Yoga for Stress Relief: 2 Practices for Deep Relaxation
What is relaxation? It is NOT collapsing on the couch at the end of the day with your smartphone or iPad. We all do this from time to time and sometimes more times than we should. Oops, did I just
Plank Pose: 7 Reasons to Practice and 4 Awesome Versions to Keep You Safe!
Plank Pose (Phalakasana, as it is sometimes called in modern times) often shows up in our practice as a brief way station between other poses, such as between Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana). However,
Top 10 Productivity Hacks to Accomplish More in Less Time
We all need a productivity boost now and then, sometimes throughout the day. We each want to be productive for very personal reasons—to accomplish more, to make more money, to get done earlier, to make more time for our personal
Dr. Ray Long: Yogic Deep Breathing - How the Diaphragm Works
Your thoracic diaphragm is the main engine for breathing, supplemented by the accessory muscles of your chest and abdomen. It is also an important postural muscle with functional connections to your pelvic floor. How does it work? Let’s look at
When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection
“If you can’t say no, your body will do it for you.” You may have experienced coming down with a cold after a period of high stress. You’ve worked long days, not slept enough, and put your needs last. As
Warrior 2: How To Sequence For Healthy Hip Alignment In A Beginner's Class
Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2) is practiced regularly in most yoga classes - often transitioned into dynamically from a lunge, or Warrior 1. Like most yoga poses, Warrior 2 has a host of subtle alignment and muscular actions that aren't regularly
Yoga Hip Openers for Beginners: Safe Alternatives to Pigeon Pose
Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) is a fan-favorite in Vinyasa-style yoga classes. But as much as some students love this shape, there always seems to be an equal number of students who dislike it or simply can’t get comfortable with
Bow Pose: Not Too Tight, Not Too Loose
Over the centuries, the bow and arrow have symbolized everything from birds in flight to a phallus to the path of a sadhu, the most direct and efficacious route to enlightenment. A bow’s combination of tautness and flexibility is a
Why Can’t I Balance in Tree Pose? How to Improve Your Balance in Yoga
The lights are low. The music is soft. Ah, this yoga class is just the calming, grounding break you need from your hectic week—until you fall out of Tree Pose (Vrksasana). No, your mental quiet will not be disturbed by
4 Natural Remedies to Ease Sinus Congestion
’Tis the season of congestion and sinuses! But sinus congestion relief doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Fret not. I have some holistic remedies to supplement any Western treatment/medication you might be trying. I often opt for a holistic
Benefits of Yoga: 45 Reasons I Love Yoga & Why You Will Too
What are the benefits of yoga? There are too many to count! As a mentor teacher, my intention is to create a fun, safe, and sacred space where people can learn how to let go of fear, teach from love,
Making Friends with Forward Bends: Strengthen and Stretch Your Back with Ardha Uttanasana
One of the reasons our yoga forward bends feel so good is that they stretch and lengthen our backs. That’s all well and good. However, it is also possible to overdo it and overstretch different structures along the back to
Yoga In Schools Improves Health Research Shows
A new study review, “Scoping Review of Yoga in Schools: Mental Health and Cognitive Outcomes in Both Neurotypical and Neurodiverse Youth Populations,” found evidence to support the use of school-based yoga programs for the improvement of self-concept, resilience, depression, self-esteem,
Lifestyle and Environmental Causes—and Solutions—for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial lining of the joints. The synovial lining is a layer of connective tissue that lines the joints and is responsible for secreting synovial fluid
The Water Element: Go with the Flow
Life can flow gently like a babbling brook or smash into us like a tidal wave. The COVID-19 pandemic and the personal and political unrest that came along with it are recent examples of the tidal wave analogy. The saying,