If you’re feeling the impact of more than a year of managing extreme stress levels, you aren’t alone. These days, we’re all working to establish a sense of equanimity. Life is about finding the balance between opposing forces that exist outside and inside of us. Yoga is a fluid dance between strength and softness, and yin and yang.
Yin and Yang are opposites and they complement each other perfectly. This week, shift your focus to Yin yoga and give your mind the quiet time it needs and recharge your batteries. When we take the time to nourish ourselves, we renew our energy and become the strongest versions of ourselves.
If you’re new to Yin yoga, you may not be familiar with all its wonderful benefits. A Yin practice targets the deeper layers in the body, specifically the connective tissue––fascia, tendons, and ligaments and the internal organs. Yin is based upon three main principles:
The emphasis on longer holds in a posture encourages us to focus on directing the attention of our thoughts where we want them to go and cultivate greater discipline and mental focus. There is a meditative aspect to Yin yoga and the focus on breathing and shifting your awareness inside helps you discover the state of “being yoga” as opposed to “doing yoga.”
Physically, Yin yoga helps increase circulation to the connective tissue where there is less blood flow than in the muscles, which in turns works as a myofascial release. Yin often is themed around balancing the internal organs, like the kidney meridians and the adrenal glands. An emphasis on staying still in uncomfortable positions aids in quieting your nervous system and allowing you to relax.
The slow pace and often stable holds encourage you to let go of whatever emotions or thoughts making you feel heavy or stagnant. Although a sweaty Vinyasa or Power yoga class helps your system to flow and wake up, the passive nature of Yin yoga can often result in deeper releases. Those emotions that may be buried deep have the opportunity to arise and depart, resulting in a profound sense of freedom.
Yin energy is quiet and stable. Yang is intense and active. By spending time addressing both the elements of moon and sun, night and day, and dark and light, we can keep our body, mind, and heart healthy.
Challenge yourself to slow down this week and renew yourself through a quiet passive practice. Try one or all of these fabulous classes created by YogaDownload Yin expert instructors today.
Caitlin Rose Kenney - Yin Yoga 101
Kylie Larson - Yummy Yin: Hips & Heart
Erin Wimert - Bedtime Yin with Body Scan
Eric Paskel - Yin on the Rocks: Live!
Over the last few weeks, I have made this soup several times. Soup, for me, is a perfect food for cold weather food and a few weeks ago in Estonia we still had thick snow covering all the streets and temperatures were frigid. Then we had a week of very rainy, windy, and cloudy weather, that melted almost all the snow, and it was still a good time for hot soup weather. And now for the last week, it has been colder again, but with a lot of sun and a real Spring feeling (even though there are still months to go until real Spring). I am almost sure I will make this soup at least once more before the weather gets warmer.
And why shouldn’t I, it is delicious, healthy, full of winter veggies, and extremely nutritious being full of vitamins A and K, for example.
I love all kinds of celery, but I know many people who don’t. Based on one celery-hater, this soup might still work for them as celeriac is a lot milder and simmered with barley and beans it does not have a strong distinct flavor. It just feels like a nice warm bowl of hugs.
Celeriac and Barley Soup
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
A cup of barley groats
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 large onion
A few sprigs of thyme
1 large or 2 small carrots
1 large celeriac
6 cups of vegetable stock
1 jar of white beans
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Soak the barley groats for at least a few hours or overnight to reduce the cooking time.
Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot, add the chopped onion, carrot, and thyme sprigs. Season with a little bit of salt and a LOT of freshly cracked black pepper. Fry on medium heat stirring now and then for about 10 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
In the meantime, peel the celeriac and cut it up to about ½ inch cubes. Add these to the pot too and fry for 5 more minutes until lightly browned.
Add the stock and barley groats, bring to boil, and simmer for half an hour. Check if barley is tender. If not, simmer for a little bit more. If yes, add the beans to the pot too, taste again, and add more salt or pepper if you feel like it (I like a lot of pepper in this soup).
Serve hot with a slice of rye bread if possible.
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 plaintain nachos!
25-Minute Full Body Yoga with Keith Allen
The Inspiration Download interview series features different people who are bringing ideas to life and sharing something with the world that they are passionate about, whether it's through teaching yoga, creating a business, doing work in their community, creating art, hosting events, bringing to life new wellness products, or more.
These interviews highlight real people who have brought ideas to life and give real-life insight and inspiration on their processes and journey.
Ria Pereira is a yoga instructor from Karachi Pakistan on a mission to help people love themselves and lead them towards a healthy lifestyle. She also has a passion to bake cakes and brownies to add more sweetness to one’s life.
What are you passionate about sharing with the world and why? How does this inspire you?
I am passionate about movement. Movement is therapy and yoga is my therapy. I want to share my learning with the world as where I come from many have fears regarding yoga, their bodies and wondering if yoga is for them or not.
After working with many people from all age brackets, different bodies, different backgrounds, and different mindsets, and I sense their happiness from their journey doing yoga and watch them come back to the mat in either in person or online. This inspires me to help more people understand yoga, understand their bodies, and create awareness towards a healthy lifestyle.
How does your at-home yoga practice benefit you?
At home I just flow, I know what my body needs that particular day. There are days I just do supine twists & savasana because that’s what I need. Every day is a new day for me and my body. I stay in the present and just breathe and restore.
Then there are days I follow a 30-minute online video and some days it's an hour. Daily meditation, which I used to dislike, has helped me a lot.
What are some of your favorite classes on YogaDownload?
Warming Heart Flow with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Slow Vinyasa with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Where are you from?
Karachi, Pakistan.
How do you think where you are from or where you live has shaped you?
Born in a strict Catholic home and living in a mixed diversified country has helped me respect and have knowledge of many cultures.
What are some books you'd recommend?
Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff
What keeps you motivated?
Learning new things, reading, and baking. Always learning and looking for new ways to teach differently to make it simpler for people to enjoy their yoga sessions, as not everyone I teach understands certain styles of teaching or English. Learning never ends!
Why do you think it can be hard for people to show up to yoga regularly?
Having difficulty managing their time along with busy schedules. Fear that they are not slim and not flexible or they only want to lose weight faster and prefer other ways to make that happen.
How would you encourage someone to stay consistent in their yoga practice?
A friendly discussion to inquire about their reason for not being consistent. Change of timing by offering other teachers' sessions to fit their timetable. Making classes more comfortable by offering modifications and props as needed.
What brought you to teaching yoga?
Yoga enriched my life, helped me understand my body, the connection of mind, body & soul. Self-love: I felt the need to share this positivity and healthy lifestyle with others.
How has teaching evolved for you as you continue to teach?
I change my style of teaching as I keep learning new ways to help my students in the class. The way I explain postures and build up certain poses and flows, changes to make it easier for all to understand and feel each pose. I am continuously learning new ways and it is helping me in my practice as well as with teaching.
How have other teachers helped you as both a student and as a teacher?
Following other teachers and attending their sessions connects me with their years of experience and teaching styles enables me to grow and be better each day in my practice as well as a teacher. A teacher is forever a student and learning never stops.
What is one of your favorite postures and why?
This is difficult to answer as I have so many favorite postures. Camatkarasana: Wild Thing pose. As I flow into the pose it opens up my heart and when I am in the pose I feel all the love and warmth flow to me at the same time I give back to the universe & spread love to all.
What is the key to feeling balanced for you?
I accept that I cannot do everything every time. I accept I am human and there days I don’t feel good or positive and it’s alright. There are days I don’t feel like doing yoga, so I bake. I try to stay grounded and learning to let go.
What previous jobs have helped you with teaching?
After I graduated I started teaching in a school and I love teaching. Then I joined a bank and did many banking courses like Time Management, HR certification SHRM, so interacting with people and Time management skills work well for me in this and career teaching yoga and in my life, so I make time for myself.
How do you have good relationships in your life and why is connection important to you?
After experiencing failed relationships I started to work on myself from the inside and once you start accepting your flaws and working on them you start accepting people for who they are. I go with the vibe and believe in soul connection. I'm still learning not to judge myself and others and it’s a learning process.
Do you like to have a regular schedule? Why or why not?
Yes, I do and I keep it balanced Monday to Saturday and Sundays are me time, and days I don’t look at my phone or laptop. Having a schedule helps me plan things and make time for new things.
What is one of your biggest blessings?
My Godparents.
What is one of your wildest dreams?
To live in Singapore and to travel the world & explore all cultures.
What keeps you grounded?
Having a sense of purpose.
What are you grateful for?
I am grateful that I am healthy, and I am grateful for the journey I am on.
What would you have told yourself 10 years ago if you could go back in time and give yourself advice?
Divorce the guy ASAP what are you waiting for. Know your worth. Take that trip.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations and how do they inspire you?
Briohny Smyth, the yoga Instructor‘. ’"Yoga brings clarity in the chaos of your mind ."
My Godmother, Zenia Rabadi, inspired me to believe in my dreams, to work hard and never give up. “Ria You are strong, Trust your power.”
Connect with Ria on her social media pages here!
Instagram: instagram.com/theyogibakerr
Feeling inspired? Begin your yoga journey from the comfort of your own home, right now with the Beginner Yoga 101 Program!
In today’s busy modern world, yoga has evolved over the years to fit into our jam-packed schedules, the most notable of these being - practices are shorter.
The traditional yoga class and used to last 90 minutes, which was a standard practice. Nowadays, we see 60, 30, even 5 minutes yoga practices, which while they still have their uses, sometimes can’t compare to the benefits of a longer practice. The main benefit of a longer yoga practice is more time to focus on mindfulness, breathing techniques, and to generally help you relax.
Here are 10 ways these benefits can positively impact your life.
Decrease Stress
Studies have shown that pranayama - the practice of controlling the breath - can reduce stress levels in healthy adults. This is because the focus on the breath can calm down the nervous system, improving your stress response. This type of breathing exercise can also reduce anxiety before stressful events, perhaps due to the increased oxygen intake to your vital organs. A longer yoga class can help to dedicate more time towards practicing pranayama.
Improve Your Sleep
Practicing yoga for longer often means holding poses for longer, especially in types of yoga such as Yin Yoga. These longer poses can help to slow down your breathing and your heart rate, aiding your body in calming down when preparing for sleep. This can result in a better quality of sleep, as well as making you feel zen before hitting the sheets!
Improves mindfulness
When you take longer in your yoga practice, you have more time to practice mindfulness. Taking your time to notice your body and your breath, and being present in the moment of the movements you are making can vastly improve your mindfulness, which can in turn help you regulate emotions.
Lower Blood Pressure
Higher blood pressure is also known as hypertension, and can cause serious health conditions such as a stroke or heart disease. Stress is a huge cause and risk factor for high blood pressure. Longer yoga sessions can help to increase relaxation and minimize the risk of high blood pressure. Studies have shown that yoga and breath training can actually help reduce blood pressure in cases of mild hypertension.
Better Lung Function
Slow, steady movements in a longer yoga practice can help you to practice slower, forceful breathing, which can strengthen your lungs. In fact, 6 weeks practicing longer yoga once a day can have a significant effect on your lung function, and can help aid in lung conditions such as asthma, allergies, and aid in recovery from pneumonia.
Increased Brain Performance
Yoga practice can aid in improving your brain function, and longer classes will only increase this benefit. A few weeks of yoga classes can improve your executive function - this can include your memory, cognitive flexibility, and reasoning skills. It can also improve your reactions to stressful situations. The combination of movement and deep breathing increases oxygen uptake, which gives energy to your brain cells.
Increased Sense of Awareness
Having a longer time to practice yoga will give you more time to practice mindfulness, which in turn will expand your perspective and understanding of who you are. Having time to do some mindful yoga will help you to turn inwards, and notice how your body, breath and emotions react to poses and situations. You can cultivate this awareness in your yoga practice, and take it as a tool off the mat. Being aware of yourself can help you to grow, to develop life skills that will help you in the future.
Increased Patience
Longer, more mindful practice can help to encourage patience, and discourage reactivity when you’re not on the mat. This can be translated to lots of different aspects of your life, including work, relationships, friendships and other activities. More patience can mean that conflicts and confrontations are easier to navigate, and we can stop and reflect before reactions.
Deepen Your Everyday Practice
Doing a longer, mindful practice every now and again can help to bring more meaning to your everyday yoga practice. It can be easy to let yoga become just another thing on your to-do list, or another form of exercise, and it’s easy to slip into just going through the motions rather than doing movements with conscious thoughts.
This week we highlight some 45-90 minute yoga classes, so you have time to dive into your practice. While it can appeal to always pick the shorter class options, and they are excellent at delivering a concise yoga practice, there is something special about taking your time and practicing longer yoga classes. This week's classes all give you time to enjoy your practice.
1. Noemi Nuñez - Unity of Opposites
2. Ali Duncan - Yoga & Reiki
3. Rob Loud - Hearts & Hips: The Beauty of Asymmetry
4. Jack Cuneo - Align & Flow: Mind in One Place
Today is a perfect day to expand your horizons. Consider mixing up your routine by spending more time on your yoga mat this week. We’re here to help with four longer yoga classes that will give you the space and time to deepen your practice.
“Do Your Practice and all is coming." K. Pattabhi Jois, the Indian scholar and credited founder of Ashtanga yoga famously said. According to his teachings, there is no substitute for time spent on the mat. Traditional Ashtanga classes were usually at least ninety minutes long. Each moment of practice is a moment exploring your heart, your body, and your mind.
Here are three reasons to try one of this week’s longer 45-90 minute yoga classes.
1. Challenge Your Physical Body: If you’re accustomed to shorter classes, you may not have time for learning new postures, delving into Pranayama (breath control) techniques, or sitting in meditation. With a longer class, the teacher has the space to deepen the student’s experience with one or all of these concepts. Maybe that extra thirty minutes is spent building lower body strength in a standing flow or focusing on flexibility working toward Hanumanasana (the splits) or core and upper body power with handstands. Or perhaps each section of class is a little longer––a little more.
2. Develop Your Mental Focus and Clarity: Just as a longer yoga class strengthens your muscles, bones, and joints, more time practicing will truly bring you closer to what yoga is all about––a powerful mind. According to the seminal text on yoga, the Yoga Sutras, yoga is learning to quiet the chatter in the mind and direct your attention where you wish it to go: Sutra 1.2: citta vritti nirodha. Extra time on the mat is the opportunity to truly learn to filter out distractions and become clear, calm, and focused.
3. Create Space for Uplifting Emotions: As humans, we store our emotions in our tissues. A profound connection between what our heart is experiencing and how tight our hips or shoulders are is undeniable. When we create openings in our physical body, we are creating space for stuck emotions to release and fresh feelings to enter. For example, the hips are where we store past trauma and stress. If you’ve ever cried in pigeon pose or another deep hip opener, you aren’t alone. In a longer class, there’s simply more time to let go.
Sure, it’s simplistic to say more time equals a more advanced practice, but if you put the additional work in, you garner more results. This week's longer classes allow you to savor your yoga. Enjoy!
One day I was craving nachos. But I did not have any chips at home. These days I am going to the store just to get chips, so I almost already forgot about my craving, but then I found 2 green plantains from my fridge. Plantains are not a common ingredient in Estonia, where I live, and I always order strange and unusual ingredients if the supermarket stocks something. I have this weird idea that if they have made effort to sell something special then if I as a client show my support by buying it, they might continue selling it in the future. I realize that only one person buying unique ingredients is not likely enough but again – all big things happen because several people are making a small contribution. I do the same with unpackaged items. For example, for some reason, cucumbers are often sold wrapped in plastic around here. I try to avoid packaging so if a store stocks cucumber not wrapped in plastic, I always buy it even if I don’t need cucumber the time, to support a small cause!
So this is the reason I had plantains just laying around! Back to the recipe now. It turns out that plantains make awesome chips. Homemade plantain chips are healthier too too as they are a lot less processed compared to ready-made chips from the supermarket. And they are quite easy to make – just slice and bake. There are definitely other ways to serve them, but next time I make them (I already have plantains waiting to be used) I plan on using the same toppings as I was extremely happy with the combination. The plate is bright, crispy, tangy, spicy, and all kinds of delicious all the way through. Enjoy these easy-to-make and deliciousloaded vegan plantain nachos.
Loaded Plantain Nachos
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2
For the chips:
2 large plantains
1 tbsp oil (rapeseed, olive or avocado are my favorites)
Salt
To serve:
1/8 red cabbage
1 lime
½ cup black beans
2 green onions
Jalapenos, to taste
1 large avocado
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the plantains to shin slices, aim for no more than 1/8 inch. If you have a mandolin you can use that or just use a sharp knife and go as thin as you can.
Place the slices in one layer to the baking sheet, drizzle with oil and make sure both sides are lightly oiled – it is best to just massage every single slice gently between your hands.
Bake for 15 minutes with a fan on. Make sure to peek into the oven to make sure the slices bake evenly and move them around if needed.
Take out of the oven and let cool completely – this way they will become even crunchier.
Prepare your toppings during the baking time. Shred the cabbage thinly. Again, you can use the mandolin or a vegetable peeler works here too. Mix the cabbage with a sprinkle of salt and the juice from half of the lime.
Chop up the green onion and jalapenos.
Mash the avocado and mix it with the rest of the lime juice and salt.
Once the chips have cooled, pile all the other ingredients on top and dig in.
This Full Moon has a heavy water influence, that is occurring within the direct placement of the planets but also through the energies operating behind the scenes. This may stir emotions, of course, but this water is different from the earthly emotions, it is working through spiritual waters. It is the cosmic waters of death, and rebirth. An important aspect of this Full Moon is it working from the Full Moon on January 28th in which the emotional body was being strengthened from within. Another reflective point is from March 2nd.
Think back to your ideas, thoughts, or any key aspects within the self, or your creative future that occurred on March 2nd. This can be within your mind, dreams, or daydreaming. These will be revealed, or elaborated on for clarity or given new life. For some of you, there are recent situations that changed within relationships, work or, how you’d like to pivot your life. This will be given new life. There has been a purifying energy that has been working since January. This Full Moon is emptying the residual karma and clearing a path. Be patient, this energy is up-leveling the entire collective.
In order for rebirth to occur, there must be greater emotional relation within the self, as emotions are one of the key points in co-creative energy. The emotional security, understanding, and stability gained from January to now are moving you forward. It is also important to note that due to the recent shift in the mental-physical energetic bodies, your relationships with past pain, trials, and traumas are to be set free. It is within the memory that the emotional body connects the mental body. This is what will rise from the depths.
Within you is more wisdom, more emotional maturity, and fortitude on your inner strength. The emotional security arising is teaching to weather the storm to tame inner emotions so higher truths may surface. The ego must be tamed. Try not to define yourself by your past accomplishments, and be mindful of creating differences between others (better than), spiritual arrogance, can flare with this interplay of energies.
The Sun and Venus are 1 degree from each other in a tight combustion. These planets will play a prominent role in unfolding previous trials into rewards. Past life karma shows up as fortune, luck, and a greater connection to inner wisdom. During this moon see the fortune gained from the past, sacrifices, and ‘broken roads’ have brought you closer to your unshakable inner self and is working to strengthen the mental and emotional body through the light of the soul. Bring your wisdom, this wisdom to the surface.
This moon you must look at all contributions to your life. Venus’ outer creative abilities are merging with the cosmic waters of divine creation, this can halt any external beautification or creation. The wisdom and fruits of your inner connection will blossom in full post-Venus and Sun conjunction. Remember to move through life and any transformational shifts with a gracious heart. I cannot emphasize that many of you have and will experience sudden changes. This is a part of the quickening of manifestation.
This Full Moon will place a special dance with Jupiter and will teach us how to be a hollow vessel. At this placement, Jupiter is beginning to imbue its expansive nature. It is emerging through the mental and emotional body that is being refined. You can use new wisdom to create new views around trauma, wrongs, previous experiences and mend the connection. Through Jupiter’s influence, the unity consciousness is beginning to work into all is available by being one with all. This is how the emotional mental body is shifting.
If you are unbothered and see the higher truth behind the self, others, and even ungracious or painful situations, you will rise to another level of emotional attunement and being able to manifest through the mental and emotional body. All these shifts and energies are working on honing the manifestation of the soul’s light, inner truth, and raising the collective. You will gain more personal power in your abilities to create a soul-driven reality in real-time. Remember my loves, you are the magician. The creator, the creation, be one with it all and it is all yours.
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. Her website is here.
Practice the Yoga & Astrology series with Geenie now!
Staying active is vital to a healthy lifestyle and a positive outlook. Here at YogaDownload.com, we’re all about mixing it up. Some days full-length well-rounded yoga classes are the ticket and other days you might prefer to run, cycle, golf, or play in the snow. Using yoga as a workout warm-up or cooldown is the ideal way to enhance your performance and prevent injury.
Even when you stretch pre-or post-workout, you often just stretch the muscles in the same direction and plane of motion in which you are exercising. Many sports, like cycling and running, consist of repetitive movements, in one direction and in one plane of motion. Other sports like golf and tennis that rely on using one side of the body more than the other can develop certain muscle groups while ignoring others. Over time, these processes cause imbalances in the muscles and joints leading to overuse injuries.
Instead of simple stretching, yoga moves the muscles and joints through all ranges of motion—activating the little-used muscles that support the primary movers.
The body must be worked through all three planes of motion in order to remain balanced and healthy. Yoga works not just in the sagittal plane but, in the frontal and transverse planes as well, ensuring well-rounded development.
A well-rounded yoga practice includes dynamic flexibility training, core stabilization, and strengthening and balance work. By focusing on these vital elements, yoga can help you recover faster after workouts and open up the tight areas that hinder performance and improve range of motion.
Another important reason to use yoga as your warm-up or cool down is that it develops improved mental focus and concentration. Unless your mind is calm and clear, you won’t be at the top of your game. The emphasis on yogic breathing and mind-body connection in yoga is essential to hone mental acuity, patience and concentration. Learning to be present in each moment will result in a more fluid, enjoyable experience.
Whether a yoga warm-up helps you snowboard with more agility, keeps you tuned in to your golf swing, or simply makes running and cycling more comfortable, you will benefit. Yoga will help alleviate tightness, create a strong center, and align the spine.
Think of yoga like your insurance policy: a regular practice will minimize and/or prevent injury and enhance performance. These classes are quick and designed specifically for your workout days! Enjoy
Aligning yourself with nature to create a deep sense of flow is a common theme in yoga. The power inherent in the change of seasons makes the recent Equinox an auspicious time to challenge yourself to grow and transform. Whether you’re celebrating the blossoming of Spring or marking the releasing associated with Autumn, the world is shifting and so can you.
We are constantly growing as individuals, but sometimes we can slip into patterns of stagnation. As a global community, we’ve all been required to stay closer to home and for many of us jobs disappeared or dramatically changed, our social life quieted, and our physical, emotional, and mental health was tested. It has been a tough year! If you feel like you’re in a rut, you’re not alone.
With the support of Mother Earth beneath us, it’s a great time to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and wake up on every level. Whether you need to plant new seeds for Spring or shed layers that no longer serve you, our new two-week challenge will kickstart your efforts.
In April, we’re excited to offer you a two-week yoga challenge, designed to help you Find Your Flow. Flow, also known as the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In other words, you are living in the present moment.
Many of us find that “zone” through activities we love––you know the ones where you’re no longer trying or thinking about what you’re doing, you’re simply enjoying being in the moment. Whether that’s dancing, listening to music, walking in nature, running, gardening, or cooking. Yoga and meditation allow you to access your zone whenever you choose, just by rolling out your yoga mat.
When we focus on connecting the power of physical movement with the practice of mindful breathing, we can expand our prana or life force energy and boost energy or calm our nervous system. Use the seasonal shifts to reflect, set intentions, and create change in your life. We are making it simple by offering three options a day to choose from, so all you need to do is press play. Committing to a challenge with fellow yogis around the world can give you the boost you need to find a greater sense of fluidity and freedom. Join us!
SIGN UP FOR THE 2-WEEK YOGA CHALLENGE: FIND YOUR FLOW, WHICH WILL BEGIN ON APRIL 12th!
This matzo is grain-free, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly! Year after year, Jo has reluctantly bought gluten free matzo (unfortunately also filled with additives and sugar) because matzo plays such an important role in the Passover Seder. But recently she found, Jennifer Robbins’ Paleo Grain-Free Matzo and was converted. For more amazing Jewish recipes, check out Jennifer Robbins’ The New Yiddish Kitchen.
We hope you enjoy Jennifer’s recipe as much as we do. Don’t forget to grab your copy of The New Yiddish Kitchen cookbook here.
Happy Passover,
Jo & Jules
Paleo Grain-Free Matzo
Yields: 4 Matzot
1 cup cassava flour 1 cup potato starch (sweet potato starch would work) 3 TB. avocado or olive oil ¾ cup + 1 TB. water 1 TB. honey Sea salt to taste
Preheat your oven to 475F. Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Stir the ingredients to combine and then mix by hand to form a ball of dough.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper (using some potato starch to dust) into a rectangle, approximately 8×6 inches. You will want to make the rolled-out matzo as thin as possible; this will help it be both crispy and bubbled in nature.
Transfer the parchment paper and unbaked matzo onto a baking sheet. Poke holes vertically in the matzo with fork prongs as shown in the photos, and then bake for 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and turn the matzo over and bake for 3 minutes on the alternate side.
You will want to watch the matzo very carefully so that it does not burn or brown too much. If it does it will taste burned.
If you need additional cook time per side, bake no longer than 30 seconds to a minute on each side before flipping.
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.
Daily Back Pain Relief with Kristin Gibowicz
Our homes and our minds both have the ability to be our sanctuary and personal prison depending on what we may be experiencing in a given moment. As we enter into our 1 year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic I personally have experienced the highs and lows on a daily, weekly, or moment to moment basis. A lot has come up in as I am sure it has for you, and the feeling I notice bubbling up lately is grief.
We have been facing uncertainty at an extreme level for about a year now, on top of the organic uncertainty we face by simply having the human experience. Some of us are grieving connection, how we thought work would look or feel, life prior to the pandemic, loved ones, births where limited people were able to be there and you were masked (because there was a deadly pandemic in the same building you were birthing a child), first years of college, high school, or elementary school, canceled or delayed weddings and funerals, jobs, a big move, putting yourself on the market to start dating, your first year as a teacher and you’re doing it virtually, you name it, and the list goes on and on. Your grief is extremely valid.
Fortunately, meditation, yoga, and visualization can help transform our relationship with grief, and how we carry it.
When I dropped into meditation and took a look at the energy of grief I saw it as a cave. It was dark, daunting, hidden, rigid, rocky, created tension in my neck and chest, and felt as if there is some terribly beast looming inside; so if I were to enter it, surely there would be trouble up ahead. And so I sat and looked at this cave, and realized the beauty that comes with being the creator of our own narrative and going into our darkness versus ignoring it.
I decided to do some gentle yoga and release some of that heaviness and tension the grief had been creating in my body. I used gentle asanas, the support from my mat, as well as mother earth, combined with breath to come home to my body, as well as my grief. Inhaling love and exhaling acceptance was helpful.
I finished my yoga practice and then decided to revisit the grief cave within my mind. I felt different. I imagined myself standing outside of the cave, and felt validation for it to look and feel daunting and scary because a lot of the experiences that shaped my experiences with grief have been daunting and scary. I realized the looming beast and darkness within that space, felt like old friends, that had become very comfortable taking up that space within the psyche and cells.
We can accept our grief, but also change the imagery and the energy of how we choose to store it in our mind and body. So I destroyed the image of the cave and the beast and thanked it. I then imagined the setting of a beach, clear shallow water and gentle waves, with a view of where the water becomes deep towards the horizon, because grief requires depth at times. The sun was shining, it was safe to look around and explore what my grief felt and looked like by imagining a bright sunny day. There were tropical plants and palm trees behind me and the beast was gone. Next to me, sea turtles sunning themselves on the beach, and flowers were blooming. I consciously sat in meditation with this new image while consciously breathing and felt a real difference in my body.
I could feel the shift within my parasympathetic nervous system and the signals it was sending to my body to ensure it was okay to energetically redefine grief for my body, as well as relax.
You’re not alone in whatever it is that you are grieving. I am not here to tell you to close your eyes and imagine and beach and miraculously your grief is fixed, because there are parts of this experience that don’t feel like rainbows and unicorns, nor should they.
However, using visualization techniques and feeling into your grief rather than avoiding it or suffering hopelessly from it, can change your relationship to it and take away some of its heaviness. The only way out is through. Play with the idea of setting an image for your grief, whether it's in a Pacific Northwest Forest, Thai temple, Mountain landscape, or wherever it may be, and breathing in love, and breathing out acceptance.
You can use asanas, imagery, and breath to shape your relationship with grief to become accepted, seen, and validated, even if it brings tears, it can help free the body and the mind and spark the soul into unconditional love and acceptance for its ability to experience being human.
By Angela Droughton
We all know that working out can improve our sex lives, as exercise can boost both your energy levels and your self-esteem, but did you know that yoga not only gives those benefits but lots more? If you’re looking to yoga as your new form of working out, read on to discover how it can also give a boost to your sex life.
Yoga Improves Pelvic Floor Muscles
When you practice yoga, you can use up all of your muscles in one pose or another, including your pelvic floor. When doing standing poses and supporting your own body weight, you’re also working out your pelvic floor muscles. In an average yoga class, this can add up to half an hour of pelvic floor exercises. If you didn’t know, strengthening these muscles can help to improve your orgasms - a great incentive to get on the yoga mat!
Yoga Helps Practice Mindfulness
Mindfullness, or living in the moment, can be incredibly important to a great sex life. Being present help you to relax and focus on what is happening, rather than being self conscious about how you look or sound. A clear mind will increase your enjoyment, and help you be a more responsive partner. Yoga helps this by practicing mindfulness of your body through each pose and movement. Bringing this awareness of your body into the bedroom will help improve your sex life.
Yoga Boosts Self-Confidence
Yoga might look easy, but all of those moves and poses strengthen your body and increases your flexibility. Not only will this workout help boost your energy levels, but the physical benefits of yoga can also improve your self-confidence, making you feel sexier. Yoga can help you feel slimmer, stronger, and physically fit - all adding up to more body confidence.
Yoga Increases Flexibility
Ever thought about trying a complicated-looking sex position, but couldn’t move your body that way? Yoga boosts your flexibility and makes it easier for you to move your body into different positions. This will make it easier for you and your partner to experiment and try new things without hurting yourselves!
Yoga Increases Your Energy
In our busy lives, a lot of us will crave the bedroom for sleep, rather than sex. It’s easy to let work, and other obligations take over our lives and stop us from relaxing and taking a break. A lot of couples are sleep-deprived and tired, and this can be a blocker in the way of enjoying their time together in an intimate way. Yoga really does help to boost your energy, as well as your sleep quality, and can actually help you feel less tired, which could be the boost your sex drive needs.
Yoga Can Improve Menstrual Cramps and Symptoms
Stress, low body confidence, and bloating can be the worst parts of your menstrual cycle and can make sex feel like the last thing you want to do - right after doing a workout. However, yoga can be a low-impact exercise that can help the symptoms of your period, including pain, cramps, and bloating. This can help you feel sexier, which might make you want to get it on a little more - which can help with period pain even more.
Yoga Can Ease Anxiety
If you’re not feeling great mentally, you might not be able to really enjoy sex with your partner. Feeling anxious or stressed doesn’t help you focus on the moment, and you may find yourself increasingly un-satisfied if you are having sex while feeling anxious. Yoga can help to improve mental health and symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Yoga can also help you to release physical tensions in the body, making your body more receptive to touch.
Yoga Can Boost Endurance and Stamina
Yoga focuses on the breath, and can be a cardio workout - especially if you practice Ashtanga yoga. This physical movement combined with the breathing exercises you do in each practice can increase your stamina and endurance - which can do wonders in the bedroom!
If you want to improve your sex life today, here are some poses that are especially beneficial for both men and women’s sexual health.
Triangle Pose
Triangle pose helps to strengthen your thigh and hip muscles, and can also promote hormonal balance. To do, stand on your yoga mat with your feet widely apart Turn your right foot facing forwards and your left foot slightly inward. Place your arms shoulder height, palms facing downwards parallel to the floor. Exhale, then fold at your right hip, bringin your right arm down to the ankle, or the floor if you can reach. Move your left hand skyward, moving your head upwards to look at it. Repeat on the left side.
Cobra Pose
Cobra pose is a heart opener, which can increase energy and also help us to receive love. Start by lying down on your front, and place your hands down under your shoulders, with your forehead on the floor and elbows tucked close to your body. Inhale, then lift your head and chest up, pushing your pelvis forward into the mat. You can increase the intensity of this pose by lifting further, so your whole torso is lifted slightly off the ground.
Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold
This forward bend post increases your range of motion in your hips, and also helps to increase blood flow to the pelvis. Simply sit on the floor opening your legs wide, pointing your knee caps up. Bend forward from the hips keeping your hands extended on the floor in front of you, then hold and breathe.
By Amy Cavill
Yoga for Better Sex with Claire Petretti Marti
The Force is within you! Each and every one of us has a well of inner strength and courage, our source of personal power. Through our yoga and meditation practices, we can cultivate our inner light and empower ourselves to meet life’s challenges with courage and confidence.
There are many paths to build personal power, strength, and compassion. A few of our favorite classes have empowering themes and/or solid Power Vinyasa flows, which are excellent ways to tap into your inner strength. If you need a reminder of just how courageous you are, these classes will give you a major boost. Yoga teaches us that all we need is inside of us and practice is to reveal and honor our inner light.
Learning to dig deep and operate from our courageous hearts can be uncomfortable. At some point in our personal and professional lives, we will be asked to step out of our comfort zone and take action. By cultivating these qualities through consistent sadhana on the mat, we are better equipped to wield them off the mat. A sweaty invigorating Power Yoga class builds strength from the outside in.
Power Yoga focuses on linking breath to movement in what often feels like a powerful dance with a more vigorous pace and an emphasis on physical strength. The benefits of this class style include strengthening bones and joints, increasing endurance and stamina, boosting mood with endorphins, and focusing on the present moment. By settling into the faster rhythm of power flows, your mind quiets because you’re so focused on the movement, you don’t have space to be distracted.
When a class centers on themes of empowerment, it encourages us to awaken our inner warrior, release self-doubt, and step into the most potent version of ourselves. The heart is where our desires, truths, and superpowers reside. Becoming your most powerful self doesn’t mean you can fly or bench-press your car, but that you operate from a place of resolve and stand up for your beliefs. By combining the external physical practice with the internal mindful intention, we strengthen our external body and fortify our inner resolve.
Through consistent practice of turning our attention and awareness inward, we learn to recognize and free our inner truth and share it with the world. This week’s four classes are about stepping boldly into your personal power and having fun flowing in the process. Enjoy!
1. Jackie Casal Mahrou - Power Up Flow
2. Dawnelle Arthur - Flow & HIIT: Bruce Lee Abs
3. Michelle Marchildon - Taming the Peacock
4. Pradeep Teotia - Power Flow
One of our favorite simple healthy meals is a vibrancy bowl! Vibrancy bowls are easy, quick, and make great leftovers. They combine a grain base, roasted and/or fresh veggies, and a dressing of choice. You can also add a protein of your choice for an even heartier meal!
We’ve got a great how-to guide to make your own vibrancy bowl in our new cookbook, The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook.
This recipe makes a hearty vegan meal that we think you’re going to love. Our Rainbow Vibrancy Bowl is a simple, (almost) one-tray meal full of good-for-you ingredients that’s perfect for dinner or lunch. It also contains beets, which means it’s a great way to check up on how efficiently your digestion is working (for more info about this, check out our blog about the Beetroot Test).
We hope you like this plant-based recipe! If you have a favorite vibrancy bowl recipe, be sure to let us know in the comments below, we love hearing from you.
With love and vibrancy bowls,
Rainbow Vibrancy Bowl
Yield: 3-4 servings
1 cup quinoa, uncooked 2-3 beets, peeled and cubed 4-5 rainbow carrots, sliced 1 onion, sliced 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped ½ cup olive oil, divided 3 TB. apple cider vinegar Juice of ½ lemon Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Gomasio, for topping Handful of fresh arugula or baby greens
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss beets, carrots, onion, and garlic in the ⅓ cup olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread veggies evenly in a baking tray, bake for 30-35 minutes or until veggies are just soft and beginning to caramelize.
Rinse quinoa under running water until water is clear. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add quinoa, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until done. Fluff quinoa with a fork before serving.
To make dressing, add 3 TB olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice to a small small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
To serve, add quinoa and roasted veggies to a bowl. Top with fresh arugula or baby greens, drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with Gomasio.
“Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul creates the symphony of life.” -B.K.S. Iyengar.
We here at YogaDownload.com believe music enhances the yoga experience. Both music and yoga touch on the physical, mental, and emotional levels of our beings. Sound is integral in many schools of yoga, like Ashtanga, where classes begin and end with chanting and mantras woven into the practice. The power of sound is vital in yoga, whether you are focusing on mantra, chanting, instruments like the harmonium, or a well-curated playlist.
With or without yoga, sound is a deeply healing modality. If you’ve ever experienced a sound healing with crystal bowls, you know how profoundly it resonates within your heart. Music can act as a time travel tool––a song can leapfrog you to a particular moment in time in a mere few notes. Whether a melody reminds you of a beloved family member, a bad date, or the happiest time in your life, music can penetrate the layers into your soul.
Music evokes emotion and yoga helps us access and release the feelings which may be trapped in our bodies. For example, yogic philosophy teaches that past trauma and stress can lodge in our hips and pelvis, around the first and second chakras. Through creating space and openings in our physical bodies, we can release trauma. If certain music can help you find your meditative flow sooner, you can let go of that which weighs you down.
When you combine music and yoga, you create a more potent experience. Both the music and the practice provide energy on levels which we cannot see, but can definitely feel within. When skillfully created, a playlist can aid in energizing you, calming you, and helping you find the profound inner peace and joy we all seek through our yoga practice.
Whether practicing yoga with music is new to you or your preference, we encourage you to give this week’s classes a try! We’ve got some special classes, two from our Electronic Music Sessions, with Elise and Ali, and two classes from years past that incorporate special live music element. Let the music move you, and step into the flow!
Relaxing & Nourishing Slow Flow with Elise Fabricant
Smile Meditation with Ali Duncan
Eric Paskel - Soulful Flow: Live with Love
Tyrone Beverly - Energy Flow
This New Moon emerges to unite you with your sacred other - the soul. The last Full Moon on February 27th began to stir comforts, especially resting in ego-creations. There was a push to connect deeper to spiritual love and unfold the soul. It marked the point of a new plane of manifestation.
Thus, from the Full Moon on the 27th until this new moon, the individual self, has gone through many shifts. This may have created changes in relationships, relationship status’, possible endings, and has stirred another level of personal responsibility and awakening. The energetic stirring is intended to train the self in forging their power from the light of the soul. Therefore, this lunation will heavily mark the new beginning of this attunement. The moon will come into pedigree between Aquarius and Pisces but make no mistake Piscean energy will be very impactful in this lunar unfolding.
As the moon rises into the space ‘in-between’ marked zodiac signs of Aquarius and Pisces it will create more space for healing, new creations, and embracing the soul self. This space will expand one’s sense of self and their material world very quickly. Everything that is being moved out is for your highest good.
During these challenging conjunctions (Mars + Rahu in Taurus, and Venus combust the Sun in Pisces), you are being up-leveled exponentially and up-leveled internally. In order for the material world to shift the inner world must shift, so it is reflected externally. I know this can be trying, but in these challenges, you will rise into great strength, personal empowerment, and fast track to your next level. Many of you will begin to realize many of your dreams.
In this space, remember this fundamental law of energy - like attracts like. If something or someone has moved out of your material reality, it was no longer a match for your next level of manifestation. Situations are shifting quickly within many levels of your world.
This moon wants us to dissolve the ‘comfort seeking’ the external gratification and the needing another to adhere to the prerequisites that define our sense of security. On a collective level, this will urge you to be blinded by the light of the soul. Nothing else will matter, gratification and glorification will fall short. This moon will bring these comforts into healing. The theme of comforts will unfold on multiple levels, comforts within relationships, job, personal comfort, and staying in your comfort zone. Any attachments to staying comfortable or flaunting material comforts as self-identification will quickly be impacted by the light of the Sun. It will not derive the same effects, reactions, and dissatisfaction is to be expected. Rise above this, as the planetary energies are awakening us, they are showing how comforts can make us beholden and can hold us back from growth.
As we work with these planetary energies the light of the soul will unfold on a greater level. This collective shift will cause one to see inner beauty, the true beauty of life, and work with their creative abilities from inner strength. There will be immense healing and many of you will learn how to heal the hidden stories within the layers of consciousness, many of your healing abilities will rise to another level. Both in personal commitment and in capabilities.
As this moon emerges she will bring forth greater willpower from the heart and show how to apply hidden wisdom from within. The gate of the unconscious will be crossed and Jupiterian energy will synergistically nullify negative ego effects.
The mind will transition to ‘oneness’ wisdom and will not support intellect creating ‘needy’ or selfish gains. The relation within time and space has shifted which will impact how you hold your memories, how you hold others within your mental recollection. This will work to create incredible healing, so new material realities and relationships arise from the highest and from the truth of the heart. The healing that is unfolding with these planetary energies is very unique.
The New Moon is creating peace within oneself, dissolving old hurts, grudges, and recreating how we hold ourselves in the wisdom of oneness. This dissolution will create cohesion, with soul self, and one’s highest goals. Immersion into understanding, and with inner light. Use this New Moon to channel the depth of your power, rise from the willpower of the heart, and release the falsification of beauty. The beauty of inner light is the greatest radiance of all.
Click this link for more New Moon resources.
Geenie (Gemma) Celento For a personal astrology reading and 6 month personal forecast, 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. Her website is here.
Sometimes the simplest things are the best. This recipe only calls for 3 main ingredients, and it is almost guaranteed to receive compliments whenever you serve them. Almost guaranteed, because some people do not love onions and I can not guarantee that you win them over, but everybody else for sure!
I rarely cook anything savory without onions. They are such a nice base for most recipes and love all of them – white, yellow, red or green, just bring them to me and amazing things will happen!
In this recipe, I used small white onions that bake to soft caramelized sweetness. I developed this recipe for a wine store to celebrate Estonian Independence day and this was meant to pair with bubbly. And oh it does! In case you have celebrations in order, I recommend serving these little bites with a glass of Champagne or Crémant. That said, the bites are also very suitable for just a snack and easy enough to prepare on a weeknight. If you don't have big plans to celebrate, you can also skip fiddling with small muffin tins and just bake a whole thing in one pan. If your frying pan is oven-proof, you can even use the same pan you use for the onions, just top it with a large pastry round, push the edges down gently and bake for a little longer than you would bake the smaller bites. Onions with butter and puff pastry are delicious in any size and form! Enjoy these simple onion canapés!
Three-ingredient Onion Canapés
Yields: 12
6 small onions
4 tbsp butter
A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary
A sprinkle of salt
7 oz puff pastry
Peel the onions and cut them into halves. Try to peel them so that the layers still stay together, do not cut too much off from the ends.
Melt the butter in the pan on medium heat, season with salt, and add your herbs to the pan too.
Add the onions to the pan – cut side up at first and leave them to medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Then carefully flip them over, increase the heat a little and leave them for another 15 minutes. You want the onions to be caramelized and soft, almost melting away, but at the same time still holding together.
At the same time preheat the oven to 430F, find a mini muffin tin (mine has 12 holes). Roll out the pastry to about ¼ inch thickness and cut out the rounds that are a little larger than your muffin holes.
Once the onions are soft and golden, carefully transfer them to the muffin tins, cut side down. Divide the butter leftover from the onions between the holes. Cover the onions with pastry rounds and gently push the edges down.
Bake about 15-17 minutes until the pastry is golden and crispy. After baking leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cover the pan with a chopping board and turn it over quickly, so the bites fall out.
The bites are best while still warm, but they are still delicious cold too.
Enjoy this FREE 25-Minute yoga class from home, before your delicious tacos!
We all need to take a moment of the day to make a pause and release all the stress that we accumulate in our daily lives. A great way to do this is by introducing a meditation practice into our schedules; for that purpose, it would be ideal to have a designated space at home that you use only for meditation.
There are a few things that you should consider in terms of creating the ideal space to support relaxation, focus, and concentration during meditation. If you want to know more about this, continue reading because we gathered some great tips and advice from the experts to achieve this vibe at home and succeed in your meditation practice.
This is a guest post from Porch.com, where YogaDownload was featured in their panel of experts.
What do you suggest for setting up a meditation space at home?
Determine the purpose of your space.
What is your space’s purpose? Is it to have a private place for meditation or to have a shared room with others? Is it to create a serene feeling in your home or for you to seek inner calm and clarity? The purpose of your space will help you determine where it should be and what you will need.
Find a space.
A meditation space is a useful tool in anyone’s practice. It’s somewhere you can go when you’re feeling strong emotions and need somewhere to cool off, a place where you can “find yourself” daily, and just somewhere important for practice in general.
You don’t need an entire room for meditation – a corner of a room will do. You could also use an empty, spacious closet (if you have one!). Based on the purpose of your space, you could have it in a main area of your house, in the corner of your bedroom, or even in your backyard or garden.
Decorate your space.
Gather your sacred items. My suggestion here is to select one thing for each of the five senses plus something from nature:
What images or objects will fit the purpose of your space? Most people recommend a minimalist approach to decorate a meditation area in order to avoid distractions.
My space has a Buddha statue, candles, and a plant. You might want to incorporate flowers, cushions, and pillows, or special lights. I like having blankets and pillows to create a sense of softness. Choose something that is meaningful to you and sets this area of your home apart.
Supply your space.
You don’t really need anything to meditate besides your body and breath. But if you use a meditation pillow and cushion, a singing bowl, or beads in your practice, you could display them.
An app (or book / audiobook) for timeless instruction.
As I am a beginner myself, I use apps to help with my meditation as I am still learning to quiet down my mind. Meditating to an app is much easier for me. My favorites are ‘Meditation Studio’, ‘HeadSpace’ and ‘Mindifi’.
Make your space sacred.
By “sacred,” I don’t mean religious or spiritual (although you certainly could if it’s part of your practice). I mean sacred as in the opposite of mundane. You should associate this area of your home with stillness and special time for yourself or your family that is devoted to your practice.
Sit.
Now, sit in your space and try it out. Not comfortable yet? Add as many cushions, pillows, and blankets as necessary. (Some teachers advise otherwise, but I feel that you should do whatever you can to be comfortable.)
Time.
Set a dedicated time for meditation and do everything in your power to stick to it. Don’t schedule anything on top of this time; you need to act like it’s important, even if you’re just starting out.
Comfortable clothing.
Wear something comfortable. The last thing you want to do is to be wearing skinny jeans and a tight top.
By Kiran Singh from Kiran Singh
Which characteristics should a meditation space at home have to help with relaxation and concentration?
Creating the habit for an at-home meditation practice may be easier than you think.
Meditation is a practice to let go of the chatter in our minds and gain focus and clarity. When we worry too much about creating the perfect space, we miss the point of creating the routine of meditation.
From a tiny home to your own private yoga oasis, any space inside or outside can become a meditation space. It is the habit you create to establish your meditation practice that matters.
There is no wrong way to meditate. Day-to-day our meditation experience can change. Some days may feel like we are in it and other days may feel like it just isn’t working. Don’t be attached to the outcome. Continue with the practice.
When I meditate, there are a few things that are important to create a space that feels good:
What do you want that will help you create a meditation experience you would enjoy? If it doesn’t feel good or takes too much effort, it is harder to make it a habit.
When you are done, notice – What do you love about your home? What space would you like to create? Is there one thing you would like to change? Have you been holding onto items that don’t serve you?
Our best ideas come when we are present, clear-headed, and with a positive mindset. With the benefits of meditation, you can get inspired to create the home you want to live in.
By Monica Phillips from Spark Plug Labs
Where would be the perfect space at home to set up a yoga and meditation space?
The perfect space to set up a yoga and meditation area is somewhere in your home that feels cozy, light, and most importantly where you can get peace and quiet. Because of this, for those with enough space, an area of your bedroom is usually the ideal part of the home to set up a yoga and meditation space. If you have a section of your bedroom where there is room to lay out a yoga mat or put a meditation cushion, it can be easier to make yoga and meditation a daily habit, when it’s possible to roll out of bed and get onto your mat!
A living room, where you can get some time to yourself can also be perfect, as for many there is more space there. For some with families and roommates, it can be harder to get time in a more communal space to be alone and undistracted in your practice.
Natural light is a must (don’t make your yoga space in a room without windows or a basement). You want to feel energized, inspired, and uplifted where you practice. Also, regardless of where in the house you choose, make it beautiful. Hang a photo you love, put a plant there, and add elements that inspire and uplift you. Decorate it to make it your sacred space in the house and add elements that bring a sense of peacefulness.
By Keith Allen from YogaDownload.com
How can you create the perfect ambiance in your meditation space to help with relaxation and concentration?
Your bedroom is the perfect area to create a meditation space, and it all starts with the walls. Choose a soothing color palette – think neutrals or pastels, or opt for a zen pattern that brings comfort to your mind – for example, nature-inspired landscapes or flowing lines. If you’re struggling for ideas of how to style your bedroom, look to naturally relaxing spaces; Ancient Japanese zen gardens, Buddhist temples, mountains, or waterfalls. Try to keep your bedroom as a quiet zone, with an essential oil diffuser, low-level lighting, and plenty of soft textures. No screens allowed!
By Leila Jones from MuralsWallpaper
Which items do you recommend having in your meditation space at home?
For creating a meditation space at home, add items that evoke a feeling of calm and connection when you sit down on your meditation cushion. Keep it simple as you get inspired by the following ideas:
Find an item that represents nature, e.g., flowers from your garden, seashells from a beach walk, or rocks that you collected with your children. Add something that symbolizes love; this could be a photograph of a loved one, a special object that you associate with love, or a rose quartz crystal, commonly thought of as the heart stone. To honor your family, you could add a picture, a child’s drawing, or anything else that evokes gratitude for the VIPs in your life. Last, but not least, you may want to involve something that has spiritual meaning for you.
Another approach for choosing the right items includes allowing your 5 senses to guide you.
If you have children, you may want to invite them to pick one special item for them to place in your meditation corner. This will help them feel included and bring joy to your heart when you meditate.
By Sünje O’Clancy from Yoga Rascals
What is the easiest meditation technique for a beginner?
From my experience, the worst and hardest way to start meditation as a beginner is to sit and focus on your breathing. All that it will do is encourage feelings of frustration and irritation and often leave you feeling breathless… Rather, it’s best to focus on things that help focus the mind, and in-turn calms the body. My advice for a beginner meditator is to sit, lay or even walk in an open space and work through your senses. Spend a minute focusing on what you can hear, the pauses between sounds, the volume, and the differences. Then move onto touch, what temperature can you feel on your skin, is there a light breeze, or maybe you can feel your clothes on your skin or the floor under your feet. Move onto sight, what red things can you see around you, for example, or what different shades of the same color you can find. Keep going with your other two senses and try not to label, judge or explain your experiences, simply observe. It’s a really nice way of introducing mindfulness whilst focusing your mind on coming from intention and not reaction throughout your day.
From there, you can experiment with all sorts of visualizations and body relaxations! Aim for a practice that keeps the mind occupied without clinging onto anything in particular like Yoga Nidra, guided visualizations, and progressive muscle relaxation. Give it a go for 5 minutes with an open mind, and you’ll be starting well. Good luck!
By Helen from Helen Sian India
How do you suggest for a beginner to start a meditation practice and what should be avoided?
There are two things that really help: starting with a brief daily meditation and having real people you can talk to about meditating.
If you decide that, starting tomorrow, you’re going to wake up at 6 am every day and meditate for 30 minutes before you do anything else, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll stop after just a few days. Instead, I’d encourage you to honestly ask yourself, “How long can I truly commit to meditating every day?” Maybe the answer is five minutes; maybe it’s just five breaths. The length of time doesn’t matter. The important thing is for it to be realistic. Then, meditate for that length of time right after something else that you always do each day – for example, after you’ve brushed your teeth in the morning. You know you’re going to brush your teeth each day, so you can connect your new meditation habit to that routine. That makes it much more likely that you’ll actually do it.
Then, find a group and a teacher you can practice with and talk to about what’s happening when you meditate. The number one reason people stop meditating is because they think they’re doing it wrong or it’s not working. If you can share your experience, ask questions, and get insight into what’s going on, you’re much less likely to give up. That’s why we started WITHIN meditation – there’s Q&A during every online class to help you stick with your meditation practice.
By Hannah Knapp from WITHIN Meditation
How would you suggest starting a meditation routine, and which tips can you give us to actually stick to it?
I suggest starting your day with a 5-minute (or more!) meditation. Find a comfortable seated position and bring your attention to your breath. Begin by taking several nice long, deep breaths in and out. Trace your breath as it enters and exits your nostrils. As your mind begins to wander, gently guide your attention back to your breath.
If you prefer silent meditation, scan your senses (notice the sound of your breath, any other sounds in the space you are sitting, or outside of the room that you’re in…) or scan your body (consciously relaxing from your head to your toes). Drift your awareness back to your breath. Each time you notice your mind thinking, direct your attention back to your breath.
You may worry about whether you’re doing it “right.” There is no wrong way to meditate! Much like when you are doing biceps curls, each one is strengthening your biceps… when you’re meditating, each time you notice your thoughts, you’re strengthening your presence and awareness.
If you prefer guided meditations, there are many great resources. Receiving support and guidance from an experienced meditation guide is great if you’re new to meditation or feeling stuck or struggling to independently establish a daily practice.
Creating a soothing meditation space in your home will help you feel calm and centered in your practice. Carving out a sanctuary of sacred space for yourself encourages you to fall in love with a daily meditation practice you treasure.
Meditating in the same space each day will begin to infuse your designated space with calm energy, and you’ll begin to feel relaxed just thinking about sitting for meditation. Space for self-reflection helps reduce distractions and increase focus. When you consistently sit in the same space or around the same time, your body and nervous system learn that this is when you practice slowing down, relaxing, and going within.
Commit to practicing for at least 10 days in a row, and each day, reflect on how you’re feeling as you navigate your day. You may notice you’re immediately benefitting from an increased sense of inner peace, better sleep, connection, clarity, focus, and productivity. It’s is common for challenging emotions, stressful thoughts, and feelings to rise to the surface, or for new meditators to notice they are anxious. If this is the case, don’t fret!
Meditation helps to reduce the stress that is accumulated from the past, so you are actually releasing and letting go of stuck, stagnant energy and emotions. The person you spend the most time with is the voice in your head, and so if you notice you have a strong inner critic, rest assured, it can be tamed! You can befriend your inner angel instead, with the help of an experienced guide.
I offer a complimentary class every Sunday evening at 6 pm PST. If you’re curious to see what it’s like to meditate in an online community, please join us! You can register to receive a link to class at anchormeditation.com
By Kelly Ryan from Anchor Meditation
Which practices can calm the mind to help a beginner with meditation?
It’s actually a common misconception that the goal of meditation is to calm the mind. There are some specific practices where this is the goal, but most meditation techniques do not train this trait. In most meditation techniques, you fully allow thoughts to arise and pass without push or pull. For example, if you’re focusing on your breathing and you experience a burst of mental talk, the instruction would be to allow the mental talk to arise, but gently move the spotlight of your attention back to the breath. As you focus on the breath, the mental talk can keep chattering away, but in the background. In the foreground of your awareness is the breath.
There are even some techniques that involve focusing on thoughts as they arise. So if you’re experiencing thoughts, great, that’s something to focus on.
All this being said, there’s another way to interpret “calming the mind”. This alternative interpretation might sound something like, “whether you’re experiencing thoughts or not, calming the mind means an overall softening around your experience”. Softening/accepting your experience absolutely is a goal of most meditation techniques.
There are many practices that might help a beginner soften the mind. Here are some examples: take a few deep breaths, put a slight smile on your face, and maintain global relaxation over your whole body. These three practices can help your mind soften, which leads to a pervading sense of calm. Try taking deep breaths, smiling or relaxing your body during your next meditation and see for yourself.
By Toby Sola from Brightmind
Which tips can you give us to start a meditation practice for a beginner?
I’ve found the key to a successful meditation practice is consistency.
Make meditation part of your daily routine and try to do it in the same place and at the same time each day.
I prefer to meditate first thing in the morning, but others prefer to do it in the evening. I have a cushion that I only use for meditation, so it is a physical reminder to sit down and do it.
Start with a guided meditation on youtube or an app. Perhaps try a few different meditations to start and then stick with one that works best for you.
Also, be patient. Like anything else, meditation takes practice, and each day can feel a little different. Stick with it, and you will feel the positive effects for sure!
Try this short guided meditation that brings awareness and intention to your breath to reduce stress and anxiety.
By Miranda Peterson from Namaste in Nature
Which tips can you give us to create a meditation routine?
Create a Comfortable Practice Space
Your meditation practice will be more successful if you have a comfortable and quiet place to practice. Try finding a place where you can sit distraction-free – put the phone away, turn off the TV, and allow yourself some time to step away from the noise.
Many people believe you have to sit cross-legged on the floor to meditate, but that’s actually not true. You absolutely can sit on the floor cross-legged if that’s comfortable, but you can also sit on a chair, the edge of your bed, or on a bolster to help keep you elevated. If you are sitting on a chair, try to keep your feet flat on the floor (rather than crossed) in order to keep your circulation flowing freely. You can also lie down if you prefer. However, some people tend to fall asleep while meditating lying down. If you want to receive the full effects of your practice, I always recommend sitting in an upright position with a tall spine. You can also place pillows or blankets in a corner of your room against a wall to help make you more comfortable & support your back so you can fully relax!
Sometimes it can be helpful to light candles, use essential oils or burn sage to help create a calming aroma. It’s important to have a specific spot just for your meditation practice so that you can truly focus on the present moment without getting distracted. Plus, every time you come back to this spot, you will be able to feel more relaxed and focused on clearing your mind!
A journal is also another tool that is useful for creating a home meditation space. The purpose of practicing mindfulness is to stay rooted in the present moment and to simply observe your thoughts. Having a journal near your mediation space will allow you the opportunity to write down some of your thoughts after you meditate and can help you reflect on what came up during your session
Start with Small Time Intervals
The best way to begin a mediation practice is to start small. Even a 5-minute meditation in the morning or before bed can help you start to feel benefits and form a habit. In this time period, allow yourself to clear your mind, concentrate on your breath and just be in your body in the present moment. Once you start to feel more comfortable with this, you can begin to lengthen the amount of time you practice for.
Put It in Your Calendar
Like many things in life, if you don’t make time for it on your schedule, it will be easy to forget to practice. Adding meditation into your weekly schedule will help you make sure nothing else gets put ahead of or interferes with your sacred meditation time. Find a time that works best for you – either in the morning before your day begins, in the afternoon during your lunch break, or even in the evening before bed. It doesn’t matter when you meditate, just as long as it works for you at a time, you will be able to actually enjoy it. If your schedule allows, try to plan your practice at the same times each day/week so it’s easier to form a habit.
Be gentle with yourself
Most people think that the purpose of meditation is to shut off your brain completely, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The purpose of meditation is to observe your thoughts as they were clouds in a big blue sky – let them come, acknowledge their presence, and let them float away. When you first start meditating, it may seem overwhelming, and you might let your focus get carried away with your thoughts. Know that it’s totally normal, and you’re absolux|x|tely still doing it right! When you notice this, gently bring your awareness to your breath and back to the present moment. Give yourself some grace and know that it’s not easy. You’re doing great!
By Jessi Moore from Yogapaws
What do you suggest doing to help soothe your mind for meditation?
Here is some advice to settle down before you meditate:
Choose a time to meditate. The best times are early in the morning just after you wake up, and then again at happy hour, right between work and dinner. Ideally, you meditate at least one hour after eating or before you have a big meal. The body likes rhythm, so choose the same time each day, and make it a routine, just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. If you can’t do it at your regular time, do it when you can!
Find a quiet spot to practice where you’ll be undisturbed, ideally away from your electronics. If possible, sit in the same spot each day, though you can really meditate anywhere. Make it special with inspiring books you love, a journal and pen, a candle or incense if you are into it.
Get comfortable and cozy. Sit up in a posture in which you can be still for the meditation period. Find a blanket or a shawl you can easily wrap around you, so if your body’s temperature lowers a bit, you won’t be uncomfortable. Be sure you give yourself permission to shift your posture slightly if you need to.
Determine how long you will meditate for before you start, choosing a period of time from 10-30 minutes. This commitment puts your mind at ease during the practice. Staying with the entire practice session will help to make changes in the brain so you become more responsive and less reactive.
Go analog! Put your phone on DND or airplane mode. You can use it for a timer, but don’t choose anything that will “alarm” you when the meditation ends.
You can light a candle and use aromatherapy or incense if you are into it. Scents can help to create a mood (churches and temples use them!). Turn off all other sounds and sensory input if possible so when you close your eyes, your attention is easily drawn inward.
You can bookend your meditations with yoga, music, or reading something inspiring. Choose a reflective song or chant to listen to. You can also stretch or do some easy yoga asanas, and you could read a passage from your favorite spiritual books to inspire you.
Before you begin your meditation practice, take a few long, slow, deep breaths through your nose. This lets your body know that it’s okay to relax. Make a commitment to let go of all the to-dos and responsibilities during the meditation period. They’ll likely still be there when it’s over.
Remember, the benefits of meditation will show up as you live your life. So let go of trying to have a certain experience. Instead, treat each meditation as if it is your first one.
By taking time to meditate each day, you are engaging in a radical act of self-care for your mind and body! You deserve it!
By Sarah McLean from McLean Meditation Institute
How would you suggest making a routine practice of your meditation?
Meditation is more a lifestyle than a short-term effort, project, or course. Creating a meditation routine must have the dual benefit of giving you the benefits of meditation while also ensuring that you’re going to stick with it for the longer term. Here are our recommendations for creating a meditation routine:
By Shankar from Sahaja Online
Why is it important to meditate on a daily basis and what benefits can we expect to have from it?
Meditation is an ancient practice and one of the most important skills we can learn nowadays. It’s no secret that we are living in uncertain and stressful times. Statistics show that we are more stressed, anxious, and depressed than in the previous 30 years. Countless personal testimonies and scientific studies prove that practicing meditation on a daily basis can have a wealth of positive benefits for our well-being from lesser stress to better sleep, increased motivation, and creativity.
However, a common misconception is that meditation is a practice that requires perfect stillness and complete control of the mind, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s a very insightful analogy that invites us to think about meditation as a glass full of stormwater. If we allow the glass to stand, the dirt settles and we are able to see the clear water. When we make meditation a daily habit, we can scratch the surface and become more acquainted with the nature of our minds and the essence of our being. This is vital as the quality of our lives largely depends on who we are and how we perceive things rather than what we do. Being able to shift our focus from the negative thoughts and distracting mental chatter that plagues us so often can make a positive difference for our wellbeing.
When a stressful situation arises, for example, meditators are able to detach themselves from emotionally charged thoughts of anger and frustration. They don’t dwell on what happened in the past or what might happen in the future and are much more mindful of their actions. And the wonderful thing is that, the more we meditate, the more the way we perceive and interact with the world changes. Needless to say, someone who is looking forward to an effective way to balance stress and find inner serenity will greatly benefit from meditation. They will be able to experience much more surprising perks along the way such as better sleep, less anxiety, sharper attention, increased productivity, deeper emotional intelligence, a superior sense of intuition, and quite possibly a stronger immune system.
Of course, all of these benefits come with commitment and the determination to become our best selves.
By Pier del Rio from Synctuition
How do you use crystals for meditation, and which ones do you recommend using?
Meditating with crystals is a powerful two-in-one practice that can support your well-being and state of mind. But how exactly do you do it, and which crystals should you use? This guide to using crystals for meditation will help you learn how to get the most out of your crystal meditation practice.
How to Meditate with Crystals
When it comes to meditating with crystals, there are truly no right or wrong ways to do it. However, to enhance your meditation practice, one of the simplest and most effective ways to use crystals is by holding them in your hands as you meditate. You can choose to either hold a single stone in both hands, or hold a crystal in each hand to bring a greater sense of balance and equilibrium to your meditation. Any shape of crystal can be a powerful addition to your meditation practice, but touchstones, also known as palmstones, are one of the best shapes for meditation because they fit perfectly into the palm of your hand. Other great shapes to hold during meditation are spheres and harmonizers.
If you prefer not to hold crystals in your hands when you meditate or want another way to incorporate crystals into your meditation practice, placing them in the space around you is a great way to connect with their energies. Whether you choose raw crystals to radiate energy throughout your environment or another shape, the crystals around you can strengthen your meditation’s benefits
Top Crystals for Meditation
Just as there is not a right or wrong way to meditate with crystals, there is also not a right or wrong crystal to choose during your meditation practice. One way to decide which crystal to use is by trusting your own intuition and allowing yourself to be called to whichever crystal energy you need at that time.
Another method is to decide what you want to get out of your meditation. Here are some recommendations for common intentions:
By Heather from Energymuse
Which essential oils would you recommend to help relax and concentrate during meditation?
For relaxation and concentration during meditation, we recommend rosemary, frankincense, lavender, and our calming blend, Tracy’s Grace.
Rosemary– this herbaceous oil is known to help boost focus and is a favorite for studying and times of deep concentration. Frankincense- this spicy, sweet oil has a grounding aroma that improves focus and boosts mental clarity Lavender- this soothing, floral oil is known for it’s de-stressing abilities. It’s great for relaxing the mind and body. Tracy’s Grace- formulated with orange, lavender, and rosemary, this blend was intentionally created to help you relax, refocus, and unwind. It’s one of our most popular blends!
By Meghan Costello from Savhera
What are your preferred meditation oils?
Essential oils contain many therapeutic benefits as well as providing beautiful natural aromas, making them an excellent way to enhance meditation. Here are some of my favorites to consider incorporating into your practice:
Frankincense. A deep, grounding, and calming oil, which helps invoke feelings of peace, emotional stability, and protection. It helps to enhance breathing and soothe the respiratory system, making it an excellent essential oil to encourage steady breathing during meditation. Frankincense has played an important role in religious life in many ancient civilizations, as it is thought to strengthen our connection to spirit.
Ylang Ylang. An uplifting, floral oil that helps to calm the nervous system and promote feelings of joy, happiness, and sensuality. I like to refer to this essential oil as the sunshine oil as it has the ability to lift emotional exhaustion and awaken our senses. Ylang Ylang helps to dissipate negative emotions and bring in a sense of upliftment, so it can be particularly helpful when meditating during times of sadness or stress.
Palo Santo. An earthy, grounding oil that has been used traditionally in native American medicine, preferred by shamans and healers for its metaphysical properties of purification and clearing negativity. Using Palo Santo around your meditation space and body helps to clear negative energy and provide energetic protection, as well as enhancing spiritual awareness. A deeply calming oil, Palo Santo allows us to feel centered and grounded and helps to switch on the body’s relaxation response.
Rose Geranium. A beautifully floral-scented, balancing oil that helps to promote emotional stability, and transform negative feelings into more positive ones. This heart-opening essential oil can enhance emotional healing and self-love, whilst aiding relaxation. Rose Geranium essential oil also helps support mental clarity and focus, making it a wonderful addition to your meditation practice to help you stay centered.
By Corinne Taylor from Corinne Taylor
Which essential oils support meditation and how do you use them?
There are many oils to choose from to enhance meditation, which depends entirely on the meditation’s intention. For example to meditate and connect with self and deep within, oils such as Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides), Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), and Spikenard aka Nard (Nardostachys jatamansi). (Spikenard is the oil that Mary used to anoint Jesus’s feet) are grounding, stabilizing and assist in going inward. If, however, the desire is to connect with Source and all that IS in an expansive way, oils such as Palo santo (Bursera graveolens), Frankincense (Boswellia sacra), Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) are uplifting, protective and expansive. BTW, did you know that back in the day, Nostradamus used Nutmeg to enhance his visions?
Other essential oils and extracts commonly associated with meditation and spirituality are the ones associated with the Bible. Frankincense (Boswellia species), Galbanum (Ferula galbaniflua), and Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha). These three oils are distilled or extracted from Resins. Oils that are extracted/distilled from resins are wonderful to assist us with matters of the Spirit and psyche. They are very powerful when used in prayer, rituals, and meditation. The resin of the tree is a type of liquid that is stored in the outer cells, that when broken, release the resin to clog the hole create and saves the life of the tree. This is very analogous to the way we heal with scabs. It makes sense, then, that these oils assist us with deep emotional wounds and the suffering in our emotional body. Oils distilled from the resins are extremely protective and soothing to the psyche and a very powerful addition to any type of meditation.
Inhalation is the most effective way to use essential oils for meditation. Inhalation is the fastest and most impactful way to alter our state of mind and bring us into center and balance A drop or two of the essential oil can be placed in the palm of the hands and then inhaled deeply. Other ways to use essential oils via olfaction is either a diffuser or an aroma stick (which is blank nasal inhaler that you can place the oil of your choice in.) If desired, a drop of oil can also be placed on any of the chakras. I prefer to put a drop on my Brown (third eye) and Root chakras. Lastly, applying the essential oil to center of the soles of the feet and the bottom of the big toe can have profound effects when meditating. The center of the foot chakra helps ground us and the big toe connects to our pineal gland via reflexology points.
Any way that you choose to work with oils will enhance and have profound effects on meditation. There really is nothing like connecting to the essence of the plants and trees when quieting the mind and entering the soul. So, just pick the scent that resonates with you and see what inner journey she takes you on.
By Virginia Joy from Stillpoint Aromatics
How do you recommend introducing mindfulness into your daily life?
I would recommend either setting a timer for certain times of the day (3 would be ideal) or taking time during certain routines like walking, eating, or going to bed to pause. In these moments, close your eyes and take three deep breaths to calm and center yourself. Slowly say to yourself, “Be here now.” Then notice anything about your body, your mind, or your environment (things you see, smell, hear, or taste). Try to notice these things with curiosity instead of judgment. When you make this a daily practice, what you experience each day will change. Notice the changes with curiosity.
By Paige Oldham from Simple Mindfulness
Now that you have all the tips, advice, and expertise from the very best and more knowledgeable, set up your meditation space and start applying all these to enhance your meditation practice. In no time, you’ll notice all the benefits that meditation will bring to your health and well-being.
By Cassandra Rosas
Cassandra is a content writer at Porch.com. She is passionate about technology, the environment, sustainability, reading, writing, and music.
The yoga practice may not necessarily make you think of the word ‘strong’ - but it’s a common misconception that the practice is all about getting bendy and flexible. Yoga can actually be a great addition to strength training and can make you more powerful and strong both in the gym and your day-to-day life.
Combining yoga with strength training can not only make you stronger - it can actually help reduce your risk of pain and injury. Read on to find out how.
Yoga is a form of bodyweight training
If you’re working on a specific set of muscles, perhaps to increase strength in these areas, or for aesthetic reasons, it can be easy to neglect the other muscles in your body - which can hinder your progress. Yoga as bodyweight training can help to even things out in your body.
When you practice yoga, it uses all of your muscle groups to create overall strength. The longer you hold yoga poses, the more endurance your muscles will gain. In particular, yoga focuses on building strength in abs, obliques, and lower back - which are the core stabilizer muscles.
Yoga can stretch your tight muscles
If you’re no stranger to strength training, you’ll know that tight muscles and limited range of motion can kick in and affect your gains. Tight muscles are caused by; either the length of inactivity - if you work a desk job you may be more at risk of this, injury, or post-workout, which can also be used as delayed onset muscle soreness.
Yoga can help to release tension in tight muscles, by using both static and dynamic stretching. This will increase flexibility, reducing soreness, and increasing your range of motion. If you lift heavy weights, this is vital in improving your recovery time and will get you back in the gym in no time.
Yoga improves joint health
Strength training can strengthen your muscles that surround the joints, which allow them to remain stable and able to absorb impact. However, joint health also relies on something called synovial fluid. This fluid moves around the joints, allowing the bones to smoothly move over each other without any friction. Synovial fluid also delivers much-needed nutrients and oxygen to cartilage. Yoga can aid in this by circulating synovial fluid to the joints, promoting joint health.
Yoga improves balance
Core training is crucial for improving strength, and balance has a huge part to play in your core strength. Balancing poses in yoga can help to build that deep core strength, as well as improving your coordination and stamina. All of this combined will improve your movement efficiency and allow you to work through your strength workouts with more and more ease.
Yoga improves breathing
Lifting weights, we might not focus on our breathing skills - but it can make a huge difference in the success of your workout. Yoga helps to improve your breath efficiency, allowing you to take deeper breaths, through your nose. This focus on your breath will eventually train you to use your full lung capacity. Deeper breaths and using all of your lungs will help to push yourself that little bit harder in your workouts, improving your strength and endurance.
Increasing your drive
If you want to lift heavier and push yourself harder in your workout, yoga can be a great way to increase your strength and improve your performance in strength training. Yoga can help to activate muscles that you’re not using in your regular workouts, as well as improving your flexibility and range of motion. These things can help to boost your drive in your workout, letting you improve your strength.
If you’re now on board and are looking to improve your strength with yoga, there are also a few ways to make your practice more effective for developing muscle strength.
Holding poses for longer, for example, will push your body more and allow you to get more out of each pose. You will start to feel that burn, and if your muscles start to shake or wobble - this means you’re working on increasing your strength! However, make sure you’re not causing your body any pain, especially in the back or knees.
Repeating poses can also add some extra strength work to your practice. Once you've decided what muscle groups to work on, you can select the poses that work on these muscles, and repeat them a few times to boost your workout.
For an extra boost, add weights to some yoga poses. While yoga is a bodyweight workout, you can always increase that weight to increase your strength. Ankle weights are great for this, but you can also add hand weights to poses to improve your arm strength.
Power yoga is also an extremely powerful way to get some strength training in. Ashtanga yoga, is also a more intense workout, with harder poses that move quickly. It’s like a cardio workout that also pushes your muscles to work harder.
Ready to get strong and improve your yoga practice? Practice this Fitness 'n' Yoga Bootcamp and start noticing results!
Are you ready to kick off March with a 7-day Fitness and Yoga Bootcamp designed to have you feeling at the top of your game? If you struggle to fit in workouts and yoga, but don’t want to miss any of the physical, mental, and emotional benefits from both, this week’s program is for you. And if you’re simply feeling bored with your current routine, try this package as an adrenaline boost to spark your motivation.
Here are 3 reasons not to miss this Bootcamp:
1. Perfect Balance of Strength and Stretch
One of the guiding principles in yoga is Sthira Sukham Asanam, translated as saying yoga postures should be a balance of effort and ease. Learning to find appropriate muscular engagement, while also relaxing and breathing into a yoga pose takes practice. A lot of practice! This program embodies this principle, by alternately focusing on yoga, fitness, energizing, and relaxing postures.
The fitness classes help you get stronger, which in turn will help you with proper muscular engagement during yoga. Yoga helps you remain supple so you can perform all your favorite activities, sports, and workouts for years to come. It’s all about balance.
2. Efficient and Time-Saving
We don’t know about you, but often it’s tough to fit everything into your schedule. Between professional and personal responsibilities, squeezing in both a workout and a yoga session can feel impossible. Classes like the HIIT + Flow ensure you are doing a well-rounded workout and a complementary yoga session all in one class. Fusion classes are the perfect way to have the best of both worlds. And Ben Davis knows how to make them fun!
3. Eliminate Guess Work and Just do it!
Another time-saving benefit of this week’s program is you don’t need to think about it. Just press play and practice the classes in the order provided and voila, you’re done. There is comfort in trusting that an expert teacher has designed this program with you, the student, in mind, with a specific goal of saving you time and ensuring that you’re achieving the perfect balance of challenging workouts, active rest days, and the all-important full recovery day.
Join us for the challenge and see how much stronger and calmer you feel!
I love spice, and if I had to choose only one type of food to eat until the rest of my life, tacos would be very high on the list! They are incredibly versatile, and I always love to pile them with a ton of fresh ingredients. There always needs to be a spice element and always something crunchy. I am pretty sure that Mexicans would disapprove of this recipe because eggplant in tacos is far from traditional, but for me, it works!
Preparing soft tacos is pretty straightforward. Besides water and salt, you only need masa harina flour. I am sure that tortilla press makes preparing them even easier, but rolling them out between two pieces of parchment paper works well enough for me. The tortillas do not need to be 100% round and uniform in size. They are, after all, homemade tortillas, and nobody expects them to be perfect. Saying that – if you don’t feel like baking the tortillas from scratch, feel free to use store-bought small tortillas, and the dinner will be served in even less time.
One thing to keep in mind preparing this recipe is that the eggplant needs to be eaten quickly, or it will get soggy. One way to keep it crispy longer would be to fry the eggplant sticks instead of baking them, but I prefer keeping them on the healthier side. I recommend preparing everything else in advance and letting the eggplant sticks be the last ingredient added to the tacos right before eating them.
Homemade Tacos with Crispy Eggplant
Yields: 6 tacos
Cooking time: 40 minutes
For the taco dough:
1 cup masa harina flour
2/3 cup very warm water
A pinch of salt
For the crispy eggplant:
1 medium eggplant
1/3 cup hot sauce
1/3 cup rapeseed oil
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Red cabbage
Avocado
Tomatoes
Spring onions
Cilantro
Lime wedges
And whatever else you fancy
Start by cutting the eggplant to 2/3 inch sticks, sprinkle them with salt, and set aside until you prepare the dough.
For the dough, mix masa harina with warm water and a sprinkle of salt. The ratios here are the ones that work with the flour I used today, but it might very well be that you need a little more or a little less water because the flours are different. Just mix the dough with given ratios by hand and add more water or flour as needed. The goal is the dough that sticks together but is not wet. Once you have a nice ball of dough, set it aside to rest.
Mix the hot sauce with oil in a bowl and sprinkle panko crumbs to a large plate.
Preheat the oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
The eggplant should be covered with drops of moisture by now. Pat it very dry with a paper towel and throw the eggplant sticks into the bowl with hot sauce and oil. Mix to cover all the pieces equally.
Take the sauce soaked eggplant slices and dip them to panko crumbs. Then place them on the baking sheet making sure the sticks are not touching each other—Bake for 20 minutes with a fan on, turning them once halfway through the baking time.
Come back to your dough. Divide it to 6 equal pieces. In case you have a tortilla press, use that. I don’t have one, so my method is to roll the dough out between two parchment paper pieces. Roll one tortilla at the time, carefully place it on the hot pan, and bake for about a minute on both sides. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough balls.
Between rolling out tortillas and flipping them, you probably also have time to chop up everything else you wish to add to your tacos – tomatoes, onion, avocado is always a must for me, but feel free to add anything from hummus to tofu.
To serve, place a warm tortilla on the plate, add a mountain of fresh stuff and top with crispy eggplant. Always leave the eggplant last on your pile to keep it as crisp as possible.
This lunation marks the next phase in divine evolutionary development. The Full Moon moves the collective forward into the next level of divine will and alignment of plan after the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 20th. The physical realm is being broken down and reshaped.
This moon will work to move the soul forward, to aid in materializing forces by concretizing previous experiences and aiding to provide more gusto in creative impulses. There will be a surge of cosmic lifeforce uniting with individual lifeforce (prana) to aid in the divine plan to materialize along this next evolution.
At the Full Moon the Sun, Moon, and Mars will enter specific archetypal points which will highlight the planetary energies working through this Full Moon. Venus and Sun will combust in Aquarius. This energy is working for creative processes of divine will, and not for interrelational love, but will require more self-love, and love within presence. It is union with divine will for soul manifestation. Dream bigger, what you imagined may limit what is intended for you. The mind has been expanding and as a collective, we have ascended great heights in such a truncated time. This moon will mark the pivot of another evolutionary phase- a celestial mile marker.
During this moon, a few worldly aspects will try you. The ‘worldly’ may trigger control mechanisms as this shift occurs; it is recreating the framework which divine plan will be created through you. Many of you will doubt, many of you will face inner opposition, what you think you knew may be broken to show you the true path or a broader perspective of divine plan. These energies are drawing down cosmic prana to purify the vessel and sustain a greater evolution within the individual and the collective.
A purification and awakening of the conduit (self) will open new avenues for divine expression on another level of consciousness and manifested reality. What you see of yourself within this world, how you execute and create, and what you believe is possible is shifting completely. Staying focused on freeing your mind, devoted and humble in the day-to-day tasks, service to the mundane, will help you stay open to the downpour and free from the ego. Divine responsibilities will come to the forefront for many. Can you be the devoted being, to your highest, not swayed by personal desires, but driven through divine plan and service?
I must add that because these energies are purifying the individual and will create courage to expand and enlighten, it is important to create peace with what is released. A heavy precedence on general welfare and wellness will come to light. This can show in both the negative of holding greed out of concern for personal welfare, or in the positive of using more lifeforce to create better welfare.
The planetary energies will encourage you to look beyond self needs, to trust that you-personally, are taken care of. Only then can the wealth of divine prana flow through an aligned being. Anything that goes against that will come into question. Now is the time to double down. Apply enthusiasm, joy, and innocence to what you’re being led to. Give it love, life, and it will flourish.
To move confidently as you are guided, one step at a time. Divine impulse is transcending selfish near-sighted desires. The merging of lifeforcee with divine at this lunation there is a downpour of universal energy to bring forward new creative realities. Cleanse the framework, allow new activating forces to awaken beyond personal or single-minded desires and endeavors. Relinquish the path and follow the light. This moon will show falsification, be mindful of superiority complexes and overly competitive natures do not rear their ugly heads.
You are being asked to sit in the One, The All, yet own your uniqueness. To be connected to source, yet so resolute in your individual truth. Things will not make sense, logic is just making its way back into the mind, and will serve the divine plan, not personification. Be nimble, trusting, and open to the unseen greatness that awaits.
Yoga is one of the most helpful and healthy ways to directly benefit your riding. From stretching, to strength, to balance, yoga has you covered to be a better snowboarder. Here is why!
Stretching: Staying limber is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body healthy for snowboarding. Basic yoga, done before and after snowboarding, will help prevent injury due to falls, and keep your body less sore after a day of shredding. It’s like performing preventative maintenance on your car.
Flexibility will help you when learning how to snowboard, and help your body perform at its best when you are engaging in such a physically demanding sport. It will also help your body move without restriction. There are so many directions and movements your body must go through while riding, that keeping yourself as flexible as possible is of utmost importance.
Balance: Balance is the name of the game with snowboarding. Yoga keeps your body balanced and in tune. Snowboarding is more of a directional sport like surfing, so your body will use some muscles more than others. Yoga helps keep your body centered. It helps your body remain balanced while in strange and foreign positions, like deep carves and time in the air. Simple poses like the Warrior poses and Tree pose are priceless movements to keep your body in balance and primed for riding. Not only will yoga help your body keep its balance, but it will also help you progress your riding as you step up to bigger terrain and more difficult maneuvers that require extreme balance. The balance acquired from the practice of yoga will help keep you in a flow state while riding. Like surfing, snowboarding is all about natural flow.
Strength: Staying strong but limber is a tough thing to do, but it is the most helpful thing you can do to set yourself up for snowboarding success. Core strength is the most important element for riding, as most of your balance, flow, and turning requires the use of your core. It’s a no brainer that yoga helps to develop a strong and limber core. Leg strength is also important because you are constantly flexing and using your muscles to absorb vibration and chatter while making beautiful turns. Strength in your core and shoulders will also help prevent injury in a fall or sudden avoidance of an obstacle. It will help you adapt to all the different kinds of terrain you may encounter on your board.
Clarity of Mind and Breathing: Keeping your mind clear and perfecting your breathing is one of the greatest benefits of yoga. This also directly relates to snowboarding. Starting your day with a clear mind will have great effects on your riding. It will help you keep your balance, your focus, and your mind free of distractions. Snowboarding is entirely in the moment, like yoga. Entering flow state is one of the most beautiful aspects of snowboarding, and is the ticket to escaping your worries and troubles. Practicing your breathing is critical because as you get tired, breathing can become rapid and shallow, and make things far more difficult than they need to be. Perfected breathing will keep you energized, relaxed, balanced, and will allow for more focus on the freedoms of snowboarding. There is no better feeling than entering a flow state.
Yoga and snowboarding go together like fish and water. It is something that will not only make you a better snowboarder but keep you riding for years to come.
Ready to give it a try before your day snowboarding on the mountain?
Power Up for Powder Days: Snowboarder Flow
Whether you’re working to improve that backswing on the fairway or perfect an inverted hand plant with a snowboard, incorporating a yoga practice into your routine can really help step up your sports game. In fact, doing yoga can make you better at just about every other sport you’re passionate about. And all you need is your body to make the magic happen!
Just ask professional athletes like Lebron James, golfer Lexi Thompson, snowboarder Emilien Badoux and the entire New York Yankees lineup. They — and their trainers and coaches — know that yoga offers both physical and mental benefits that translate both on and off the field. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a pro to reap the rewards of a regular practice.
While incorporating yoga on a rest day can be beneficial, timing your session so that you’re engaging in stretches right before or after your activity can multiply those benefits.
Here are three reasons why the timing of your yoga practice is crucial to athletic performance:
A good yoga warm-up can translate to better performance during your sport.
Most experts agree that static stretching should be saved for after your workout (more on that in a bit). But engaging in a yoga session that incorporates dynamic stretches is the perfect way to start your workout. A simple sun salutation can gently wake up your body to the activity it’s about to undertake. You can also hand-pick a series of dynamic stretches that specifically target the muscles you’re about to use in the workout ahead. Think lunges to open up the hips and quads for a day on the slopes and an arching-down-dog-to-knee-to-chest to engage your hip flexors and hammies for an endurance run. A good pre-sports yoga session is a low-impact way to prime your muscles for peak performance on the field while improving strength, balance, and flexibility.
Post-workout yoga stretches can help prevent injury and keep you in the game longer.
Ever woken up the morning after a grueling workout to find yourself on a bed-ridden struggle bus? Hello, sore muscles! A little post-activity yoga stretching can go a long way toward preventing that dreaded delayed-onset muscle soreness. And here’s where you’ll want to throw some static stretches into the mix — while they’ve been shown to impede performance before a workout, they can actually help increase range of motion, ward of stiffness, and safely bring down your heart rate when performed post-workout. For example, a post-tee time Revolved Crescent Lunge can help golfers stretch out tight outer hips and hip flexors.
Yoga can make you fully present to the activity you’re about to undertake.
Priming that mind-body connection before or after a workout can be a powerful tool in your fitness kit. Your practice can ground and center you for the activity ahead while teaching you how to be comfortable in the face of discomfort. Taking a moment to reflect on your sport and be mindful of the signals your body is sending you can help prevent injury and turn your focus on what your body may need from that workout.
Ready to get started? Tee up these four classes right before (or after) your next workout:
Elise Fabricant: Post Workout Gentle Cool Down
Denelle Numis: Apres-Ski Yoga
Claire Petretti Marti - Power Up for Powder Days: Snowboarder Flow
Robert Sidoti - Yoga for Golf
These little brownie bites are simple, sweet, salty, and totally delicious – perfect for a Valentine’s Day dessert. Plus, they contain a secret superfood ingredient: CBD oil!
CBD is one of the hottest health supplements right now.
If you're interested in learning more about CBD and its benefits, check out our interview with Plant People Founder Gabe Kennedy, on our website, here!
Chocolate CBD Sea Salt Brownie Bites
Yield: 20 balls
1 cup raw walnuts 1 cup dates, pitted ¼ cup raw cacao powder 1 tbsp maca powder 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp Plant People CBD oil
In a food processor, combine walnuts, dates, cacao powder, maca powder, vanilla extract, salt, and CBD oil. Process until smooth.
Using your hands, roll the mixture into 18 bite-size balls. Place the balls in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator or freezer, and enjoy chilled or frozen.
Note: A standard recommendation for dosage is on average 10 mg of CBD. Since there are so many options available for CBD strength, we’ve given you the amount of CBD in milligrams, which will ensure that if you eat 2 brownie bites, you’ll be getting about that recommended dosage. In other words, each brownie bite will deliver you 5 mg of CBD per bite with a recommended serving size of 2 bites. Of course, if you have experience with CBD oil, feel free to play around with this suggestion.