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When it comes to shopping for massage liability insurance, choosing the right plan can be a difficult process. With all of the options out there with different coverage limits, policy types, costs, and benefits to consider, it can be overwhelming to choose which one to go with. Choosing the right plan can mean the difference between full and complete coverage versus zero coverage for the exact same claim event. Once you have the information you need, getting a liability insurance policy to protect your massage practice is straightforward and quick. Let’s look at all your options.

First Things First: What is Liability Insurance?

Having liability insurance coverage as a massage therapist protects your career because carrying this insurance coverage transfers the risk of loss to your insurance provider. Liability insurance also provides assistance to the injured party for matters such as medical bills.

Accidents are unavoidable in any industry, even the massage field. The average cost of a trip-and-fall accident, including legal fees and medical bills, is $46,297 according to the National Safety Council, a nonprofit that promotes health and safety in the U.S.

There are two primary types of liability insurance: professional liability and general liability.

General liability insurance is also known as “slip and fall insurance” because it covers third-party claims for injuries or property damage. A little spill of massage oil left on the floor that a client slips and hurts themselves on would be an example of an event that could lead to a general liability claim.

Professional liability insurance is also called “malpractice insurance”. Malpractice translates to “bad practice”, inferring that your service directly caused the loss event to occur. A client asserting that your massage was too hard and left them with some form of injury as a result would be an example of a possible professional liability claim.

Massage Magazine Insurance Plus provides both of these coverage types bundled into their one policy. 

Massage Insurance Liability Terms: In English

Insurance is one of the most important parts of a practice and is often a requirement, but can often be confusing to understand. That’s why we’ve created this dictionary of terms you need to know, in plain English.

Additional Insured: a person or entity added to the certificate of insurance who is protected from the named insured’s negligence; this is typically an employer or landlord.

Aggregate Limit: the maximum amount of coverage available to a policyholder during the policy term; this limit is dependent on a period of time rather than an individual claim.

Claims-Made: a form of insurance that only covers policyholders for claims filed while the policy is active; if an incident occurs during the policy term but is not reported until after the policy expires, it will not be covered.

General Liability Insurance: insurance that protects the policyholder in the event that a client trips, falls, and suffers an injury while on their property; this coverage applies to claims resulting from personal injury, bodily injury, or damage to other's property, and is often called “trip and fall” insurance.

Identity Theft Protection: coverage that reimburses the insured for expenses arising from identity fraud.

Individual Aggregate Limit: the total amount of coverage available to an individual policyholder during the policy year; this limit only applies to one person and is not impacted by claims filed against others.

Occurrence Form: a policy form that covers the insured for any claims filed during or after the policy term, as long as the actual incident in question occurred while the policy was active.

Product Liability Insurance: insurance that provides protection against lawsuits claiming negligence, misconduct, or incompetence on the policyholder’s behalf; also called malpractice insurance.

Professional Liability Insurance: insurance that provides protection against lawsuits claiming negligence, misconduct, or incompetence on the policyholder’s behalf; also called malpractice insurance.

Shared Aggregate Limit: the maximum amount of coverage available to all individuals insured under the same shared-limit program or master policy; this amount decreases every time a claim is paid on behalf of an individual policyholder.

Rental Damage Insurance: coverage that protects the insured from accidental damages to property rented by the insured; this applies to any space that a professional rents or leases for their practice, from the drywall in.

Stolen Equipment Insurance: coverage designed to protect the policyholder from equipment theft or damage due to fire, water, etc.; covers the cost of replacing the stolen or damaged piece of equipment used in one’s business, but does not cover damages due to wear and tear or misuse.

The Insurance Policy Highlights

Massage Magazine Insurance Plus was derived from the publication MASSAGE Magazine which has over 35 years of experience in the massage industry, and has developed an all-inclusive full coverage liability insurance policy tailored to massage therapists’ needs, at an unbeatable price! In 3 minutes or less, you can get fully insured with A+ rated coverage for less than $0.44/day. Your policy also automatically covers you in over 450+ modalities and follows you state-to-state.

The coverage limits on your policy are:

• Professional Liability: $2 Million per occurrence / $3 Million annual aggregate
• Product Coverage: $2 Million annual aggregate
• Identity Protection Coverage: $25,000
• General Liability: $2 Million per occurrence / $3 Million annual aggregate
• Damage to Rental Premises: $100,000
• Stolen Equipment Coverage: $1,000 w/ a $250 deductible

While the numbers are important, when picking a policy, you want to make sure you’re choosing an insurance partner, not just a company, who will be there for you even in the event of a claim. With Massage Magazine Insurance Plus, the expert services of a devoted customer care and legal defense team are included in your policy limits to help you get through a claim stress-free.

Member Benefits with Massage Magazine Insurance Plus

Massage Magazine Insurance Plus not only provides its customers with top-rated Massage liability insurance policies but with every policy comes unbeatable member benefits. Massage Magazine Insurance Plus offers a wide range of benefits and partnerships.

Your member benefits include:

Free Online Continuing Education: MMIP partners with cutting-edge education provider, Panda Massage CEU, which offers you discounted or free online continuing courses ranging from Facial Massage, Reflexology, Kinesiology, Cupping, and many more.

Access to MetLife Coverage: MMIP members get access to affordable comprehensive dental and vision coverage through MetLife Insurance.

Discounts on Industry Related Products: MMIP offers discounts to help you expand your business by partnering with leading industry supplier Office Max, Office Depot, HealthLine, and many more!

Free Professional Website: Massage Therapists have enough on their plate, that's why Massage Magazine Insurance Plus partnered with ProfessionalPlanets.com to make creating a professional site quick and easy for free!

Many More: 30+ member exclusive discounts and partnerships are just clicks away so that you and your business can grow and succeed!

Sponsored by beYogi

When it comes to being a yoga instructor, the right type of coverage is crucial.

Don’t get us wrong, every professional should have liability insurance, but this is especially true for yoga teachers who work one-on-one with people, instructing them physically, and offering guidance on the importance of practice.

But here’s the thing—not all yoga insurance policies or companies are created equally. In fact, there are so many different companies and insurance offerings out there, choosing the right type of yoga insurance can be an overwhelming challenge.

We’re here to help make this process a little easier. Below, we’ve laid out a go-to guide for dissecting the nitty-gritty details of what you should look for when choosing the right yoga insurance provider. 

What Exactly is Yoga Insurance?

Often referred to as yoga teacher liability insurance, yoga teacher insurance is a type of risk management where the insured yoga teacher can invest in an insurance plan that protects and relieves them of financial responsibility of a potential loss.

Professional liability insurance provides the unique peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re protected in case a student files a claim or an allegation against you. 

The best way to think about yoga insurance is to picture it as a sort of hypothetical safety net laid out underneath your yoga career or yoga business. You hopefully won’t ever need it, but if something should go wrong—no matter how unpredictable or unlikely—this net will do its job.

That means your insurance will protect you, your career, your finances, your reputation, and your future from claims, allegations, and potential litigation.

Ultimately, this insurance is designed to help you protect your passion. 

How to Pick the Perfect Yoga Insurance For You 

Like we mentioned before, there’s no shortage of yoga insurance options out there—in fact, there are so many, choosing can be incredibly difficult. At the end of the day, the insurance partner you pick should understand you, understand your unique and specialized career, and wholly comprehend and protect for the distinct risks you deal with every day as a yoga instructor. 

In other words, the right insurance partner will:

• Understand your career and offer you career-specific insurance to mitigate the risks associated directly with your line of work
• Take time to talk to you about your profession
• Be upfront and transparent about pricing, policy details, benefits, and risks
• Offer affordable plans that focus on putting you first, not gouging you for money 

Abide by the following guidelines to begin your journey to find the right yoga insurance partner for you.

Compare Prices

Pretending that price doesn’t matter doesn’t get you anywhere. Of course it matters. Yes, insurance is an investment and should be viewed as such, but the price of that investment is important, too. The first thing you should start looking at when considering partners is price—do your top 5 choices fit your budget? 

Look at Coverage Limits 

Figure out the maximum amount of money an insurance company will pay for a covered claim. Do some research to understand these limits and what the industry standard is. You also must factor in the type of coverage you will need: general liability (slip & fall); professional liability (malpractice); identity protection; stolen equipment; damaged equipment. A good comprehensive policy will have all of these types under one policy with add on fees. 

Benefits Matter 

It might sound silly to think about the additional benefits an insurance company can offer you, but this is an important consideration. Yes, your primary concern should be comprehensive coverage at a price that works for you, but many companies will offer you premium benefits that can help you further your career.

With exclusive deals, discounts, and benefits that apply just because you invest in a company, you could experience business-specific savings on products, resources, and other types of insurance, too. 

Reviews Do, Too 

Let’s face it, reviews are a crucial part of any business decision. Any time you’ll be giving your money and trust to a third party, you’ll want to do ample research and see what other people—who have already worked with this company—have to say. Google Reviews and Trustpilot are both great review platforms. 

Take the time to scour reviews, figure out the pros and cons, and see what others have to say about each contender. Try to take everything with a grain of salt but know that if review trends do matter—if there are hundreds of bad reviews about a company, it’s probably wise to steer clear of them. 

beYogi Insurance: How We Compare to the Competition 

All insurance companies can offer you something unique—but at beYogi, we’re focused on being your insurance partner. 

We pride ourselves on offering affordable rates (significantly lower than our competitors who are not designed with yoga teachers in mind), maximum benefits, all while promising comprehensive coverage that follows you wherever you go, covers 450+ modalities, and promises automatic coverage at checkout. 

Pick the Partner That Believes in You—beYogi Has Your Back. 

When it comes to your yoga teacher career, beYogi is wholly invested in seeing—and helping—you thrive. That’s why we’ve created yoga liability insurance that’s specific to you—no one-size-fits-any-career insurance options here.

WOW what a year! I don't think any us of could of predicted the turbulent year of 2020 that COVID-19 has brought.

RMCO launched in 2020 so this is our very first top 5 relaxing music albums.

Here is our top 5 albums of 2020:

1 > Relaxing Music, Vol. 3

Relaxing Music, Vol. 3 is a blend of chillout music with various instruments used including strings, piano, flutes, violin, guitar, soundscapes, bells, chimes, Tibetan singing bowl, percussion.

You can listen to the demo HERE

2 > Tibetan Singing Bowl Music, Vol. 1

This Tibetan Singing Bowl music is paired with nature sounds and meditation music.

Barb says "This playlist is perfect for meditation and Shavasana - The relaxation part of Yoga, or simply as background relaxing tune while enjoying a nice massage for your parnter. The Tibetan tunes create a very distinct Zen, yet simple vibe. Highly recommed!"

3 > Tai Chi Music, Vol. 1

This oriental new age relaxing music album is inspired by the moves of Tai Chi. Apart from the main instruments of Piano, Flute and Zheng, some other percussions are used in this album to create the oriental ambience for the practice of Tai Chi and Qigong.

You can listen to the demo HERE

4 > Yoga Music with Niki Wibrow, Vol. 1

The perfect accompaniment to your Yoga class or great for home practice. The ambient sounds are reminiscent of lazy sunset days on the beach, or relaxing adventures by the sea.

Nicola says "I absolutely adore this yoga music and so does my class. Definately A new favourite of mine."

You can listen to the demo HERE

5 > Indian Yoga Music, Vol. 1

Our Indian Yoga music will enhance the connection between movement and sound, calming your body, mind, and spirit.

Nicola says "Highly recommend this Indian Yoga Music to all teachers and Yogi enthusiasts."

You can listen to the demo HERE

2021

It will be interesting to see what 2021 brings. What does 2021 look like to you?

It's no secret that music can have a significant impact on listeners in many different scenarios. In fact, music has been proven to have a strong psychological effect on people in many different scenarios.

In particular, ambient music is a great way to help you relax, and relaxing spa music with water is one of the best types you can listen to.

Not quite sure how to begin? We’ve got all the info you need to know.

Let's explore everything you should keep in mind when it comes to the benefits.

It Can Aid Concentration

Listening to relaxing ambient music is one of the best ways to help you improve your concentration. This makes it ideal for students or professionals who typically require a large amount of focus while working.

For example, ambient music can allow you to drastically improve your longer study sessions as opposed to other types of music. This increase in concentration will directly result in a higher level of performance.

In some scenarios, this can lead to even greater results, such as being recognized for your work ethic at your job and being awarded certain privileges, promotions, etc. In some cases, having a higher level of concentration while staying can allow you to perform better on an exam and progress through your academic journey.

It Will Help You Sleep

As you might expect, listening to relaxing sleep music is a great way to help you fall asleep. Sleeping disorders affect millions of Americans each year, and long-term issues with sleep can result in health complications. Additionally, many people turn to medication in order to help them fall asleep at night if they're insomnia is particularly bad.

Others may have sleeping problems that stem from secondary issues, such as hearing damage that is difficult to tune out at night. Fortunately, relaxing music will help put your mind at ease and greatly improve not only the rate at which you fall asleep with the quality of sleep that you get.

This will then allow you to wake up feeling refueled, refreshed, and enthusiastic about the next day. Over time, you will also likely find that you are happier and more passionate in general as a result of consistently getting better sleep.

It Will Help You Relax

If you listen to this type of music while you're awake, though, you'll find that it has a similar effect. Since the average person's lifestyle in today's society can lead to a ton of stress, it's important to prioritize methods that allow you to relax.

This is particularly true for those who have overwhelming responsibilities at their job, familial obligations such as children, etc.

Even a short session of listening to ambient music can serve as a great way to help you decompress. Afterward, you'll be able to handle your responsibilities far more efficiently.

Even if you don't have a lifestyle that is particularly straining, you could still benefit highly from having short periods of relaxation throughout your day. Ambient music is also a great way to help make certain tasks (like chores) more pleasant to undertake.

There are even some people who constantly have ambient music playing in their homes so that they can benefit from it even if they aren't able to actively listen to it.

Reduce Anxiety

Sometimes, our nerves get the best of us. It's not uncommon for those who experience anxiety to have it quickly become overwhelming. In some instances, anxiety attacks can be particularly debilitating and have adverse effects on your mental health.

In general, many people tend to have anxiety as a result of worrying about the future. Although nobody can predict what will happen and there are often many factors outside of anybody's control, these thoughts can quickly overtake someone's mind.

Ambient music will help you clear your head while simultaneously help you relax. Since anxiety can easily become overwhelming, it's imperative that you take as many steps as possible in order to reduce it. Otherwise, you might find that it negatively impacts other areas of your life and strains your relationship that you have with others.

Therapeutic Benefits

There's something to be said about the therapeutic benefits that ambient music is able to provide. More specifically, it doesn't need to be used as an immediate remedy to a negative state of mind.

It can also help you become more introspective and confront feelings or thoughts that you've been grappling with recently. For instance, someone could easily spend time listening to this type of music while reflecting on circumstances that are occurring in their lives.

Afterward, you'll have a far better understanding of why they feel a certain way about a particular situation, person, etc. The better you understand your feelings, the more efficiently you'll be able to manage them.

This will allow you to drastically improve your overall quality of life, especially if you've been feeling down lately. So, keep the therapeutic benefits of relaxing spa music with water in mind when looking for ways to deal with issues like these.

Relaxing Spa Music With Water Shouldn't Be Neglected

And the above information will make it far easier to see why.

From here, why not check out our relaxing spa music to find the music that's best for you and your situation, allowing you to get the most out of it.

Want to learn more about what we have to offer? Feel free to reach out to us today and see how we can help.

When was the last time you took a moment to breathe, relax, and recharge? With a busy schedule, it's important that we all take a few minutes during the day to calm our minds. One of the best ways to do this is to meditate.

It is estimated that anywhere from 200 to 500 million people across the world meditate on a regular basis. By practicing meditation daily, you may achieve the mental clarity necessary to function better and live happier. But if you've never done it before, you might feel apprehensive or unsure of how to adopt this habit.

Have no fear. This article has all the top information and tips on how you can create your own meditation routine and stick to it.

1. a Brief Background on Meditation

It's likely that you've heard of friends, family, or acquaintances practicing meditation. But do you know what it is? Before adopting your own habits, it's important that you have a brief background on meditation's history and purpose.

Meditation is a practice of mindfulness that trains the brain to focus on a specific task, thought, or mental state. This can create a sense of calmness, level-headedness, and awareness.

Many historians and archaeologists date meditation's origins back to 5,000 BCE. This was a popular practice among Chinese and Egyptian culture. Meditative practices also took place in the ancient religions of Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and more.

In the 1960s, meditation began to be studied for its potential health benefits. Some key health benefits are reduced heart rate and increased brain waves that help with sleep.

As meditation has made its way into new cultures, it's form has evolved with it. However, its main purpose has remained the same; Mental clarity.

2. How to Meditate

Now that you know more about what meditation is, you may be wondering how to meditate. The truth is, there is no one size fits all answer. Daily calm meditation habits will look slightly different for everyone.

One of the most common ways to meditate is by sitting in a quiet place, closing your eyes, and taking deep breaths. This routine may last anywhere from ten minutes to several hours depending on your needs and level of experience. When following this routine, it's important to focus on the sensations of the body and breathing.

What does it feel like to take a deep breath? Do you feel it in your chest, stomach, or lungs? How is your body positioned?

These are a few simple questions to reflect on when meditating. Some also enjoy listening to meditation music. This can help you feel calm, remain present, and practice mindfulness.

Eventually, your mind will wander away from these thoughts and into a trance-like state; This is the goal.

Simple meditation habits like this can help the brain better limit distractions in your daily life. It can also help you de-stress and recharge a busy mind. As we often may feel distracted by thoughts about our work and responsibilities, meditation helps to release this stress.

3. Tips for Keeping a Meditation Routine

To find a meditation routine that you can stick to, you should first experiment with different methods. Whatever method you choose, it's important that it can fit into your daily life. Here are a few tips that might help you stick to your routine.

If you have trouble relaxing or finding a calm headspace, consider listening to soothing meditation music. There are many potential health benefits of listening to relaxing music, like improved sleep and heart health.

You might also find that listening to a guided meditation can help you get started with your routine each day. Guided meditations usually consist of an audio track talking you through the meditation steps. There are many guided meditation apps and videos on the Internet that you can access right now for free.

Another way to feel motivated and stick to your routine is through group meditation.

Some people find it easier to share the experience with others. This often takes place in a classroom setting with an instructor to guide the students. This option can help you set a solid meditation schedule for yourself and find others to hold you accountable.

No matter the tips you use to mediate, be sure to not get discouraged early on. Practicing meditation requires a new way of thinking for many people. While you may find it difficult in the beginning, you'll enjoy the benefits as time passes.

4. Why You Should Meditate Daily

If you're having trouble finding the desire to meditate daily, these facts may help motivate you. No matter what time of day you meditate, remembering these benefits can help keep you on track.

Daily meditation is one of the best ways to manage stress and focus on the positive. If you have a clouded mentality full of worry, it can be difficult to complete tasks efficiently. Daily meditation, even for ten minutes, can help you find a new perspective.

It can also increase your patience and reduce negative thoughts. While it's not possible to feel positive all the time, meditation can help increase your patience for yourself and others. This can help you become a happier, more pleasant person.

Other potential benefits are reduced symptoms of chronic pain, headaches, and anxiety. It may also help you get a better night of sleep and feel more rested.

To stick to your daily meditation routine, consider writing out your goals for meditation. For example, you might want to increase your focus, reduce your stress, or feel more mentally stable. By writing these down, you can better identify the necessary steps to achieve them.

Each day, your meditation goal may be different. Consider reflecting on your written goals and the method to follow before meditation.

Practice Meditation Daily

If you want to live healthier and happier, finding a meditation routine and ways to stick to it may change your life. Now that you know different methods and reasons to practice, what are you waiting for? Practice meditation daily and experience the immense results that it has to offer.

For help with your meditation routine, be sure to shop our collection of relaxing music or contact us today.

Relaxing music can often be a calm bit of respite when trying to navigate the busyness of daily life. However, did you know there is scientific and music theory that claims relaxing music can actually relax the mind?

This is known as the process of psychoacoustics. And it can have plenty of benefits for those that have an overactive mind or struggle to relax after a hard day.

In this article, we will explain what is psychoacoustics and how exactly does it work. Music and songs can help people with decluttering their minds.

It can also help them to access a more relaxed state. Read on to find out more.

What Is Psychoacoustics?

Music and spirituality have always been closely linked. This can be traced back in history to religious ceremonies in Eastern India and also Western Christianity. It's communicated through the methods of chanting, songs, and different musical accompaniments.

The idea for the inclusion of music and song in these religious ceremonies was to aid the body to a deeper state of relaxation. It also cleared the mind to receive well-being effects. It altered the state of the listener's consciousness and helped them to feel more open to their god's message.

This is something that was revisited and analyzed in the 1970s and 1980s by scientific researchers. The conclusion was that certain music played at a certain frequency and tempo can have relaxation and health benefits on the body.

This study, known as psychoacoustics, suggests that this type of music can promote wellness and vitality in the body. It can also aid in recovery and healing.

How Does it Work?

Psychoacoustics uses music as a kind of therapy that can have positive mental and physical effects on the body.

The rhythm and depth of the music can be used in tandem with other activities to access a deeper state of consciousness. This can help with the reparation of feeling overworked or highly stressed in daily life.

The music can be repetitive chords, drones, or natural sounds that act as a sonic mantra to the listener. It allows them to focus on the gentle rhythm and tone of the piece and gently unwind and relax as a result.

It can be played on different instruments such as Tibetan singing bowls, pianos, or even harps.

The music is meant to harmonize and work at a frequency in tune with the Earth's gravitation pull and 'heartbeat'. This, in turn, can also lower a listener's heart rhythm and beats per minute as they listen, meaning they can feel calmer and more at peace.

Using Psychoacoustics at Home

If you want to use psychoacoustic music at home, it's so simple and easy to do. You can use the music in doing meditation sessions as well as yoga or pilates.

It's even something you can do on your lunch break or after work. This is also easier with a large percentage of people now working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All you need is a comfortable environment that you can use that is quiet and peaceful. This could be a spare bedroom or even your living room with a few adjustments.

If you want, you can light some candles or incense and dim the lights to make the space feel more peaceful. You can then use your psychoacoustic soundtrack for your chosen activity and fully engage with relaxing your body and mind.

This can be a perfect opportunity to devote some time away from the grind of your responsibilities and focus on healing and repair. You can also use this relaxing music as a way to unwind at the end of the day. It can then help you drift into a comfortable night's sleep.

Using Psychoacoustics for Your Business

Relaxing psychoacoustic music doesn't have to just be confined to the home. It can also play a part in certain businesses and activities. Places such as yoga studios, massage or spa parlors, and tai chi studios can benefit from the introduction of this music.

The relaxing music can aid customers and participants to get to a deeper state of relaxation, then they would without any music playing. Many people indulge in these kinds of wellness activities as a way of relieving stress and relaxing.

By using a soundtrack that is scientifically proven to aid in relaxation and rest, it means that they can reach beyond their usual state of being relaxed and increase their results.

It could facilitate better yoga or tai chi stances in studios. This can help customers become more advanced with their techniques. Or, it can help them enjoy a more restorative mindset.

In terms of spa or reiki healing businesses, it might allow customers to feel a greater sense of stress relief in tandem with the spa or reiki treatments. The music provides a tranquil environment and setting the customer to get maximum enjoyment from.

Understanding the Science of Psychoacoustics: Where Can I Find Out More?

We hope this article on the science of psychoacoustics has given you more historical and scientific background on why music can be so important for our health.

Everybody has certain songs that can bring back memories or takes you back to a different time in your life. Music has an emotional effect on our bodies, and it can be used to benefit our wellbeing not only mentally but physically.

Trying out psychoacoustic music can help with stress relief, remove fear, and help relax the tightness in muscles. It can also help with positive affirmations and bring a sense of balance and harmony to your life.

If you are interested in finding out more about any of our soundtracks, contact us via the contact page. 

Between work and your busy home life, you can’t seem to grab two seconds to breathe. The stress you’re under is intense and you feel like the entire weight of the world is on your shoulders. If this sounds like you, it might be time for you to slow down and try to squeeze yoga for mind relaxation into your schedule.

There are many mental benefits of yoga. Stress is only one thing that it can take care of. It can also help you build a relationship with yourself, better your relationship with your partner, boost your intelligence, and kick depression to the curb.

Keep reading to learn more about why you should sign up for classes today.

It Moves You Over to the Parasympathetic Nervous System

There are two different parts of your nervous system, the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is what's in charge of your "fight or flight" mode. The parasympathetic nervous system is better known as the "rest and digest" mode.

The calm, deep breathing associated with yoga can switch you out of "fight or flight" mode and put your body and mind into a state of ease.

It Helps You Build a Relationship with Yourself

As you delve deep into yoga, you'll start to see yourself in a new light. It's sort of like doing a trust exercise with yourself. You'll suddenly start to become aware of the value that you possess which will have you exercising more and paying closer attention to your diet.

This newfound sense of self will give you a boost of confidence without overinflating your ego, of course. Yoga is all about balance after all.

It Will Improve Your Relationship with Your Partner as Well

Yoga won't only improve your relationship with yourself. It will improve your relationship with your partner as well. One of the main reasons why people break up is misplaced anger.

You come home from a bad day at work and take it out on your spouse when one of their little quirks pushes you over the edge. Yoga will help you learn to manage your anger so you don't take it out on your poor unsuspecting spouse.

Going off of our last point, when you start to appreciate yourself more, you'll begin to appreciate all of your partner's "annoying" little quirks as well.

It Can Boost Your Intelligence

Taking yoga can actually make you more intelligent, believe it or not. The practice has the power to link the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid with the other cells in your brain. This will reduce depression but that's not all it does.

You see, the more cells that are connected in your brain, the more cognitive functionality and memory you'll have access to. You'll feel smarter and be able to process information much faster and easier.

It Decreases Stress and Improves the Mood

Going back to the example above, low GABA levels are considered to be one cause of depression. As soon as activity increases and it becomes connected to your other brain cells, your depression will become a thing of the past.

Yoga will also increase other hormones in your brain such as, serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. You'll feel happy and more energetic. Not to mention you might get a sudden spark of inspiration to go finish up that creative project that you've been neglecting.

You also won't have as much anxiety clouding your mood. As the happy chemicals in your brain begin to come alive, your cortisol levels go down. Cortisol is the hormone in your brain that causes you to feel fear.

Cortisol is also known to make the size of your brain's prefrontal cortex shrink. Without your prefrontal cortex intact, it will be harder for you to practice helpful skills such as self-discipline.

It Can Help You Overcome a Traumatic Experience

A traumatic experience is something that can and will haunt you for the rest of your days. While yoga can't make that experience go away, it can help you cope with it to some degree.

Delving into yoga will send you into a more primal state of being. This will allow you to tackle your fears head-on in a safe environment that's free from any stimulus that might send you into a relapse.

Again, it will also reduce the cortisol levels in your brain so you can push your anxiety down and focus on developing healthy coping mechanisms.

It Can Reduce Pain Symptoms

If you've suffered from some kind of injury, yoga can help you manage your pain symptoms. While you may not be able to physically do the poses with a broken limb, there's still a way for you to practice the teachings. That is through meditation.

The mindfulness techniques used in meditation has a great effect on the parts of your brain that are responsible for managing pain. After a while of practicing these techniques, your sensitivity to pain will go down.

This being said, meditation isn't a replacement for surgery or the regular treatment methods suggested to you by your doctor. It's just a way to quell your pain symptoms until you heal.

The Many Uses of Yoga for Mind Relaxation

There are many reasons to consider yoga for mind relaxation. It interferes with parts of your brain to reduce fear, promote happiness, boost your intelligence, and it can even make it easier for someone to recover from an injury.

So, what are you waiting for? Book a class or grab a mat and a little relaxing music to practice yoga at home. We can help you with the music part. Go here to browse through our selection of relaxing yoga music.

Around 2,000 years ago, tai chi was developed in Ancient China.

Tai chi is perfect in this fast-paced world as it lets us slow down, get in tune with our bodies, and reap the many health benefits. But tai chi is as good as the environment it’s practiced in.

If you’re unsure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about tai chi practice.

What Is Tai Chi?

To recap, practical tai chi is where you combine your mind, body, and spirit to cultivate “Qi” or life energy. You do this through a combination of deep breathing and flowing movements.

There are many styles of tai chi but the main ones are Chen, Yang, Wu-Hao, and Wu.

How to Do Tai Chi

Here we'll discuss how to practice tai chi at home. Although beginners may benefit from attending classes, it's possible to create the perfect environment yourself.

For example:

Focus

Not sure how to practice tai chi?

The best advice is to focus on the present. Tai chi trains you to combine mental focus and physical action, so be aware of your body and your surroundings.

If you’re in the park, observe the process of nature like the sun warming your face or hearing the wind rustle the leaves. Noticing the flows of energy in nature lets you tap into your Qi.

Relax

In tai chi, you find inner stillness while moving your body. This means you don’t tighten or use your muscles too much.

When you do this, you fall into a rhythm that will let you focus and move freely.

Keep a Natural Posture

During your tai chi daily practice, you must maintain a natural pose. This means you keep your body upright, back straight, and align your shoulders over your hips.

Most importantly, keep your feet flat to stay balanced.

Put On Tai Chi-Friendly Music

Playing tai chi music when you practice creates a perfect, calm atmosphere. Relaxing music declutters your mind so you can focus on your session.

As a result, it’s easier for you to focus on each position and tap into your inner stillness so you’re fully immersed in your tai chi practice.

Notice Your Breathing

Breathe naturally through your nose as you practice. You should relax your stomach so it expands as you inhale and contract as you exhale. When you’re focusing too hard, especially as a beginner, it’s easy to hold your breath but avoid this as it blocks the fluidity necessary in tai chi.

Move Slowly

Many sports or exercises focus on exertion or straining to improve your strength and endurance. But tai chi builds this through slow, relaxed, movements when you’re flexed. This means that the slower you move, the stronger you’ll be.

Separate Your Weight

An important aspect of tai chi is separating your weight. You’ll notice practitioners balance on one foot otherwise known as “separating the weight”. This practice increases your leg strength and maintains a good balance.

When you do this, keep your body upright and make sure your weight rests on your stable foot. Focus on your connection to the ground at all times as it’s one of the most important aspects of tai chi.

Move From Your Center

Make your body a single column where your upper body is perfectly aligned over your bottom-half. Any arm or hand movements must rotate on either side without tensing or twisting your spine. Remember, you must be fluid when practicing tai chi.

Feel Your Body Become Connected

Don’t control the movement. Instead, let it arise naturally from inside and then follow. For instance, your arms move because energy flows from your base and not on their own.

Wear Softer Soled Shoes

Because your base is so important in tai chi, you must feel the earth beneath your feet. Wear thin-soled shoes like moccasins to connect with the earth so the energy rises up through your body.

You should also wear softer shoes more in your everyday life so you feel a renewed sense of energy.

Persevere With Your Practice

Like with every new skill, you must consistently practice so you can absorb and understand the main principles of tai chi. Only through practice will you reap the health benefits and improve steadily.

For motivation, ask your friend to practice especially if you feel embarrassed doing tai chi alone in the park.

Find the Right Style For You

As mentioned, there are various tai chi styles so it’s important to find the best one for you. For instance, the Yang style is the most practiced around the globe and it emphasizes slow, gentle movements.

Chen style is the oldest and it alternates between fast and slow movements alongside jumping and stomping. Wu Hao style, or “the first Wu style”, is a blend of Chen and Yang styles where practitioners have slow movements and maintain a high posture.

The second Wu style, or “Wu style”, is the second most popular practice characterized by its hand darm where you push energy towards your hands.

That's How to Start a Beginner Tai Chi Practice

Now you know the best ways to have a successful tai chi practice.

Tai chi emphasizes stillness so you can focus on movements and reap the benefits. To tap into this, play relaxing music so you can concentrate on the flow of energy and fully immerse yourself in tai chi. Have fun!

If you're looking for music for your tai chi practice, we'd love to help. Check out our royalty free tai chi music here.