Body and Breath - The Book

ANATOMY OF HATHA YOGA A Manual for Students, Teachers and Practitioners [Buy this book] ISBN: 0-9707006-0-1 Publisher: Body and Breath, Inc. Author: H. David Coulter Web site BodyandBreath.com What Others Are Saying: "I recommend it to everyone who lives in a body and copes with its problems." Ohashi Author of seven books, including Do-It-Yourself Shiatsu and The Ohashi Bodywork Book "The bible for yoga instructors and serious practitioners who are seeking in-depth knowledge ... It will be years, if ever, before anything comes close to surpassing it." Michael J. Alter author ofScience of Flexibility and Sports Stretch	Story Angles 1. Story Angle: Anatomy from dissection vs. anatomy from life — In traditional human anatomy courses, students learn about the body through dissections. However, new types of anatomy references — literally "anatomies of life" — describe human physiology in terms of function and movement. Find out about "experiential anatomy" — postures that allow the reader to understand and actually experience the connection between what's being described and their own bodies. 2. Story Angle: Newest, hippest physical fitness trend — What physical fitness practice is over 5000 years old, but currently so hip that both Oprah and Time.com have featured it recently? Hatha Yoga America's interest in physical fitness is helping to bridge the span between the ancient Eastern practice of yoga and modern medicine. 3. Story Angle: Travel — Yoga Destinations? We all dream about taking a relaxing vacation. But then we often spend our precious time-off rushing to fit everything we want to do into the time available. However, true relaxation on all levels is possible through the practice of Hatha Yoga according to H. David Coulter, expert on anatomy and author of ANATOMY OF HATHA YOGA. For a fresh travel destination story, introduce your reading or listening audience to full immersion Hatha Yoga vacations, along with deep mental and physical relaxation. 4. Story Angle: Hollywood Yoga? Using Yoga for Health & Beauty, Youthfulness & Longevity — Perhaps so many Hollywood stars are turning to the practice of Hatha Yoga because of the reported benefits of prolonged youthfulness and increased longevity. According to ANATOMY OF HATHA YOGA by H. David Coulter, yoga can help maintain the long-term function of our all of our joints, muscles, connective tissues, and nervous systems. 5. Story Angle: Parenting & Kids: How Yoga Can Calm the Beast in Your Kids — Are your kids acting like beasts? Maybe they are trying to tell you they're ready to learn something new. There really are times to act like an animal. Learning Hatha Yoga is one of those times. According to: ANATOMY OF HATHA YOGA, ancient ancestors walked and crawled on all fours before they stood upright. Now parents and their kids can learn to behave like their ancestors when they learn some of yoga's most fundamental positions, many of which are based on animal movements. 6. Story Angle: Health & Fitness: Beyond Strength and Aerobics The emphasis in the physical fitness arena in recent years has been on developing muscular strength and aerobic endurance. However, many people are eager to add exercises that increase flexibility, balance and ease of movement. Approaches such as Hatha Yoga, Feldenkris Method, the Alexander Technique and Dance Therapy can help practitioners achieve high performance results or therapeutic objectives.
	Backgrounder 1. A Brief History of Yoga A more extensive history of yoga can be found at: http://www.yrec.org/shorthistory.html. Here is a short introduction, drawn from the excellent work on that page Yoga originated in India at least 5,000 years ago. Excavators found depictions engraved on soapstone seals that strongly resemble yogi-like figures when they unearthed cities from the Indus civilization (considered to be the largest civilization in early antiquity.) The history of Yoga can conveniently be divided into the following four broad categories These categories are like static snapshots of something that is in actuality in continuous motion, because they show the evolution of yoga Vedic Yoga Preclassical Yoga Classical Yoga Postclassical Yoga Modern Yoga Yoga, in the form of Hatha-Yoga, entered mainstream America when the Russian-born yogini Indra Devi, who has been called the "First Lady of Yoga" opened her Yoga studio in Hollywood in 1947. She taught stars like Gloria Swanson, Jennifer Jones, and Robert Ryan, and trained hundreds of teachers. Now in her nineties and living in Buenos Aires, she is still an influential voice for Yoga. The great exponent in modern times of Hatha-Yoga was Sri Krishnamacharya, who died in 1989 at the ripe old age of 101. He practiced and taught the Viniyoga system of Hatha-Yoga until his last days. Until modern times, the overwhelming majority of Yoga practitioners have been men, yogins. But there have also always been great female adepts, yoginîs. Happily, in recent years, a few woman saints-representing Bhakti-Yoga (Yoga of devotion)-have come to the West to bring their gospel of love to open-hearted seekers. Yoga embraces so many diverse approaches that anyone can find a home in it. Yoga is not restricted to Hinduism. The Dalai Lama, champion of nonviolence. winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is unquestionably one of the truly great yogis of modern Tibet, who, above all, demonstrates that the principles of Yoga can fruitfully be brought not only into a busy daily life but also into the arena of politics. Today Tibetan Buddhism is extremely popular among Westerners, and there are many lamas (spiritual teachers) who are willing to share with sincere seekers the secrets of their hitherto well-guarded tradition For a thorough investigation of the roots of Yoga, prepare yourself for some heavy reading and explore Georg Feuerstein's THE YOGA TRADITION — which may be the most comprehensive historical overview available anywhere 2. Yoga Travel Destinations In the beautiful Pocono mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, three hours west of New York City and three hours north of Philadelphia, vacationers and seekers will find the Himalayan Institute, a rich source of authentic teaching in yoga running the gamut from month-long residential programs to weekend intensives featuring many levels of hatha yoga, along with classes in Ayurveda, cooking, and holistic health. And, in the hills of Western Massachusetts, vacationers who want to feed their souls, experience the outdoors, and master relaxation will find Kripalu a large center for yoga and holistic health. It offers a travel destination featuring a number of experiential yoga, self-discovery, holistic health, and spiritual programs that present ancient yogic principles in a contemporary, accessible way. For those who prefer western style accommodations, in the heart of the Montana Rockies, the Feathered Pipe Ranch — blessed with a sparkling lake, pristine water, clean air, abundant wildlife and healing plants — features an array of yoga workshops and activities. A more extensive listing of yoga retreats can be found at the DMOZ Yoga: Retreats and Workshops page. See also: Relaxation (Another comprehensive site with many resources about yoga can be found at the web site for the Himalayan Institute. 3. Hollywood Yoga (Health and Beauty Benefits) — Stars who love yoga include Madonna Ricky Martin Meg Ryan Read what stars have to say about yoga 4. How Yoga Can Calm the Beast in Your Kids Gaiam Yoga for Life is one example of a comprehensive program designed to support and assist schools around the country to create a self-sustaining yoga program as part of their physical education curriculum. The children are shown exploring the poses and sometimes struggling with the moves. In The Flamingo, standing on one foot, for instance, youngsters sometimes lose their balance. But they learn not to give up when it is challenging, continuing to practice and grow. Kids: Learn fundamental yoga positions, based on animals! (Parents: click the image to go to web site with more information The Dog The Cobra The Camel 5. Beyond Strength and Aerobics Hatha Yoga can help develop flexibility, balance and ease of movement. For more information about Hatha Yoga, visit http://www.bodyandbreath.com/ Other therapeutic and fitness enhancing techniques: The Feldenkrais Method The Alexander Technique The American Dance Therapy Association 6. Anatomies of Life Traditional human anatomy references, such as the classic Gray's Anatomy, were derived from dissections. However, new types of anatomical disciplines — literally "anatomies of life"- — are available today, and these approaches describe human anatomy and physiology in terms of function and movement in the living body. One such reference, H. David Coulter's new lavishly illustrated ANATOMY OF HATHA YOGA, might even be called an "experiential anatomy" as it also offers yoga postures that allow the reader to understand and actually experience the connection between what's being described and their own bodies. The lexicon of traditional yoga terms seems to escape Western scientific translation - producing a barrier for Western medical practitioners who try to understand and appreciate the value of Hatha Yoga. With a Ph.D. in anatomy, and years of experience teaching anatomy to medical students and other health care practitioners at the University of Minnesota, Columbia University, and various schools specializing in new age holistic health programs, H. David Coulter, author of ANATOMY OF HATHA YOGA, is uniquely qualified to make that translation. Describing human physiology in strictly Western scientific terms, he is able to precisely pinpoint how Hatha Yoga postures and practices affect the various systems of the body. 7. Breathing is free. It's also easy. And it can help you relax and improve your concentration. But to those that study Hatha Yoga, our breath is the link between the mind and the body. If we can control our respiration, we can control every aspect of our being. For example, according to Anatomy of Hatha Yoga's author H. David Coulter, different patterns of breathing affect us in different ways by changing our posture, lung volumes and blood gasses. For additional articles on breathing go to the Himalayan Institute or to the Yoga Movement web page.
	Related Experts and Sources 1. Author, expert in hatha yoga and anatomy: H. David Coulter: 570-251-9914 Ohashi author of seven books, including DO-IT-YOURSELF SHIATSU and READING THE BODY and THE OHASHI BODYWORK BOOK. 3. Timothy McCall, M. D., hatha yogi and author of EXAMINING YOUR DOCTOR: A Patient's Guide to Avoiding Harmful Medical Care, as well as numerous articles in the health care field. Arrangements for telephone interviews can be made by e-mail: TBMcCall@aol.com 4. Michael J. Alter, author of several books on the scientific basis of flexibility, including SCIENCE OF FLEXIBILITY and SPORTS STRETCH. Michael can be reached by telephone at 305-387-0451 of by e-mail: mailto:MJAlter@aol.com

	Author Bio H. David Coulter received a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in 1968. From 1968 to 1986 he taught various microscopic, neuroscience and elementary gross anatomy courses in the Department of Anatomy of the University of Minnesota Medical School. He also served as a principal investigator for neuroscience research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Coulter later taught in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and has practiced and taught a style of bodywork called Ohashiatsu®. Dr. Coulter has been practicing yoga since 1974. He was initiated by Swami Veda (formerly Dr. Usharbudh Arya of Minneapolis, MN), trained under Swami Rama from 1975 to 1996, and studied under Pandit Rajmani Tigunait at the Himalayan Institute since 1988. From the inception of his interest in yoga, Dr. Coulter has been committed to correlating his understanding of the practices of that discipline with accepted principles of biomedical science. TITLE OF PRINT AS IS --> Article you can edit and print 10 Tips to Improve Health Problems With Yoga 1. For chronic lower back stiffness, strengthen and limber your back and abdominal muscles with prone and supine yoga postures. First, start supine (on your back on a padded surface) and draw your knees toward the chest, interlocking the fingers and rocking gently from side to side in order to massage the joints, ligaments, and deep back muscles against the floor. Then drop your feet to the floor near the hips and lift your head and shoulders up and then lower them slowly for traditional health club crunches. Keep breathing. Next, in a prone position (lying on your belly), strengthen, tone, and limber the back muscles. To do this place your hands alongside your shoulders, then lift the head and shoulders up and lower them down repetitively, coming up while inhaling and dropping down while exhaling. For additional hints, go to http://www.refdesk.com/search BACK STIFFNESS, and then BACK STIFFNESS YOGA. Check out several entries from each search. 2. For shallow breathing and breathing irregularities, locate yoga classes that fit your capacity (be forewarned that a wide range of classes are available) and observe that different postures require different methods of breathing, some emphasizing the chest and others emphasizing the abdomen. For the moment avoid classes that feature overly dramatic breathing exercises or holding the breath. Also watch your breathing constantly for a half hour a day while maintaining silence. Don't try to make changes; just observe. If you are also taking yoga classes, you'll gradually become aware of other possibilities. For understanding breathing intellectually as well as experientially, open http://www.refdesk.com/and search BODY BREATH YOGA, which will take you to chapters 2 and 3 of Anatomy of Hatha Yoga and other sites. 3. For weakness while standing, build up gradually (that means over a period of weeks or even months) to doing standing yoga postures for at least a half hour a day, including all kinds of forward bends, back bends, side bends, twists, lunges, and combinations. For crème-de-la crème expertise for the teaching of standing postures, locate Iyengar yoga classes, but make sure they are pitched to your personal capacity. If you go to an Iyengar yoga class designed for gymnasts or US Navy Seals, you will probably be in a class beyond your capacity. From http://www.refdesk.com/search IYENGAR YOGA for worldwide resources. 4. For fibromyalgia, the first point is to be forewarned that many medical researchers argue that fibromyalgia is a non-entity, a made-up new-age term designating a collection of often vague symptoms that does not deserve a specific name that designates a specific disease. What is certain, however, apart from these academic arguments, is that the symptoms, including generalized aches and pains in muscles throughout the body, are not imaginary, and that the "condition" responds well to a program of exercise, stretching, and bodywork. For specific ideas, go to http://www.refdesk.com/search FIBROMYALGIA YOGA, and start making progress with daily hatha yoga. And finally, so long as you are not expecting magic bullets, get advice from holistic health practitioners. 5. For allergies, go to http://www.refdesk.com/and search ALLERGY YOGA. Many programs in therapeutic yoga have had success in treating allergies with stretching and cleansing. For a time-tested mode of nasal cleansing without drugs, try a simple twice-a-day saline nasal wash using a NetiPot from the Himalayan Institute (go to http://www.talion.com/presskits/www.himalayaninstitute.org then click on Breathe Easier). The simple nasal wash, one of several yoga kriyas, or cleansing exercises, has changed the lives of many people who suffer from allergies. You will feel a joy in breathing that you had forgotten, recall the pleasure of stretching and exercise, and incidentally become aware of dietary habits that contribute to the problems generated by environmental allergens. 6. For varicose veins, go to http://www.refdesk.com/and search VARICOSE INVERSION. Check out a few of the many references to confirm that inversion of the body is accepted as a mainstream palliative treatment for varicose veins, then search VARICOSE YOGA for simple inversions that do not require investment in expensive equipment. Then, if it happens that you have gotten a medical diagnosis of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome, which features painful varicose veins in the female pelvis, search PELVIC CONGESTION, or go the "yoga shoptalk" section of this site, http://www.bodyandbreath.com/ for September, 2001. (Click on "view archive.") 7. For obesity, get ready for a long haul of experimentation and observation. Remedies are obvious. Cut out desserts and high-caloric snacks. Exercise. Learn to feel enjoyment of having a real appetite before eating, and then eat well. Chew your food. Don't talk. Hatha yoga can occasionally be a panacea for a select few people who are sick of the ups and downs of overeating and dieting (for dozens of references, go to http://www.refdesk.com/and search OBESITY YOGA), but be aware that your mind may play tricks on you and thwart your intentions. One additional tactic that can complement your efforts is to give yourself permission to have new experiences. Go on a camping trip, take a group of 10-year-olds to a water park and slide down water chutes, pick a half-bushel of apples, get a session of bodywork, do anything that gets you temporarily out of your mind. And for long-term weight management using hatha yoga, it can work, but be forewarned that you will have to make it more of a pleasure than a discipline. 8. For insomnia, go to http://www.refdesk.com/and search INSOMNIA YOGA for many useful references. One such entry, an article archived from the magazine Yoga International, is by Dr. Carrie Angus at http://www.yogasite.com/sleep.htm In general, eat, play, and absorb input from the environment in moderation, especially in the evening. Realize that sugar, stimulants such as coffee, and depressants such as alcohol all have adverse effects. Television is especially jarring to the nervous system late at night, with the possible exception of nature channels. And unless you are well acquainted with your limits, don't do vigorous exercise or hatha yoga late at night. Save those activities for morning. On the other hand, gentle stretches, quiet breathing exercises, relaxation poses, and meditation can be very soothing. Be wary of dozing off in relaxation postures, however, because you may get enough sleep to keep you awake later on. Finally, at last resort, you can read something that occupies your mind without stimulating it. 9. For depression, vigorous sessions of hatha yoga are most helpful. The idea is to enjoy your body and incidentally learn something about your mind. If you are unable to practice on your own, which is common for anyone who tends to be afflicted with depression, go to the most active classes that are within your capacity. Just show up, and let the group dynamic carry you forward. Meditation? You can try, but it will probably not be feasible unless you are already experienced in sitting quietly. For some specific ideas, go to http://www.refdesk.com/search DEPRESSION YOGA, and check several entries. 10. For nervousness, the best all-around remedy in hatha yoga is alternate nostril breathing. In its simplest form, this practice can be done by simply blocking off the right nostril with the right index finger while exhaling and inhaling one breath through the left nostril, and then blocking off the left nostril with the left index finger while exhaling and inhaling one breath through the right nostril. Repeat this exercise while breathing evenly for five minutes. For more details, see David Coulter's article from Yoga International by accessing Himalayan Institute searching the keywords ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING, and reading the first case study ("the high strung executive") in the second article of the thre BIO AND PRINT AS IS -->