Yoga 2.0: Ground and Lengthen With Dandasana (Staff Pose) at the Wall
On the surface level, Dandasana (Staff Pose) is a really simple yoga posture. It doesn’t look like much from the outside—it just seems like you’re seated on the floor with straight legs. But there’s quite a lot going on inside
Moving: Lessons in Aparigraha
Yesterday morning, while I was working in my office writing an article, my husband walked in with an armful of Pyrex dishes, “Do we really need five casseroles?” he asked. “What if I break one?” I responded. Eye roll and
Is Knee Hyperextension Bad? 4 Triangle Pose Hacks for Hyperextended Knees
We’re often advised to avoid knee hyperextension in yoga. We hear cues like “micro bend your knee so it doesn’t hyperextend,” and we’re warned that hyperextension can lead to injury over time. Can it? Is knee hyperextension bad or dangerous?
Finding Freedom Through Practice: A Book Review of Practicing the Yoga Sutras by Carroll Ann Friedmann
A Fresh Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali In the preface of her excellent new book, Practicing the Yoga Sutras: A Personal Study Guide & Journal, Carroll Ann Friedmann writes, "There are so many published works about the Yoga
4 Knee-Friendly Yoga Poses
Second only to back pain, knee pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint that brings people to a doctor. It’s also one of the main reasons why people abandon their yoga practice. This doesn’t have to be the case. Actually,
Untuck Your Tailbone for a Healthy SI Joint
I recently wrote a post on the widespread problem of sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction among yoga practitioners. In the post, I outlined several causes I’ve observed over 40 years of teaching and practicing yoga asana. In today’s post, we’ll explore
Tips for Growing and Blossoming as a Yoga Teacher: Teaching from the Heart by Sandy Raper, a Book Review
Congratulations! You’ve graduated from your yoga teacher training. You’re exhilarated, inspired, and—truth be told—kinda nervous. Now what? One training doesn’t make you a teacher. Growing into the role, applying the fundamentals you learned in your 200-hour really begins after you
Yoga Pose Primer: Malasana (Garland Pose) - Strengthen Your Pelvic Foundation
What’s in a name? As I researched Malasana, I found out that the most common translation, “Garland Pose,” has nothing to do with its more literal translation. Malasana supports apana, the downward-flowing energy that governs elimination. Apana energy grounds agitation, making Malasana
Yoga Anatomy: The Gluteus Medius Muscle in Yoga
The gluteus medius originates on the outer surface of the ilium bone and runs to the greater trochanter of the femur. This muscle acts to stabilize the pelvis when standing on one leg in a yoga pose and while walking.
Lengthen, Expand, Relax: 6 Ways to Use Blocks in Your Yoga Practice
If you’re new to yoga, you may be curious about the blocks you see on the prop shelves at your local studio. What are they, and why would you want to use them? A yoga block is shaped like a
Embodied Self-Compassion: Support for Your Healing Journey
One of the most common barriers to healing that I see as a psychologist and trauma specialist is when we experience feelings of despair and hopelessness. Sometimes it may feel as if nothing you do is going to make a
How to Reap the Many Benefits of Intense Side Stretch (Pyramid) Pose: Parsvottanasana
Parsvottanasana, or Intense Side Stretch Pose, is a particularly challenging side stretch that requires strength, stability, presence, and patience to perform safely. Also referred to as Pyramid Pose, Parsvottanasana is all about commitment in the legs—creating a solid foundation and
How To Create Powerful Yoga Cues
Having a cues strategy is having an approach that allows you to organize your thoughts and share yoga cues without using a script. Think of it as an outline or framework to organize what you know. When I talk to
Restorative Shoulder Release Pose: All-Over Ease
Restorative Shoulder Release Pose uses gravity to help relieve upper back, neck, and shoulder tension. Lying on the belly, you cross your arms and use the weight of your chin on your arms to release shoulder tension. The pose eases
Yoga Posture Clinic: Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana)
Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana) is one of those poses that reveals itself over time, unfolding as the body lengthens and opens with the breath, but it can be a bit sticky at first. The pose is a hamstring