An estimated eight out of every ten people will suffer from back pain at least once in their lives. Recent studies find that yoga shows promise as a complementary treatment for back pain; it has been shown to be more effective than exercise or a self-care book for improving back functioning in people with back … Continued
Your spine is a long curving river….in scoliosis, and indeed in all spinal terrains, it is important to sense the course of the river, the riverbanks, the surrounding country. To encounter the inflow of the tributaries of the limbs, and observe their impact on the course of the river-spine. The interior body as felt, known … Continued
With the popularity of abdominal strengthening exercises like curl-ups and crunches, many people come to yoga with overly tight and short abdominals. Tightness in the abdominal muscles can restrict the movement of the diaphragm and disturb the proper balance between the different muscles involved in breathing, thus disturbing the breath’s natural rhythm. When the diaphragm … Continued
Central to the teachings of yoga is the concept of “Prana,” the universal life force that is the origin of and animates all living things, also known as “Maha Prana” or great prana. In the human body, Prana is the underlying intelligence that coordinates all functions of the body. This universal vital force is expressed … Continued
Inversions like Sirsanana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) are also sometimes referred to as the king and queen of asana. They balance the entire nervous system and are considered to be among the most important poses for our daily yoga practice, because of their profound effects on physical and emotional health. Benefits of inversions include greater … Continued
Teaching beginners is by far the most challenging teaching situation for yoga teachers. Combine that difficulty with the fact that it is often newer teachers who teach beginning classes, and it is easy to see why there can be difficulties. With the growing popularity of yoga, more and more people with little yoga experience are flocking to studios. … Continued
The original texts of hatha yoga cite the bandhas as being crucial to having a fruitful yoga practice. The bandhas are simple yet powerful muscular actions in the area of the pelvic floor (mula bandha), lower abdominals (uddiyana bandha), head, neck and shoulders (jalandhara bandha). Their original significance centered around pranayama and the movement of … Continued
The yogic action of Jalandhara Bandha, while it is designed for the practice of breath retention during pranayama, contains vital insights into the subtleties of how we hold our head, and how that in turn affects our breathing, muscle tone, and even the functioning of our nervous system. How we hold our head isn’t just … Continued
Join Tom Myers, author of Anatomy Trains, for an online course that will give you new insights into the interconnectedness of the body as it relates to your yoga practice. While traditional anatomy is static, Anatomy Trains shows you the body as an interconnected whole. We do not move via individual muscles as traditional anatomy has it, … Continued
Many yoga students have posture imbalances or habitual holding patterns, which affect alignment in their practice of yoga asanas. In this course, yoga teacher and physical therapist Chrys Kub shows how to develop awareness of the common muscle imbalances that create postural dysfunctions and how to harness the power of asana to improve posture over … Continued
Our yoga practice offers a path to draw awareness inside and bring attention into the subtle movement in the body and the sound of the vibration of the subtle body. This is also referred to as Pratyahara, the Fifth Limb of yoga. Pratyahara is the softening of sensory awareness and is foundational to working with the … Continued
Everything in nature is made up of five basic elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space, according to Ayurveda and yoga philosophy. The five elements are viewed not just as external forces, but vital forces of life interweaving with our physical, mental, and emotional being. Knowledge of the five elements, or tattwas, as they pertain … Continued