Breathing New Life into your iPhone...

Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat Marbella - Technology News...

It´s been reported in the US press that an enterprising American yoga teacher has invented a smart new iPhone application to help people practice meditative breathing.

Darshan Khalsa, together with his wife Carol O'Donnell Khalsa developed the 99-cent application to augment their teaching of the Kundalini Yoga technique of deep breathing which they have been helping clients practice at their Integrative Medical Centre in Virginia for many years.

Proven to reduce stress and anxiety, improve digestion, aid sleep and lower blood pressure, deep breathing is an integral part of yoga practice. Now the couple are hoping that their clever invention will help people all over the world to master deep breathing meditation.

Although there are a number of types of deep breathing techniques, the basic aim of each one is to still the mind and body and promote a general feeling of relaxation which in turn helps lower blood pressure as well as helping to strengthen the immune system.

Darshan Khalsa explained that the trigger for the iPhone application occurred when the couple attended President Obama’s inauguration and heard him tell people to “do some good.” It was after hearing Obama´s message that they decided they wanted to help even more people learn about the benefits of deep breathing. So at around the same time they teamed up with one of their patients, who happened to be a part owner of a software company. Their collaborative efforts resulted in the Long Deep Breathing application.

In addition to teaching deep breathing techniques, the iPhone application offers information about the history and benefits of deep breathing. The application also sets the pace and duration of breathing exercise sessions by the use of verbal cues.

The developers hope is that if people have the iPhone application at their immediate disposal, they will be more likely to remember to practice their deep breathing routines.

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We can´t promise any hi-tech wizardry at our beautiful Marbella yoga retreat... but we do guarantee that your yoga holiday with us will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to face the world with renewed vigour.

For more information about rejuvenating yoga holidays in Spain at Lotus Blooming, click on the link to our main website at the foot of this page.

Yoga in Pregnancy...

Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat Marbella - Health Update...

Is yoga the answer to keep your body toned and healthy during pregnancy? Many celebrity Mums-to-be seem to think so.

Yoga comes from a Sanskrit word “yuj” which means “unity” and is a gentle form of exercise (asanas) which you can practice throughout your pregnancy from 14 weeks onwards. Not only can it alleviate some of the discomforts caused by carrying a new life, but it can also be really useful during labour and delivery.

The breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and posture exercises all contribute to an easier birth. A study of 335 pregnant women in Bangalore, India concluded that pregnant women who practiced yoga had a shorter labour, less hypertension, and higher birth weight babies than a control group.

New mums who resumed yoga after six to eight weeks following delivery also found that they lost the weight gained in pregnancy far more easily as the gentle yoga exercises helped strengthen the pelvic floor and generally re-tone their bodies to their pre-pregnancy shape and lose that 30 extra stubborn pounds.

A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are fans of yoga to keep themselves in top shape and both continued to practice it during their times “in waiting”. Christie Turlington, Naomi Watts, and Kourtney Kardashian add to the growing list of celebrities who swear by using a daily routine of yoga in pregnancy to limber up and strengthen core muscles and the pelvic diaphragm.

Many regular positions can be continued; however yoga during pregnancy is not surprisingly more gentle and relaxing with lying on the belly and twisting definitely out!

Dr. Jacques Moritz, Director of Gynaecology at St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital in New York says: “Yoga is good for flexibility; it limbers people up. Part of the process of having a baby is opening up your pelvis. Yoga is one of the good ways to do that.”

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Click on the link to our main website at the foot of this page to find out more about relaxing yoga holidays in Spain at Lotus Blooming yoga retreat in sunny Marbella.

The Perfect Balm for Frazzled Souls...

Sunday Express journalist, Claudia Goulder recently exchanged the chill of Britain for a relaxing break at Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat in Marbella.“It was blissful!” she said.

Claudia recalled the last time she was here she was an “eighteen year old backpacker” totally unaware that ten years later she would be enjoying the yoga break of a lifetime. Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat, she found was the perfect balm for “frazzled souls” with none of the “Boot Camp” deprivations often found at other yoga centres. Instead she spent her four days here in luxury and perfect peace: enjoying delicious fresh vegetarian homemade goodies whenever the urge to indulge took her.

In her article in the Sunday Express (Sunday December 6th, 2009) Claudia waxed poetically about her stay which included detox juices, walks on the beach and in nearby chic and historic Marbella, and both dynamic and restorative yoga classes.

“One afternoon I find myself horizontal on Caroline’s gargantuan Indian massage table, being pummelled by Ayurvedic specialist Agan”, she writes enthusiastically. ”I opt for the 75-minute Abhyangam treatment using herbal oils which, I am told, help remove stagnant energy and improve circulation. Afterwards I feel fresh, purified and lifted.”

“This is all about striking a balance between yin and yang, learning what is right for one’s own body and acquiring inner peace without popping veins and pulling muscles.”

Claudia enjoyed the comfort of staying in one of Lotus Blooming's simply but artistically furnished en-suite rooms and spent some of her free time soaking up the off-season sun on the terrace and beside the beautiful blue Med at the nearby sandy beach.

Is there a better way to chill-out between the extremes of the Buddhist “Middle Way”?

Claudia Goulder doesn’t seem to think so. How about you?

For comprehensive information about yoga holidays in Spain at Lotus Blooming, click on the link to our main website at the foot of this page.

Yoga Can Help Beat Swine Flu...

Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat Marbella - Health Briefing...

It has been reported by The Times of India that a leading yoga expert in the Indian city of Chandigarh is claiming that yoga can help prevent the onset of swine flu.

According to yoga professional Dhirendra Panda, yoga’s proven ability to strengthen the body’s immune system can play a crucial role in protecting people from the H1N1 virus.

Panda is quoted as saying: “Many factors have the potential to weaken the immune system and lungs. Among these are stress, toxins in the body, an unhealthy diet, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking.”

Insisting that yoga can help boost the immune system, Panda said: “Yoga is the best method to maintain a strong immune system and can help get rid of various infectious diseases including swine flu.” He added: “Specific stretching postures, breathing exercises and meditation will keep the body’s immune system in a better shape. It is widely accepted that yoga boosts the lymphatic system which plays a key role in flushing toxins from our body.”

“Yoga breathing exercises are also helpful in preventing swine flu. Breathing exercises will help in massaging the thymus gland and thus stimulate the lungs.” he concluded.

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This report was brought to you by Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat in Marbella. To find out more about rejuvenating yoga holidays in Spain, click on the link to our main website at the foot of this page.

How Yoga Makes Clint Eastwood's Day...

Whilst scanning the celebrity columns of the US press, an eagled-eyed insider at Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat Marbella, ever keen to bring our readers stories from the world of yoga, spotted this little gem...

Tough guy movie actor Clint Eastward is said to have admitted that he sometimes cries and that he regularly practices yoga with his wife Dina. Unashamedly brandishing his "new man" credentials, the 79 year-old actor told Splash News that when his daughter’s pet cockatoo died, he had a good old sob.

Famed for tough-guy roles in movies such as Dirty Harry, Clint revealed that yoga has become a major part of his life. He is quoted as saying: “It (yoga) works great because it just gives you a chance to gather your thoughts.” He added: “I'm religious about yoga when I'm working.”

In addition to doing yoga poses, the Oscar-winning actor says that he still pumps iron in the gym and finds time to do yoga meditation at least twice a day. Seemingly unconcerned about showing his softer side, Clint also told reporters that whenever he and his wife went on vacation, he would often join in with her yoga sessions.

To book an “Oscar winning” yoga vacation in Spain at Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat in Marbella, click on the main website link at the foot of this page.

A Blooming Good Christmas Present...

Lotus Blooming Yoga Retreat Marbella - Christmas Shopping Special...

Yes, it’s that time of the year when thoughts turn to the dubious delights of Christmas shopping.

Some people relish the challenge of finding that perfect gift for their nearest and dearest, while for others the prospect of a trip to the shops to track down a gift with even the slightest hint of wow factor is enough to induce a serious allergic reaction.

That said, imagine being faced with the task of buying the ideal gift for a yoga enthusiast....There’s only so much excitement to be had from opening a present on Christmas Day only to discover that you've become the proud owner of yet another yoga mat! Granted, it’s a very nice mat and its vibrant bright yellow hue will certainly stand out down at the yoga studio....but it’s still just a yoga mat...

So what other yoga-themed presents could you buy for that special person? Well, there’s yoga blocks, yoga straps, yoga DVD’s, yoga books and of course, "stylishly sensible" yoga clothing...but let’s faced it, none of the aforementioned items are likely to prove a seasonal showstopper on Christmas Morning...

This is the point where Lotus Blooming comes to the rescue. A four day mini-break at our beautiful yoga retreat in Marbella has to be one of the most memorable gifts that anyone with a penchant for yoga could ever receive.

Book a springtime yoga holiday in Spain now, and you could take advantage of our off-season offers, at the same time gaining valuable Brownie points for giving your loved one the best yuletide yoga present imaginable.

To find out more about sunny holidays at our delightful Spanish yoga retreat in Marbella, click on the main website link at the foot of this page.