Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Winter Solstice I love this time of the year. Which seems off because I am, by nature, a very fiery, sand-loving, ocean-adoring, sun-bathing type of woman. I enjoy wearing flip-flops, bathing suits, and barely enough clothes to cover my body. Truth be told, in the midst of the cold weather months, I have yearned for the Southern Hemisphere.

I woke up on Sunday with a sore throat. The last time I was sick was when I lived in Texas back in 2012. Naturally, I was annoyed. I thought it might just go away. It did not.

Yoga has made me curious about my body for more than 20 years. When I feel restriction in my outer hips during Pigeon Pose, I wonder what exactly is holding me back—is it my gluteus maximus, my piriformis and external rotators, my posterior capsule… or my questionable karma? Hey, I’m a Virgo, I don’t like surprises, and teaching yoga is my passion, so I like to understand these things. That’s fair, right?

Yoga has been practiced in India for some 5000 years by yogis, but it is only now being regarded as a universal solution for all health issues. I bet you know that June 21st is World Yoga Day, and millions of people across the globe converge every year to celebrate this day. However, have you ever wondered why are we talking about yoga now, even though it has been around for thousands of years? Maybe because more and more people are getting to know about this form of exercise and are experiencing its many benefits. Here are some benefits of yoga that are probably responsible for its fame:

The idea of listening came to me when I spent the last four weeks nurturing a very sore throat. It wasn’t a cold or anything like that. I guess it could have been the fact that I was using my voice for work more than normal. But honestly I believe the issue came from something that was energetically linked to me needing to shut my mouth and listen.

Truth be told, I was never much of a fan of snacking. I don’t have natural self-control or discipline when it comes to food. I was a teeny tiny little fairy waif growing up. I exercised a ton, I was always hungry, and I ate whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased.

Recent events and the turn of season have landed on many like a celestial wet blanket, casting a hue of funk and resignation. Even just a quick glance at any news feed bombards us with what seems to be insurmountable suffering, injustice, and ignorance. Governments and institutions appear at a loss to stem the tide. As individuals, we have no choice but to either give in to hopelessness or garner our intrinsic resources.

Last night was the last time I’ll ever sleep in my childhood bedroom. Tonight, I’ll sleep in a “guest room” in my parent’s new house. I don’t live in the same state anymore (and haven’t for the past 5 years), so I don’t really get a room in their house.

Many of us could use some healing when it comes to our relationship with food + our body but most of us are convinced that not feeling well after eating (either emotionally or physically) is our version of “normal”.

We stretch our hamstrings in yoga A LOT, but we don’t necessarily work on strengthening them. If you’re familiar with the ‘yoga butt’ injury, you know that injuries at the hamstring tendon located, well, in your butt, are more and more common with regular practitioners.

I was having a discussion with some epic yogis the other day and we were talking about karma .. and what karma yoga “is”. And we were talking about how karma yoga can be something as simple as being nice to people you don’t know. Picking up trash that’s not yours. Buying coffee for the person in line behind you without them knowing. That sort of “pay it forward” attitude. And while I love this idea, I mean who wouldn’t? This world needs more of that for sure!

The universe likes to inspire me for content. This is a great way to receive content ideas, except that it requires patience. I’ve been thinking about doing a yoga for knee pain video for a while, but wasn’t positive I even knew what to teach for this particular condition.

“Hey knees. I’m really grateful for all the ways you let me move and play. I know we’ve had our disagreements over the years, but I feel like we’re taking care of each other these days. I appreciate you. I love you. I’m sorry about the scrapes and bruises . . . but that was fun, eh?”

I’m not talking about role playing in the bedroom or playing dress up with my kids. I’m talking about getting down and dirty as a yogi. I am obsessed with yoga. I’m hooked on the way it makes me feel mentally, physically and emotionally. It provides a serene high that I’m pretty sure can’t be bottled and sold in any dirty dank alley.

In your lifetime, you will inevitably face adversity. Sometimes you will have limited control over the cards you’ve been dealt, and sometimes you’ll be the joker who shuffled the deck. In any event, even when the chips are down, developing resiliency will keep you ahead in the game. Becoming a more positive, adaptable person isn’t about perfecting your poker face. The strongest, most well-adjusted people don’t hide or deny their feelings. On the contrary, people with resilient spirits experience hardship deeply and wholeheartedly…but they translate those experiences into wisdom they can use to push forward.

I’m definitely dealing with a little Peter Pan syndrome as I face the stigma of turning the big 4-0. I certainly don’t feel old, but when my father turned forty I remember buying old fart pills from Spencer’s at the mall, and giving him a card with a picture of an old man using a walker. I have watched the movie This is Forty many times and deeply identify with Leslie Mann’s character when she says, “I don't wanna shop at old lady stores. I don't wanna go to J. Jill and Chico's and Ann Taylor Loft. I’m not ready yet."

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately – about consciously thanking my body for all that it does. When you’re diagnosed with cancer, it’s easy to feel like your body has betrayed you. Like it’s been sneaking around behind your back, hanging out with rogue cells in alleyways making dirty deals. It’s a horrible feeling, that.

The continued rise of Instagram-influenced yoga has led to a new wave of criticism among East-Indians and academics alike. Accusations of cultural appropriation are being levied just as long-held myths are being debunked. Many earnest practitioners find themselves confused by the discord between what they see and read in the media and the experience they have of Yoga in their lives.

Hey coaches, I’m talking to you. As a yoga instructor who works with sports teams I’ve heard every excuse; we don’t have time, it’s not in the budget, or my favorite “this is not a girls’ soccer team you know.”

Meditation? Seriously? I know what you're thinking, but yes, seriously I am going to talk about meditation for athletes. I consider myself to be a very practical person so my approach to yoga has always been from a real world perspective. Meditation has always seemed like a bunch of new age hokum. OK, so I was wrong, it happens.

“The result of contentment is total happiness. The happiness we get from acquiring possessions is only temporary. We need to find new ones and acquire them to sustain this sort of happiness. There is no end to it. But true contentment, leading to total happiness and bliss, is in a class by itself.” – T.K.V. Desikachar

This series of articles was originally entitled Yoga for Firefighters as it was written for my firefighter specific class, however I have expanded it to other physically demanding jobs since the advice is equally valid and helpful to the construction trades, police officers, super heroes and military personnel. I will to address some of the specific physical challenges that firefighting and other such jobs create.

I have always been one to follow my intuition. Not a strategic plan … an intuitive knowing. And to be honest, it’s drove a lot of people close to me crazy and in some cases, away from me. And that’s fine by me because honestly, I can’t live any other way. I’ve tried and it hurts, it physically hurts to live outside of my intuition.

In honor of the Halloween holiday, I recently recorded a class and meditation “On The Difference Between Fear and Anxiety” for the OUTLAW Yoga Channel.

Fear can feel painful, overwhelming, even paralyzing. Whether you’re facing a major life change like an illness or a break-up, or a more specific fear like giving a presentation to colleagues or standing in front a group and teaching a yoga class, I hope this post gives you some idea for navigating fear with more ease.