With 76.4 million boomers entering the last half of their lives, healthy aging is becoming an increasingly popular buzz word. But when we talk about healthy aging and how yoga helps perhaps facilitate a more healthy aging process, we usually only think in terms of about preventing aches and pains and prolonging the years we … Continued
The ability to structure and sequence classes so that students have the best possible experience, both on the mat and afterwards, is one of the hallmarks of skillful teaching. In this course with Natasha Rizopoulos, we’ll begin with an overview of essential sequencing principles. We’ll explore the idea of sequencing as a coherent narrative arc … Continued
Kinesiology is the study of human movement. To teach with confidence and efficacy, it’s of course important to know basic kinesiological principles, such as the names, origins and insertions of the skeletal muscles. But this alone is not nearly enough. It is perhaps more important to understand how the muscles work together so that the … Continued
The breath is a powerful tool inducing greater relaxation and wellbeing, and healthy breathing affects our long-term health and how well we age. The breath is also one of the subtlest and most effective gateways to connecting to Spirit or the sacred essence of who we are. Of course today, the specter of COVID-19 in … Continued
Many people – yogis and non-yogis alike – have heard of the piriformis muscle, usually in the context of trouble it is causing. A tight piriformis can cause hip pain, deep in the back of the buttock, or it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve where it passes through the buttock. Pinching of the … Continued
At the heart of the practice of yoga is a very important relationship: that between the teacher and the student. The practice of yoga is a quite personal and intimate practice. Traditionally the student lived with the teacher and there were many opportunities each day for interaction and learning. Yoga teachers today face a very … Continued
The shoulder is an important joint in the body as well as an important symbol of our strength and ability to succeed in the world. The position of our shoulders instantly telegraphs our mood to the world. Because of the importance of this area in the body, many yoga poses focus either on strengthening or … Continued
The core muscles are our physical, structural, and energetic center. A strong core is essential to healthy and functional movement throughout life. It forms the foundation for proper posture, ease and grace of movement, and even creates greater emotional balance and strength. For many people, core work is associated with tedious and unpleasant exercises, like … Continued
Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) are often called the King and Queen of the Asana. They are beautiful and transformative postures that build strength and flexibility in the musculoskeletal body, have myriad benefits to the nervous and circulatory systems, and cultivate eka grata, the single-pointed focus that prepares the mind for meditation. And yet with great … Continued
Spinal extension and flexion each have tremendous benefits for both body and mind. When we open the front body with backbends, we counteract the effects of daily lives often spent hunched over screens and steering wheels, thus mobilizing the upper back and opening the heart in transformative ways. When we forward bend, we have the … Continued
We tend to think of meditation as a thought practice. In fact, Judith notes, meditation is a very physical practice and “enlightenment” is a corporeal experience. Meditation, when done from the point of view of body awareness instead of the point of view as thought awareness, is infinitely more powerful. In this course, renowned yoga … Continued
In this course with Judith Hanson Lasater, you will learn how to practice yoga twists safely and effectively to receive the benefits of these powerful yoga poses. Judith will explore how you can use twists to promote a healthy balance for the organs in the chest and abdomen, as well as explore the theories of why … Continued