Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) opened the doors to its amazing, new yoga studio and yoga teacher training facility called Spirit of Yoga. Have you been there to check it out yet? If not, you really should if you love Yoga! Our intention is to provide a sanctuary to those who seek yoga as a path to self-realization and celebrate the personal-spiritual connection inherent within the practice of yoga.
Spirit of Yoga can also now be found online, at myspiritofyoga.com. This beautiful center was built from the award-winning private college also located near-by, in Tempe, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. SWIHA has operated a Tempe Yoga Studio and Yoga Teacher Training program for the past 12 years. Recently, in May of 2011, SWIHA decided to open the doors to a new yoga studio and teacher training facility just a few blocks away from its main campus. The website has some wonderful photos of real SOY instructors and students. It boasts a gallery of images from the beautiful interior environment as well as a tasted of the gorgeous grounds on which the facility rests.
The new, Tempe Yoga Studio facility, location, and name have changed, but the mission remains the same – "to offer yoga classes which are affordable, flexible, and transformational." The owner of the college, KC Miller, says that "for over a decade, Spirit of Yoga has changed the lives and elevated the practice of countless yoga practitioners, instructors, and devotees, all because of our full range of classes from beginning to advanced, not to mention the amazing instructors."
Spirit Of Yoga offers a wonderful menu of daily Yoga Classes in Tempe, morning, day, and evening, in a variety levels such as Yoga Basics, Gentle Flow, Hatha Gong, Classical, Power, Meditation, Restorative, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Yin, Ashtanga Blend, Family Yoga, and more.
Yoga Classes are usually one hour and twenty minutes in length. Mats, blocks, blankets, and other props are available for use during classes, excluding Gentle Yoga and Mat Pilates. For walk-ins (per class), the cost is $12. They also provide special class packages, Saturday family yoga, and monthly specials.
Stay tuned in to myspiritofyoga.com and visit the studio ASAP!
Art with Heart is a dynamic program sponsored by Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, a conscious college community, which spotlights local Arizona artists. Held at our campus in Tempe, Arizona, a new showcase is held every three months. With over 20 local artists displaying more than 80 pieces of their work, there is something to appeal to everyone. Each artist is allowed as many pieces as their space can hold and are encouraged to use their area to its fullest.
Whether an artist, or simply an enthusiast, Art with Heart is sure to inspire and captivate you. If any work of art speaks specifically to your tastes, you can support the local art scene by purchasing it. While all entries share some aspect of the theme, Art with Heart, particularly emphasizes the metaphysical art and contains techniques and mediums that are as diverse as the artists themselves!
~ Gain Exposure ~
Thousands of people pass through our school monthly. Beyond our considerable class offerings, we hold many large events to invite the local community into our family each month. Our Gifts and Graces sessions, held the first Friday of every month, attract hundreds of first time visitors. All our events and classes bring many people to our college, and in turn, they get a chance to see the art on our walls. In addition to increased sales, exposure is a valuable asset for our artists. We also feature our program on several of our websites for additional exposure.
Are you looking for a new venue for your work? Do you know someone whose work deserves more publicity? Are you looking for the first showing of your own art? Art with Heart and SWIHA might provide the perfect setting!
~ Come Check Us Out ~
We invite you to tour our college at 1100 E. Apache Blvd. Tempe, AZ 85281 to see the current show. Your visit will provide a clear sense of the opportunity and whether it is the right venue for you! If you have any questions, or would like additional information, please call (480) 944-9244 ext. 175 or email
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. And visit Swiha.edu.
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." ~Pablo Picasso
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Practiced and appreciated worldwide, Yoga is commonly known as a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. Its many forms have been on the rise around many parts of the globe for some time now. Meditation also has a vast following. It refers to any family of practices in which the practitioner trains his or her mind, or self-induces a mode of consciousness, in order to realize some benefit. Southwest Institute of Healing Arts fully embraces both Yoga and Mediation, and offers many wonderful programs for people to become instructors or certified. In a recent article from www.phoenix.edu, they explore the idea that yoga and meditation can actually help improve study habits, as well as overall mental health and physical health! Let's explore...
"We don’t usually think of yoga, meditation, and studying in the same sentence, but it’s no secret that many forms of exercise — both mental and physical — can contribute directly to improved mental focus and concentration. Both yoga and most forms of meditation include an increased focus on long, deep, slow breaths, as well as the coordination of mental concentration with some kind of structured activity, such as yoga poses, breath patterns, chanting or even just focusing your gaze on a specific spot. All of these activities have been shown to help increase the body’s relaxation response and to reduce the production of adrenaline (our bodies’ chemical "fight or flight" response to stressors). Since adrenaline and the stressors that cause it can contribute directly to anxiety, nervousness and the distracting "mental chatter" that can build up when we are stressed out, any activity that can help combat these issues can also help improve your overall mental focus." - Jill Elaine Hughes, UOPX Writer Network, College of Social Sciences
Yoga and Meditation Effects On The Body:
Both have been found to cause a biochemical effect on the human body, resembling benefits of anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications. Both are thought to reduce adrenaline production, reduce production of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, and increase the hormone oxytocin. Therefore, an overall feeling of calmness and well-being is heightened. This results in multiple benefits, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We could all use a dose of these at one time or another!
Also reported in the above article was information from a New Jersey-based psychotherapist and university professor, Diane Lang, who incorporates various meditative activities into her coursework. Lang says, "In my classes I require all my students to do two random acts of kindness per day, and then report on it. Socialization and interpersonal communication is becoming a lost art today due to the explosion in technology, and that contributes to anxiety and a reduced sense of self." What a great idea!
Lang also recommends "gratitude checks" to her students and psychotherapy clients. Her description: "Each morning and evening, you make a list of what you’re thankful for in that given day. By taking a few minutes to do this each day, you can begin and end your day in a positive state of mind." Lang recommends further, doing simple daily activities such as walking or other regular exercises to promote mental health. "We know scientifically that if you walk, it reduces stress hormones and increases endorphins, resulting in mental wellness. Exercise produces a lot of happiness and has a calming effect, and so can things like gratitude checks and similar activities. All of these things are excellent for mental focus and well-being, the trick is finding what works best for you," says Lang.
If you are curious about trying either of these aspects, or both Yoga and Meditation, take a class to see what all the buzz is about. You might discover a new part of yourself you never knew existed! Yoga Programs offered at SWIHA are designed to support those who wish to deepen their personal spiritual connection while mastering the principles and practice of yoga. Blending the highest intentions of Eastern & Western philosophy and practice, our life-changing and career-elevating programs guide students through a deep exploration of the roots, practice, and development of yoga as a path to self-realization. Meditation is incorporated to many of the Yoga Techniques. Learn more at beayogateacher.com
Holistic Healthcare LIGHT Up Your Life
by Geoff Gray, a student of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts' Mind Body Wellness Practitioner program.
How can you achieve a mind/body/spirit lifestyle? It's easy. The key is to use L.I.G.H.T.
Listen, Ignite, Green, Heat, Time
Healthcare has changed over the last several years. The connection to wellness and lifestyle has many of us wondering what it all means. Some may say the 'pop a pill and call me in the morning' approach just isn't enough. The desire for the quick fix has left too many people dissatisfied with costly bills. Mind/body/spirit wellness relies on creating balance. When balance is the focus, wellness is more effective in creating permanent change.
The first and most important factor in this mind/body/spirit approach is to LISTEN. Taking time to focus your energy and raise the level of awareness allows you to think and feel outside the realm of current circumstances. Thus, a clear image of yourself makes moving forward easier.
Second, there is the need to IGNITE or connect to that which brings life. For some, that may mean connecting to a higher being. While for others, that could be meditation. Whatever it is for you, bodies require fuel! Life is about energy exchange. By igniting and setting free the energy that breathes new life in you, it will invite a new sense of being. Removing, or disconnecting from what steals energy keeps the body from running on empty. A gardener will prune the dead in order to allow new life.
Eating GREEN is third. This is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts. Eating green doesn't mean buying a "healthy" frozen meal that can be popped in the microwave. Eating green is a mindful exercise as well. It's about taking time to be thankful for what you have and eating whole foods free from toxic pesticides. So, eat green everyday!
The fourth key is HEAT. Heat means sweat! The body is designed to sweat. Exercising causes several types of release. Release of not only toxins in
your body, but also the release of emotions that have built up in your subconscious.
Last, and certainly not least, is TIME. Time to sleep. If the body is not resting enough, other areas of operation will begin to shut down and fail.
Think of it like this, rest equals healing. Healing takes place at night when the mind and body rests. So, make sure you get plenty of rest for your
body to heal.
Creating a mind/body/spirit lifestyle can require change. Changes take place when L.I.G.H.T. exposes the dark. Imagine or pretend if needed what you might look like after raising your awareness. Changing a single thought pattern and releasing negative self-talk helps to begin this mind/body/spirit transformation. Living in such a way that creates this kind of balance paves the way for success. It's almost like building your own road to life and healing. Each block is one step toward success in every area of your mind, body and spirit!
Geoff Gray is a Mind/Body Wellness Practitioner specializing in Holistic Nutrition. If you would like to contact him, please email Geoff at
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