We all have a great need for a place of refuge. But sadly the difficulties of today’s world can invade our consciousness at any place and at any time, mainly because of the internet. It may not actually be harder to find the way and the time to live in a positive way these days, … Continued
In our fast-paced Vinyasa yoga culture, are we missing out on one of the greatest gifts yoga has to offer? Renowned yoga teacher Judith Hanson Lasater thinks so. Deep rest has become an absolute necessity in our lives. When we emphasize moving rapidly through a series of poses, it is easy to miss out on … Continued
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us viscerally close to our great vulnerability as humans. However, the reality is that we have long been living in an uncertain future. Increasingly, the steady progression of Climate Change has put us on a collision course with the planet on which we live. At the heart of many of … Continued
The benefits of the core get a lot of attention in the yoga and movement worlds. But are we missing out on one of the key reasons why the core body is so important? Most of the attention focuses on the need to keep the core strong and toned. More advanced approaches to core work … Continued
The fascial matrix, a.k.a. the connective tissue of the body is a large part of who we are and how well our body functions. A healthy connective tissue is a fluid, three-dimensional elastic and supple matrix, which gives our body natural flexibility, strength and absorption of strain patterns in our body. When this fluid, three-dimensional matrix gets … Continued
Feeling restless, wound-up, or constantly on edge? Or do you feel you worry all the time, have difficulty concentrating, are overly irritable and emotional, and easily fatigued? These are all symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety affects us all at one point or another. But when we struggle with it constantly, it can infringe on our sleep … Continued
One of the effects of yoga postures is to challenge the joints and muscles in order to enhance strength and flexibility. This not only increases strength, stamina, and flexibility. It also engages the nervous system, enhancing neurological health, and stimulating receptors in the nervous system that slow the production of stress hormones. But when we … Continued
The psoas muscle is often talked about as one of the most important muscles in the body, because of its central location and interconnectedness with other parts of the body. The largest hip flexors in the body, the psoas muscles have many other functions which affect our health and well-being in numerous ways. The two … Continued
It is no exaggeration to say that the hip is one of the most important major joints of the body. First, it is the major connecting point for load transfer between the upper and lower body. Second, the hip also plays an important role as a part of the pelvic complex implicated in the diaphragmatic … Continued
The opioid crisis and the growing problem of addiction in general are among the most critical issues facing humanity today. At its root, substance use disorder stems not just from chronic pain, but far more commonly is a reflection of the mounting inability to deal effectively with life’s challenges. As a society, we are over-worked, … Continued
The next evolution of core training is here! Core training has traditionally been performed with the spine and pelvis is in neutral. While that is all good and well, the reality is that we don’t live our lives in spine and pelvis in neutral. We bend our spines forwards, backwards, to the sides and rotate, … Continued
Traditionally, core training has focused on muscle strengthening and not nervous system learning. However, core training really should be about learning new movement patterns, and in particular, learning how to move from our power center, notes Dr. Staffan Elgelid, P.T., Ph.D. A yoga therapist and physical therapist widely respected for his work with athletes, Staffan’s … Continued