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Bernard Slede, NAMASTA founder, interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) by Scott Horsley of Morning Edition - July 30, 2007

Gender of US yoga practitioners:

82.2% Female
17.8% Male

Gender of US yoga practitioners:

72.2% Female
27.8% Male

Gender of US yoga practitioners:

77% Female
23% Male

January 9, 2012

Justin Hakuta, co-founder of YogaStart, examines the growing popularity of yoga in today's modern world and ensuing consequences. Read the article here.

April 26, 2011 - Yoga Teaching Increasingly Popular as Second Career
By Alexis Grant

More people are switching careers and following their passions to become a yoga teacher. Read the full article in U.S. News careers section.

April 12, 2005 - A Growing Profession: 70,000 Yoga Teachers Estimated by NAMASTA, the North American Studio Alliance

Yoga teaching has become one of the fastest growing professions in North America. As many as 30 million people practice yoga in the United States alone. NAMASTA, the North American Studio Alliance, the organization for mind-body professionals, nowestimates that there are 70,000 yoga teachers in North America (PRWEB).

Up until now, no organization had published a figure on the number of yoga teachers. Says Bernard Slede, President of the North American Studio Alliance (NAMASTA): "Teachers have gotten training without needing to register with a body comparable to the American Bar Association or the Board of Accountants."

The Yoga phenomenon has grown dramatically over the past few years. For instance, sociologist Paul Ray estimated that there were 28M people who practiced yoga at the end of 2003. Also, Yoga studios have become a hot area for the commercial real estate market. And the word "yoga" turns up 4,444 books on Amazon.com.

NAMASTA determined the figure of 70,000 based on both an estimate of the number of teachers who received training and readership surveys by the major yoga publications. The estimate includes people who might no longer be teaching and teachers who have received different levels of training.

NAMASTA is a member-supported community organization that helps professionals in the United States and Canada pursue their career. Its growth has paralleled that of yoga and the mind-body movement. "We provide yoga teachers and mind-body professionals with what they need to realize their dream and make a
difference in their students` lives," says Bernard Slede. Members of the organization access health care benefits, yoga insurance and massage insurance, reduced rates on yoga, massage and Pilates supplies and other benefits.

Annalisa Cunningham, who wrote several authoritative books on yoga, says that "NAMASTA is an organization I recommend to any mind-body professional who wants support along with time saving tools for building a successful business."

If you need additional information or want to become a member, contact NAMASTA:

- call 1-877-NAMASTA (1-877-626-2782) Toll-Free.
- e-mail us at info@namasta.com

Health Care Survey: Are Mind-Body Professionals Covered?

On October 13, 2004, NAMASTA released the results of a nationwide survey of US mind-body professionals.

See the results of whether yoga and massage professionals have health insurance.

Press Coverage for Mind-Body and Bodywork professionals

The NAMASTA newsletter and the News section of this website share finds on recent articles in the mainstream media that cover yoga, pilates, tai chi, massage and other movement, core-strengthening, bodywork, mind-body, healing arts and wellness activities so that you can in turn use them as "positive reinforcement" tools to your audience.

You are invited to visit NAMASTA's Mind-Body Newsstand as well.

Wellness Industry Data and Statistics

According to sociologist Paul Ray's estimates, the number of people practicing yoga alone in the United States is at least 28 million in 2003. Paul Ray is a member of the Board of Directors of Gaiam, the large wellness industry conglomerate.

A 2001 study by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association gives new numbers and shows that Pilates, Tai Chi and Yoga are by far the exercise activities with the highest growth.

According to that study, Pilates training grew 40% to 2.4M practitioners in the USA in 2001, while Yoga and Tai Chi combined grew 32% to 9.7M.US population, 6 year or older, number who practice at least once a year.

Separately, results of a Harris Interactive poll were released by the Yoga Journal in June 2003. They show 15 million Americans practiced yoga last year. Additionally, the poll finds:
- more than 12% of the U.S. population, or 25.5 M people "very" or "extremely interested" in the practice of yoga
- 16% or 35.3 M people "intend to try yoga within the next 12 months"
- over half, or 109.7 M people have at least a "casual interest in the practice of yoga".
- the growth over the last year was 28%.

Remarkably, Yoga Journal claims it plans to conduct the survey every year, which should now allow for consistency in the statistics.

The market for yoga in particular has grown tremendously, as it is estimated that Americans now spend $27 billion annually on yoga products and a simple search for "Yoga" books on Amazon.com turns up 18,700 results.


Regardless of the absolute numbers, which may be affected by the methodology of each survey, the growth numbers are a clear confirmation that wellness activities are taking hold in North America.

Adding to those numbers 2002-2003 growth, video and TV home-based self-teaching and Canadian practice, one can roughly estimate that the number of North Americans involved in a wellness activity should between 35 and 40 million adults by the end of 2003.

The methodology for arriving at all these numbers is questionable. There are no reliable estimates today for the number of North Americans involved in the practice of wellness activities.
One of NAMASTA's goals is to collect, collate and establish reliable industry statistics.

You are welcome to subscribe to the free NAMASTA Newsletter to receive up-to-date industry statistics, and other pertinent information for mind-body professionals.

To do so, simply enter your e-mail address in this box:

Canadian Yoga Statistics

A 2005 study shows that 5.5% of Canadian adults or 1.4 million people now practice yoga, an increase of 15% from the prior year and 45.4% from 2003. Of the 1.4 million Canadians now practicing yoga, the fastest growing segment is the 18-34 age group, which increased by a remarkable 25.7% in one year.

About 2.1 million Canadians, or 1 in 12 non-practitioners say they intend to try yoga within the next 12 months PMB (Print Measurement Bureau) as quoted by Yoga in Toronto

Gender:
- 72.3% women
- 27.7% men

Age:
- 44.7% are 18-34
- 41.0% are 35-54

How gyms and health clubs deal with the phenomenon

Traditional fitness facilities have embraced the movement in dramatic numbers.

In the US alone, the number of facilities offering yoga has gone up from 31% in 1996 to 85% in 2002, as reported by Idea.

Avant-garde gyms have also introduced Pilates and Gyrotonic®.

Is this a favorable or unfavorable development for specialized yoga and Pilates studios?

On the one hand, a prevalent philosophy among mind-body professionals is that this is not a "zero-sum game" but rather that this is a world of abundance and there is enough of a market for everyone. Along those lines is the thinking that someone who will discover yoga or Pilates mat classes via their gym pass is now more likely to go for the full experience in a specialized facility.

However gyms have:

• agressive and effective marketing that many mind-body professionals shy away from
• unbeatable pricing as yoga and Pilates are available at no extra charge
• family passes and other activities that make their service potentially more a family experience

Mind-Body Authorities Recommend Joining NAMASTA

Many authoritative figures in the mind-body community and members have recommended joining NAMASTA.

Click here to see why.

Why North Americans need to exercise more

In his report, the US Surgeon General states in STATUS OF THE NATION - A NEED FOR CHANGE" more than 60 percent of adults do not achieve the recommended amount of regular physical activity. In fact, 25 percent of all adults are not active at all.".

A 2001 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that the percentage of significantly overweight young Americans has nearly doubled over the past 12 years.

The Center for the Advancement of Health reports that nearly half of all 12- to 21- year-olds are not vigorously active on a consistent basis. Fifty percent of nonactive young people may develop health problems. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. It also helps control weight, reduces depression and anxiety, and improves self- esteem.

The benefits of wellness practices is scientifically documented and the NAMASTA newsletter will report on the advances in research of importance to the wellness community and its clients.

The political and scientific authorities are endorsing wellness activities

The White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine recommends further investigation into such activities as imagery and meditation. The Commissioners include Dean Ornish, renowned for successfully integrating yoga and diet to reverse heart conditions, and Effie Poy Yew Chow, Qi Gong Grandmaster.
Final report of the White House Commission

The Fraser Institute published a comprehensive study on alternative medicine habits in Canada:
Report from the Fraser Institute

There is a growing body of research on the benefits of mind-body activities, which the NAMASTA newsletter covers so that NAMASTA members can disseminate the information to their audience.

Pilates has been scientifically proven beneficial in the treatment of such conditions as adult scoliosis and overuse injury in classical ballet.

Research has shown the value of Tai Chi for osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and balance.

Scientists have demonstrated that yoga helps for a variety of issues from stress to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Lisa Slede, member of NAMASTA's Board of Advisors, has published a comprehensive meta-research article on the mind-body connection and therapeutic interventions (International Journal of Yoga Therapy).

Note: The NAMASTA membership includes free alternative medicine discounts.

Business Resources

The following organizations (not affiliated with NAMASTA) may also prove useful for your activities:

The US Small Business Administration offers general help and resources on setting up your business. www.sba.gov

The Small Business Accelerator, a University of British Columbia initiative, provides business and entrepreneurial education to start your business in BC, Canada. www.sba-bc.ca.

The Service Corps of Retired Executives - SCORE provides absolutely free personalized business consultations which can be of help, in particular when you are setting up your activity or face some business decisions. Be aware that these seasoned volunteers rarely have experience with your particular practice. www.score.org .

The American Marketing Association provides general information and seminars on a variety of marketing topics. www.marketingpower.com


Business for Social Responsibility is a non-profit organization that promotes best practices around corporate social responsibility. www.bsr.org

Directoryinsurance.com is a directory of insurance services on the web. directoryinsurance.com

Insurancestates.com is an online directory of insurance websites in the U.S. Insurancestates.com

"How To Market Your Holistic Health Car or New Age Business Like a Pro..." is a book that illustrates how to make more money in your massage, reiki or holistic business. You can get complete details by clicking below. www.newage marketingbook

Payroll processing services
More and more businesses are moving their payroll processing online. CompuPay is one of the leading US organizations for online payroll See how to choose your payroll provider

CAM Law is a blog that discusses legal issues affecting providers of complementary and alternative medicine. www.camlawblog.com

LOHAS Online is a publication that covers the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability and the business opportunities related to it. www.lohas.com



Click here for a complete list of resources.

Massage and Bodywork Partners and Resources

Yoga, Pilates & Related Resources

The Yoga Alliance is a membership-based organization that certifies yoga teachers based on their hours of training and practice and keeps a registry. www.yogaalliance.org

Yoga Month is a grassroots, community-based global campaign to educate people about yoga. The campaign will be held in September 2012, its 5th year of the event. www.yogahealthfoundation.org

The Yoga Science Foundation's specific mission is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting and conducting research, education, and publication about all aspects of Yoga. www.yrec.org

Yoga Journal is one of the institutions that has helped yoga become mainstream in North America.
www.yogajournal.com
Subscribe to Yoga Journal at a discount

A new Yoga Community Network of websites launched in 2007 as a way for students, teachers and studios to connect with each other. It features top yoga cities across North America. Some of the most popular sites of the network are:

In the United States, San Francisco's Yoga Directory and Boston.

In Canada, Vancouver's Yoga Directory and Toronto.

Yoga Finder allows yoga professionals to list their activities, events and retreats. www.yogafinder.com

YogaFit is one of the premier yoga training organizations. Founded by Beth Shaw, it offers a variety of programs including Yoga Alliance-certified teacher trainings. www.yogafit.com

A2ZYoga.com provides online yoga videos. Watch yoga videos and practice yoga postures, yoga poses, pranayamas, yoga mudras. For beginners and practitioners. www.a2zyoga.com

Traditional Yoga Studies (TYS) is designed to preserve and promote the ancient wisdom of Yoga for your benefit. TYS was founded in early 2004 by Georg Feuerstein who is author of authoritative works such as Yoga for Dummies and The Lost Teachings of Yoga.

Nia, an Oregon company, promotes the Neuromuscular Integrative Action www.nianow.com

Yoga Directory offers information on teacher events, retreats and other yoga-related activities. www.yogadirectory.com

Metro Yoga specializes in training yoga instructors on how to develop and build a corporate yoga business. The Metro Yoga program provides training in all aspects of business development and supplies all of the sales and marketing tools and promotional strategies.
NAMASTA members get 50% off the set-up fees
www.metroyoga.net

T'ai Chi and Qigong Partners and Resources

College of Tao and Integral Health was founded in the 1920s in China by Yo San Ni, a Chinese physician and Taoist master, in order to provide a classical education for his son, Hua-Ching Ni, and other students. Today, The College of Tao and Integral Health offers educational and training programs in the Integral Way Taoist Tradition and Chinese Health for the public and for health professionals.

World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day's founder Bill Douglas leads first edition

World Tai Chi Day promotes tai chi and other healing activities every year around the world, with 2014 being the 16th consecutive year the event has been held since its inception.

On April 26, 2014 participants in the World Tai Chi Day will offer initiation classes and demonstration in public places in over 65 countries at 10 o'clock local time.

Read Bill Douglas' article on the health benefits of T'ai Chi.

The World Tai Chi and Qigong Day organization was founded by Bill Douglas, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi & Qigong, Anthology of T'ai Chi & Qigong: Prescription for the Future and many other authoritative books and videos.
www.worldtaichiday.org.

Natural Health, Alternative Healing and Spiritual Sites

The National Institute of Whole Health gives mind-body professionals access to their Whole Health Education career and practice enhancement programs:

CEUs for Health Care Professionals

NAMASTA Members can get $500 off any program from the National Institute of Whole Health. To become a member of NAMASTA, call Member Services at 1 877 626 2782 (877 NAMASTA) or sign up online.

If you are not yet a member, follow this link for details and an introductory discount only available here on National Institute of Whole Health education programs.
www.niwh.org

OmPlace - The "Conscious Living" Directory and Alternative NewsRoom
OmPlace is a searchable Directory of Alternative Web Sites and an Alternative NewsRoom. "We live in a new age. We live healthier lives, seek change and look for alternative ways to prevent and cure disease, protect the environment, improve health and evolve as spiritual beings. We take responsibility for our health and spiritual choices. Having access to information when you need it in an ever-changing world can mean the difference between struggling and thriving."
www.omplace.com


OfSpirit.com is a "holistic magazine and resource" for education, entertainment and empowerment. Find news, articles and business listings on everything from Acupuncture to Zen.
www.ofspirit.com


Wisdom and Health is a resource that provides information and products to fight stress, headaches, neck and back pain.
www.wisdomandhealth.com


NaturalHealthWeb.com is an internet portal for Natural Health and Alternative Medicine. Its mission is to provide informative, quality self improvement and natural health information to help people improve their lives.
www.naturalhealthweb.com


Gems for friends offers information on alternative medicine and ways to improve your health: affirmations, inspirational quotes, goal setting techniques, aromatherapy, feng shui, health tips, herbs, massage and more.
www.gems4friends.com

The American Institute of Vedic Studies, directed by Dr. David Frawley, provides books, courses and training programs in Ayurvedic medicine, Vedic astrology, Yoga and Vedic studies, as well as resource links, on-line articles and on-line books.
www.vedanet.com


In Light Times is a spiritual, metaphysical and holistic Publication. This on-line and hard Copy Publication presents concepts for conscious living - spiritual growth. It features uplifting stories, interviews, health, astrology, reviews and more.
www.inlightimes.com

SpaWire is a complimentary weekly newsletter featuring the latest news, announcements, press releases, and trends within the spa, salon, and wellness industry.
www.SpaWire.com

Awakening Spirit offers aromatherapy products and custom blended all-natural personal care products and a full line of therapeutic and essential oils.
www.awakeningspirit.com

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Other Links

International Conference on Science and Consciousness. Held yearly in Santa Fe, NM.
www.bizspirit.com

Those web site links are listed as a convenience to our visitors. If you use these links, we take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of these third-party sites.

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