Have you noticed that every time you step onto your yoga mat it’s a different experience? Sometimes we choose a fast-paced sweaty class and others we seek a more chilled-out type of practice. While all yoga will help you relieve stress, taking the time to slow down and unwind can nourish your system on a deeper level. This week we’re bringing you slower classes designed specifically to help you shift your system back into balance.
One of the most profound ways a slower yoga practice impacts us is by soothing our parasympathetic nervous system. Holding poses for longer periods of time, like in Yin Yoga, encourages our “fight or flight” adrenaline responses to quiet. When you’re in Sleeping Swan (half-pigeon) for several minutes on each side, not only do the tight muscles and connective tissue begin to relax, but the mind quiets and the heart rate slows. When you can slow down and leave the rest of the day behind for even a little while, you’re refilling your well and soothing your nervous system.
We store emotional stress in our bodies. Restorative and slower-paced yoga classes allow you to shift your awareness inward and tune into your feelings. When you simply breathe and relax, a sense of freedom arises to examine your thoughts and emotions. Tight hips often correspond to unprocessed emotions and past trauma. Anxiety centered around career and money woes tends to sit in our shoulders, neck, and spine. By slowing down and allowing these areas time to release, we can gradually let go of the layers of pain residing in our tissues.
At the same time, in a slower yoga class, the stillness encourages a deeper self-awareness. While a fast-paced Vinyasa can be a moving meditation, holding poses for time can help us settle into a deeper contemplation. Quieter classes are perfect before bedtime to encourage restful sleep. Practicing supported inversions, like Viparati Karani (legs up the wall), trigger your nervous system’s relaxation response. Yin can also be appropriate any time you need to refresh yourself from the inside out and find your sense of equanimity.
Taking your time is powerful, especially if most of your life is busy and action-packed. A slow yoga class can offer you the same renewed feeling you have after a great night’s sleep. This week’s yoga classes are excellent tools to relieve stress and reset your system. Try them all out and see how great you feel!
Caitlin Rose Kenney - Yin Yoga for Stress Relief
Elise Fabricant - Quick Yin Fix
Snacks are meant to be simple! While I do love spending time in the kitchen and sometimes don’t mind spending hours and hours to make a few little snacks, sometimes it makes sense to just whip up a quick dip, serve it with colorful veggies and call it a day. This is exactly what I did today and as I had some roasted carrots leftover from yesterday's dinner these found their way into my little dip. I am sure the dip would also work with roasted beetroot or maybe even sweet potato – whatever you happen to have leftover.
If you don’t have any roasted veggies waiting to be used, I don’t recommend roasting them only for one portion of this dip. If you make some for the whole village then it is another story, but if only for yourself and a few more people, maybe just do a regular hummus instead – no point in spending time roasting two carrots or one beetroot. But next time you do roast veggies, plan for leftovers!
My favorite beans to use here (and in many other recipes) are butter beans. Lusciously creamy on their own and combined with smooth almond butter and tangy lemon juice they are just irresistible. The creaminess is good combined with something crunchy and I served the dip with freshly cut bell peppers, cucumber, cauliflower, and crispbreads, but feel free to use any crunchy veggies. The dip is also good used as a spread on a sandwich and pretty much anywhere you would normally use hummus.
Carrot and White Bean Dip
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large (or two small) roasted carrots
1 jar white beans (butter beans are my favorite)
The juice from ¼ lemon
1 tbsp almond butter
Salt, to taste
Instructions:
Just whizz everything t o a nice hummus-like consistency
Have a try, and add some salt, lemon, or more almond butter until you are happy with the taste.
Enjoy with fresh veggies and crispbreads as a dip or use as a spread on a sandwich.
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves to spend time in the kitchen, but most of her recipes are simple and don’t take more than 20 minutes of active cooking time. She thinks that everybody can find time to cook healthy food at home, it is just a question of planning. "I work in an office full time, teach yoga 7-8 hours a week and write a blog. So if I manage to cook most of my meals, then so do you!" Connect with Kadri and enjoy many more of her delicious healthy recipes on her website here: www.kahvliga.ee.
Enjoy this FREE 25-Minute yoga class from home, before your delicious dip!
25-Minute Full Body Yoga with Keith Allen
Want to know my new secret to success and well-being? Hot and cold contrast showers!
Yep! Contrast showers, or hydrotherapy, are actually not a new trend, but rather have been used around the world for centuries as a healing modality. This technique, generally used by athletes to improve recovery between training sessions or post-competition, involves alternating between hot and cold water multiple times.
I always start my shower with warm water for a couple minutes, then switch to icy cold for a couple more minutes. I do about three intervals of switching back and forth between hot and cold, always ending with water as cold as I can stand. (And learning about what I can “stand” is a meditation in itself. Hint, it helps to breathe!)
Contrast showers improve circulation as the cold exposure causes blood flow to be re-directed inward vital organs. Then the hot water increases heart rate and causes the blood to flow outward toward the skin. The lymphatic system also gets a little pump action as it contracts and relaxes with alternating hot and cold therapy. This is thought to assist stagnant fluid to flow out and allow fresh blood and lymphatic fluid to flow in.
It is truly amazing how energized, clear-headed, and invigorated I feel after a contrast shower (yeeehaw!) but the benefits of this natural therapy go well beyond just feeling vibrant and alive.
There is much scientific backing that shows contrast showers are helpful for:
Contrast showers pose no risk for any healthy adult – though any individual with any type of chronic condition including heart disease or high blood pressure should seek medical advice before starting the treatment – so I encourage you to try it every day for one week. Let me know how contrast showers work for you.
This is one of a few choice practices I’ve designed for you in the Morning Rituals module of my course Revive: 30 Days to Vitality, Health & Ease.
By Elise Fabricant
Along with teaching for YogaDownload, Elise works one-on-one with clients around the globe to help them up-level their energy, turn their new healthy behaviors into habits that last, and discover how best to express their gifts to the world. Elise nurtures her creative streak by producing online courses on a balanced, purposeful lifestyle. Along with giving massage to Denverites, Elise also teaches group yoga classes in central Denver. Elise feels blessed to be able to combine her love of travel with her work by taking yoga and health coaching to workshops and retreat centers around the world. Connect with Elise on her website.
Enjoy one of Elise's amazing yoga classes now!
Open Your Heart to Gratitude with Elise Fabricant
For many of us, taking time and doing things that help to clear out the stress and tension is essential to feeling vibrant. Most of us carry a lot in our minds every day, more than we might realize or give ourselves credit for. Every single human is balancing some combination of work, relationships, finances, emotions, in their minds. It can be a lot of keep track of or feel relaxed about. It can be easy to forget that things can be simple, life can feel good and there is so much wonder and beauty in this temporary human experience.
It's vital to have experiences and practices that help you embrace life more fully. If we don't give ourselves time to go inwards to recharge, reset, and clear things out, we can accumulate tension, burn out or not feel so excited about life. Fortunately, there are many practices and activities we can do to recharge and reset ourselves. Some are possible to do every day, while others are more occasional and special. Every one of us is unique, and different things will work for each of us and you're by no means confined to this list. Find things that help you recharge your inner battery and recalibrate.
Here are 12 ways to recharge and reset your soul:
1. Meditate
This is an example of something you can do to recharge, reset, and clear energy every single day. 15 minutes each day spent in meditation can change your mindset, energize your mind, and have you feeling lighter. If you're newer to meditation, don't worry too much about doing it correctly, or where to start, there are many classes online to teach you how to meditate. If you have experience meditating, you know the benefits come from actually doing it, not merely knowing that it's beneficial, so practice!
Meditating your mind is similar to exercising your muscles. The more you exercise your mind in meditation, the easier it becomes to drop more deeply into meditation over time. The science and data are increasingly convincing that those who meditate benefit in their physical and mental well-being. Prioritizing meditation for yourself, it is truly worth it in what it gives back to you.
2. Practice Yoga
Similar to meditation, yoga can be an everyday reset button for you. You don't need to practice for two hours per day, as even 10 to 15 minutes of yoga a day can get the energy in your body smoothed out, and your mind feeling more at ease. There is so much yoga online of all styles, making it easier to fit yoga into your schedule than ever.
The science also supports yoga's benefits in releasing stress and tension in the body and mind. More than the strength and flexibility in your body, yoga's ability to help you clear out your mind, is what makes it truly special and worthwhile.
3. Fast
If you're feeling like you need a special cleansing moment, fasting is a true mind-body-soul experience with potent effects on all three things. A day or more without food gives your body the time and space to heal your cells and other organs and systems of the body since it's not pre-occupied digesting food, which takes a great deal of energy. You can combine these tips and meditate or practice yoga while you fast.
A fast is most commonly 1 - 3 days. Listen to your body and plan to fast on days you can rest, as it's common to feel lethargic and restful while fasting. While the physical benefits of fasting are more obvious, there are mental, emotional. and spiritual benefits to an occasional fast. Many religions and cultures around the world fast during their most holy occasions, as there is an energy of clearing out and resetting on all levels associated with fasting.
4. Go Camping
Time in the great outdoors can do wonders for the mind. The beauty of camping is its simplicity. In our tech indulged era and minds, going back to the roots in nature can help you reset and recharge.
If you've never gone camping alone, it's a powerful rite of passage type experience. It is also special to enjoy camping with others and share delicious food and time together around a fire.
5. Go on a Vacation
Time to freely just be, somewhere away from home is good medicine for the soul (not just in a tent). There are different benefits to returning somewhere love and have been before or experiencing somewhere for the first time. Yoga retreats around the world are another wonderful way to give yourself time to recharge and reset and unique vacations.
6. Take Time Off of Work
Everyone needs time to relax. Working hard feels good for many. However, giving yourself time to unplug, rest, and recharge from your work, can actually make you more productive and powerful in your work. You have to refuel to pace yourself as you flourish in your work. Working hard feels good for many. You have to refuel to pace yourself as you flourish in your work, as a workaholic becomes very tense over time and less fun to be around.
7. Rest Days
Allow yourself days to really unwind, and relax with nothing else planned. Maybe, it's every Sunday, maybe you only do this once per month, or once per season, but whenever you need to, give yourself permission to have a day with no to-do lists or plans. Enjoy a day with space to simply do whatever you feel like.
8. Spa Day
Treat yourself! Get a massage, get a haircut, or go to a spa. However simple or indulgent it feels, let yourself be pampered sometimes. This can do wonders for your spirit, especially if you spend much of your time giving your time and energy so freely to others.
9. Walk
This is something else that can be done daily. A simple walk can be a profound part of your day and give your mind space to clear.
10. Craft & Make Things
Knit, collage, paint, draw or decorate. If you feel creativity wanted to express itself through you, let it. Getting into a flow state by making art and being creative is such a powerful way to let your mind unwind. When immersed in a creative project for a while, it can be a good time to make decisions.
11. Listen to something uplifting on YouTube Every Day for 15 minutes
Adding media that can expand your mind, to your repertoire, can do wonders. Youtube talks from people like Brian Scott, Abraham Hicks, and Louise Hay can be perfect to fill your head with, and even can be played in the background while you work or get errands done around the house. Listen to teachers and messages that inspire you, you can do it every single day, even for a few minutes or in the car and it will plant good seeds in your mind and subconscious. There is nothing wrong with listening to music all day or even indulging in trash television sometimes, but adding even a little bit of uplifting and inspiring content for your mind is worthwhile.
12. Exercise
Moving your body, whether through running, yoga, weight-lifting, gives you space to get out of your head, and into your body. It also allows your body to get stronger.
Find what works and feels best for you to give yourself a boost. We are human and are bound to encounter things that throw us off center sometimes. The key is to let them go and to move through you as graciously as possible, instead of letting unpleasant things accumulate in your body and mind. The experiences to help you reset that are more occasional (like vacations, retreats, fasting), can give you the inspiration to stay light moving forward in your day-to-day life long after you've done them. The daily activities to reset and recharge (like yoga, meditation, or walks), can become habits over time if you want them to be.
Remember to let things go, do things that satisfy your soul, and take wonderful care of yourself.
By Keith Allen
For Keith, yoga is about connecting deeper to who we truly are and using the practice to enjoy our lives more. His classes balance a meditative focus with safe alignment. He has studied extensively from different teachers, lineages, and styles around the world, and remains a passionate and dedicated student of yoga and meditation. Enjoy Keith's yoga classes on YogaDownload.com.
Meditate with Keith right now!
Meditate and Cultivate Calm with Keith Allen
Welcome Summer! Anybody else savoring the sense of freedom in the air these days? Now that most of the world is opening and travel is a possibility again, you aren’t alone if all you are ready to shake up your regular routine. Whether that means going on vacation or simply enjoying visits with friends and family, your dance card may be so full, you have less time for your yoga practice.
Nobody wants to sacrifice all the benefits of a consistent yoga practice, right? Sometimes when life shifts into high gear, it can feel we’re too busy to fit in our yoga and end up skipping it altogether. Then, all the hard-won benefits like physical flexibility, strength, and balance can diminish. The clear calm mind and softer heart that comes from mindful breath and movement can devolve into stress and anxiety. Don’t stress––we’ve got the perfect solution to keep you in the flow.
This week, press play on Claire Petretti Marti’s 5-Day Quick Energy Flow program and maintain your yoga practice with invigorating 20-to-25-minute Vinyasa classes. Long-time YogaDownload favorite, Claire is an experienced teacher who created these dynamic, well-rounded classes to give you all the physical, emotional, and mental benefits of a full-length class. Try mixing up your routine by spending less time on the mat this week but committing to daily practice.
These quick classes will help you save time, maintain consistency, and ensure you have the rest of your day free to do whatever you want. It’s the optimal solution to having it all, on and off the mat. Sometimes sustaining a regular practice can be tough on the days life gets in the way. Now you’ll feel confident that you’ve taken time to rejuvenate yourself and maintain your strength, flexibility, and equanimity.
Another benefit of this efficient, fun, and challenging program is that mixing up your usual routine is good for you! Sometimes we can slip into a rut of always doing the same classes, same teachers, same level of intensity, which can result in a plateau. Changing up the length, intensity, and style of practice will stimulate your mind, hone your focus, and wake up your system. These classes each emphasize boosting your energy and working hard for a short, focused period of time.
Over the next five days, challenge yourself to commit fully to each quick, intermediate class. Enjoy your full days off the mat with an energized happy mood you created in less than 30 minutes. Enjoy!
SIGN UP FOR YOUR 5 DAY YOGA CHALLENGE NOW!
Summer is finally here in Estonia, and this means that my main meals are smoothie bowls. Strawberry season is still a few weeks away here and while my own strawberry bushes are still flowering, the frozen strawberries from the store are delicious in this recipe too and in fact, I recommend using frozen berries here as they give thicker, ice-cream like consistency that I really enjoy. Avocado brings the creaminess to the next level and the healthy fats there help to keep us feeling full for longer and as an extra bonus help to moisten our skin from the inside – always a good thing when spending a lot of time outside with the sun!
To top the bowl I always use fresh fruit and berries – whatever I have waiting to be used up, nice plump blueberries this time, and of course something crunchy works well too! Both banana and strawberries can be frozen, but do not need to be. As it is quite warm outside where I am now, I always like to keep chopped-up bananas in my freezer for smoothies or ice-creams, so I always use frozen bananas, but sometimes I add fresh strawberries. Vice versa works well too. And if you only use fresh ingredients, just add in a few ice cubes to keep it cool!
Strawberry Dream Smoothie Bowl
Serves: 1
1 cup (frozen) strawberries
½ (frozen) banana
½ ripe avocado
½ cup cashew milk
Add all the ingredients to the blender and blitz until smooth. Eat/drink cooled.
I always like to top my bowl with fresh berries and sometimes I also add something crunchy (granola, toasted coconut, nuts, etc.)
Enjoy this FREE 25-Minute yoga class from home, before your delicious smoothie bowl!
This Full Moon is the subsequent embodiment of a Hermetic principle. This lunation will structure the tendrils of the subconscious mind and its connection to the material world. An important aspect of this Full Moon is the ability to reveal and release the majority mindset that has created certain aspects within the material world. This moon will move the lesser aspects of the ego to be subdued and reveal the intelligence/mindset in operation. Higher wisdom within and collective rises to new heights to aid in perception manifestation. This is a 4D elevation of the thinking mind.
The full moon proceeding the Solar eclipse will reveal what’s behind the shake-up. This lunation is heavily influenced by the exalted positions of the nodes. This exalted position with the nodes along with the current retrogrades are creating a wisdom beyond what was once known. As always with the nodes, illusion will play an important role. However, it’s different with the current planetary placements. It’s more as what you imagine will manifest. Be mindful of the mental veil, what was once hidden can be seen, and what was once a delusion, can no longer bind. The cosmic energies are hindering the ‘thinking mind’; this will work to aid in recreating new structures within the material world as it manifests through the mind. It will also enable one to create new perspectives.
The higher mind is taking precedence and these cosmic energies are showing beyond the ‘day to day’ thoughts. I cannot impress upon this enough, it is the ethereal mind that is being activated. These are the subtle aspects that will show an important connection between the soul and current manifestation. This is awakening a different level of the subconscious. Like a seed that is being activated by switching the perception of the mind. Another very important aspect of this subconscious activation is the law of genders that is being revealed. There is a polarity switch.
Some of you may be disinterested in what once captivated you. Some may feel like you’re seeing your life unfold with new eyes or seeing the ways the unreal has played out in the identification of self.
This Full Moon will open the laws of creation, recreation, and destruction. This is the law of genders (masculine and feminine) are forces or generation-creation. The Sun’s position here has a unique switch with retrograde Saturn, carrying up the heart and heralding the soul’s mission. Reversal of time and space conception is a part of this energy. It is a part of lifting one up to the highest ideals.
The New Moon Solar Eclipse worked a lot of Venus energy with Saturn to make way for the Full Moon to lift one’s vision.
During the New Moon Venus was at an exalted position within Ardra Nakshatra in Gemini, showing the birth of new. An implosion causing radiant energy and awareness. Now through the Sun’s position in Ardra (the same lunar mansion) in Gemini, we have a point where the ego must stand down. This will allow the radiant wisdom to be carried through. There is an important reflection interplay with Saturn is allowing one to peer into the higher mind.
Leading up to this Full Moon, many of you may have glimpsed actions and habits that were holding you back. Aspects within the material world whether perceived or created that are not in line with the next level of self. This moon will lead from the soul. It will move thinking from reactive to a state of rest, a way to switch outcomes if you will. It’s as if you will live and see ‘sliding doors’ a chance to see an alternate reality. Believe me, I know how this may sound. I am trying to share as simply and eloquently as possible what I am being shown.
Dissatisfaction will be your guide. It will draw one inward to recreate. Notice the scenarios, the actions, the thoughts that lead to dissatisfaction. This will be Saturn and Nodal influence redirecting you to what is more fulfilling, and really a redirect into higher wisdom. An important aspect of working with these energies as the subconscious and perceiving mind is being reworked is to know that your reality is being raised to a higher degree of vibration. This higher degree will create confusion and may stir emotions. It is important to become the master of your reality. What is being revealed is the higher intelligence operating behind the created reality you will have a chance to recreate your perception. To access the higher mind beyond time and space allows you to transcend karma and step into the higher self, dream within the present tense.
This will open the mind into new avenues. Saturn retrograde is continuing to open up higher levels of the consciousness, during his time meditation is exalted and will allow one to touch into their higher intellect and inner wisdom and guidance. The Moon’s position works hand in hand in understanding the infinite, these cosmic energies allow one to work with the space in which all manifests. This is the stratum, the web essentially in which all thoughts, emotions are tethered. Work with these energies. There are potent transmutational energies and an ability to see what needs to be transmuted, how things are connected. Personal journeys become more internalized and one’s ability to understand personal effects on the world, collective, and their own inner journey is accessible. Again, the law of genders and law of polarity are the keys to work with these cosmic energies. Remain in the place of center, as you see connections within the mind, past, actions, and beyond the reality there lies an opportunity to remain in one’s self to step out of cause and effect and set into motion a new light of being and creating.
Emotional and mental balance is essential, the Nodes will take us into a new manifested reality through the recreation of one’s self. Lastly, these energies can cause one to feel more isolated, more distant. It is a ripe time to claim the empowered self, the aspect of the self that is beyond this time and space, and listen more intently to what is arising beyond what you’ve envisioned. These energies will allow access to ethereal realms as they pertain to dharma and the inner journey. One last note, the nodes will work to help you build beyond karma, consider anything from the past as a service to personal wisdom, but not as a tether or framework to future self. The energies are heavily unfolding individual light.
Be well my loves,
Geenie (Gemma) Celento For a personal astrology reading, book here.
Geenie, also known as Gemma, is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, astrologer, and student of the Sri Vidya Tantric lineage. Her classes on YogaDownload are often inspired by astrology and aimed to guide each student to unfold a deeper connection from within. Her diverse knowledge and continued studies in the spiritual sciences can be felt in her class offerings. With humble devotion Gemma weaves the wisdom of yogic practices into accessible and impactful mat experiences.
Practice the Yoga & Astrology series with Geenie now!
“For a star to be born: a gaseous nebula must collapse. So collapse. Crumble. This is not your destruction. This is your birth.” – Zoe Skylar
Recently, I wrote about the importance of play. Today, through my sugar hangover, my attention turns to decay, decomposition, and death. I wrote this around The Day Of The Dead, All Souls Day, or Dia De Los Muertos, when we honor not only those who have passed on from this lifetime, but also the natural passage at the end of all lives.
Here in Denver, the once juicy green leaves have dried, withered, and fallen, now are starting to emit the rotten Autumn scent, reminding me that everything must come to an end. Unpleasant though it may be, the fact is that death can come at any time, at any age; after a long or short illness, due to violent crime or an inexplicably tragic accident.
In my American culture, death feels like a taboo subject, like the “Great Unmentionable.” Therefore, I am appreciative of the Latin American cultures who celebrate things like the Day of the Dead. By honoring death in this way, we are also encouraged to live each moment of life fully. We remember that each new day and each new breath is a miracle, and not to be taken for granted.
According to the ancient Latin American traditions, death is not the end but instead a phase of an infinite cycle. In Indian philosophy, death is an opportunity for the ultimate transformation. The Buddha taught that death is a natural part of life, and that everything changes, nothing is permanent, and suffering is inevitable.
Our spiritual practice through meditation and yoga can ultimately prepare us for the impermanent nature of the world, and ultimately for our own death. Meditation allows us to create space to observe samsara (suffering) and be able to hold space for ourselves and others in times of loss, heartache and grief.
We end each physical yoga practice with Savasana, or corpse pose. during this sacred time, we cut off our senses to the outside world. We deepen into the stillness of body and mind. Savasana allows us the opportunity to die, decompose, transform and then rise anew.
Savasana helps us feel:
Completely free of form.
Surrender.
Breath breathes you.
Let go of needing to know.
Decomposition, allowing for new life.
Infinite possibilities are now open.
If you can, go outside to lie on the Earth. Allow your body to soften and become heavy and effortless. Imagine returning to where you came from.
When you eventually rise from this position, do so with intention and an awareness of the gift of being alive. Remember that each breath you take is an opportunity for gratitude and transformation.
Who else spent months sprawled on the couch bingeing television and hours perched in front of the computer zooming with friends and family? During quarantine, most of us found ourselves more sedentary than usual. Prolonged sitting does a number on our posture, and our shoulders round forward, our necks grow stiff, and our posture begins to slump. Not only does our body fall out of alignment, but we can become more closed off emotionally. The inner reflects the outer.
This week, we’re focusing on asanas (postures) that loosen up the shoulders, relax the throat and neck, and create more spaciousness in our spines. When we focus on relieving stress and tension that lurks around the neck and shoulders, we can alleviate pain. Practices focused on the upper body create strength and mobility and encourage proper posture. They also go deeper within and benefit the subtle body, where our chakras reside.
Of the seven primary chakras located along the Sushumna Nadi or spinal column, the four higher chakras or seats of higher consciousness reside in the upper body. They are the Anahata or heart chakra, Vishudda or throat chakra, Ajna or third eye chakra, and Sahasrara or crown chakra.
The Anahata chakra is where both love and fear, our primary emotions, exist. Opening and strengthening the area surrounding the heart helps us step away from fear and open to love and all of life’s possibilities. Our heart is the seat of compassion, where we ascend past the ego and learn to put other’s needs above our own. Backbends and arm balances are great postures to help you breathe easier and regain that loving feeling.
The Visshuda chakra resides at the base of our throat and is considered the place from which we speak our truth and express our feelings. Developing the ability to be clear and direct with our words is another benefit of focusing on the upper body. When you’re experiencing pain in your neck or are having a tough time communicating authentically, postures like plow, shoulder stand, and fish pose can help bring you into balance.
The Ajna chakra is commonly known as “command central.” Your Third Eye is the seat of intuition and your higher self. Spending time cultivating clarity helps you transcend distraction and reactiveness in your daily life. Asanas like Balasana or Child’s Pose stimulate the Ajna chakra.
Depicted as a thousand petal lotus, the seventh chakra, Sahasrara, on the crown of our head, is our connection to spirit. Freeing tight muscles and mental strain allows us to open ourselves to our individual connection with unconditional love and the Universe. Headstand, Savasana, Tadasana, and meditation all aid you in finding your karmic relationship with the universe.
This week’s classes will enhance your posture, alleviate neck and shoulder tension while creating more freedom in your heart, more authenticity in your expression, and more clarity in your mind. Check them out!
Dana Hanizeski - Deep Release Neck & Shoulders
Kristen Boyle - Hips + Shoulders: How We Hold Tension In The Body
Erin Wimert - Yin for Your Upper Body
Dana Smith - Open Your Heart
These days, I typically will start my day with a low sugar green juice like this Fresh Start Green Juice OR I make this Energy Boosting Green Smoothie. It includes all the goodness of green juice, but it’s more filling because of all the fiber. I’ve been loving golden flax seeds as my boost lately too. They are great for healthy elimination (bye-bye constipation), glowing skin, and balanced hormones. Flax seeds are also anti-inflammatory, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, and an amazing plant-based protein.
Give this a whirl in your blender and let me know what you think!
With love and green goodness, Jules
Jules’ Energy Boosting Green Smoothie
Yield: 32 oz
1 ½ cups filtered water 1 head romaine lettuce ½ bunch cilantro ½ bunch parsley ½ cup sprouts (any variety) ½ cucumber (skin on) 1-2” knob of fresh ginger Juice ½ lemon 1 frozen banana (or ripe pear for low sugar option) 2 TB. flaxseeds
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of two books The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life and their brand new The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
If you are a yoga teacher, coach, or leader in your field you might be interested in taking your clients and students into more intimate and deep experiences, such as a retreat. If you're a student who enjoys yoga retreat vacations in beautiful places around the world, or have always wanted to treat yourself to one, there are so many benefits for these kinds of getaways.
Retreats are amazing because you get the opportunity to really dive deep and really connect with people. They can be however you want them to be, from super intense, workshop heavy, 8-hour per day session retreats, to relaxed, go with the flow, do whatever you want style of retreats with delicious food and wine.
The cool thing about hosting retreats is as the host, you get to be the creator of every aspect, and as the retreat-goer, you get to choose what kind of retreat you want to experience.
As the host, you get to decide the schedule, the curriculum, and what the flow is going to look like. And, you will get paid for your time organizing and curating the event! If you’re a leader and looking to either begin hosting retreats or you’re an experienced retreat leader and you’re looking for some new destination ideas, here are some of the best places in North and Central America to host or enjoy your next retreat.
Nicaragua
I put this at the top of my list because I’ve recently fallen in love with this country. It’s absolutely beautiful, with beaches and jungles that compete with those in Indonesia and Hawaii. But unlike Hawaii and Bali, Nicaragua is still totally untapped. Unfortunately for Nicaragua, they got a bad reputation back in 2018 during a short period of political unrest. Even though now the country is now very safe, the conflicts which occurred years ago are still making some hesitant to go to this magical country.
In a way, it’s lucky for us who are visiting as tourists. We get the opportunity to visit one of the most stunning countries in the world while there’s still minimal tourism, which likely won’t last for long. So definitely get down to this country while it’s still quiet and charming!
If you’re looking for jungle and gorgeous beach and surf vibes, I recommend staying at Treecasa. They’re nestled in the trees of San Juan del Sur -- with close and easy access to some of the best beaches in the world. If you’re looking for rustic, mountainous vibes, I recommend Nimaya Institute.
Guatemala
Just north of Nicaragua, Guatemala comes in with a close second place. Guatemala, like Nicaragua, is still very much untapped. While there is a coast with beaches in Guatemala, I recommend taking your retreat up into the stunning volcanoes, nestled upon beaches on the giant and gorgeous lake, Lake Atitilan.
This has been an up-and-coming place to host yoga retreats and for good reason. The lake is absolutely stunning and is surrounded by magnificent volcanoes. Those who have been here will agree that there’s just something about it. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but the energy feels electrifying, in the best of ways.
There are multiple places to host your next retreat. Eagles Nest is large and beautiful -- perfect for hosting larger retreats. If you’re looking for something more quaint and mystical -- definitely check out The Mystical Yoga Farm. It’s charming and absolutely magical.
Costa Rica
While there’s nothing unconventional about hosting your yoga retreat in Costa Rica, but there are some specific spaces that are super unconventional, which is why I included them in this list.
It’s nestled at the very most southern point of Costa Rica, two hours south of the closest airport, only accessible from a very rocky, dirt road at a place called The Yoga Farm. The farm itself is only accessible by 4 wheel drive, (four-wheeler preferred!) as it sits at the top of a steep, crumbling hill.
Sounds treacherous? Well, it’s quite the mission to get here, but once you do, you’re nestled in the most magical and rich jungle you’ve ever seen. The Yoga Farm is a permaculture farm and community living space that accommodates volunteers who want to learn more about permaculture, communal living, yoga, and oh yeah -- did I forget to mention there are some of the best waves in the world out front?
I’ve spent the last couple of years teaching yoga in this space and while it’s an absolute mission to get here -- it’s totally worth it. If you’re open-minded to a more rustic style of living with things like compost toilets and all sorts of jungle creatures -- this place is for you.
Mazunte, Mexico
The desert meets the ocean. Imagine cactus and desert flowers on white-sand beaches, with the most turquoise water you’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely stunning and unique sight to see.
Settled down south in the southern state of Oaxaca, Mazunte is a magical, small little town nestled on some of the most gorgeous beaches I’ve ever seen.
The town only has a couple of roads with shops and restaurants, and this desert coastal town is still very much undiscovered. While there’s no surfing here, there are gorgeous hikes, beaches, and vistas for you and your retreat guests to feel absolutely inspired by.
I can recommend hosting your retreat at Hridaya. Here they are built to host retreats -- and they do all the time! They also offer really cool events, yoga teacher trainings, and accommodation for people who want to live and stay in a yogic atmosphere.
Southern Utah
Last, I’ll list Southern Utah because it’s my home, and it’s absolutely stunning and definitely unconventional. While Utah has been growing a lot over the last 5 years, it’s still one of those states where people go “Utah? What’s there?”.
Utah (specifically southern!) is absolutely stunning -- it’s a dry, red desert with red rock canyons, bright blue skies, desert sage, and plenty of outdoor activities to partake in through their 255 sunshine-filled days a year. With stunning National Parks such as Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches, there’s plenty of reason to take a visit to Southern Utah.
Your yoga retreat could include various activities such as canyoneering, mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, or practicing yoga overlooking incredible desert vistas.
I 100% recommend hosting your retreat with Nama-stay. They’ve got beautiful accomodation close to Zion National Park, and they’re also an experienced guiding company, so if you want to do any tours within the park -- they’re your guys.
By Brooke Nally
Brooke Nally (@brookenally) is a traveling yogi and writer currently based in Bali. She is the community manager for www.YogaTrade.com, with her personal goal being to help yoga teachers find their dream yoga jobs around the world.
JOIN AN AMAZING RETREAT ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD IN EUROPE, WITH YOGADOWNLOAD, HERE!
A lot of us suffer from bad posture, but having good posture is extremely beneficial to our health and general wellbeing. A good posture can help do a number of things such as prevent back and neck pain, decrease wear and tear on your joints, increase your energy levels, and increase your spine’s durability. So quite a lot of benefits from having a good posture!
Our posture is so important as our other bodily organs, tissues, nerves and bones rely on it as our spine absorbs shock, leverages movements and protects the spinal cord - an extension of your brain and the way your brain sends messages to the rest of your body.
Having a slumped posture curves the spine, and puts a lot of stress onto the spines supporting body parts, which can degrade the strength of the spinal cord.
Unfortunately, modern technology has impacted the way we hold ourselves - and not for the better.
Sitting in front of a computer or phone for even a couple of hours, forces your muscles and ligaments to pull your spine up to an erect position. Because of this - these muscles and ligaments send messages to our brain to stimulate a response to change our posture.
Consider the scenario where we sit in front of our computer or tablet for 2 hours, our ligaments and muscles are straining to pull our spine back into an erect position. As a result, the tissues start sending impulses to the brain, to stimulate a voluntary response to change our posture. When the brain eventually receives it all, our perception of back pain is triggered.
Poor posture due to technology can also lead to depression. A study on depression found that depressed subjects often keep their heads down due to low self-esteem and lack of energy. The solution was basketball! As well as having a goal to focus on - standing tall and looking up throughout the game forced their spines to straighten, improving breathing and oxygen flow around the body - and eventually improved the symptoms of depression.
Your phone can also cause poor posture which can lead to wrist problems. More and more of us spend more time on mobile devices, sometimes for hours at a time - and this is in addition to us spending too much time sitting at our desks.
When we hold our phones, we’re rotating our wrists and stretching our thumbs out - making them perform rapid and repetitive movements, without necks and heads looking down at what might be an awkward and uncomfortable angle. Did you know that for every 2cm you lean your head forward, you are putting 5kg of extra strain on the joints of your spine - after a long time, this can actually do some serious damage to your upper back and neck.
As well as this workout our thumbs get on our phone, computer games, and typing also give our wrists, hands, and fingers a lot to do! Pain in these areas is a common occurrence to those who use a lot of technology, due to the repetitive movements that these devices encourage. What’s worse is that inventions like social media and video games are designed to keep you distracted so you might not realize the pain your body is in until serious damage is done.
In addition to all these posture difficulties and repetitive movements that cause strain, it’s also really easy to have accidents that can affect our bodies and our postures while using technology. People can sometimes be so engrossed in what they’re looking down at in their hands that they can’t see what’s literally going on in the world around them. Walking into lamp posts, doors, windows, dropping phones on their faces or feet - and worst of all car accidents and collisions. This is a seriously damaging way that technology can have a fatal effect on our bodies. While not necessarily a problem that can be resolved by better postures - it's still important to keep this issue in mind to avoid bumping into things!
With all the above-mentioned dangers on our bodies at large, there are a few solutions and preventative measures you can take to reduce the effects of stress on your body caused by all this tech.
A stand-up desk is a great solution to help ease the stress on your neck and back, and also helps you to avoid sitting too long, as you can stand up while you work on your computer or laptop. This might seem weird to start off with but you’ll notice the benefits in no time! If you can get a stand-up desk - make sure your screen, desk, and chair height are all set up in the optimum position for working. This will reduce the damage sitting down looking at a screen will do to your back and neck.
Having lots of breaks from using your technology - your computer, your tv, your mobile phone or your games console will help to break the repetitive cycle and reduce the stress on your hands, wrists, and necks. Try to get up and walk around for a few minutes at minimum every half an hour to give yourself and your body a break.
Stretching can also help to keep your blood flowing around your body and lengthen out those regularly contracted muscles. Try to stretch whenever you feel tightness or discomfort in your body.
In conclusion - while technology has aided our lives in so many different ways, we need to remember the importance of good posture and how our bodies were designed to stand and sit. Above anything else, remember, stand tall and look up.
By Amy Cavill
Want to get better posture with yoga? Try this program!
Mark your calendars for the sixth annual International Yoga Day! This relatively new holiday, established in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly in 177 member countries, celebrates the value of yoga for physical, emotional, and mental health. In 2021, June 21st is also the solstice - the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern hemisphere. This day is a turning point for the entire planet and a sacred day in many cultures. Perfect to celebrate yoga!
Each International Yoga Day features a different theme. As the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, the chosen theme for 2021 is Yoga for Wellbeing, stressing the benefits of yoga for stress relief and overall mental health. The emphasis on mindful movement and deliberate breathing patterns in yoga benefits not just your physical body, but enhances mood, relieves stress, alleviates insomnia, and aids in managing situational depression. Even if your intention is centered on increasing physical strength, mobility, and balance, you garner the mental benefits too.
Our lives are forever changed after this past year. It’s a simple fact. Many of us experienced enormous levels of anxiety, stress, fear, loss, and anger. When we react from these emotions, our breathing becomes shallow, our heart works overtime, and the stress hormone cortisol skyrockets. When our physiological system is out of control, it’s tough to remain grounded, clear, and balanced. Yoga helps positively impact our nervous systems, which in turn helps us step out of the fight or flight response. We can stop simply reacting and start operating from a more stable place.
This week, focus toward on the mental health benefits of your practice. Feeling good in your body is the first step to feeling happy in your mind. When you step onto the mat and set your intention for the day, choose to direct it toward finding that intangible feeling of freedom and softness and strength within. Remind yourself that your breathing patterns are a tool. Your physical movement is a tool. Your gaze, intention, and thoughts are powerful tools for living in the present moment. Yoga works.
Yoga Sutra 2:46 Sthira Sukham Asanam translates to the posture should be stable and comfortable, a balance of effort and ease. When we find that balance in a physical pose, we find the corresponding mental state as well. This week, we celebrate International Yoga Day by featuring some traditional breathing practices, a yoga philosophy talk, and some feel-good asana practices. Enjoy these classes and feel healthier inside and out.
1. Pradeep Teotia - Nadi Shodhana: Alternate Nostril Breathing
2. Bhavani Maki - Introduction to the Patanjali Yoga Sutra
3. Mark Morford - Surya Devotion Flow
4. Jack Cuneo - Asthanga Modified Primary Series
Reusing the food from last night's dinner is a regular thing for me, but often I don’t feel like having exactly the same thing several days in a row. So sometimes I get a little creative and many of my recipes are developed this way. Today's featured leftover – quinoa. I used black quinoa, but whether you have a white, red, or mixed one – they all work well, and I am sure the recipe would also work with leftover barley, bulgur, or any other grains.
I always use onion and celery in all sorts of patties, and these are not an exception. In case you don’t like them, just omit and feel free to add some garlic, for example. I am not a garlic lover and this is why it is almost never used in my recipes, but since we all cook for ourselves, it makes sense to trust our own tastebuds.
To serve, I used some other leftovers – marinated red onions and as an extra element, I roasted the outside leaves of cauliflower with salt and a little oil. Roasted cabbages are so so delicious. Probably most people have had kale chips but maybe roasting the outer leaves of cauliflower is not as common. I assure you, it is worth a try. As the leaves have stalks, they will not be as crispy all the way through as kale chips, but the stalks stay rather chewy while the thinner leaves are deliciously crispy. To roast the leaves I preheated the oven to 400-degrees with the fan on. I massaged the leaves with a little oil and salt and placed them on the baking sheet in a single layer. After about 7 minutes in the oven, I flipped the leaves over and cooked for another 5 minutes. Yum!
Cauliflower-Quinoa Patties
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yields: 16 patties
1 cup of cooked quinoa (I used black)
1 head of cauliflower
1 onion
2 stalks of celery
3 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil for frying
Cook the cauliflower until soft.
In the meantime, chop the onion and celery and mix with the quinoa and spices.
Drain the cauliflower, mash up and mix with the quinoa mix.
Add the chickpea flour and mix well.
Heat a little oil on a frying pan.
As the mixture is still warm, be careful and form little patties between your hands.
Fry until golden, 2-3 minutes, flip over and fry from the other side.
Serve hot or cold.
Enjoy this FREE 25-Minute yoga class from home, before your delicious plaintain nachos!
"The more you open your heart to others, the more your life becomes joyful." One who is open and balanced in their chest area and heart space is more open to freely give and receive love to others and have a more loving relationship with yourself. When we are depressed or closed off, our posture reflects it with a more hunched over and closed off posture.
More of us are increasingly spending hours upon hours every day staring at our mobile phones, with our heads bent, eyes down, and our posture like a croissant. This is a similar stance we adopt when we are sad, depressed, or disappointed. We make ourselves appear small because we are sad – yet it’s also true we can feel sad because we’re making ourselves appear small. Social psychologists call it embodied cognition. This basically means our mind influences our body, but our body – especially our stance – greatly influences our mind too.
Fortunately, embodied cognition works positively as well, which is essentially what yoga asanas are in their essence, ways to use our bodies, to make our minds feel a certain way. We put our bodies into strong, empowered, open-hearted confident shapes on the yoga postures, our minds will feel these qualities increase as well.
To bravely open your heart, these 5 common postures are powerful and can undo all the time staring down at our phones, have us standing proud, tall, and be open to giving and receiving love. It's recommended you spend at least 5 deep breaths in each of these poses to
Here are 5 yoga poses to make your heart happier:
Cobra
This posture is simple and effective in opening your shoulders and chest while alleviating and lengthening your lower back. Keep your legs strong and neck long and let breath into the front of your heart.
Upward Facing Dog
This posture is a layer deeper than Cobra and more advanced. Note that Cobra is still powerful and to avoid Upward Facing Dog if you have any issues in your lower back. Otherwise, in this pose, keep your legs strong, heart-lifting, and breathe into the center of your chest.
Bow
This pose works against gravity, which means that even while you powerfully open your heart and shoulders, you also strengthen your back. Kick strongly and let your legs be the driving force in this posture.
Wheel
This is a reset for all of the time we spend hunched over. Wheel pose not only lengthens and stretches your entire spine, but it is also a particularly wonderful pose to lengthen and open your neck.
Camel
Gravity helps open your heart in this posture, which means you can deeply open the space around your heart. Continue to lift your heart toward the sky, while you lengthen out of your lower back.
If you're feeling closed off or depressed, remember that you can work your body to help uplift your mind. Backbends in yoga open your heart and in turn, open you up to love more. Enjoy these five, as well as many other heart-chakra opening postures.
By Nicki Mateo
Nicki Mateo is an independent artist and author, who enjoys pushing boundaries, yoga and meditation, creative energy, and breaking down stereotypes.
Kristin Gibowicz - Healthy Backs: Nurturing Hope Through Backbends
Cicily Carter - Heart Chakra Yoga: Backbend Flow
“Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point,” which translates to: the heart has its reasons, whereof reason knows nothing... We know the truth not only by the reason, but by the heart." - Blaise Pascal
This quote by famous mathematician Blaise Pascal is from 1669––talk about ancient wisdom! Even a genius steeped in reason and mathematics recognized that often the answer lies in listening to the heart and emotions, as opposed to relying solely on the brain. This week we’re focused on balancing your heart energy.
In yoga, we emphasize opening and balancing the Anahata (Heart) chakra as being vital to feeling our best. The seven main chakras are energy systems running along our Sushumna Nadi, in our subtle body, the blueprint of our physical body. The fourth chakra, Anahata, is the recognized seat of love and compassion and translates to “Unstruck.” Its essence is selflessness, expanding beyond your ego, and learning to release fear and forgive those who have harmed you.
The heart houses the two primary emotions of love and fear. When Anahata is out of balance, physical issues may arise in the chest region, including problems with the heart and arteries, lungs and respiratory system. Sometimes a heart attack or lung disease can stem from emotional pain. Fear of pain manifests in a protective posture of rounded shoulders, which further closes off our heart within our chest.
Emotional issues manifest when we cannot forgive the people who caused us the most hurt. Our human experience includes love and pain. When you’ve been hurt, part of the healing process is self-protection. But if we aren’t careful, fear supersedes love, blocking our emotions, and disconnecting from our hearts. Taking the time to tune into your feelings and listen to your heart will help fortify your connection to yourself and to others.
Releasing old resentments and hurts which may be blocking us from expressing our emotions isn’t easy. Courage and love are often used interchangeably––being vulnerable is one of the greatest acts of strength. We face the choice to act from a place of bravery or operate from a place of fear countless times every day. To step into our strength, we need to take the risk and be vulnerable.
By practicing heart openers and strengtheners as well as learning to breathe deeply and fully, we create an open heart. Take time to strengthen your own heart and forgive yourself for what may be blocking you from being your most free and compassionate. This week, use these specially designed practices to balance your heart center.
Happy Good Flow with Pradeep Teotia
Pleasure Flow with Kylie Larson
If you know us here at the Conscious Cleanse, you know we love our green smoothies! We believe that there’s no snack more versatile and nutritious than a freshly blended smoothie.
Ranging from the protein-packed peanut butter and banana smoothie to the light and fruity blueberry & lemon smoothie to the palette-awakening cilantro & lime smoothie, these blended beauties are a simple, delicious, and customizable way to chug nutritious foods.
Above all, however, is the smoothie’s unmatched ability to help reduce food waste in your kitchen. While you may not delight in munching on strawberry tops or lemon peels on their own, tossed in a blender, they keep your smoothie healthy and your compost empty.
So we’ve teamed up with our friends at Abeego to offer you a delicious round-up of zero waste smoothie recipes!
We love Abeego and their commitment to creating a product that’s good for you, for your food, and for the planet. Their products are designed to help your fresh foods breathe and last longer, in addition to being 100% plastic-free, reusable, and biodegradable.
Whether you’re after breakfast smoothie recipes, smoothie recipes for kids, or simply looking to up your blended fruit game, we’ve put together a list of some yummy waste-free smoothie recipes to help you reduce your food waste.
Conscious Cleanse’s Blueberry Lemon Smoothie Recipe
2 cups cashew milk 1 TB. chia seeds 3 large romaine lettuce leaves 1 cup spinach small handful of fresh Italian parsley (flat-leaf) – stems and all! ¼ tsp. lemon zest Juice of ½ lemon (wrap the other half in Abeego for safekeeping) 2 cups frozen blueberries
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
*This is one of the many delicious recipes in our new cookbook, The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! Grab your copy.
Toni Desrosiers’ Strawberry Mint Smoothie Recipe
Yields: 1 smoothie
2 cups your choice of milk 1 TB. hemp hearts or chia seeds 1 cup kale small handful of mint leaves – stems and all! 1 cup frozen strawberries – tops and all! ½ banana
More Ingredients to Reduce Food Waste With Smoothies:
Celery leaves Cauliflower stalk Kiwi skins Cucumber skin Kale Stems
Climbing aboard the smoothie train means purchasing heaps of greens and fruits on a weekly basis. With Abeego food wrap, you can enjoy the same freshness of your precious smoothie ingredients on Friday as you did on Monday.
Burrito-wrap your bundles of kale or spinach in a large or giant Abeego food wrap to keep them spirited and nutritious for this Brain Boosting Smoothie Bowl. Grab your Abeego food wrap and wrap your halved lemon, apple, or leftover strawberry tops for an amazing Apple & Strawberry Smoothie.
With love,
Jo & Jules
People in many professions in today's world typically spend the majority of the day at their desks in front of the computer. We can quickly slip into the pit of the monitor screen and look at it for days on end if we don't keep track of time. This is harmful not only to our well-being but also to imagination and creativity.
In regards to staying healthy to stay inspired, writer Orson Scott Card once said about inspiration for writing, "Take care of your body. Writing is a sedentary activity, so it's easy to become fat and inert. And since the brain is dependent on the rest of the body, it is impossible to get work done when you are weak or sick."
Card's solution is a daily walk. He writes, "Don't spare any time for an hour's walk before work. You'll probably write a little less in the time you have left, but you'll notice that you've improved. Card is not the only one praising the benefits of walking. Read on to learn about several famous writers who were also lovers of walking, and how daily walks can enhance your creativity.
In antiquity, there was a proverbial expression reminding us of the importance of walking - Solvitur Ambulando. It means - the solution in walking. An expression supposedly authored by the Greek philosopher Diogenes, when asked if the action was real, and then got up and went. The phrase was soon picked up as a variant of the description that walking energizes us and helps us think through problems.
For many, walking is an integral part of a healthy workday or any creative process. Charles Dickens loved hiking. He writes “So much of my traveling is done on foot, that if I cherished betting propensities, I should probably be found registered in sporting newspapers under some such title as the Elastic Novice, challenging all eleven stone mankind to competition in walking. My last special feat was turning out of bed at two, after a hard day, pedestrian and otherwise, and walking thirty miles into the country to breakfast… My walking is of two kinds: one, straight on end to a definite goal at a round pace; one, objectless, loitering, and purely vagabond.” In 1851 Henry David Thoreau gave a delightful lecture on walking at Concord High School. He noted: “I think that I could not have maintained my health and good spirits if I had not spent four hours, and sometimes more, a day walking through the forests, hills, fields, feeling completely free from all obligations...”. When the traveler asked William Wordsworth's servant to show the master's research, he replied “Here is his library, and he does his research on the street”. Despite single cases of praise from these creatives about the benefits of walking, scientific research has also proven their claims to be correct. Daily walks are a wonderful way to improve your health and get inspired. How walking will fuel your creativity
A recent study conducted by Cambridge University in England with 334,000 men and women from across Europe showed that brisk walking or a regular 20-minute walk was sufficient to minimize the risk of premature death. Walking also helps relieve stress and alleviate symptoms of depression. To put it another way, taking a brisk morning walk leads to a longer and healthier life, as well as creating the mental space to spend more time in creative endeavors, doing good for the world, and with the people you care about.
But besides the obvious health benefits, walking can make us smarter. In 2011, scientific research showed that people who walked 40 minutes a day three times a week during a year increased the activity of the hippocampus (a part of the brain) and also improved memory.
An interesting study by Stanford University found that creative thinking is activated during walks and is active even for some time afterward. A study found that walking indoors or outdoors equally improves creative inspiration. Walking itself, not the surroundings, is the main factor. The level of creativity in people who walked was significantly higher than in those who sat all the time. People walking indoors on a treadmill in front of a bare wall and those walking outdoors solved twice as many creative problems as people just sitting down.
The study also found that the "creative juices" continue to work even when a person returns to a sitting position after a walk.
If you're struggling with feelings of apathy or procrastination, a good brisk walk will be a great stimulus to your brain activity and get you back in the flow. This is another one of the helpful life hacks that can help boost your creativity. For those who have a busy life, it can be difficult to set aside time for creativity, let alone time for the daily half-hour walk. But these thirty minutes may well be broken up into shorter intervals: for example, fifteen minutes in the morning and fifteen in the evening.
Regardless of how much time you have to walk, know that there are benefits and inspiration from simple going for a little stroll. Enjoy!
Helen Wilson is a professional writer and her main topics are about self-improvement, and education. She studies psychology and health.
PRACTICE MEDITATION FROM HOME BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR WALK!
While yoga originated from India with suggested regions, including the Indus Valley Civilization around the 3300-1900 BCE, it has expanded and grown all over the world.
Today, you will find yoga practitioners worldwide, and as a group of mental, physical, and spiritual disciplines, yoga has incredible diversity to offer to all those who desire a healthy lifestyle. For some, yoga goes even deeper, and avid practitioners would tell you that yoga is not just exercise but also a way of life.
According to a recent yoga study, over 55 million people around the world started practicing yoga for the first time in 2020. Furthermore, around 44% of all yoga practitioners spend time doing yoga at least 2-3 times per week and spend an average of $90 per month on yoga. Moreover, 37% of yoga enthusiasts have children that also enjoy practicing yoga with their parents.
Simply put, more and more people are rolling out their yoga mats, and it doesn’t seem to just be a passing trend. More people are realizing there are vast benefits to a regular yoga practice, and making it a priority to practice.
That said, for newcomers, there are still a lot of untrue myths about yoga. Let’s take a look at some common yoga myths and debunk them.
All Teachers and Styles of Yoga Offer the Same Thing
Yoga is too broad and comprehensive a body of knowledge to be mastered completely by a single yoga specialist. In fact, many yogi experts often focus on several types of yoga types and not all of them have the same teaching method. Hence, if you think a single guru could offer you all the knowledge of yoga, it's not really true or possible. Some of the common styles include these below, but note there are countless styles, with new ones being born each year:
Anusara Yoga – modern yoga, focus on mind-body-heart connection
Ashtanga Yoga – Eight Limb Path, linking breath to movement
Bikram Yoga – sequence of set poses in a sauna-like room
Hatha Yoga – focuses on physical postures and holding the physical postures of yoga
Iyengar Yoga – focuses on alignment with detailed and precise instruction
Jivamukti Yoga – infused with Hindu spiritual teachings
Kundalini Yoga – equal parts spiritual and physical
Prenatal Yoga – tailored for women who are moms to be
Restorative Yoga – focuses on body relaxation
Vinyasa Yoga – one of the most athletic types of yoga
Yin Yoga – slow-paced style yoga with seated postures and long holds
Yoga is Bound to Religion
There are people out there who consider yoga as only appropriate if you are bound to a particular religion. While there is no doubt that yoga shares a wide variety of practices and goals found in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, yoga is more akin to science that unites everyone under the banner of wellbeing.
Yoga is, therefore, free from all sorts of discrimination of caste, creed, color, race, or ethnicity. It offers the means to attain wellbeing and integrate the human body with the mind and the spirit.
Flexibility is a Prerequisite
A lot of social media for yoga makes people think that yoga is only for flexible people. This is far from the actual truth. While social media feeds these days about yoga are overflowing with incredibly athletic-looking people in hard to try poses, this isn’t what yoga is all about.
In fact, yoga is for everyone, and especially for those who consider themselves inflexible. The entire focus of yoga is to help you accomplish flexibility in your body and your mind and soul. Plus, there are various asanas out there that you can readily try while simply being seated.
Yoga is not a Workout
This happens when people know too little about something or are simply quick to judge a book by its cover. Yoga can actually be a rigorous workout, that will have you covered in sweat, and challenge you. Plus, yoga does more than burn calories, it also tones to your muscles. It is a full body, mind, and spirit workout.
Yoga is Not for Asthmatics
Some people believe that yoga can be bad for those who have asthma. However, there are many styles of yoga that actually help people suffering from asthma.
There are numerous asanas and pranayama practices out there that can truly assist people with asthma to overcome their ailments and gain incredible physical and mental strength from the practice of yoga. This myth is hurting those who can actually benefit from yoga practice.
Yoga is Only Physical Postures
While it’s quite hard to deny that yoga postures do look incredibly beautiful, the true practice of yoga is about the mind and elevating your consciousness at a much deeper level. Yoga is a unifier of your mind, emotions, and body. It helps you find happiness and contentment in life, reduces stress, and clears your mind to realize your goals. It is great for unwinding and enabling you to find peace and tranquility in yourself. While it is a mainly physical practice, meditation and breathing exercises are yoga also.
Yoga is for the Young
Yoga is not just limited to any particular age bracket. In fact, there are many yoga for seniors classes that focus specifically on the health and wellbeing of older people. When someone only thinks about the asanas in yoga, this misconception is bound to rise. Yoga is for everyone, irrespective of age.
There are examples of people more than 60 years of age start practicing yoga who find their way to perform complex asanas, including the likes of Shirshasana and Sarvangasana with relative ease and perfection. Practice does make perfect, and yoga is not different in that aspect.
Yoga is Only for Women
Lastly, there is this misconception that yoga is only good for women. While predominantly yoga is practiced by women more however men are quickly debunking this claim. In the US, around 25% to 35% of yoga practitioners are men, and their numbers are growing every year. Plus, you also have yogis and yoga experts who teach yoga classes for men.
Yoga is a worldwide phenomenon, and by the 1980s, it became widely popular in many western societies. However, as things become popular and well-known amongst the masses, myths and misconceptions about the practice grew as well.
The above are some of the common myths of yoga that are actually not true at all. With any luck, I wish that you see yoga as a complete system for all of humankind that is not bound by race, creed, or gender.
By Liza Brooke
Liza Brooke currently works as a devoted Lifestyle Counselor at CrowdWriter UK. She is quite fond of indulging herself in popular culture, including anime, movies, music, and video games. During her free time, she likes to doodle, create wall art, and practice mindful yoga.
Who is ready for an excellent fitness bootcamp program with all the guesswork and decision making handled for you? Wedding season is upon us and if you’re getting married, you want to feel and look your best for your special day. Whether you’re a bride-to-be or simply someone who is ready for a challenge for your body, mind, and spirit, this week we’re here to deliver.
We all want to feel our best, but sometimes it can be overwhelming deciding what workout to do when and what is the most impactful way to get stronger, more flexible, and emotionally balanced. It’s easy to start off with the best of intentions and then other commitments and responsibilities knock you off your path. This fitness bootcamp is specially crafted to give you excellent results in an efficient manner, while also making it easy to stay on track.
Here’s how:
Physically: Each day you’ll strengthen your muscles, enhance your mobility, and sweat out toxins. You’ll challenge yourself with everything from Pilates to Barre to Yoga and Fitness Fusion workouts, which creates something fitness experts call “muscle confusion.”
Our bodies are smart and grow accustomed to the regular practices we do every day which can cause results to plateau. To progress and continue garnering benefits, it’s vital to mix up your workouts. We’ve organized the classes in a specific order to maximize your results in a short period of time. Whether you’re walking down the aisle or just looking for a fun challenge, you’ll feel confident and empowered.
Emotionally: Yoga and physical exercise release endorphins, which are the “happiness” hormones your body produces in response to stress. Endorphins are an excellent natural pain reliever and some medical experts compare them to a shot of morphine to the body. If you’re planning a wedding, you know that all the planning, family dynamics, and reality of a major life change can add up to a sense of overwhelm. Daily movement helps you process and release emotions. No need to stress over what workout to do: we’ve done it for you!
Mentally: Your thought patterns will benefit too. Yoga Sutra 1.2: Citta Vritti Nirodha, defines yoga as the practice of learning to control the direction of our thoughts. If you have a meditation practice or are working on establishing one, you know how challenging it can be to sit still and focus. Physical asana or postures were created in part to calm the mind enough to be able to sit still and be present. This special program utilizes that philosophy to help keep you focused on the now instead of worrying about the future.
Ready to try it? We’ve assembled classes from many of your favorite YogaDownload.com teachers. All you need to do is press play.
My secret to inventing new recipes – being lazy and not having certain food groups at home. I realize that for most people baking bread does not qualify as being lazy, but if you ask me, spending 20 minutes on bread baking requires less energy compared to running out to the store to get bread. So this recipe was invented on one of those Saturday mornings when I was all out of baked goods, was in the mood for bread, and simultaneously I needed to use up some coconut milk in my fridge.
The two main ingredients here are coconut milk and plain flour. The recipe is also extremely easy to remember because flour and coconut milk are required in equal amounts. Add in a dash of baking powder for extra fluff and some seasonings and you are almost done!
On this particular Saturday morning, the coconut flatbreads were a part of breakfast, but they are also awesome sides for curries, stews, soups – whatever you usually eat with a side of bread as they are really good for mopping up the sauce. And feel free to play around with the seasoning – my favorite combo for many dishes is green onion, coriander, and chili flakes and I use them here too, but feel free to go crazy and invent your own combinations – turmeric, lemongrass, caraway seeds…..options are endless!
Simple & Easy Coconut Flatbreads
Yields: 4
5 oz all-purpose flour
5 oz coconut milk
½ tsp baking powder
Salt to taste
Extras – chopped green onions, coriander, chili flakes
A tiny bit of oil
Chop the herbs you are using and mix all the ingredients to a rough dough. No need to knead the dough, only mix until it comes together.
Heat the pan to medium-high heat.
Divide the dough to 4, roll one piece at a time to a ball, and squeeze it flat with oily hands.
Bake for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Keep warm under a kitchen towel until you are ready to eat them.
Besides being the “butt” of many jokes, the gluteus maximus is the largest and most superficial of the three gluteal muscles. It makes up a large portion of the shape and appearance of the hips. Its size is unique to humans; no other mammal has such an expansive rear area, as pointed out in the classic Trail Guide to the Body. Perhaps this is why we are apt to laugh about it?
All jokes aside, it’s important for us to give attention to this major muscle in order to maintain healthy posture and a happy lower back. When the gluteus maximus is unhealthy, adhered or possessing swarms of trigger points, it can start a game of tug-of-war with the lower back muscles, especially quadratus lumborum (QL).
The gluteus maximus is often referred to a “the sleeping giant” due to the fact that this large muscle, which has the potential to be the strongest in the body, is usually weak and misused. Let’s get familiar with some of the specifics of the gluteus maximus (GM) to understand why this is.
The GM originates on the outer surface of the ilium behind posterior gluteal line and posterior third of iliac crest lumbar fascia, lateral mass of sacrum, sacrotuberous ligament and coccyx. It inserts into the gluteal tuberosity of femur and the iliotibial (IT) band. Its most powerful action is to cause the body to regain the erect position after stooping, by drawing the pelvis backward, being assisted in this action by the biceps femoris (long head), semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and adductor magnus. The lower part of the muscle also acts as an adductor and external rotator of the limb. The upper fibers fire up to abduct the hip joints.
Therefore, a tight gluteus maximus can also create the too common “duck feet” that present along with the extreme external rotation of the hip. The GM, so helpful when walking, standing or running, gradually loses tone when sitting too much, especially with poor posture. Or modern chair-laden lifestyle causes inhibition and delayed activation of the gluteal muscles which in time leads to weakness. When the GM is weak the hamstrings and low back muscles must compensate.
Just because a muscle is tight and short does not mean that it is strong. As a massage therapist in the exercise-obsessed state of Colorado, I see many clients with overly tight and adhered gluteus maximus. Many tight GMs are still weak because they haven’t been trained properly, or they have been inhabited by the aforementioned curse of the chair. Even strong and properly utilized gluteals are too often bound tight, restricting the optimal range of motion of the surrounding joints.
It wasn’t until I heard Jill Miller teach the use of Yoga Tune Up® balls to create “fluffy butt” that I understood that we can have gluteal tissues that are both super strong AND relaxed and hydrated. To the Rocky Mountain athletic set who are convinced that “buns of steel” is the ideal; I am here to tell you to trade in your buns of steel for “fluffy butt.” In the end, your rear end will thank you!
Explore the meaning of yoga with one of Elise's amazing yoga classes now!
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This moon and lunar eclipse will be a spark of lightning from the depths of the unknown. It is both the Tower and the World card in Tarot. Sudden shifts to bring completion and awakened fulfillment. Intuition will be lit, and the energy is ripe to find divine within current realities. This moon will illuminate how we can create our own liberation from within the moment and what is in existence.
This eclipse will reflect the eclipse from December 14, 2020. It will bring into light the depths of the worries, concerns, and aspects of desire from that period. This is a very revealing lunar eclipse occurring in Scorpio. The very nature will show secrets revealed and will call upon greater opening within the collective consciousness as it pertains to materialization of the self from the self.
The moon will eclipse in Saturn's Nakshatra of Anuradha, with Saturn in retrograde in it’s own sign; this marks a heavy unveiling of illusion. There is a strong mercurial energy occurring on the back end and the aim is to create harmony, peace, and stabilize from the depths of being.
The themes that challenge your security will naturally be brought to light. It will also reveal what order and stability must be altered to achieve liberation and harmony within the inner self. As I mentioned in the New Moon, be mindful of creating conflict, and unnecessary stirring. This is a natural unconscious effect of loosening the energy that lies within current structures of relations that have already manifested. Be mindful with your words as Mars is in Gemini’s house at a strong position it can create endings from verbalization. It can also create endings into new wisdom and expansion of the heart.
Choose your fire wisely. An important aspect of this lunation is the placement that shows unconditional love.
Saturn in essence is non-conditioned. It is working to alter how manifestation is known from the inner self and will reveal what lies beyond our prescribed thoughts.
This full moon lunar eclipse will pull Saturn’s influence to show inner restrictions and outer implications that stand against the fullness of love. It is a creative realization within and from the self, that will rework beyond the mind and realms of time. This offers immense healing and transformative potential to recreate, self, world, and desires to be boundless and rooted in love. An important aspect of this lunation will play on relationships, there will be mirroring and the ability to see what projections are being mirrored throughout all relationships. An important aspect to note is any longing outside oneself will show here. Either needing from another, or needing for conditions and aspects to be a specific way to define love, inner self, or outer world.
This will further awaken into what has been created within the relationship structures within self, love, divine, and how we see others in our created reality. This placement offers revelations throughout many ways of relating. It will work to open the purification and lead us individual and collective to greater harmony, the natural state. It will stir the collective into higher consciousness.
Harness your power, this eclipse possesses strong Kundalini energy stirring within Earth and our collective consciousness. What is within you is also arising around you. This Kundalini power has incredible healing powers, but also marks the way inner potentials will be fed with divine shakti.
How you allocate your energy, your inner resources will come to light. Many will experience stark shifts in consciousness and personal resolve will be challenged so you may discern what truly matters most. In addition, this shift will move out that which shakes your inner resolve.
Turmoil must be managed, and honesty owned. If you have created inner turmoil or conflict within your inner and outer world it will be revealed. Transmute this with love. The reflective aspects from the December 14th, 2020 eclipse are working to complete a cycle. It will illuminate the mental impressions at that time, and offer immense healing.
Timeless healing, meaning the ability to reorientate memories, experiences that have impressed upon current experiences and self-awareness. Mars has a special role in this Saturn heavy eclipse. He will reflect through relationships the bond tethered through time, and beyond time. Mars will carry courage, and wisdom into action. It is important to note that the planetary placements are heavily emphasizing heaven on earth in real time. Higher planes of existence into earthly life. As in many eclipses Mars and Saturn influences will cause swift shifts and tower moments to awaken self and bring forth more fulfilling embodiment of self as the creative power and more fulfilling relating within life.
This lunation is awakening not the form or what the form symbolizes, but what is awakened, evolved, and realized within the self during the manifestation process. Godliness-divine creator and divine love as the source. Assimilation is key. Assimilation on all levels, will sustain naturally what serves and transforms. You must go beyond the present view.
Scorpio’s hidden meaning, is the unseen realms, the energy and creative power before form, and embodying form. When this is understood, the energy of the eclipse will work to unfold the potency of Kundalini, of divine feminine, and the higher potentials that are within.
The eclipse is urging us to understand the mentality, the vibrations beyond form, and equally the self beyond desire, and personality. The unconditional love that lives within, but also to become closer to the unconditional self. This eclipse will warp us beyond time, this point reconciles past and future from within. Dispel ignorance is to own your true self. Emotional ebbs and flows will be high for a week before and after the eclipse. Any physical changes, alterations to a personal goal, plans, and how to organize things will become clear during this time. Polarity in emotions must be released.
Sorrow and happiness must be treated with the same equanimity. This will work with Martian energy to bring heaven on earth, and open one up to their true unconditional nature. It will aid in owning self and work with deeper spiritual forces that are occurring during this moon. Emotional stirring will aid in releasing attachment dependent on external satisfaction. This creates more room for divine grace to flow. Illusions of the mind must be exposed. See the truth.
Release natural blocks within the mind tethered to seeking and unrealistic expectations. This is reflected in all relationships. Lean into all that is being shown, hold nothing, and know all shades of emotions, and thoughts are leading the self back to truth. Remember to see beyond expectations, so you may learn from disappointments. They are showing where attachment lives, and where equanimity needs to be applied.
We’ve all faced the dilemma: you have a limited amount of time to move your body and relieve stress. Do you practice yoga or do strength training? Problem solved: Yoga sculpt. If you’ve never tried a yoga fusion class, here’s your chance to garner all the benefits of a strength workout blended with the mindfulness of yoga.
These hybrid workouts can combine yoga with weights, barre, Pilates, HIIT, cardio––the variety is part of the fun! In these special classes, the emphasis is on getting stronger and sculpted, but also staying mindful and maintaining mobility. It’s one of the most efficient and effective ways to ensure that you prevent injury and enhance your strength, balance, and flexibility.
Here are a few reasons we love these yoga fitness fusion classes:
Yoga Sculpt Workouts Boost Your Mood and Elevate Your Energy Levels.
We’re all emerging from what may arguably be one of the most challenging period of our lives. Over the last year you may fallen into a rut with your yoga practice and your workouts. Trying something new helps stimulate your brain and gets your heart pumping and muscles singing. These classes move non-stop, stimulating your feel-good hormones or endorphins. Simply put, they are fun!
Fusion Classes Save Time
As the world opens up, suddenly our schedules are busier and our time to reset and recharge is becoming more limited. If you don’t want to miss out on your yoga or your fitness routine, a Yoga Sculpt class will allow you to stay on track. You won’t sacrifice dedicated strength work or lose out on maintaining flexibility. It’s truly the best of both worlds. In addition to all the physical benefits of strength and suppleness, you’ll receive the mental and spiritual benefits of yoga all in one class.
Yoga Sculpt Classes are Excellent for your Overall Health.
One of the greatest benefits of strength-focused classes is that weight training and weight-bearing yoga poses strengthen your bones. Once you turn 35, you start losing bone and muscle each year. By ensuring you keep your skeleton strong, you’re basically making sure you can stay active for many more years to come. Of course, muscular strength and balance are vital components to longevity and play a major part of these hybrid classes. You’ll also boost heart health by working at a higher intensity level. Yoga Sculpt truly gives you the best of both worlds in one empowering class.
This week's classes are a blend of yoga sculpt, barre, and yoga and fitness fusion. Get ready to sweat and strengthen in this week's uplifting classes.
Dawnelle Arthur - Age Defy: HIIT & Yoga Sculpt
Erin Wimert - Grin & Barre It
Blair Bradley - Strengthen, Tone, & Stretch
Spring is cool and in my case, it is literally cool, because the temperatures here are still mostly chilly. Still, we already seeing some green outside, and of course, the first things that start to grow are all kinds of weeds. We usually want to get rid of weeds, but did you know that many plants we consider weeds are actually edible and good for you? That is if you live somewhere far away from the big roads and pollution, of course. I happen to live in the city center, but Tallinn, our Estonian, capital is small enough to go to the nearest forest by bicycle, and still be able to pick fresh greens from the forest!
In my smoothie today, I used goutweed and stinging nettles. Both are extremely unpleasant friends in your flower garden, as they easily take over everything, but both are healthy and good for you if you pick them while they are still young.
Goutweed is rich in vitamin E and C. It is crucial to pick the leaves if they are small and still vibrantly green and use them as quickly after picking as possible to get the most nutrients out of them. The dark green leaves of stinging nettle that burn when touching them, and often even cause a rash and a burning sensation if you touch them with bare hands, can be used in smoothies to give it an extra anti-inflammatory boost that helps to fight eczemas and dermatitis. By the way, if you don’t have fresh nettle available, you can also purchase it freeze-dried from the health stores. Many other edible greens are considered weeds, so if you have a garden and some unwanted plants growing there, I recommend finding out what they are and maybe you can use them in your smoothies!
This one here is a very green smoothie; you might want to start by adding fewer weeds to your smoothie and then build-up to this version.
The Greenest Smoothie Ever
100 g of different edible weeds from the garden
1 frozen banana
1 dl oat milk
Make sure you know that the weeds you collected are edible!
Roughly chop up the greens. Wear gloves if you are working with stinging nettle.
Add all the ingredients to the blender and blitz until smooth. Drink cooled.