But why is it that there are certain yoga poses that we just dread? We can feel them coming, and start to hope the instructor isn’t going to do it this time. Then we inwardly cringe when the instructor even mentions that posture’s name. Simply recognising our reaction and can tell us a great deal not only about our physical abilities but also a great deal about our character and our approach to difficulties, adversity and failure. We should all observe our approach to the poses we hate. Is our approach to put in little effort and avoid doing the pose properly or try to think more about why we dislike it, to figure out if we’re doing it wrong, or if we need to put in a little more effort to get past this challenge.
Whatever our approach to the poses we dislike, simply identifying which specific poses these are can tell us a lot about how to improve our practice.
It hurts too much – I don’t want to do it. For most of us at least, the resistance to the pose doesn’t really have anything to do with the technicalities of the pose – it’s just about ourselves. The biggest resistance to trying a pose is because we know its going to hurt and challenge us. Some of the most dreaded poses are those that require back muscle strength, since these are some of our least developed and worked muscles groups. As soon as we lie down on our stomachs, we start to dread the muscle burn that is about to come. But if a pose is hurting because our muscles are too weak, then the only way to get past it is to work those muscles and strengthen them. If a pose is hurting because of the stretch, then the only way to get past it is to relax, extend and stretch those muscles and joints. With a little work we will eventually overcome that particular challenge, and something else will become our new dreaded pose.
It’s too difficult, I just can’t do it. Another common reason for wishing to avoid certain poses is because we’re convinced it’s too difficult for us. But for basic and intermediate poses, there are very few poses that are so difficult that we just can do them. Fair enough doing the full pose as the instruction directs may be beyond your current abilities, but with effective instruction, you should be able to find part of the pose, or a variation of the full pose that you can attempt. If we can’t manage a full unsupported backbend, then it's a supported backbend or a more gentle backward stretch.
They call it a yoga practice Whatever our reasons for disliking a pose, avoiding the pose completely is certainly not going to help in any way. If we don't try to make the pose today, we certainly won't be able to do it tomorrow either. Only by recognising our boundaries and limits of our abilities can work at extending those boundaries, only by extending our boundaries do we develop and improve our yoga – or anything else in life. Trying, trying properly and trying frequently are all essential elements of our development. No-one can be expected to be a master of every pose, we all have areas we can work on. With quick look around your yoga studio you see people that are good at forward bends, those that are good at back bends, those that have open hips and those that have strong upper body and arms. Its rare to find people that are equally good at every aspect. And nobody is perfect, the finished article – that’s why we call it a yoga practice.
As clichéd as it sounds, yoga really is a journey of discovery and development, physically, mentally and if you allow it, spiritually. The first big step in our development journey is understanding our abilities are right now. By bringing awareness to our practice we can start to know where our limitations are and focus on those areas as key development points within a balanced practice. This is the start of the journey. The rest of the journey is the continued and systematic extension of those boundaries. And the destination, the goal of all this effort? The ongoing and continued improvement of our physical, mental and spiritual health.
If used well, the internet is a marketer's dream, enabling them to directly reach their customers. If misunderstood and used incorrectly, it can severely damage or even destroy a company.
The marketing departments of large, traditional companies are just beginning to understand the power of the web and how to use it effectively. When they get it right, the results can be dramatic. Ford made an additional $90 million in revenue just by moving 2% of their marketing budget online.
But, just allocating money to online efforts is not enough. Marketers have to understand the difference between simply buying media to push their message and influencing their buyers whilst they make their buying decision.
Traditional marketing focused on creating a message and pushing that message at a target audience through adverts in print publications, billboards, radio and TV. If the audience believed the message and it was relevant to them, they would buy the product or service. Job done.
This situation is changing very rapidly and it's the internet that is driving the change.
Buying a Digital Camera
Last week, I was in the market for a digital camera. I had a rough idea of what I wanted, but was unsure of what was available. A few years ago, the first thing that I would have done to help me make a decision about what to buy would have been to go to a newsagent/news stand and buy a magazine about digital cameras. Every other page would have a large, colourful advert influencing my decision. Advertisers felt in control of how prospective customers consumed the messages they wanted them to hear.
Last week, buying a magazine did not even cross my mind.
I went straight to the computer and started to search for websites offering independent camera reviews. The quality of the free information I found was superb. It was detailed, informed, professional and comprehensive. If you're interested in some of the sites I looked at, go to Digital Camera Review (www.dpreview.com) and Digital Camera Views (www.dcviews.com).
I was in total control of the research process. The camera manufacturers had to sit on the sidelines and wait to see what my verdict was and which camera I had decided to buy.
Customers are now in charge.
Recent research found that over 80% of new car buyers do internet research before making a purchase. The figure is probably similar for all large purchases (homes, holidays, TVs, mobile phones, etc.) For the digital generation, internet research is used even more frequently to decide on many more purchases, including music, books and clothes.
People now decide what they want and go looking for it. It is much harder to push your message at your target audience in the online world.
What has this go to do with specialist information publishers?
My example above about looking for a digital camera should give you a good idea of why specialist information publishers are so important. They are becoming a critical part of the marketing/buying process.
If an online publisher is creating regular articles about a niche subject, they will find their way to the top of the search results pages. If they are being found by people researching what to buy, they will become an important influence on the final buying decision.
The more savvy advertisers are realising this and are starting to court individual experts who could influence their buyers.
Working with Manufacturers and Suppliers
There are many ways that advertisers try to work with (and influence) specialist publishers. They include:
? Provide free products for evaluation ? Invite publishers to company events, such as new product launches ? Provide free products for competitions ? Involve publishers in product development ? Provide sneak previews of new products ? Ask to advertise on their website ? Offer to sponsor all or part of the website
Staying Independent
Some specialist publishers refuse to work with manufacturers and suppliers because they say that it taints their independence.
I think that this is a mistake for three reasons:
A relationship with key companies in your sector should give you access to information that is exclusive and unique. This is very valuable to your readers and is what will keep them loyal to your site. Having access to senior people in organisations in your sector gives you credibility. If they are willing to spend time talking with you, it endorses you as an expert and a credible source of information. These companies can become an important regular income stream for your online business through advertising and sponsorship.
Of course, it is essential that you are open and honest about these relationships to all parties concerned.
You must tell suppliers that any relationship will not influence what you write and they will not be able to edit your articles.
Likewise, you should be open with your readers about any relationship you have with companies when writing about them or their products.
It can be a difficult balancing act, but magazine publishers have been doing it for decades, so it is certainly possible.
Specialist information websites are all set to become very important to advertisers. Get ready to make hay whilst the sun shines.
Both Jez Heath & Miles Galliford are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jez Heath has sinced written about articles on various topics from Backpain, Yoga Practice and Yoga. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jez Heath is helping real people on the yoga journey with high quality yoga instruction, even if you can't make it to yoga class. Discover how you can. Jez Heath's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.
Miles Galliford has sinced written about articles on various topics from Internet Marketing, E Books and Internet Marketing. SubHub provides an all-in-one solution to enable you to rapidly design, build and run your own content website. Publish for profit on the web.Website: