Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Even though it is winter here in Estonia, I somehow crave summer food. Maybe it is because I miss summer, long days and sun. Maybe it is because Estonian traditional Christmas food is very much on the heavier side (think pork, sausages, lots of potatoes, etc.) and the light salad is a nice change. Or maybe it is because this spicy, zingy, and fresh salad is just so good and simple to prepare. Whatever the reason – I have been eating this at least once a week for the last two months. It is so light but full of flavor. I love spice and this is definitely a salad for spice lovers. In fact, if usually, you can just choose to use less chili in case you don’t like heat then for this salad, I recommend just making something different if you don’t like heat as spiciness is essential for this dish.

Breathing is a powerful tool. From relieving stress to improving lung health, breathing can have many positive health and emotional benefits for those who devote time to focusing on it and making it part of their daily practice. Getting into the habit of mindful breathing can be positive for anyone. As more people take on remote work or deal with the strain the pandemic has put on the workday, breathing can help negate feelings of burnout, stress, and anxiety that may arise while working. So next time you start to feel anxious or stressed during the workday, put on comfortable clothes and focus on your breathing to help expel some of that negative energy from your body.

The New Year is a great time to set intentions for the year ahead, and set intentions for success. Intentions are a great way to tackle areas of your life that you would like to improve. It’s important to spend some time thinking and setting intentions with purpose, as this helps in ensuring that they’re successful. Here are our top 10 tips to set intentions that will actually stick: Think about what isn’t working

Raise your hand if you committed to a consistent yoga practice in 2022 but now, you’re having a challenging time stepping onto the mat regularly. You aren’t alone. We get it––life is busy. Despite our best intentions, sometimes our healthy habits are the first item dropped from our schedule. But self-care is essential to our well-being and the more energy we dedicate to our yoga practice, the more energy we have for everything else in our lives. We’re here to save the day with condensed classes that pack in all the yoga benefits you crave in half the time.

These squares are a nice sour pop to finish dinner. Do you know these fancy restaurants where at the end of the meal they bring you petit fours? These squares would be perfect there, so if you wish to feel fancy or surprise your dinner party guests with something extra – make these! They don’t take too long to make, but they definitely impress! I served them along pistachio-filled chocolates and tahini truffles to finish Christmas dinner extra fancy, but they are enough on their own for sure.

Alleviates Stress and Anxiety: Stress, pressure, fatigue, poor diet, alcohol, and drugs damage neural connections between the brain’s prefrontal cortex and the rest of the brain. When you are fatigued or under intense mental or physical stress, the brain bypasses its rational frontal executive circuits. This respectively causes you to respond to daily tasks impulsively with shortsighted decisions. Emotions, such as fear and anger, are heightened and take over.

The bandhas are energetic locks in the body that help control of the flow of energy, prana, or life force, in your body. Engaging the bandhas creates more depth and richness in your yoga practice. They can help you get into postures more deeply, and in a safer way, as well as improve the function of energy throughout your entire body. Jalandhara bandha – the throat lock

Align with nature and detox with Pradeep Teotia! One of the most powerful ways to feel your best is to align with nature. Instead of swimming against the current, when you go with the flow, it’s easier to lighten up. We’ve just experienced a Full Moon, which symbolizes the beginning of a period of releasing feelings of heaviness and stagnancy, inside and out. It’s the perfect time to join our 10-day Detox Immersion with Pradeep and shed what’s no longer serving you. Now that we’re three weeks into the new year, take a moment to contemplate how you’re feeling. Are you ready to pause and assess exactly what you’re ready to release to create space for something fresh? Whether you’ve got some repetitive negative thoughts, unpleasant emotions, or tight hips that are preventing you from feeling content, it is time to purge.

Here is a unique little snack for your next celebration! Everybody knows regular cheese balls, but these are 10 times better! Goat cheese balls! I rarely eat deep-fried food, especially homemade deep-fried food as the amount of oil used is crazy. But these balls are an exception and totally worth it! The zinginess of goat's cheese cuts through the deep-fried fattiness and the balls end up being highly addictive.

The Full Moon moves goddess consciousness towards the initial framework for new creative expression. This is the first layer awakening beyond previous boundaries. We enter the phase of creating new reference with the outer world from the soul self. Consciousness is always testing and recreating its ‘known’ spaces through the push and pull of divine feminine and masculine. And this Full Moon the push and pull of forces shifts, marking a new feminine creative outpouring. The Full Moon will rise in her own house of Cancer at an exalted point within the cosmos.

Prenatal yoga is a healthy practice to pick up during your pregnancy, but you might be wondering what specific benefits practicing yoga during pregnancy can give you - read on for our top benefits of prenatal yoga and some tips to get you started, so you can see a positive difference during your pregnancy! Supports the changes in your body

It’s a new year and a wonderful time to celebrate new life, so if you’re anticipating the birth of your child or recently had a baby, this week’s classes are for you. Pre-natal and post-natal yoga can support you on your mother’s journey by helping manage stress, maintain strength and flexibility, and encourage overall well-being. Because your body is different during this important time, it’s important to practice yoga in a safe and effective manner that meets your specific needs. Whether you’re an experienced yogi or a newbie, there are classes that will work for you. This week’s pre- and post-natal practices are designed by teachers experienced with working with all phases for expectant mothers and new moms. If you’re looking for a studio near you, make sure the instructor has a special certification for pre-natal and post-natal yoga, because additional considerations are involved!

I love curries! All kinds – fresh and zingy ones like they usually make in South-East Asia and also the heavier ones as they make in India. I understand that this is a serious simplification, but in my mind, the South-East Asian ones are brighter and Indian ones heavier. Of course, there are thousands of curry recipes in the world and every family has its own tricks and secret recipes. Here is one of my recipes that is leaning towards Thai green curry, but it is definitely not an authentic one being prepared in Estonia with the ingredients I can get my hands on. But it is delicious for sure! I add my curry paste recipe below but feel free to use a store-bought one or make adjustments.

Breathing exercises can have a huge impact on your mental, physical, and emotional health. Pranayama practices of controlled yogic breathing, are an important part of the yoga practice. Yoga is really a practice of breathing and we most commonly practice ujjayi pranayama during a yoga class. Aside from practicing pranayama while doing asana, it is important to have even a basic understanding of standalone pranayama practices you can do while seated. Different techniques have different energetic effects on the practitioner. Some are energizing, some are calming, some are in between. Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), is a common technique that brings about focus and overall balance. Here are some of this technique's profound benefits, as well as how to practice it.

Happy New Year! It’s time to close the book on 2021 and embark on the next chapter in 2022. But, where to begin? We’ve got so many choices and possibilities that sometimes it’s hard to get focused on what we really want to manifest. This week, we’re here to help you visualize, clarify, and implement your personal journey for your best life. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali often spoke of yoga as a process of planting seeds for the future. Each thought and emotion and action have immediate impact but also will either bloom or wither in the future. Using the ancient wisdom of the Yoga Sutras aids us on our journey. Yoga Sutra 1.2: Citta Vritti Nirodaha, is the pillar around which the entire text is built. This translates as yoga is the ability to direct the mind without distraction or interruption. Sounds simple, right? Just filter out all those external and internal distractions and focus on what you want to.

The options for this soon-to-be-your-new-favorite go-to dressing are endless. Zeal restaurant is infamous for their Avocado on the Half Shell appetizer, which is simply an open-faced avocado with Zeal Dressing drizzled into the hole where the pit previously resided. A little Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground cracked pepper and you have one quick crowd-pleaser. Enjoy the dressing on your favorite bed of mixed greens or some massaged kale. Do you have a restaurant favorite? Be sure to leave me a comment below and I’ll do my best to recreate it in a Conscious Cleanse way.

The recent article on Mula bandha goes into more depth on what the bandhas are. In a brief review, the bandhas are energetic locks in the body. They are utilized to gain control of the flow of energy, prana, or life force, in your body. Understanding and engaging the bandhas creates an added depth to your yoga practice. What is Uddiyana bandha? The second bandha is Uddiyana bandha. Uddiyana bandha engages the diaphragm and inner organs. It is also beneficial for digestion and detoxification and strengthening and toning the abdominals. This bandha also creates an upward pull of energy, similar to Mula bandha, but with a little more intensity.

“Commitment is the ultimate assertion of human freedom. It releases all the energy you possess and enables you to take quantum leaps in creativity. When you set a one-pointed intention and absolutely refuse to allow obstacles to dissipate the focused quality of your attention, you engage the infinite organizing power of the universe.” - Deepak Chopra If you’re ready to leave 2021 in the rear-view mirror and manifest the 2022 of your dreams, it’s vital to have a clear vision of what you want and where you want to go. This week, we’ve got some excellent classes designed to help you get centered, visualize, and set in motion the life you want.

Vegan Stuffed Shells Ingredients: Tomato-Basil Marinara: 2x 28 oz. cans tomato puree (I love Muir Glen products. They're a little pricier but worth it.) 1/2 cup dried basil (That's not a typo. It's really 1/2 cup, not 1/2 teaspoon) 2 tablespoons of maple syrup 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Depression can be a detrimental part of one’s life. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.8% of the world's population suffers from depression at some point. But how bad is depression? And how can someone overcome bouts of depression? This brief overview will explore depression whether you get seasonally depressed in the winter, or at other times in the year. There are a handful of ways that you can effectively reduce its hold on you. Just keep in mind, to do what works best for you.

The holiday season is a busy time for everyone. There always seems to be so much rushing, stressing, planning, and preparation to do, which may lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, tired, and stressed. That’s why it’s so important to stay stress-free over the holidays, otherwise, you run the risk of feeling worn out and tired. We’ve got 10 tips for everyone to try and keep calm and as stress-free as possible over this festive season. Let go of high expectations

Are you feeling joyous and peaceful or off-balance and fatigued? Even though you might be busier than usual or traveling for the holidays, it’s more important than ever to carve out some time to relax and recharge with yoga. And for some of us, this time of year might be tough and not feel festive at all. Yoga can help you build a sense of happiness and calm from the inside out. This week’s classes will help you replenish your energy, no matter what’s going on in your life. Here are a few ways relaxing yoga benefits you:

Here is another autumn dish. There is something in the air that makes me crave all the warm foods and this stew is definitely warm. Real comfort food that makes you feel warm inside out. And this warmth is very needed if you decide to pick the mushrooms yourself as I did. It is rather chilly outside already! Please make sure you always only pick the mushrooms you are familiar with and only from the places far away from big roads and cities. Estonia is a nice place to live because we still have plenty of wilt forests and I just love foraging.

Avoiding stress in the 21st century is quite the challenge. We’re still going through a global pandemic and even without that, there can enough things in our lives that cause us to be stressed — personal relationships, work issues, finances, etc. Life can feel like a rollercoaster of things that affect our balance, which leads to us having less energy and being less happy than we can be. Just like avoiding stress completely, having control over the outer world and its chaos is impossible, yet we can do things to make sure our mental health will not suffer from the challenges of our daily lives. There are regular habits that we can take to protect ourselves from stress. What Is Stress?

This Full Moon marks the point in which we move out of the death phase and cross the waters into new territory. It is the dawning of a new day, of consciousness rising onto the next plane. The Full Moon will bring forward a stronger pull to dharma. Delineate between what serves and how to birth your next evolution. It is not within the physical realm, yet. Outward action will come in January. This point is when the feminine principle becomes impregnated with the wisdom from previous experience/lives. It will then begin to bring this wisdom and direction into physical form. We are in the plane between the physical and the mind. This energy is when the conscious mind is starting to get glimpses of new horizons but the movement towards this creation has not come into fruition.