Have you ever noticed how rushing from one thing to the next leaves you feeling scattered and tired? Sometimes, the best tool for finding your center isn’t doing more—it’s simply pausing. There is a quiet, gentle power in the pause. It’s a chance to catch your breath, check in with yourself, and invite calm into the mess of the day.
When you think about yoga, you might picture graceful poses or flowing sequences. But at its core, yoga is really about one simple yet powerful thing: your spine. Every stretch, twist, bend, and fold you do in gentle yoga, chair yoga, or any practice is centered around moving and caring for this vital part of your body.
When was the last time you went upside down? It might sound like a strange question—or like a challenge only for the super flexible—but going upside down, or practicing viparita (the Sanskrit word for inversions), can be gentle, accessible, and deeply nourishing for your body and mind. You don’t have to hang off the walls or balance on your head to reap the benefits. Even simple movements and mindful moments can turn things around in the best way.
Ever have one of those days where everything feels a little out of balance and you wonder if there’s something small you could do to pull things back together? Sometimes, a simple item can make all the difference in grounding both your yoga practice and your daily life. Today, I want to encourage you to embrace a handy tool that’s often underestimated: the yoga block (or, if you’re at home, maybe a book or even an Amazon box).
Have you ever found yourself in a yoga pose and thought, "Does this look right?" It's a common experience to want our poses to look picture-perfect, but there's more to a pose than meets the eye. Let’s take Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) as an example. It's easy to focus on having straight arms and a lifted chest, but the real magic happens when we engage the correct muscles and align our bodies with intention.
Ever find yourself wanting to get more out of your time on the mat? As we look forward to this week's Mindful Monday, let's explore a practice you might not have thought of before—eye yoga. Yep, yoga for your eyes! Eye yoga, or simply moving your eyes deliberately during yoga or other activities, can give you more than you expected. It's a way to enrich your practice without adding extra time, because who of us couldn't use a bit more efficiency?
Today, let's talk about a practice that often gets overlooked—the art of self-massage. Imagine being able to gift yourself with relaxation and rejuvenation without needing to schedule an appointment or wait for someone else's availability. Sometimes, giving yourself a massage is not just a choice; it's a necessity.
Ever found yourself in a rut, like you’re on autopilot, just coasting through your day? Expansion is a tool to help you move beyond what’s familiar to create an opportunity for growth. This concept of expansion can be practiced on the yoga mat as you explore stretching yourself in a pose and also in life as you explore the edges of your comfort zone.
In this Mindful Monday, let’s look at the world of yoga postures, focusing on the intricacies of the Triangle Pose aka Trikonasana. Often hailed as one of the more complex yoga postures, the Triangle Pose can challenge even the most seasoned practitioner. As we look into Triangle today, I want you to remember that in yoga, it's not about the final form but the journey—how the pose feels is more important than how it looks.
What if spending just a few minutes on a simple stretch could improve your quality of life in tangible ways? Imagine feeling more agile and less restrained when playing with your grandchildren, confidently getting in and out of your car, or enjoying a refreshing walk without discomfort. You can with the thigh stretch! And this traditional pose can even be done from this chair.
I want to share with you a wonderfully invigorating practice we do in gentle yoga and chair yoga that most of my students absolutely love—the Sufi circles. They refer to this practice as one of their favorites. I think it’s probably one of the movements that my students even do regularly on their own because they love it that much.
This gentle, rhythmic movement is not only enjoyable but offers an incredible way to stir up the energy in your body, leaving you feeling uplifted and revitalized.
Last week, I shared with you the traditional moon salutation, allowing you to tap into its beauty. Today, we dive into a variation of the moon salutation that's accessible and adaptable from the chair. Either variation is perfect to practice right now as we are still experiencing the energy of yesterday's full moon, inviting us to harness its powerful energy while being gentle with ourselves.
In today’s post, I want to introduce you to the powerful Goddess Pose (or Utkata Konasana in sanskrit). This pose is not just a fantastic way to build physical strength, but also a beautiful reminder of the balance between strength and vulnerability—a theme that's especially relevant as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday.
Starting the day with a grounded intention can set the tone for everything that follows. Today, let’s explore a gentle, seated Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskara that allows you to connect with your breath and create space for calm—right from where you’re sitting. This accessible variation of the classic Sun Salutation brings all the benefits of yoga without needing to stand, making it a wonderful way to ease into your week, especially if you’re dealing with an illness or injury or just opting for more support.
Today’s practice is all about balance—both physically and in the way we nurture ourselves to show up. We’re diving into a familiar sequence, the Sun Salutation, and adapting it with the powerful addition of a chair. This gentle variation transforms the flow, making it accessible to all, no matter where you are in your practice or how you’re feeling.
Imagine starting your day with a practice that not only energizes your body but also sets the tone for a mindful, intentional day ahead. What if just a few minutes could offer you clarity, focus, and strength, both physically and mentally? That’s the power of the Sun Salutation—an ancient flow that’s as much about inner connection as it is about movement.
It's all too common to spring out of Savasana, eager to get on with the day. Maybe you’ve been there: you finally reach a state of deep relaxation, and then you jolt upright, tightening muscles as you go. Sure, this method gets you up quickly, but it also undoes the very relaxation you worked so hard to achieve. And, let’s be honest, it can feel a bit ironic to stress out your body right after a relaxation pose!
Savasana, often referred to as the “resting pose,” seems deceptively simple. After all, it’s just lying down, right? But anyone who's tried it knows that even in stillness, the body can hold onto tension. We often don’t realize that the subtle tightening of muscles or the closing off of our posture can prevent us from fully relaxing.
