Our third reason (of fifty) to do yoga this year is to help improve your circulation. Hands and feet always cold? Feel weak and lethargic? Foggy brained? When oxygen is not reaching the extremities of the body, they become cold and sometimes even numb! When fresh oxygen is not reaching the brain, and toxins hang… Continue reading Yoga Improves Circulation
Tag: healthy-living
Personal Yoga Practice
7/7 The last six blogs based on the six movements of the spine, are ideal to help you build your own personal yoga practice! First focus on elongation of the spine through each movement, then be sure to include back bends,forward bends, side stretches on both sides and twists in both directions. Remember that hatha yoga… Continue reading Personal Yoga Practice
The Beauty Of The Side Stretch
5/7 In my opinion, side stretches are under-rated in yoga! The power of a side stretch should not be overlooked or forgotten. Side stretches emphasize length through the spine and they give the 'squishy' spinal disc between each vertebrae a deep squeeze which helps keep them spacious and healthy. Side stretches help keep the spine young and mobile.… Continue reading The Beauty Of The Side Stretch
The Magic Of Moon Energy
4/7 Yoga is a powerful balancer of energies. As we discussed in the last blog back-bends focus on sun energy, and create vitality and openness in the body. Forward bends naturally do the opposite: they focus on the moon energy, and are very calming and soothing. With this being said forward bends are often very challenging. I… Continue reading The Magic Of Moon Energy
Here Comes The Sun!
3/7 Youth Resides In The Spine! Now that we have covered the topic of elongation, we will move into the discussion of back-bends in our yoga practice. The six movements (forward, backward, side, side, twist, twist) are key in a well rounded yoga session. On top of these six movements a well rounded practice should also… Continue reading Here Comes The Sun!
Wake Up!
2/7 In continuation of "Youth Resides In The Spine" we will discuss elongation as the basis of the six movements of the spine in yoga. I suppose the reason that 'elongation' is not included as a specific movement of the spine, is because it is one that is assumed in all of the movements. The… Continue reading Wake Up!
Youth Resides In The Spine!
1/7 Hatha Yoga is based on keeping the spine strong, flexible, spacious and therefore young. When I did my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training we learned a well-rounded class should include all six movements of the spine: One forward bend, one back bend, two side stretches and two twists. As I started teaching I reflected on… Continue reading Youth Resides In The Spine!
Defining Hatha Yoga
The term yoga means 'to yoke' or 'unite'. However there are many different types of yoga in our modern world. There is a type of yoga for everyone, and it is amazing how yoga has blossomed around the world making it accessible to every body, for a realm of different needs. Hatha yoga is the… Continue reading Defining Hatha Yoga
The Final Step: Ultimate Bliss
Our final step on the eight fold path of yoga is called Samadhi. This has been referred to as ultimate peace, bliss or oneness with the universe. It is like meditation, but exists in every moment. A place of enlightment, liberation and the place we come to after devoting our life to the other seven… Continue reading The Final Step: Ultimate Bliss
The Seventh Step: Meditate
As we come to the seventh step, I realize we have almost completed this journey through the eight-fold-path of yoga! The sixth step was concentration and focus, so our next step is when those efforts are no longer efforts, and you are just present in the ceaseless waves of pure experience and presence. This is Dhyana, or… Continue reading The Seventh Step: Meditate