Body Gratitude: A Life Practice
One of the most challenging aspects of yoga practice seems to be learning how to rise above our cultural ideas about the body. It is also one of its greatest rewards. We all grow up with ideas about what the
4 Ways Yoga Fosters Respiratory System Health
How does yoga benefit our ability to breathe? Hatha Yoga is the combination of physical postures and yoga breathing practices that are designed to help the body and mind maintain overall equilibrium. The health of your respiratory system affects all the
Upside Down Yoga: Inversions for Healthy Lungs and Heart
When you are standing upright, you are subject to gravity. This is probably not a surprise. But what most people don’t think about is that the blood and organs in your body are also subject to gravity. Although our bodies
Yoga Anatomy: Using Muscle Awareness to Lower Your Heels in Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Say you’ve been working hard on your Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) and still can’t get your heels to the floor. This cue can give you and your students that extra bit of length in the calf muscles and
Yoga Practice: Discover New Connections in Tree Pose (Vrksasana) Using Wall Ropes
Tree Pose is a strong and humbling balance posture that requires stability, flexibility, and—of course—balance. And it can be practiced in so many different ways to discover new elements of the posture. There are so many Tree Pose variations you
Relieve Low Back and Neck Pain with Pandiculation
Chronic back and neck pain are disabling conditions experienced by many people at some point during their lifetimes. A recent study demonstrates the efficacy of using pandiculation to relieve chronic back and neck pain by releasing chronic muscle tension. The
Deepen Your Yoga Practice: How to Work with the Muscle Spindles
There are four classical elements in nature: earth, wind, fire, and water. The fifth element is energy. Consider that muscles represent the water element because they are mostly composed of water. The electrical impulses of nerve conduction represent fire. There
Here’s Your Step-by-Step Guide to Fallen Angel Pose
Fallen Angel Pose is a fun and challenging progression of the classic arm balance Eka Pada Koundinyasana I (or the one-legged variation of the pose dedicated to the sage Koundinya, which is also known as Scissors Pose). The Fallen Angel
Nyasas: Turn Your Body into a Temple
Mudras are specific hand gestures that are meant to have symbolic, energetic, and healing qualities. Most mudras are static gestures, but you can also make them dynamic when the actual act of moving into a mudra is infused with symbolism. How to Practice
5 Ways to Take Control of Emotions: A Guide to Mindful Awareness
Emotions are an integral part of our lives. They provide us with a sense of meaning, purpose, and direction. We feel joy when we experience something positive and sadness when something negative occurs—but understanding how our emotions work can be
4 Mini Self-Care Breaks to Replenish Your Energy
Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel. — Eleanor Brown Too many of us move through life running
7 Ways to Troubleshoot Balance Poses
One concern that I hear often from yoga practitioners is that I keep working on my balance, but it doesn’t seem to be improving. If that’s the case, we need to take a closer look at what you are doing
Hip Heaven: 3 Restorative Poses to Relax Your Hips
Tension and hips go together like two peas in a pod. Active yoga poses like lunges and the Warrior series can stretch different areas of the hips, but when it comes to releasing deeply rooted stress, sometimes the best way
Yoga Practice Prep: Warm-Up for Revolved Triangle Pose
Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana) is arguably one of the most challenging standing poses, requiring flexible hamstrings, adductor engagement, and, of course, spinal rotation. A heat-building pose, Revolved Triangle Pose strengthens all layers of the core, including the abdominal muscles
6 Yoga Poses to Strengthen & Stretch Your Erector Spinae Muscles
Why is it so important to stretch the erector spinae muscles? If you experience back pain or tightness, an erector spinae stretch may be just what you need. The erector spinae group is a collection of muscles that run up