In the midst of a recession, sacrifices have to be made. We all know that yoga can be a beneficial part of your life and can actually help out with day to day stress. For me, it is a place to escape and still do something good and productive for your body and mind. However, if you’re a beginner and need some guidance, classes in LA can be an expensive journey of gas, parking, and per session costs.

If you’re fortunate enough to have an iPhone, iTouch, or iPad, the apps can be a very handy way to save time and money on practicing yoga. I use two apps in particular quite frequently for practicing yoga at home.

It’s a well-known fact that January is the busiest month for fitness facilities. After all the turkey, chocolates, and egg nog, it seems only appropriate that starting on New Years Day, we all resolve to fit back into those skinny jeans... and decide to hit the gym. Our intentions are great, the motivation is there, and we remain committed to shedding those pounds... all for a whopping 3 weeks. After that, suiting up in our sweats, commuting to the gym, only to make a date with that treadmill, just becomes more and more work. The solution? Witty Workouts. Or, in other words, laughing yourself lean. It’s a new concept that combines fitness and comedy, and is brought to us by creators Brendan Fox and Chris “TT” Allin. “Witty Workouts is a fitness revolution, getting people to realize that getting fit does not have to be a chore,” says Allin. “It is a mash up of trainers, comedians, and innovative theme workouts (which include games and prizes), that will get you great fitness results while you laugh yourself silly.”

 A mind free from all disturbance is Yoga. 

- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
If you are one of the many people whom suffer from insomnia, whether occasionally or often, Yoga can help.

Through a series of relaxing physical exercises, breathing techniques and complete relaxation, you can promote more restful and regular sleeping patterns.

Ideas are a dime a dozen. But implementation is one in a million! Of all the successful people I meet in my career, believe it when I say that all of them—yes, all of them—are doers! Be they actors, producers, or business entrepreneurs, they have all taken steps towards achieving the goals that they have set for themselves. In this world where everybody and their sister has a good business idea, only one in a thousand people takes the risk of putting words into action. Here are five pointers to get you going:

“Yoga accepts. Yoga gives.” - Terri Guillemets

With our unregulated and undisciplined lifestyle, the kind of food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and our emotional pulls and pressures, certain hormones are secreted that have a tendency to leave behind toxins. The accumulation of toxins in our body is natural. Toxins themselves are a product of our lifestyle, our diet, the environment, and our emotional patterns.

We cannot escape this. However, there are ways to detoxify and cleanse the body, as well as the mind. Cleansing yoga is a great way to improve your health in many ways, since you will learn how to remove the toxins from the body while preparing your mind and spirit to be free. These practical purification practices aim at the detoxification of the body and mind.

“We don't stop being divine when we have a bad day.” - Author unknown

There are a multitude of yoga poses and sequences that will assist in opening the heart; calming the mind; and releasing both endorphins and the "feel-good" hormone oxytocin into the body, creating happy emotions that can lay the groundwork for not only a wonderful day, but also long-term well-being.

Having a bad day? Your yoga mat is a great place to connect with your inner joy and divinity! Find a quiet, peaceful place in your home, light a candle or two, put on your favourite music, and roll out your mat. Take a moment to pause and set an intention for your practice. And then come onto your mat, and sit in Sukasana (easy pose). Begin with deep inhalations and exhalations through the nose, being mindful of your breath and inhaling only positive energy as you expel any negative energy on exhalation. Then come into standing, and prepare yourself mentally for a few sets of Surya Namaskar, always remembering to let your heart be your guide.

“When breath wanders the mind is also unsteady. But when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still, and the yogi learns to achieve long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.” - Svatmarama, Hatha Yoga Pradipika

In our hectic lives we sometimes feel that we don’t get a chance to breathe. Breathing is essential to life, and it seems like such a natural process. But there are some secrets to respiration that, when discovered, will assist you in enjoying wonderful benefits.

Breath control, known as Pranayama, is an important yoga practice. There are various techniques that allow you to control the involuntary continuous action of inhaling and exhaling. This is achieved by arresting and regulating the process of breathing. The benefits are holistic, with positive effects on the physical, mental and spiritual self.

Tao Te Ching taught, "Whatever is flexible and flowing will tend to grow, whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die.”

The secret to success lies within each of us.  This is a powerful truth, but how may we tap into the enabling force we hold inside?  We need to take the time to care for ourselves, to nurture ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually.  We also need to embrace a life of ongoing learning, and open ourselves to new possibilities.  Now is the time to go with the flow.

One path to realizing is using yoga as a practice, which is beneficial to anyone and everyone.  It may be easily adapted to accommodate your capabilities, and offer challenges appropriate to your level.  This is multi-faceted and deepens your understanding of how the body, mind, and spirit are connected.