4 Surprisingly Challenging Chair Yoga Poses to Strengthen Your Core
Chair Yoga isn’t typically considered to be the most challenging form of practice. Most associate this practice with simple, gentle movements. And while Chair Yoga poses can certainly be simple and gentle, they can also be surprisingly challenging too. If
Yoga and the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the longest of 12 cranial nerves in the autonomic nervous system. The word vagus in Latin means “wanderer,” aptly named because the vagus nerve spans from the brainstem to the colon with branches that innervate the heart, lungs, liver, spleen,
Take a Yoga Break! Nourish Body and Mind with Supported Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose)
It’s the season of short days, long nights, and monumental to-do lists. Potlucks, concerts, parties, and gift buying take us out of our usual routines. Normal activities often take a back seat. At a time when our schedules are stuffed
Taming Holiday Overload: 4 Stress-Relieving Yoga Poses
It’s holiday time again! While the holidays can be wildly joyful, they can also rob us of our sanity. Holiday parties, indulging in delicious holiday treats (zero judgment for wanting seconds of Aunt Mary’s famous chocolate cake!), cooking, entertaining, shopping,
Yoga for Heart Disease and COPD
Heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are debilitating and potentially fatal conditions. While emerging research suggests that yoga may be beneficial for those with heart failure and COPD, many elderly adults lack access to these programs. A study
Take Your Practice Deeper: Stretching and Muscle Engagement in Yoga Practice
Yoga is more than stretching. The definition of yoga is, in one word, is unity (of body, mind, and spirit). Without discounting mind and spirit, understanding the physical aspect of yoga will enhance the overall experience of unity. As you
Doug Keller: Hampered By Hamstrings? Tips and Tricks for Healthy Yoga Stretches
The hamstrings are a common source of frustration for many yoga practitioners. In this interview, Doug Keller, author of Yoga as Therapy and a featured Yoga U Online presenter, discusses why hamstrings are so crucial to a rewarding yoga practice and
4 Ways to Fit Yoga into Your Day—No Leggings Required
As a yoga instructor and practitioner, I can see that for many people, one of the biggest obstacles to maintaining a consistent yoga practice is lack of time. Add up all the pieces of getting to a yoga class—traveling, getting
Yoga for Stress Relief - Free Online Yoga Practice
We all have days - even weeks - where the busyness of life leaves us feeling frazzled and needing a break. Give yourself some TLC with this short, soothing, gentle yoga practice focused on the breath. Learning ways to breathe
The Guru Effect: Turning Information into Transformation
Today’s post provides a glimpse into a dharma talk I recently shared with my community. This dharma talk focused on the crucial need for yoga principles and spirituality in our lives, especially in today’s fast-paced, information-saturated world. In our modern
Unlock Success: 5 Yoga Class Preparation Tips
Embarking on the journey of teaching yoga is not merely about leading a class or crafting an experience. Rather, the responsibility of the yoga teacher also lies within the facet of equipping others to understand how to practice. It’s about
Support Your Healing Journey: 3 Practices for Self-Compassion
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
Interoception: A Key to Wellbeing
Mindful body awareness awakens you to your inner world. This sensory interior is scientifically referred to as interoception. This key to well-being invites you to pay attention to your felt sense. As you get to know the territory of your
Diaphragmatic Breathing for Healthy Aging
You’ve seen them. The people in church or at a concert enthusiastically sing along, their shoulders rising each time they take a deep breath. While they believe raising their shoulders enables them to take a deep, full breath, nothing is
Change Your Perspective of Pelvic Tilting: How the Transversus Abdominis Can Help
"Tuck your tailbone under" or "lengthen your tailbone" have long been among the most common alignment instructions in yoga. But lately, this instruction has taken a lot of flak, because the instruction can result in people flattening their lumbar curve, which,