at Tenemos Retreat Center

beautiful rolling hills where you can enjoy the stillness of nature and ponder and contemplate. There is something very revitalizing about being in the stillness of nature. It actually recharges you to be surrounded by the oxygen that trees produce. Have you ever noticed how just being near a waterfall invigorates you? That is because there are tons of negative ions that are produced when there is a waterfall and also just before a rainstorm? This actually has many proven health benefits and some electric air purifiers use this ionization technology to cleanse the air in your home.

Before you go on a retreat make sure what is included in the cost. Is food, snacks, drinks included? Do you have to bring your own yoga mats, blankets and other props? Is it really luxurious like the Four Seasons or is it bare bones and rustic? What will happen in the case of inclement weather? Can you reschedule or do you get a refund? What is the refund policy in case an emergency comes up or you get sick? How easy or difficult is the retreat to find? Are you able to find it on your GPS? You always should print out a map before driving out in the countryside to a retreat since a GPS doesn’t always track it correctly and you might not get cell phone coverage way out in the boondocks.

Fire-side snuggling at Tenemos Retreat Center near West Chester, Pa

If you were looking to get away with your sweetie but can’t afford or justify a weekend where you stay overnight someplace, what about a yoga workshop where you do romantic poses for couples or partners? Before you go just make sure it is a workshop suitable for beginners and that it is not overly physically demanding. Some types of partner yoga are actually acrobatic yoga where you are holding up all your partner’s weight on your feet and you are actually flying them. I wouldn’t recommend this for those that are not athletic or are not seasoned yoga students since you need a fair amount of body awareness in order to balance another person on your feet.

Make sure the poses are gentle and beginner friendly. Most first time yoga students have a fair amount of anxiety and fear before their first yoga class so it is always better to have a class that feel gentle and accessible so that the yoga newbie won’t be freaked out at all the weird contortions that some very advanced yogis can get their body in.

Many of the romantic poses for couples let you find a deeper sense of kinesthetic support from your partner and you will find you can move through fear and issues of mistrust and start to open up to support. It can be a very emotionally vulnerable experience so you would not want to do these kinds of poses on a first or second date but with someone that you are already committed to since you will explore more depth in your connection together that might not be appropriate for someone you don’t know that well. Most couples yoga classes will also have guided Thai massage lessons as well which can be so nurturing and healing.

My favorite type of snow, beautifully covers the grass and trees with a light blanket.

For free articles about yoga mailed once a month, email info at synergybyjasmine dot com with “Request Yoga Tips” in headline.

Jasmine Kaloudis teaches many yoga and retreats near Philadelphia as well as romantic poses for couples and is the author of the 100 best spiritual websites list.

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Retreats Close to Philadelphia for Yoga, Spirituality and Meditation

by Jasmine | Mar 1, 2012 | Couples Retreat, Couples Yoga, Date Night, Meditation, Spirituality, Yoga Retreat

Are you looking for retreats close to Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey for Yoga, Spirituality and Meditation?

The morning Tai Chi by the steamy Lake at The Omega Institute

There the Omega Institute for those looking for retreats close to Philadelphia. The Omega Institute is particularly close to my heart since this is where I met my now-hunky, hottie hubby about 4 years ago. Omega, another non-profit, is located in Rhinebeck, NY, a few hours outside of NYC. Interesting factoid, Rhinebeck is also where Chelsea Clinton got married. Michael and I first met in the cafeteria. I was in a foul mood, not wanting to interact, just wanted to be a recluse and focus on my spiritual growth program that I was taking that weekend. I think it was called ” Living Courageously”.

We had an uneventful first meeting. We just talked about the usual subjects that people that don’t know each other well talk about like where we are from, where we work and why we came to Omega. I was actually recovering from a bad breakup and didn’t want to disclose that to this stranger so I was fairly tight-lipped in our first few conversations.

We kept running into each other at Omega…. just walking around the beautiful grounds or at the cafeteria. Before one of the Saturday night concerts we ended up just snuggling on a hammock while watching the fireflies light up the moonlight sky. It was quite a memorable first “date”. I wonder how many people can say that just were on a hammock snuggling while watching fireflies on their first date.

Founded in 1977, Omega is a center for wellness, spiritual and personal growth. Omega offers a bunch of educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal, spiritual and social change. It is located beautiful Hudson Valley. If you are in NYC, then I recommend traveling by train since the train will have such a stunning view of the Hudson.

Omega has been a pioneer in exploring, teaching, and embracing new ideas, focusing on health and wellness, personal spiritual growth, and self-awareness. According to their website, Omega offers, “A journey of personal growth and spiritual development also contributes to the wholeness and balance of the larger community and beyond. At Omega, we like to say we are changing the world one person at a time.”

There are a few places that I would recommend. The Himalayan Institute is probably the closest. The Himalayan Institute is located in northeastern Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the town of Honesdale in the heart of the rolling hills of the Poconos. New York City and Philadelphia area bout 3 – 4 hours drive by car. (Add an extra hour driving time during rush hour.) The total air/ground trip may be faster and less expensive to the New York airports than to the Scranton airport. It’s kind of near the corner of Pennsylvania where New Jersey and New York state are.

The Himalayan Institute has program for yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic health. It’s actually a non-profit, international organization and it’s mission is dedicated to serving humanity through educational, spiritual, and humanitarian programs. It has spiritual heritage that unites East and West with spirituality and science, and ancient wisdom and modern technology. There are a few programs on it’s website that you can also peruse if you can’t make the trek out there.

There are quite a few programs that are free if you are a Premium member which costs $300 a year. If you live within 2-3 hours of the Institute and can make room in your calender every few months then it is probably worth it to just become a premium member.

They have all kinds of educational programs and services and you can actually live at the Institute for a short or long term study. A yoga teacher that taught at one of the studios I also taught at, lived at the Himalayan Institute after her divorce to study yoga and meditation. It was quite a transformative and cleansing experience. You can also just come for a day workshop or weekend workshop and there are a fair amount of online and also correspondence courses.

Their goals is to offer programs that reflect,” The art of joyful living lies at the core of the Institute’s teachings. All of our programs lead to this common goal – living a peaceful and happy life.”

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Yoga and Counselors and Love Questions to Ask – How Yoga Can Help You Progress in Therapy

by Jasmine | Feb 15, 2012 | Alternative Health, Couples Retreat, Family Counseling

Yoga and Counselors help your with love questions to ask not only your significant other but also yourself. Many counselors that I have met recently recommend that you have a spiritual practice to help you become more mindful of negative thought patterns. I actually know quite a few counselors who I have gotten connected to recently and almost all of them tell me how they would love their clients to have a practice that helps them to center, calm and to relieve anxiety. There are some that have a yoga and counselors special seminars where they teach mindfulness or meditation. I think when a professional also has a background in human psychology that can make a hatha class even Couples Working Together more powerful.

I actually know one holistic doctor that also was certified as a yoga teacher and she often recommends to her patients to do yoga in order to manage certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure, anxiety and depression. Yoga and counselors seem to go pretty well together and having a personal practice, either at home or at a studio can be a great adjust to any therapy program that you are a part of.

I know for me when I was going through trauma I would often using my intense yoga class as an emotional detox… even crying as I was doing the poses. I was crying not because the poses were physically demanding but because I was just feeling so much release in the poses. When you are sweaty and straining in a yoga class then if you start to tear up , as long as it is a very full class with some loud music no one actually notices. In these kinds of vigorous classes, everyone is so focused on their own struggle and their own practice that they are not tuning in to what is going on with their neighbor so it ends up being a safe place to release pent up sadness.

For those that work with couples or with couples before they are getting married, they stress how important it is to go over love questions to ask your future husband or future wife. I wish I had done that before some of my significant relationships. There are so many critical love questions to ask that help you both examine your values, beliefs and what kind of lifestyle you want together.

Questions can range from asking about pets, what kind of vacations to take, how much you want your in-laws to be a part of your life, how clean you want the house to how late or early you go to sleep or wake up, how many children you want to have, how much to spend on going out or household items, the role of religion or spirituality in your relationship and literally hundreds of other questions. The one I have looked at is “1000 Questions For Couples” which is a comprehensive list of 1000 questions to ask before marriage.

What questions about your values, beliefs and lifestyle did you ask your partner before marriage? Post your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Best Yoga Videos – Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

by Jasmine | Feb 15, 2012 | Alternative Health, eStore, Reviews, Stuff I like, Yoga DVDs, & Podcasts, Yoga Health, Yoga Teacher training

Best Yoga Videos – Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Videos have made such a big difference for me lately. I think I found I found her while reading the latest issue of Yoga Journal magazine. Since I have been having bad knee pain for awhile and it seems like it was getting worse and worse. I teach about 5 -10 yoga classes a week. Most of them are gentle classes and I also teach a lot of couples yoga and partner yoga classes in Manayunk. I don’t teach a lot of vigorous yoga these days even though I was trained in that. I didn’t even do that many standing poses since I tend to teach a lot of poses where you are seated, laying down or even in a chair.

I did not get a lot of strong anatomy training in my yoga teacher training even though I kept asking for it all the time. I wanted to make sure first and foremost that I did no harm to my students and really didn’t know how to work with students that had a lot of injuries, pain, prior surgeries etc. I have been teaching more and more classes these last few years and my knees seemed to get progressively more painful. I saw a myriad of health practitioners from traditional allopathic doctors that gave me some quad strengthening exercises ( helped a bit) to the omre alternative healers who would invoke angels to heal me, wave crystals on me.. whatever it took. I didn’t care what method it was…. just wanted to feel better.

I would often wake up in the morning with my knees on fire… actually it was worse than that… my knee pain was so intense in the morning that the pain actually woke me up. Not a pleasant way to wake up. I don’t know why but it was always the worst in the morning.. ( can anyone explain that) I would often ice my knees… or they just throbbed so bad that my hottie, hunky hellenic hubbie would fetch me some ice so I could cool my knees down first thing in the morning.

I found her videos a few months ago and they have been a a gift from some higher power… I literally would pray to god to help me with the throbbing.

Best Yoga Videos – Jill Miller Yoga Tune-Up Reviews

I started to do the exercises in her videos every day….it took a while to do all the movements she recommended. Most of them involved massaging certain parts from your hip all the way to the bottom of your toes. These muscles can get dry and tight and when the muscles that affect how your knee tracks are dry, tight and out of whack, then that can affect how your knees track. So I went ahead and bought her special yoga therapy balls. At first I was just using tennis balls but wanted to really do the massaging and exercises properly so I broke down and just ordered her special Jill Miller Yoga Tune Up therapy balls. They’re kind of fun to play with, just don’t let your dog near them… they make for a nice chew toy.

Over the last few months I have also been studying how to do some of the classic standing poses so I can stop injuring myself. So slowly, I have been learning to keep my knees smiling and now there is less repair I have to do on them.

The poses, sequences and routines of Jill Miller Yoga Tune Up Program are designed to strengthen your weak muscles, stretch your tight and dry muscles and heal from head-to- pinkie toe. She has a focus on finding your body’s blind spots – areas that have become weakened due to overuse, underuse or misuse, and are now prone to stiffness, inflexiblity, pain and injury – these specialized routines will help balance out your entire physical being.

What kind of modalities have helped you find relief from tightness, chronic pain and stiffness?

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