Healthy lifestyle Journey

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Years ago when young I began doing hatha yoga. Although several years passed without practicing yoga, the complete yoga breathing learned from it was a constant presence in my life. There was also my Islamic life, including praying salat five times every day. A couple years ago I returned to yoga while keeping up my Islamic practice. How are these two developments related? How do they interact?
When I returned to the practice of yoga, I found that it is easily integrated with the Islamic life; in fact the two assist one another. Not only is there no conflict, but Islam and yoga together make a mutually beneficial synergy. Both are agreed that, while the body is important as a vehicle on the way to spiritual realization and salvation, the human being’s primary identity is not with the body but with the eternal Spirit.
This is not a case of syncretism between two religions (which be spiritually invalid). Yoga is not a religion. Rather, it is a set of techniques and skills that enhance the practice of any religion. A French author named Jean Dechanet discovered this in regard to his Catholic faith and wrote the book Christian Yoga (New York : Harper, 1960). In my case, I have found that Islamic yoga is a reality. It is possible to employe the skills of yoga to worship Allah better and to be a better Muslim.
Yoga arose from the matrix of the Hindu world, although according to Mircea Eliade it is of pre-Hindu origin and can be traced back to prehistoric shamanism. Like India’s other gifts to world civilization, for example the system of place notation on which all mathematics depends, yoga is not tied to the Hindu religion but has a universal applicability. It helps one to follow one’s own religion better whatever that may be. It has certain specific affinities with Islam that make for an interesting study.
1. Metaphysical doctrine
Since the metaphysic of Advaita Vedanta is in agreement with the tawhid (doctrine of oneness) of Islam, there is perfect compatibility between Islam and yoga on the highest level. All traditional esoterisms agree that everything in manifestation has its origin in the Supernal. The manifestations on the material plane are derived from the ideational realm of archetypes (known as al-a’yan al-thabitah in the metaphysics of Ibn al-’Arabi). This world, limited as it is, is just an expression of the ultimate Reality, and will ultimately be reabsorbed in its supernal Origin. Advaita Vedanta and Islamic esoteric metaphysics are agreed that God is the only absolutely real, eternal Reality; all else is contingent and therefore transitory. The unitary view of reality in Advaita Vedanta accords well with the tawhid (divine oneness) of Islam, and the Oneness of Being in the Sufi doctrine of Ibn al-’Arabi.
It is interesting to compare the symbolism of Prophet Muhammad’s night time ascent to Heaven, al-Mi’raj, with the corresponding symbolism in yoga. The Prophet ascended on al-Buraq, a riding beast with the head of a woman, through the seven heavens to the Throne of God. In yoga, the kuNDalini is a feminine power (sakti) that dwells at the base of the spine and ascends through seven levels (represented by the seven cakras) to the summit of liberation (brahmarandhra).
2. Salat and asanas
One of the most obvious correspondences between Islam and hatha yoga is the resemblance of salat to the physical exercises of yoga asanas. An Indian Muslim author, Ashraf F. Nizami, noted this in his book Namaz, the Yoga of Islam (Bombay : D.B. Taraporevala, 1977). The root meaning of the word salat is ‘to bend the lower back’, as in hatha yoga; the Persians translated this concept with the word namaz, from a verbal root meaning ‘to bow’, etymologically related to the Sanskrit word namaste. The thousands of postures and variations known to hatha yoga can be classified into a few basic types, including standing postures, spinal stretches, inverted postures, seated postures, and spinal twists. The genius of Islamic salat is to incorporate all of these in rudimentary form into a compact, flowing sequence, ensuring a thorough, all round course of exercises for good health that is easy for everyone to practice.
a) Standing : The Mountain Pose (TaDasana) is the foundation for all standing asanas. One always begins from this and returns to it at the completion of the standing sequence. In this it very closely resembles not only the standing posture of qiyam in salat, but also the “Return to Mountain” of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. Standing in Mountain Pose or qiyam is a quiescent exercise for the whole body: feet, legs, and spine working together. With one’s feet planted squarely on Earth and one’s head reaching toward Heaven, this post is of the finest metaphysical significance to the sacredness of the human state, for vertically is the essence of religion.
b) Spinal stretching : As the yogis say, one is as young as one’s spine. Hatha yoga concentrates much careful attention on deep, thorough stretches of the spine, bringing the head forward to rest on the knees. Since all the nerves of the body are channeled from the spinal cord out between the vertebrae, a healthy spine is of central importance for the well-being of the whole human body and mind. It takes much patient, persistent practice to make and keep the spine ideally flexible, and only the most dedicated yogis succeed in this. Since Islam is a path for everyone, the Islamic spinal stretch is kept easy and within everyone’s reach: the bowing position called ruku only requires that you bend forward enough to place your hands on your knees. Nonetheless, even this minimal stretch helps keep the spine in good condition. When I returned to yoga after praying salat for several years, I found that making ruku seventeen times a day had beautifully prepared my spine for deeper forward stretches.

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c) Inverted poses : The heart does its best to circulate blood all through the veins and arteries, but it’s a demanding job, and exercise is needed to help the circulation go to maximum efficiency. In particular, raising fresh blood to the brain through the carotid artery, and lifting it from the feet back up to the heart, is always going against the pull of gravity. This is why two of the most important and beneficial asanas are the Shoulderstand (saravangasana, the ‘whole body pose’) and the Headstand (sirSasana). Islamic prayer has taken the most essential aspect of these inverted poses: lowering the head below the heart. The position called sujud is easy for everyone to accomplish and helps to bathe the brain in fresh oxygenated blood to keep it health and alert. Ashraf F. Nizami writes: “This may be termed similar to …Half Sirshasana, It helps full fledged pumping of blood into the brain and upper half of the body including eyes, ears, nose and lungs.”
d) Seated postures : The word asana means ‘seat’ and the basic postures for meditation are seated ones, especially the Lotus. The Diamond Pose (vajrasana) is practically identical with the seated position of salat called jalsah. This has, of course, not escaped the notice of both yogis and Muslims in India. Nizami writes : “This is a Hardy Pose or is like Vajrasana.” Swami Sivananda in his book Yoga Asanas writes: “This Asana resembles more or less the Nimaz pose in which the Muslims sit for prayer.” Furthermore, both vajrasana and jalsah are the same as the zazen posture of Japan. Having practiced a little yoga when young, it became easier for me to sit on the floor in mosques for long stretches of time. In turn, accustomed to this in Islam over the years, it was then much easier to learn seated yoga postures like the Lotus, since my leg and hip joints were accustomed to the floor.
When sitting in the Lotus, a yoga mudra that accompanies meditation is made by forming the index finger and thumb into a circle. The Islamic mudra, made while sitting in jalsah, is to extend the index finger in a straight line (to attest to the Oneness of God), while forming the thumb and middle finger into a circle. The figure 1 and the figure 0 can convey a Tantric symbolism, and also are curiously similar to the binary 1 and 0 of computer science.
e) Spinal twists : A session of yoga practice normally concludes, just before final relaxation, with a thorough twist of the whole spine (ardha matsyendrasana) to the right and to the left. It helps to even out the spine from the other poses it has done and keep everything balanced. In much the same way, salat concludes with the prayer of peace (salam) said while turning the head to the right and then to the left. This works only the cervical and may be a few of the rhoracic vertebrae, but it is useful for keeping the neck flexible and is consistent with the pattern in salat of presenting reduced versions of the yoga asanas.
3. Breathing
In yoga, the science and art of breathing is paramount. The relaxation and exertion of all the members of the body, the stilling and concentration of the mind, the energizing of the whole being, and the access to the spiritual dimension all depend on breathing. In most languages of the world, the words for ‘breathing’ and ‘spirit’ are the same or closely related. The Arabic word for ‘spirit’ is ruh, coming from a root with several interconnected meanings: ‘to relax’, ‘to breathe’, and ‘to set out moving’. The full range of these meanings, taken together, summarizes all the functions of the breathe in Yoga. The Sanskrit word corresponding to ruh is atman, which also comes from an Indo-European root meaning ‘breath’ (compare the High German word Atem, ‘breathe’).
The spiritual importance of breath is a part of Islam’s teachings. Hazrat Inayat Khan writes on the subject of Islamic purification: “Man’s health and inspiration both depend on purity of breath, and to presrve this purity th hostrils and all the tubes of the breath must be kept clear. They can be kept clear by proper breathing and proper ablutions. If one cleanses the nostrils twice or oftener it is not too much, for a Moslem is taught to make this ablution five times, before each prayer.” According to Hakim G.M. Chishti in The Book of Sufi Healing, “Life, from its beginning to end, is one continuous set of breathing practices. The Holy Qur’an, in addition to all else it may be, is a set of breathing practices.”
4. Meditation and worship
In part 23 of the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali teaches the attainment of supreme spiritual realization through devotion to God (isvara pranidhana). The sutra is a very succinct, condensed type of literature, so a single brief mention suffices. Because Patanjali did not elaborate upon it, some commentators have assumed that his God is a mere figurehead or abstraction and therefore not so important in yoga practice. Nothing could be further from the truth; in fact, the one feature that distinguishes the metaphysic of the Yoga darsana from that of the Sankhya darsana of Kapila (a non-theistic analysis of the elements in the cosmos and consciousness) is the presence of God in Yoga. This makes all the difference, and allows the consonance of Yoga with religion.
Patanjali wisely chose to refer to God as isvara, which in Sanskrit simply means ‘God, the Supreme Being’ and does not name and deity of any particular religion. This universality frees Yoga from conflict with any religious doctrine, so that its techniques can be applied by a believer of any faith. In India, Yoga has been applied to a vast variety of different religious perspectives, and it works just as well for other religions including Islam. There is nothing specifically Hindu or Islamic about its techniques, but it will assist the devotee in any kind of worship. Yoga means to concentrate and still the mind; when this concentration is directed upon God, the yogis is reaching toward the heart of his religion.
As for meditation, traTaka is a yogic technique to focus the attention and attain one-pointedness. It consists of fixing the gaze on a single point. (It assists balance, too). While standing in Islamic prayer, we practice traTaka by fixing the gaze on a spot on the ground where the forehead rests in sujud. During ruku’. the traTaka is directed at the point between the big toes. The purpose is to focus the attention on the prayer and keep it from wandering. In this way it helps lead to a meditative state.
An important part of Sufi spiritual practice is to invoke the Divine Name Allah and meditate upon it. Once I had learned through yoga how to still the mind and focus the attention, I discovered that the same technique greatly sharpened and clarified my meditation on the Divine Name. It was like a nearsighted person putting on glasses and suddenly seeing clearly and sharply.
Some Sufi orders practice meditation and invocation focused within certain centers (lata’if) in the subtle body; this is the same technique as the yogic meditation upon the cakras.
5. Purification
It goes without saying that both Islam and yoga require basic physical and moral cleanliness and purity (taharah, sauca) before performing their practices. The two differ in several respects, but one feature that is common to both is using water into one nostril so that it flows through the sinuss and out the other nostril. The Muslim when making wudu’ takes water up the nose and blows it out; this is called istinsha’. Again, the Islamic version does not go as deep, being simplified to make it easily accesible to everyone.
6. Food
The Ayurvedic principles of yogic diet and the hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are agreed that milk and ghee are beneficial, and that beef is detrimental to health. Likewise, both discourage eating onions and garlic. Ginger (Arabic zanjabil, from Sanskrit srngivera, from Proto-Dravidian cinciver) is mentioned in the Qur’an (76:17) as a spice of Paradise. Ayurveda regards ginger as sattvika, a quality helpful to spiritual life. Both Ayurveda and the Qur’an tell of the spiritual qualities of the basil plant, the sacred basil (Ocimum sanctum) called tulasi in Sanskrit and the sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) called rayhan in the Qur’an (while the Italians value it only for its culinary qualities!). Tulasi basil is used to uplife, clear, and invigorate the mind, assisting the consciousness to focus on spiritual thoughts; rayhan is mentioned in the Qur’an (55:12) as a plant of Paradise, and the Prophet recommended it to his Companions for its refreshing aromatherapy. The Arabic word rayhan is derived from the same root as ruh ‘spirit’.
Historical interaction
In historical time, Muslims did consciously borrow from yoga and acknowledged the source. The traveling scholar Abu Rayhan al-Biruni (11th century) translated the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali into Arabic. Shah Muhammad Ghaus of Gwalior (16 the century), leader of the Shattariyah order of Sufis, incorporated yoga practices into his teaching, based on the yogic text AmrtakuNDa. Yoga even reached as far as North Africa, where al-Sanusi (19th century) wrote of the yoga asanas (jalsah); he referred to yoga in Arabic as “al-Jujiyah”. However, the congruences between yoga and Islam that I noted above are not historical borrowings, but derive from the primordial beginnings of the traditions.
A large international yoga organization, 3HO, has adopted, the sujud from Islamic prayer, calling it “Easy Yoga.”
Conclusion
It can be valid and beneficial for Muslims to learn yoga, not as their spiritual path of Islam. Islam is a complete, integral spiritual path, so yoga is no substitute for any Islamic requirement. The Prophet said that wisdom is the believer’s stray camel: wherever he finds it he will recognize it (and claim his right to it).
How to explain the many points of correspondence between yoga and Islam? Did these ancient teachings travel from India to Arabia? No there is not need to assume such a horizontal transfer; the sacred truths are revealed vertically from Heavan to all peoples. There are close similarities between Islam and yoga not because of borrowing or cultural diffusion, but because of both originating in the Primordial Tradition, sanatana dharma, al-din al-hanif, which all the prophets of Allah have brought and reaffirmed througout the ages, among all nations, revealed directly from the Creater.

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The Best Strategy to Start Yoga stretches in your house

Beginning yoga stretches in the home is really a wonderful idea that everybody may well attempt. Considering that it’s the finest place where we are able to set our yoga mat and it really is a location exactly where we really feel most comfy of. Due to the fact you will find a great deal of Yoga demo tutorials, it may give a good deal of confusion by which plan to select. This article will give some extensive tips about how you can start yoga stretches in your own home.

1st pick your yoga and fitness wants. You will find various yogatypes for particular kinds of learners. These yoga exercise types consist of:

Hatha Yoga- most basic kind.

Ananda Yoga- to restore and produce greater power and self esteem.

Anusara Yoga- for disabled, much less versatile, weaker people.

Ashtanga Yoga- for growth of resistance and power.

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Bikram Yoga- for weight-loss purposes.

Integral Yoga- for curing asthma.

Iyengar Yoga- for much better body alignment.

Kripalu Yoga- yoga for females and pregnant females.

Kundalini Yoga- for additional flexibility

Sivananda Yoga- type of yoga exercise for vegetarians

As soon as you know your goal and doing yoga sorts for yourself. You are able to really proceed towards the next step.

Next, decide on yoga in your own home plan that focuses on your needs to yoga exercise. It may possibly be inside a DVD or VCD form. After you might have selected a system, watch it cautiously and start to recognize the significance of doing yoga for your very well becoming.

Then, set yoga and fitness as your every day regimen. Understanding yoga exercise at home gradually is 1 excellent opportunity to the ideal life style that you’ve been dreaming of. Take at least a single or two hours a day of rest and meditation that yoga has to deliver. Bring your very first yoga and fitness in the home having a sun salutation. In this way, you can easily adopt the yoga stretches practices that are your gateway to a great lifestyle.

Pregnant women will need to employ a yoga and fitness instructor initial to help them in their 1st poses of yoga in the home. This could possibly aid them a whole lot on avoiding any undesirable issues throughout their pregnancy.

Elder people today also desires much more assistance than anybody else. Considering that as we grow older our bones and muscles are obtaining weaker we need to give much consideration on the best way to strengthen them within the correct strategy for yoga and fitness demo.

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Charles Myrick the President of American Consultants Rx announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project. ACRX donated over 20 million ACRX discount prescription cards throughout the country. One of the main locations in the Geneva, AL area that received an initial donation of ACIRX free prescription cards,is the Geneva County Health Dept. The ACRX cards are to be given free to anyone in need of help curbing the high cost of prescription drugs. Please contact the Geneva County Health Dept. at 334-684-2259 for additional information and a free card .

Due to the rising costs, unstable economics, and the mounting cost of prescriptions, American Consultants Rx Inc. (ACRX) a.k.a (ACIRX) an Atlanta based company was born in 2004. The ACRX discount prescription card program was created and over 3 million discount prescription cards were donated to the community across the country free of charge between 2004-2005.

The ACRX cards will offer discounts of name brand drugs of up to 40% off and up to 60% off of generic drugs. They also possess no eligibility requirements, no forms to fill out, or expiration date as well .One card will take care of a whole family. Also note that the ACRX cards will come to your organization already pre-activated .The cards are good at over 50k stores from Walgreen, Wal mart, Eckerd’s, Kmart, Kroger, Publix, and many more. Any one can use these cards but we are focusing on those who are uninsured, underinsured, or on Medicare.

ACRX made arrangements online for the ACRX card to be available at ACIRX where it can be downloaded as well. This arrangement has been made to allow organizations an avenue to continue assisting their clients in the community until they receive their orders of the ACRX cards. ACRX made it possible for future request to be made from online as well. ACRX also developed a unique marketplace at 2Spendless where you can also click on the ACIRX blue banner and download your free discount prescription card as well as find other key discounts.

With a backorder of over 40 million cards ACRX is working diligently to assist as many people and organizations as possible. ACRX will be working over the next few months to fulfill as many backorders as possible. It should be noted that while many other organizations and companies place a cost on their money saving cards, ACRX does not believe a cost should be applied, just to assist our fellow Americans. ACRX states that it will continue to strive to assist those in need.

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Yoga Tips to Maintain Your Yoga Mat

by Aurorae Yoga: Offering the Best Yoga Mats

October 17, 2010

Aurorae yoga knows the importance of not slipping during your yoga practice so that it is an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, you must learn to care for your yoga mat and it helps to know how to wash your yoga mat. There is a certain amount of resin (oil) that is used to make all yoga mats. This is in all synthetic materials and you will even get in most natural rubbers. When you perspire it will activate the resin and bring it to the top of the mat creating a slipping issue. Aurorae yoga advises you to wash your mat to help expedite the aging process, which will eventually eliminate most of the resin similar to a pair of jeans. When you purchase a pair of jeans, they are very stiff in its natural state and we spend a lot of money for all these expensive washing processes to soften and make the jeans more comfortable. The same thing happens with the yoga mat. The more you use it, the less slippery the yoga mat will get.

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Aurorae yoga mats are ready to use upon receiving in the mail and many users do not have to wash their mat upon receiving. You will find our yoga mats have virtually no odor, but if you find yourself slipping here are some yoga tips that may help you break in your yoga mat.

1. Wash your hands with soap and water before using your yoga mat to reduce any natural oils in your hands so that they aren’t transferred to the yoga mat.

2. Do not use creams or oils on your hands or feet before your yoga practice to keep your yoga mat clean.

3. Wash your yoga mat with a soft brush and a tablespoon of dish washing liquid or detergent mixed with warm water, then rinse. Repeat if necessary.

4. Hang dry your yoga mat outside in the sun if possible. Under no circumstance should you put your yoga mat in the dryer!

5. To keep your yoga mat fresh and clean, use the Aurorae yoga all-natural organic yoga mat wash. Use to naturally clean your yoga mat while also giving it a fresh natural scent. Use as needed.

6. Always keep a cotton towel next to your yoga mat to wipe away any perspiration.

7. If necessary use an Aurorae Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag to absorb any perspiration and increase gripping power on your yoga mat.

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Yoga is a way of life, an art of virtuous living or an included system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfect and skillful in India thousands of years ago.

The references to yoga are obtainable in ‘Upanishads’ and ‘Puranas’ calm by Indian Aryans in the later Vedic and post- Vedic period. The main credit for systematizing yoga goes to Patanjali who wrote ‘Yoga Sutra’, two thousand Years ago.

http://www.getallabout.com/yoga/balancing-asanas/Bakasana.htm

He described the principles of the full eight fold yogic regulation. He calms the treatise in brief code words known as ‘Sutras’. ‘Yoga Sutra’ is the most significant basic text on Yoga.

It is from end to end this basic treatise that the necessary message of yoga spread all through the world.

If we decide to start a home carry out then we should make a conclusion to stick with it, to make it a part of our daily life.

We should look at this time that we put aside as a time for ourselves, not incredible that we have to do along with all the other things.

We should be keyed up and happy to do our practice. We should make a decision on a time and place and not change it.

This will help to increase our regulation, willpower and concentration. The time available will vary for everybody but the best times for practice are the early morning, ideally before sunrise, or the early evening, around sunset. Remember that you need to put into practice on an empty stomach.

Yoga Tips

1.    To get started, you need to have the urge and self-assurance in yourself.

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2.    To practice Yoga, the place chose must be calm, quiet, ventilated, dust free, moisture free and also disruption free.

3.    Before you start practicing Yoga, it is very significant for you to clear your bowels and bladder as well as clean your nostrils and throat of all mucus. You must also drink a glass of lukewarm water.

4.    Yoga clothing should be loose and as comfortable as probable. Form-fitting cotton/Lycra pants and shirts are the best.

5.    Wait for a few minutes and then you can start.

6.    Like all other work outs, you must begin with easy poses, thereafter you can advance to the tough ones. Be logical and systematic.

7.    Remember, to start with your actions should be light and if you feel fatigue in between you must discontinue.

Benefits of Yoga

The benefits of Yoga are numerous. In terms of energy Yoga is like a universe in itself. Some of the important

Yoga benefits include anti-ageing, balance and suppleness of body, increase in knowledge and wealth, improvement in mental health and growth of personal and social values.

1.    increases flexibility in muscles and various brawny joints,
2.    strengthens the spinal cord,
3.    recovers back aches,
4.    improves muscular skeletal conditions, digestion and elimination,
5.    stimulates glands and endocrinal system,
6.    improves heart state,
7.    proper blood circulation,
8.    recovers breathing disorder,

Yoga Types

Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti Yoga emphasizes on the love and loyalty to the Almighty. The individual drama this type of Yoga concentrates on the continuation of Almighty. He/she learns to show love, concern to the creatures co-existing with him/her, apart from keenly worshipping the Lord.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga was founded by Yogi Swatmarama in the 15th century in India. This type of Yoga is all about the mixture of two extremes – ‘ha’ (the Sun, regarded as the positive current) and ‘tha’ (the Moon, regarded as the unenthusiastic current).

Jnana Yoga

The Yoga of true knowledge, Jnana Yoga aims to divide the person drama it, from all the temporary things of the life. The person doing it attains tranquility, control over his/her mind, sense, faith, ability for attentiveness and the endurance to endure the play of opposites by Mother Nature.

Read more on Bakasana Yoga Positions and Christmas Recipes and Breast Enlargement

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Lexington’s Urban County Government is dropping health insurance coverage for 556 employees of “outside agencies” — organizations that are affiliated with, but not directly run by, city government.

Based on 2008 spending, dropping employees of the 20 organizations from Lexington’s insurance plan would save the cash-strapped city 6,218 a year, the difference between what it took in and what it had to pay out.

Among the organizations that will be making new health insurance arrangements are the Fayette County Health Department, Kentucky League of Cities, Lexington Housing Authority, Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lexington Parking Authority and the Lexington Urban League.

“The satellite agencies had been paying only their premiums,” said Susan Straub, spokeswoman for Mayor Jim Newberry. “… They were not funding the full cost of their health care.”

Over the past three years, the city has shelled out .2 million to supplement the insurance premiums paid by the employees of outside agencies.

In late November, Newberry said the city might consider layoffs, pay cuts, furloughs and the elimination of city programs to stem an estimated shortfall of million to million. City government division directors were asked to propose ways to cut expenses by 5 percent.

The council approved cutting health insurance for outside groups on Dec. 8. In all, the city offers health insurance to 3,622 workers and retirees, whose health claims outpaced revenue by .5 million last year.

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Most of the agencies will have until Dec. 31, 2010, to finish their new health care plans, but some — such as the Fayette County Health Department — will switch to new insurers within the next month.

Health Department Commissioner Melinda Rowe said city officials told her the agency should be covered by the state’s health insurance program. Instead, the department chose a plan offered by Bluegrass Family Health.

Still, the cost of premiums paid by the department could go up by more than 0,000 over two years, Rowe said.

Not providing health insurance to employees was never considered, she said.

“Obviously, we’re the health department; we have got to concentrate on our own employees and their wellness,” Rowe said.

P.G. Peeples, president of Lexington’s Urban League, said his organization’s insurance options are limited because it has only six employees. He hopes to band with United Way agencies or other Urban League offices to build the number of employees needed for a large bargaining pool.

“I’m disappointed they’re going to remove this option,” Peeples said. “I understand that they’re trying to do cost savings.”

How did the city wind up providing insurance benefits for agencies outside city government?

“For the most part, we don’t really know,” Straub said. “We inherited this situation, and the arrangements have apparently been in place for a number of years.”

Jan Isenhour, director of the Carnegie Center for Literacy, said the center’s budget initially came from the city, so its inclusion in the health pool seemed logical.

In 2003, the center became an “outside agency” and started taking over its own finances but remained in the city insurance group. The Carnegie Center hasn’t started pricing outside health policies; it has another year on the city’s plan.

Meanwhile, the city continues to look for other ways to shift expenses to outside agencies.

Ed Lane, councilman for Lexington’s 12th district, said the city might soon consider asking outside agencies to contribute money toward the upkeep of city office space they occupy.

“The recession puts a lot of strain on government to provide all the services necessary for the taxpayers, but it also gives us an opportunity to look at what are essential services and what are non-essential services … to try to maximize the efficiency of government as much as we can,” Lane said.

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