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
Practicing yoga can change our life in numerous positive ways, but as with all forms of physical activity, there can be risks of injury. How can you make the most progress in your yoga practice, without increasing the risk of injury? Join popular Yoga U presenters Dr. Loren Fishman and yoga therapist Ellen Saltonstall for a … 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
Digestive health is considered a key to the prevention of disease in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of natural health. According to this system, sluggish digestion results in the accumulation of toxins in the body. This, it is further theorized, in turn affects our energy and well-being, and in the long term, forms the foundation … Continued
Core strengthening has been a health and fitness buzzword for years, but there is a lot of confusion about what it actually is. True core strengthening has little to do with building a “ripped” or “shredded” six-pack, rather, it is a full-body integration that enables us to strengthen and access the entirety of the core’s … Continued
As baby boomers reach 50 and beyond, they are increasingly looking for ways to retain energy and vitality in the second half of life. Yoga offers a unique way to slow aging, restore well-being and vitality, deal with the changes of the maturing years, and even bring greater peace to mind and body. Yoga can … 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 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
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
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
“Death Begins in the Colon” said Dr. Bernard Jensen, D.C., also known as the father of holistic health. The accumulation of toxic debris in the body due to inadequate digestion and elimination, he suggested, produces poisons that slowly, over time can kill us. Interestingly, what Dr. Jensen pointed out some 70 years ago , for … Continued