Have you ever noticed how your body reacts to stress? Maybe your breath becomes quick and shallow, or you feel tightness in your chest. These subtle signs are easy to overlook, but they matter. The way you breathe directly affects how you feel. By making small adjustments, you can shift your emotional and mental state.
As a yoga teacher, one of the things I cherish most is helping my students find ease and comfort in their practice. We all have unique bodies, and modifications can make a world of difference in how a pose feels. A few weeks ago, I shared a chest-opening pose using a strap in yoga mudra, which is incredibly powerful. But I also know that for some, it can feel a bit intense. That's why I’m excited to share a gentler variation that I’ve come to love—an accessible way to achieve that same sense of openness and freedom in your upper body, using a chair.
Do you ever feel like life is pulling you in a million different directions? When your mind is scattered and your energy feels fragmented, it’s easy to lose your sense of stability. That’s when returning to the basics can be profoundly grounding. One of the most powerful tools for finding your center is the Mountain Pose, known as Tadasana in Sanskrit.
Do you ever catch yourself feeling tense and tight in your upper body, especially around your neck and shoulders? If you're anything like me, it happens more often than you'd like. That nagging tension can make even the simplest tasks feel painful. But don't worry, I've got a simple and effective tip to help release that physical tension and bring you some much-needed relief.
I recently came across a reel on social media that truly resonated with me. It featured a clip from the movie Eat, Pray, Love, where someone advises the main character, played by Julia Roberts, to choose her thoughts every day, just like she chooses her clothes. This simple yet profound idea can transform your daily life and overall well-being…
Bridge Pose, or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana in Sanskrit, is a very accessible pose that offers a variety of significant benefits. Think of it as a prep position for a full wheel, but without the intimidating backbend. Many of us stop at lifting our hips, but there's a deeper experience waiting. This pose can elevate your practice, allowing you to feel both grounded and open. In today’s blog, we’ll discover how to do it.
When I was a teenager, my dad took me to a self-help conference. I had no idea what to expect, and the keynote speaker challenged everyone to go to the bathroom during the next break, look in the mirror, and say, "I love you." At the break, I did as she suggested. Standing in front of the mirror, I tried to say those three simple words but couldn't. Instead, I wept, realizing for the first time how difficult it was for me to express love for myself. This profound moment stayed with me…
Many who practice yoga testify to its transformative power, appreciating how the physical poses can lead to emotional releases. One pose that stands out for its benefits is Yoga Mudra - a chest opener, which is particularly beneficial for our modern (and often sedentary) lifestyles. This pose is simple, yet profoundly effective with the strap, especially for those who spend a lot of time sitting or working on the computer. By incorporating this pose into your routine, you can experience significant release both physically and emotionally. Experience the rejuvenation with this quick and easy stretch.
Yoga is more than just a series of movements; it’s a journey of self-discovery and a path to inner peace. Today, I want to share a pose that embodies both beauty and challenge: the Dancer Pose, or Natarajasana in Sanskrit. This pose, while elegant and graceful, can also be quite demanding, often causing us to struggle with our balance and alignment (and frankly feel a little awkward). But with a few key points in mind, you can master this pose and experience the serenity it brings.
The last couple of weeks, I’ve been sharing tips for your meditation practice. Last week, I talked about how it's natural to have thoughts during meditation. This raises an important question: what are we supposed to do with these thoughts?
To live a mindful life, it's essential to take time to meditate, to be still, and to be quiet. But meditation isn't about having no thoughts. Instead, it's about replacing the random thoughts that come into your mind with a specific thought, an anchor.
Have you ever wondered if you're meditating correctly? In last week’s Mindful Monday blog, I shared how showing up for yourself is the most important part of meditation. And that if you’re showing up to meditate then you are doing it correctly.
This week, I want to explore another challenge with meditation. What do you do with all the thoughts in your head when you get still?
Have you ever wondered if you're meditating correctly? You might have a desire to meditate, and maybe you’ve even tried. But then you wonder, “Am I meditating correctly?” It's a question that often comes up when we sit down to practice meditation. But here's the important thing to acknowledge, if you're making time for yourself, you're doing it right.
Today, I have an invigorating variation of Warrior 1 to share with you (aka Virabhadrasana I), offering a deeper challenge to your practice.
In the traditional Warrior 1 posture, we aim to deeply bend the front knee, grounding ourselves firmly to the floor. To intensify this experience, we can incorporate a chair into our practice. Here's how it works:
