Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA

Tai chi practice in the workplace can improve functional fitness and feelings
of well-being, according to a study published in Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation (2009; 34 [3], 331–38). Researchers from York University, Toronto, studied the effects of a workplace tai chi program on physical fitness and well-being among female university employees who used computers. Fifty-two subjects participated in two 50-minute tai chi classes per week for
12 weeks.

Using your iPhone as a tool for practicing yoga, Pilates, tai chi or meditation is only a click away. The iTunes Store features
hundreds of apps
(ranging in price
from free to $19.99)
to support anyone’s
favorite mindful
discipline. The store
also offers topical
books, yoga TV
series and even
yoga movies.

Children experience stress even if they don’t have all
the responsibilities of adults. Adverse experiences in childhood can impact both short- and long-term health. According to the Nemours Foundation, sources of
childhood stress include

A 3-day mindfulness meditation program reduced pain ratings and anxiety scores for young adults with no prior meditation training, according to a small study published in The Journal of Pain (2009; doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2009.07.015). What is important about this study is that researchers showed improvements in mindfulness and pain reduction after only three consecutive 20-minute training sessions.

While use of mental imagery has been widely promoted as an effective complement to physical training, the scientific evidence to confirm that visualization enhances motor skills performance is only now emerging. Recent studies comparing motor skill acquisition by physical practice alone, by mental practice and by a combination of both have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine how these methods activate the brain. The studies have shown that mental imagery and motor skill performance produce activation in overlapping, but not identical, areas of the brain.

Carlos Rosas, co-founder of the Nia Technique together with Debbie Rosas, has announced his intention to retire from Nia after 2010. Founded in the early 1980s, Nia is a mind-body program that integrates martial arts, dance arts and the healing arts. Today, Nia has approximately 2,200 licensed teachers and is offered in at least 43 countries worldwide.

Sustainability issues are on everyone’s minds. The Green Yoga Association is an organization founded to help studios and practitioners foster a connection between ecology and yoga. The association is involved in a number of
programs, including efforts to eliminate plastic water bottles from yoga events and studios; keep PVC and harmful chemicals out of yoga props; educate and support yoga teachers and studios; unite like-minded people for practice, activism and fun; and plant fruit trees to offset carbon emissions.

A brief qigong program may improve mood and self-esteem for people with traumatic brain injury, according to a pilot study published in Clinical Rehabilitation (2009; 23 [7], 589–98). Researchers from the University of Nottingham, in England, recruited 20 people with traumatic brain injury and randomly assigned them to participate in either a qigong exercise session for 1 hour per week for 8 weeks or non-exercise-based social and leisure activities for the same time period.