Depending on who you ask, you’ll receive varied answers to whether playing music during yoga helps you get into the flow easier or distracts you. Some people love music that enhances the yoga experience. When teachers offer appropriately energizing songs to boost the students’ mood and complement active asanas or play relaxing, calming music to aid in quieting the mind, the overall class can be just that much more impactful. Of course, there’s an art to creating flow in yoga both in instruction and playlists.
Here a few benefits of music and yoga together:
Music Helps You Disengage the Mind and Find your Flow
According to Patanjali, in the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras, yoga is defined as Citta Vritti Nirodha or learning to direct the attention of our thoughts. The entire text focuses upon how through the yogic path we can learn to calm the mind’s fluctuations and focus our attention where we choose as opposed to being controlled by the external.
Naturally, our minds are active and learning to find stillness or control our thoughts is a lifelong discipline. The focus on the breath in yoga is a primary tool in quieting the mind. Adding in a well-designed playlist to uplift or calm your mood aids you in releasing the chatter can elevate you to finding your moving meditation faster.
Music Improves Your Mood
Ever noticed how when you listen to one of your favorite songs your mood lifts immediately? Or how hearing an old song brings you back to the moment you heard it the first time? Music impacts on the physical, mental, and emotional level, just like yoga. If you’re in a vigorous yoga class and one of your favorite songs come on, it can act like an injection of energy and boost you through class. It can even make you feel like you aren’t working so hard. In a quieter Yin class, pacifying sounds of nature or classical music assists you in tapping into your parasympathetic nervous system to lower your blood pressure and soothing your soul.
Music Aids in Meditation
With your mind free of external distractions and your mood elevated from your yoga practice, you’ve arrived in the perfect space to find stillness. Many people actually find it more difficult to let go in stark silence than in a practice enhanced by sound. Traditionally, meditation is performed in silence or through repetitive mantras. Mantras utilize the power of sound to deepen the meditative state. Similarly, music can help the mind release the repetitive distracting thoughts and settle into the present moment. And who doesn’t need a little help to stay in the here and now?
Whether you are a yogi that regularly flows to the beat or you practice in silence, we encourage you to give this week’s classes a try! We’ve got some special classes, linking world renowned music, with yoga, so step into the flow!
Copasetic Flow with Ali Dunacan w/ music by Sahale
Get into the Flow with Keith Allen w/ music by Sahale
Superflow 2.0 with Ben Davis w/ music by AnjunaDeep
Flow & Let Go with Kylie Larson w/ music by AnjunaDeep
A few weeks ago, I hit a real low point. It happens to all of us, no matter how spiritually advanced we are. Despite the number of Downward Dogs I may have done that morning, I was still not immune to having a bad day.
I felt overwhelmed. Anxious. I felt I couldn’t put one foot in front of the other and complete the tasks of the day, because my mind was reeling. The pandemic. The Black Lives Matter movement. The uncertainty of all of it got to me. The tears came with such force I had no choice but to hunker down and let them flow. My attention moved from overwhelm to intense feeling and all I could do was feel my emotions with every inch of me. I didn’t have words to describe these emotions, and I didn’t need that, I just needed to feel it all.
Luckily, I have an amazing partner who witnessed all of this and gently suggested I take a little venture out to the river with a hammock, to feel all the feelings while the sun kissed my body with healing beams of love. I complied, and of course, that was a genius idea.
I perched in my hammock, listening to the river flowing effortlessly underneath me. My pen moved organically in my journal under the warm embrace of the sweet sun. What came out on paper shocked even me! I wrote about the river, the sun, the priceless nature of that calming moment in nature. How I knew everything was okay.
I took a black river rock, and infused it with my anxieties and worries. I thanked it for the lessons, and ceremoniously threw it in the river.
These simple actions changed the course of my day.
I was able to enjoy the sun, the river, and my sweet partner. If it weren’t for my foundation of ritual and journaling, I would have spent that day crumpled on the floor of my house, crying and feeling my feelings. Neither is right or wrong, or better than the other.
It is so important to feel feelings, but they also need an outlet, so they can be expressed and so we can learn from them. In this way, we can thank them and move on with our lives, rather than staying hostage to them, stuck in the quagmire of shadow exploration.
It’s not meant to last forever. Those shadows are meant to teach us lessons so we can move on, feeling, and spreading joy once again.
You will find breakthroughs in the pages of their journals all the time, but not always in the way you might think. The breakthroughs may come later, after things are written.
By Dia Michelle Smith
I have found this combination of Ritual and Journal to be so powerful, that my business partner Sarah Brianna Smith and I wrote a book on it! This is a choose your own adventure path which leads you to break through the limitations of your mind and to live the life you’ve always dreamed of, but never thought possible. We are also offering a 30-Day Transform Group Coaching Journey for a limited number, where you can achieve the breakthroughs that come from speaking your truth aloud to other humans. We will begin on the New Moon of July 20th! The perfect time to set your intentions for what you want to release and create in your life.
Check out the details of the Transform Book and the Group Coaching program. And for added support, join our Free Facebook Group, called Soul Healing Sisterhood!
Meditate with Dia, right now!
Breathe Your Way Into the Perfect Day with Dia
The summer is upon us here in Colorado. We’re looking forward to relaxing at home with small (socially distant) gatherings of friends and family.
Summers are notorious for being filled with food and fun (sometimes too much!). It can be tempting to over-indulge in less healthy foods and drinks until you wake up the next day inflamed, hungover, and hurting.
We know that being prepared with healthy food options is a good place to start so we’ve got a handful of recipes for you this week perfect for your health-conscious BBQ, including a brand new recipe – Raw Cherry Pie!
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, paleo, and delicious! It’s nothing like the unnaturally red, sickly syrupy sweet cherry pies of the past. It will make the perfect centerpiece to any barbeque.
With love,
Raw Cherry Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup raw walnuts ½ cup dates, pitted 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. ground cinnamon Pinch sea salt 4 cups organic fresh or frozen cherries, pits and stems removed 1 TB. honey
Instructions: In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine raw walnuts, dates, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt until smooth. Press mixture evenly into a pie dish, and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until crust is firm. Meanwhile, in the food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine cherries and honey. Pour into chilled crust, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Variation: You can easily substitute the cherries in this recipe for blackberries, blueberries, or if you are feeling really adventurous, try a mixed berry medley.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of the book 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. 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.
The 7 chakras are individual energy centers in your body. Each chakra holds unique physical and emotional qualities that are part of your whole being. We want each chakra to be in a state of balance, for one to experience optimal balance in these various areas of your life.
The chakras teach us that everything in our being is related. Our physical well-being is connected to our emotional health, and vice versa.
Here is a quick look at what each chakra is related to physically and emotionally, and what a state of balance looks like in each of these energy centers.
Root (Muladhara)
Your root chakra is like the foundation of a house. It is your base which everything else is built upon. It is associated with the Earth.
Your root chakra on a physical level is associated with your feet, legs, tailbone, and lower sacrum. On a mental and emotional level, this energy center is related to a sense of security, a harmonious and healthy relationship to money, and groundedness and stability.
An out of balance root chakra could result in health issues in the legs and feet, and related to mobility. Emotionally, feelings of instability, and chaotic financial life (like being overly indulgent and irresponsible or too cheap) point towards an out of balance Muladhara chakra.
A root chakra in optimal balance is embodied by a strong lower body, that moves gracefully with strength. Emotionally, a strong root center results in a steady and grounded demeanor that doesn’t get thrown off too easily and exudes groundedness as well as a healthy relationship with money.
Sacral (Svadhisthana)
Your sacral chakra, Svadhisthana, is your center of creativity, sexuality, and emotional well-being. It is associated with water.
On a physical level, your hips, pelvis, sacrum, are related to this energy center. Emotionally, this space relates to emotional health, new life, creativity, and sensuality.
If out of balance, physically, it can result in issues in the hips, lower back, and pelvic region. An off sacral center can relate to issues in either overindulging or depriving yourself of pleasure and is the energy center related to addiction if you get attached to pleasure.
An ideal sacral chakra leads to exploring your creativity, a happy sex life, and healthy ways of moving through your emotions. It also results in healthy and mobile hips, and sacrum, which helps the rest of your body stand tall and in alignment.
Solar Plexus (Manipura)
Your Solar Plexus chakra is your center of power. This is the place where you hold the confidence to bring your dreams into reality. It is related to the element of fire.
An out of balance Manipura center could lead to either dominance (think of dictators), or not being able to stand your ground and stick up for yourself when needed. It is related to any power imbalance. Physically, it is the place of digestion, so any digestive or stomach issues are related to this area.
Healthy digestion, inner organs, and abdominals are signs of a healthy Solar Plexus. Someone with a balanced Manipura chakra lives with humble confidence and treats people compassionately while also commanding respect.
Heart (Anahata)
Your heart chakra is the place of love and connection. It is associated with the element of air.
It is connected to your lungs, heart, and chest and upper back region. Emotionally, it is the place where we love.
If out of balance here physically, one may experience heart problems, trouble breathing, or poor posture in the upper body. Emotionally, there could be a guard up to letting love in, or a lack of discernment.
A happy heart chakra is seen as a healthy respiratory system, a healthy heart, and a proud posture. Emotionally it leads to healthy and meaningful relationships.
Throat (Visshuda)
Your throat chakra is the center of communication, where you express yourself, and truthfulness. It is associated with ether.
Physically, it is connected with your throat region. It is related to being honest and expressing yourself.
Out of balance, it can physically result in any issues with the throat or thyroid. Emotionally, it is someone dishonest, or cannot speak up or stop talking.
A healthy throat chakra in an individual can lead to a healthy sense of self-expression, ability to articulate and also listen, and ideal posture in the neck region.
Third Eye (Ajna)
This is your center of intuition, meditation, analytical thought, and healthy brain function. It is associated with light.
Physically, it is a sharp and clear functioning mind. Emotionally, it is a sense of clarity and a healthy sense of intuition and problem-solving abilities.
If out of alignment, Ajna chakra can cause chaos in being unable to see life clearly. It can also result in issues with your brain function.
Balanced Ajna chakra is someone with a brilliant and sharp mind, who lives in a present and meditative state, and knows how to listen to their intuition.
Crown (Sahasrara)
Your crown chakra is the energy center where you connect to everything else in the universe and the things bigger than just you. There is no element associated with this center.
Physically, it helps maintain good posture. It is the antennae at the top of your head that keeps everything buoyant and lifted. It results in a healthy spiritual life and a sense of connection to the world around you.
If out of balance, one can be overly focused on results, and the material world, rather than the miracle that it is that we are all here, able to live, breathe, and experience each day on this planet with one another.
There is a sense of lightness in someone with an activated crown. They can stand tall, not take things personally or too seriously, and keep insight into the bigger picture.
By Keith Allen
Want to feel like life is easy and good? Then focus on feeling that way, right now, more than anything else that might seem in the way of it.
While it is easy to focus on one's shortcomings, like anxiety, depression, and things that may feel real and impossible to overcome, the truth is we will never overcome any problem by focusing on it. Where the attention goes, the energy flows.
Sure, it might be easy for someone not experiencing any specific issue to say, 'just ignore it', but on some level, we all have the power to choose what we focus on.
This is particularly true in how we treat ourselves. If you repeat stories of why you're no good or less than, remember that you can think of yourself as a confident and strong person, and over time, become just that.
Take a moment, and take a deep breath.
After you’ve done that, think about what the opposite of any of your struggles and worries would feel like for you. What would really that feel like? Focus on and allow your imagination to explore what your energy would be like without any anxiety or inner tension.
Likely, you’ll see yourself as relaxed, peaceful, and easy-going. There might be some other qualities that emerge. Confidence is a common quality of someone who is calm and centered and not second-guessing their every move.
I want you to stay in this focus on what you look and feel like as a peaceful, non-anxious, and happy and confident person. How would your life be different? Let your mind go here, and stay here in this fantasy for a few more deep breaths. Simply enjoy it.
When you return to reading this article, remember, you have the power to reprogram your mind and create this reality you just envisioned through meditation techniques.
Regardless if you struggle with anxiety, depression, money stress, or relationship disharmony, you are never going to solve any of these or anything else, by solely fixating on these problems. You are only going to solve any situation, but focusing on its opposite, which is the solution you desire, aka feeling good.
So next time you want to complain, or feel stuck in any way, instead, see if you can find the awareness to focus on what you would do if you embodied the most confident, loving, calm, and centered version of yourself.
Envision the vision, and you can live it. The rewards of putting the focus on how you perceive and see yourself are real and powerful. You have the power to be a confident, humble, and powerful person. Focus on this more than anything else you may dislike about yourself, and these qualities will emerge and you will realize that your mind creates your reality.
By Nicki Mateo
Want to focus on feeling peaceful and being fit? Practice this FREE yoga class now.
Head Up, Heart Strong with Christen Bakken
When is the last time you tried something different on your yoga mat? We all have our favorite styles of yoga and it’s easy to find your routine has morphed into a rut. This week, we’re here to offer some variety to help you avoid a practice plateau. There isn’t an identical path for any of us. We’re all unique. Why not branch out and experience something new?
Some people claim that their yoga is the “true” yoga and everything else is not yoga. Whose path is the right one?
Is there a right one? If the end result is that you uncover your best self, you shed the layers weighing you down and shine bright, isn’t that actually the “right” path for you? What really matters is how you feel during and after your yoga practice.
Whatever your beliefs, there’s a universal premise that yoga is a process of turning inward. Of getting quiet so you can truly be present. Of finding your brightest inner light or—gasp––even achieving Samadhi or enlightenment.
The ancient practice of yoga has been around for about 5,000 years. Philosophies and schools and styles of yoga have proliferated, especially in the last few decades in the West.
To keep it fresh, shift gears this week. If you usually gravitate to a sweaty, challenging flow, try a slow flow, yin, or a guided meditation.
Here’s a quick recap of some of the popular yoga styles:
Hatha Yoga: This physical form of Yoga is one of physical purification and strengthening and is the umbrella under which all physical practices reside. A Hatha Yoga class combines asanas and pranayama, usually at a slower pace than some other practices like Ashtanga and Vinyasa. Georg Feuerstein contends that “the heart of Hatha Yoga is unquestionably Pranayama (Life Force) control.”
Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga yoga is a style of yoga developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and T. Krishnamacharya based upon the eight-limbed yoga path. It is a dynamic, flowing style that connects the movement of the body with the breath.
Vinyasa Yoga: Vinyasa yoga is a flowing style of yoga derived from Ashtanga. Instead of a set sequence of postures, Vinyasa flow classes link breath to movement in countless creative ways, depending upon the teacher and the focus.
Iyengar Yoga: B.K.S. Iyengar was one of Krishnamacharya’s other famous disciples and created Iyengar Yoga. This slow methodical style emphasizes precise physical alignment and the use of props like blocks and straps to assist during practice.
Yin Yoga: Yin Yoga emphasizes static postures held for time. The focus is on soothing your nervous system quiets and relaxing connective tissue. It is an excellent complement to more active practices.
Kundalini Yoga: Kundalini Yoga focuses on freeing the feminine energy (Shakti) at the base of the spine and activating energy centers (Chakras) throughout the body with different breathing, chanting, and physical movements.
Embrace what calls to you! Yoga doesn’t have to be serious or complicated. It’s truly a simple practice, but as Patanjali states in the Yoga Sutras, it isn’t easy. Yoga can be the practice of discovering your own inner state of joy. Consider branching out and try a different style of yoga today.
1. Noemi Nuñez - Iyengar Chair Yoga: Warrior Series
2. Ben Davis - HIIT & Flow
3. Caitlin Rose Kenney - Yin Yoga for Energy & Clarity
4. Shapadpreet - Kundalini Therapeutics: Concentration In Action
Salads have a reputation for being bland and boring. This is not how it should be because, in reality, they can be juicy, crispy, vibrant, and delicious – very far from boring. This bright watermelon salad here is a perfect example of an exciting salad.
It is juicy and sweet from the watermelon, crunchy from the toasted pumpkin seeds, zingy from the lightly marinated red onions, and has enough substance to stand out as a main meal from the halloumi. In fact, I would never serve this salad as a side dish; it is way too perfect for giving it a supporting role instead of being a hero on its own. In case you wish to keep the salad fully vegan, feel free to swap out the halloumi to firm tofu, the dish might need a little more salt in this case, because tofu tends to be bland compared to salty halloumi.
Watermelon Salad with Basil and Halloumi
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
A handful of pumpkin seeds
7 oz halloumi cheese
¼ of a smaller watermelon
½ red onion
1 small cucumber
5-6 radishes
A handful of fresh basil leaves
The juice from ½ lemon
1 tbsb balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat the pan and toast the pumpkin seeds until they start popping. Set aside to cool.
Slice the halloumi to 1cm thick slices. Add a drop of oil to the pan and fry the halloumi slices until they are crispy.
While the seeds are toasting and the halloumi frying, prepare everything else – slice the onion as thinly as possible, squeeze a little lemon juice over it and sprinkle with salt – give it a quick massage and set aside.
Slice the cucumber and radishes, cut the watermelon to bite-sized junks. Pick the leaves from basil.
Add all the salad components to a big bowl, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and gently toss.
Finally, top with crispy halloumi slices, and you are ready to eat!
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She does love 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.
Try this free meditation class before your delicious salad!
Meditation: Release Reactivity with Geenie Celento
Listening. It sounds so simple and yet is my hardest challenge in life. I interrupt myself, my thoughts, my actions, my progress and so yes, I interrupt others.
By doing so it says to them, I don’t care or value your way. I believe my way is superior and better suited to you and your situation. This most certainly is not my intention, quite the opposite in fact. My eagerness to speak, is a direct reflection on how much I want to help, humor, or praise them.
However, it redirects attention, from them to me. It steals their chance to process and evolve and be present with their feelings. Let people cry, don’t tell them it will be ok and try to change the moment. Be in the moment, the rawness of the emotion and let it run its path.
When people turn to another person, it is to be seen and heard, not necessarily to be given a solution or advice. By just being there and indulging them time to explore their emotions, you have given them the gift they want and initiated the path to healing.
Silence is golden. It holds space and heals. It speaks louder than any well-intentioned words and is received on a cellular level beyond that of the ears.
Perhaps the beginning step is to listen to ourselves first. To be with our thoughts, feelings, tears, and sorrows not with the intention to fix or “cheer up” but to be there until it is there no more.
Interrupting your own thoughts and constant chaotic mind chatter sends the same message that we are not valued. Practice meditation, mindfulness, stillness.
Perhaps, if we hold space for ourselves without the need for words or actions, we will learn to be more patient for others. A problem heard is a problem halved and that in itself is incredible. For self-growth, the person experiencing the pain needs to be the one to heal it, not an outsider, who says the right thing or speaks louder.
When you jump in over the top to force your opinion, you take away that chance for the sufferer to self heal. You steal their chance at self-expression. You become a truth thief, trying to redirect their truth.
So take a breath and offer your intentions via energy. By sitting and listening, your intention will be heard louder and remembered clearer than a collection of words strung together.
The simple but clearly not easy offering of being there, speaks volumes, and is the greatest gift you can give to another.
By Amy Booth
Amy is a yoga and pilates teacher and personal trainer in Brisbane, Australia, where she runs a cute riverside studio and a personal training business. In addition each year she runs yoga and hiking retreats.
To find out more: Website: www.ambertreeyoga.com.au Instagram: @ambertreeyogaandretreats Facebook: Amber Tree Yoga and Retreats
Give yourself silence to sit and listen, right now!
Meditate & Cultivate Calm with Keith Allen
Restorative and Yin Yoga are often confused and assumed to be the same style of yoga. Some yoga studios even use the class names interchangeably.
They are, in fact, different styles of yoga that employ distinct techniques and philosophical approaches. While some of the benefits of these practices are the same, the aim and methods not only differ, they are complete opposites.
Why do they get confused? At first glance, they appear to be similar practices because they explore mostly poses that rest close to the ground and often use props to support the body. Like most yoga practices, both Yin and Restorative Yoga can promote relaxation and stress relief.
Further confusion may come from the descriptive names “restorative” and “yin” which are not brands of yoga associated with an individual or codified sequence. As Bernie Clarke explains in a forum titled “Who Owns Yin Yoga” on the website yinyoga.com:
... the word 'yin' is an adjective and anybody can freely use this term to describe his or her practice. Yin and yang exist in complementary roles: a softer practice is yin compared to a hard practice, and even a hot room can be yin-like compared to a much hotter room. Indeed, the USA Trademark Office has decreed that a descriptive term (like Yin Yoga) cannot be trademarked --- no one can own the phrase 'Yin Yoga', thus anyone can use it.
While many styles of yoga are trademarked to distinguish and monetize a single teacher or guru’s teachings (Bikram Yoga, Forrest Yoga, Kaiut Yoga) — the pioneers of contemporary Yin and Restorative Yoga have intentionally left the landscape wild and alive, making it possible for wisdom to arise from many sources. Leading Yin Yoga teachers Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley acknowledge that the techniques are discoverable by anyone and have historical roots in both yogic and martial art traditions.
A more in-depth exploration of the history of Yin and Restorative Yoga, including background on modern day pioneers is a great topic I will explore in another article. For the inquiry at hand, no one owns Restorative or Yin Yoga. However, the contemporary practices of Yin and Restorative Yoga were named and popularized by specific influential teachers. If you are seeking a Yin or Restorative Yoga training, look to the influential and wise teachers below and their students:
Yin Yoga Luminaries
Paul Grilley
Sarah Powers
Bernie Clarke
Restorative Luminaries
Judith Hansen Lassiter
B.K.S. Iyengar (deceased)
Misunderstandings about yoga can also arise when teachers do not share where they are drawing inspiration from and with whom they are studying. Yoga classes are often creatively hybrid, drawing from multiple styles of yoga and borrowing from other teachings. There is nothing wrong with this. As in all creative worlds, co-inspiration expands and enriches the yoga culture. For both the sake of etiquette and stylistic clarity, yoga teachers should share their creative process and illuminate who their major influences are, what they’ve been studying lately, and how it’s being assimilated into their teaching. Honoring teachers and muses and doing the appropriate research and integration is something all teachers should be tasked with.
Teachers and studio owners have a responsibility to educate themselves on the styles of yoga they offer.
While reading an article is not adequate, I hope that this break-down of the differences between Yin and Restorative Yoga will help shine a light on the value of both of these practices. Yin and Restorative Yoga are distinct in both aim and method.
The aim of Restorative Yoga is simple: deep relaxation.
Restorative Yoga promotes deep relaxation that is ideally achieved in a state of restful awakeness. While most restorative yoga teachers don’t mind if you fall asleep during a class, the value of wakeful relaxation positively impacts your physical systems and is an opportunity to reconnect with the emotional and spiritual layers of your being.
Restorative Yoga aims to remove physical discomfort and promote relaxation through body scans, gentle breathing techniques and encouraging a reconnection with feelings of peace. I would categorize Restorative Yoga as an ascension practice because it is aimed at cultivating the specific states of relaxation, joy and comfort.*
From the ease and comfort of a Restorative Yoga posture, you can exist in your “bliss body” called anandamaya kosha in Sanskrit. This layer of your being is non-dualistic. Rather than being in the Ego mind where your identity and storylines live, the bliss body is the part of you that merges with all that surrounds you. It’s a reunion with the energetic landscape from which everything arises and returns and is often felt as a pure and peaceful state. Yoga Nidra, another yogic approach that uses guided meditation, is often combined with Restorative Yoga to promote a transcendence to this blissful arena. The Restorative Yoga postures put the body at ease, and the guided meditation replaces our mental dialogue with a calm awareness of the breath, body, emotions and capacity for well-being.
The aim of Yin Yoga is more difficult to encapsulate. As I have come to understand Yin Yoga from my teacher Sarah Powers and personal practice, it is a framework for exploring our interiority and nourishing our “yin side.” Most of us are familiar with our “yang side” which is the part of us that is motivated, generative, action-oriented, progress-driven and externally validated. Our “yin side” is content, receptive, fertile, quiet, still and often hidden. Consider your “yin side” the soil from which everything grows and your “yang side” everything that emerges from the soil.
Yin inquiry asks us to descend into the soil of our body, psyche and invisible realms to embrace everything that we find below the surface.
What we find is likely to be a wide range of sensations, thoughts and emotions. All is welcome and met in a Yin Yoga practice: comfort, discomfort, neutrality, essence and complexity. Because of Yin Yoga’s readiness to meet uncomfortable positions, and how it is taught in conjunction with mindfulness practices, I consider it a practice of decision.* One of Sarah Powers’ guides to Yin Yoga is to “stay awhile” and respond tenderly to whatever arises in your system. Given the more challenging components of a Yin Yoga practice, one has to have both curiosity and resolve to explore the somatic and psycho-emotional depths that are possible.
A more practical understanding of the differences between Restorative and Yin Yoga comes from knowing the physical methods and psychological approach.
Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga have completely opposing physical methodology.
Restorative Yoga intentionally unloads the joints, muscles and skeleton so that the entire physical body is relaxed for extended periods of time ranging from 5 to 20 minutes in each pose.
Yin Yoga intelligently stresses the joints and fascia through loading the physical body, utilizing both traction and compression, in poses for 1-10 minutes.
Restorative Yoga organizes the body into a shape that provides maximum comfort and support so that muscular tension is released and joint tissues relax. Similar to methods of sensory deprivation, the design of restorative yoga is to remove bodily discomfort and stimuli to achieve a state of deep relaxation. Props, and lots of them, are essential to Restorative Yoga. Props are used underneath and on top of the body to promote ease and maintain relaxation for longer periods of time.
Judith Hansen Lassiter says that, “During deep relaxation, all the organ systems of the body are benefited, and a few of the measurable results of relaxation are the reduction of blood pressure and the improvement of immune function, as well as improvement in digestion, fertility, elimination, the reduction of muscle tension and generalized fatigue.”
Yin Yoga poses target specific structures in the body through both traction and compression to improve joint health and deconstruct patterns of restriction. In most poses, the muscles are relaxed so that the healthy stress is applied to the myofascial tendon complexes, ligaments, bones and fascia. Once the muscles are relaxed, gravity exerts the perfect amount of gentle force on the body. The amount of time spent in each pose varies from person to person and depends on which area of the body is being focused on.
Yin Yoga poses can stimulate a lot of sensation as the body acclimates from the initial feeling of a muscular stretch to sensations occurring deeper in the joint sites. The physical benefits of this approach include improving blood flow to joint tissues, maintaining and reclaiming joint mobility, softening scar tissue and unwinding postural habits.
Props are not absolutely necessary in Yin Yoga as the benefits of the poses can often be achieved by simply being where you are naturally and letting gravity “do the work.”
If props are used in Yin Yoga they serve the purposes of:
In conjunction with attending to the physical body, Yin Yoga works directly with the energy body by way of targeting the meridians (energetic channels mapped by Chinese Medicine and yogic sages who referred to them as nadis). All styles of yoga can have an impact on the energy body; very few styles of yoga intentionally target the 14 major meridians. Because Yin Yoga works directly with fascia, which is a collagen-rich highly conductive matrix in the body, the meridians located in the fascia are impacted. Yin Yoga poses are designed to traction or compress meridians to promote better energetic flow across the channels and throughout the internal organs. In her book Insight Yoga, Sarah Powers offers Yin Yoga sequences for organ support and introduces Chinese Meridian Theory.**
Along with the physical methodology, Yin and Restorative Yoga have different psycho-emotional approaches. As mentioned before, Restorative Yoga is promoting the specific state of relaxation and teachers often encourage you to reconnect with feelings of joy or bliss. In contrast, Yin Yoga employs mindfulness techniques to witness thoughts and emotions without clinging to the storylines. “Making friends” with challenging inner conditions promotes an integration of the complete psyche and can reconnect us to feelings of empathy and compassion. What we experience in our minds is often reflected in our body and vice versa. As Sarah Power’s reflects below on her personal experience with Yin Yoga, the benefits of ease and clarity often come with Yin Yoga, but the pathway taken to get there is different from Restorative Yoga.
The lengthy postural steadiness allows us to develop yin qualities of surrender and observance, a willingness to feel a greater tolerance for uncomfortable experiences. After doing my Yin poses strung together, I have found that a feeling commonly develops that is similar to the effect of a long acupuncture session. My body begins to feel very relaxed and at ease, while my mind feels a heightened sense of clarity and restfulness. —Sarah Powers, Insight Yoga page 25
Both Restorative and Yin Yoga are valuable practices to explore and provide relief from our everyday, overstimulated, agitated, and exhausted states. Both styles of yoga take us to a quieter and more still place that allows us to replenish our energy stores and reconnect with our whole being. With separate aims and methods, the differing “medicines” of Yin and Restorative may resonate with you at different points in your life.
If you’re a yoga teacher or studio owner interested in offering one or both of these styles of yoga, I invite you to hold your teaching and leadership in the highest integrity and practice and train in these styles of yoga with a qualified teacher prior to including these classes on your schedule. All of the luminaries listed above lead teacher trainings. Trainings in Iyengar Yoga continue to be offered by his senior teachers. As a student of Sarah Powers***, I am proud to be offering both a 60-hour Yin Yoga Immersion (for students who love to learn and teachers who have a 200-hour certificate) and a 200-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training (for aspiring teachers to attain their teaching certificate).
To experience Yin Yoga yourself, please join me at a public class in Boulder or Denver, Colorado, or take a class with me on YogaDownload or subscribe to my free podcast “Yoga Sesh”.
*Ascension and descension practices are not mutually exclusive. Often, they act as portals to one another. Ascension states of ease and safety can open the human system to realms of healing that were previously inaccessible. Descension practices can yield to moments of insight or release that propel us to states of freedom. It is important to have an experienced and trustworthy teacher, healer or therapist to support explorations into both ascension and descension.
**Chinese Meridian Theory is a vast body of knowledge that is introduced, through the lens of yoga, in Sarah Powers’ book Insight Yoga. It is not a resource for diagnosing physical or mental health or for prescribing treatments. For anyone who is captivated by Chinese Meridian Theory, seek experts and mentors that help you grow and learn. Licensed acupuncturists and Chinese Medicine practitioners have invested years, if not decades, to studying this powerful medicine and are a great resource for personal healing.
***I have completed Sarah Power’s Level I and II trainings and continue to study with her on silent retreats. I am currently one of twenty-one international yoga teachers that is doing her Level III training.
By Caitlin Rose Kenney
Caitlin Rose teaches yoga to satisfy the whole being and speaks about the physical practice as an access point for widespread change in mental patterns, emotional states, and connection to spirit. Caitlin Rose is known for holding space with a calm confidence that allows practitioners to move safely, feel their experience, revitalize and heal. Her gentle demeanor and articulate instructions aid students at any level to advance their ability for precision and graceful embodiment.
Practice Yin with Caitlin on YogaDownload, right now!
Yin Yoga for Stress Relief with Caitlin Rose Kenney
Yin Yoga for Energy & Clarity with Caitlin Rose Kenney
"Don´t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try." - Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
In order to grow, we must continue to take chances and try things outside of our comfort zones. Now we’re not suggesting you need to go bungee jumping or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro tomorrow! Well, unless it’s on your bucket list. Until you attempt something new, you’ll never know how it could turn out.
Yoga can appear intimidating if you’ve never tried it, but with appropriate instruction, it is actually much more accessible than you think. Maybe in the past, you’ve tried some different classes and the teacher didn’t resonate with you or you suffered an injury or illness and are hesitating to return to the mat. Or maybe you are a true newbie and are finally ready to try yoga.
“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young” Your spine and overall health directly correlate to how young you move and feel.” Joseph Pilates
Many students sheepishly confess that they haven’t tried yoga because…wait for it…they aren’t flexible. Well, if you don’t work to become more flexible, you will become increasingly stiff by the day. It’s like playing the piano or speaking a foreign language: if you don’t practice regularly, you become rusty. Nobody wants a rusty stiff body like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz, so step onto your mat! Practicing yoga will help you stay young for the rest of your life!
In addition to the benefit of becoming more flexible, both physically and emotionally, yoga also focuses on developing strength, balance, calmness of mind and lightness of spirit. If you can release any pre-conceived notion of what yoga poses should look like, you’ll be much more open to giving it a shot. There is no perfect pose.
What is vital to remember is that it does not matter what a yoga pose looks like, what matters is how the pose feels. Learning to direct your focus inward and become more aware of how you feel in any given moment helps in all areas of your life, not just on your yoga mat.
Another positive element of being a beginner is you return to that place where you are open to hearing, processing, and accepting new information. Learning about alignment and breathing and sensation gives you new tools for feeling better inside and out. This week, we’ve got several classes to help you start with the basics and progress safely and effectively at home. You’ll be able to get stronger, more flexible, and stay young forever! Or at least feel that way!
Ready to try? Treat yourself to the benefits of yoga, now!
Have you ever made ice cream at home? I have. All kinds. Since I don’t have an ice cream machine and there is definitely no more space left in my kitchen for another gadget, I have tried all kinds of different machine-free versions. I have a recipe that calls for sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream – the consistency is nice, but it is way too sweet for my liking. I have another method, which uses traditional crème anglaise and taking the mix out of the freezer every half an hour to whisk it through, but this one requires way too much effort, and I always forget to mix it at the right time and by the time I remember it has frozen solid.
For at least five years now I have not experimented with any of those complicated, overly sweet and fatty ice creams, because it only takes 5 minutes to whip up this genius recipe that:
Truth to be told, the recipe I share with you is so ridiculously simple that I’m not even sure if it should be called a recipe. But since it is super delicious, healthy, and I make this or a similar version at least 3 times every single week, so it is definitely worth sharing.
The headline says 2-ingredient, but actually, you only need one – bananas! Frozen bananas. I promise you, if you have never used frozen bananas before, you have missed out. I always have at least ten chopped up bananas in my freezer to make this ice cream. Today I have used raw cacao powder for a chocolate flavor, and I always add a pinch of salt to any recipes that use chocolate cacao because it brings out the flavor. But you can add whatever flavor you like. Sometimes all I add is a tiny bit of vanilla paste. During the berry season, all kinds of fresh berries are nice – some blended in the ice cream, others on top. Another option is to combine the banana with a tiny bit of coconut milk and sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top. As I said – the possibilities are endless!
Try it out and let us know in the comments if this is your new favorite too!
The Easiest 2-Ingredient Vegan Ice Cream
Serves: 1
Cooking time: 5 minutes (+ a few hours for freezing)
1 large banana, cut to 1-cm pieces and frozen
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
A pinch of salt
If you don’t already have bananas in your freezer, chop one up and freeze it for 3 hours. While you are at it, you might want to freeze more, because you want to do this ice cream again!
Add the bananas to a high-speed blender with the cacao and a tiny bit of salt. Depending on a blender, you might need to add some water to get it going, but add as little as possible, you want to get a nice thick consistency, not a smoothie. Whizz until creamy and enjoy immediately.
Practice this quick, free yoga class before you enjoy this healthy ice cream!
Yoga for Better Sex with Claire Petretti Marti
There are many benefits to practicing yoga regularly. Some are more obvious than others, like more flexibility, strength, and balance. However, yoga’s benefits can also extend off of the mat, and into other areas of our lives as well.
For example, yoga can make you more productive and better at your job. Yoga can also increase your energy levels throughout the day. And yoga can also make you better in bed, whether you’re gay, straight, or anywhere in-between.
Really? Yes really, and here’s why:
Yoga makes you more connected to your body. Sex is not about thinking, it’s about feeling and following your body’s instincts. So is yoga. Practicing yoga postures, helps you connect to your body in a deeper and more internal way. The more connected you are to your own body, the more you are able to connect with another person’s body.
Hip openers help. Do I need to say more? These poses not only make you more bendy, and adaptable but also connect you to muscles that can increase pleasure. Orgasms happen in your sacral region, and practicing hip openers will put you more in touch with muscles there that are activated and engaged during sex.
Sex is spiritual (and so is yoga). Yoga is a spiritual practice. It is a sacred ritual, every time you step onto your mat, and while the physical and mental benefits are plentiful, yoga can make you feel your connection to something bigger than yourself. The same is true of sex. It is unique every single time. You can also treat sex as the sacred ritual that it is, and be fully present for each experience.
Confidence is key. Yoga builds confidence in you over time, and you can carry this with you throughout your life. Confidence is a key element to a healthy and beneficial sex life and you can increase your self-confidence on your mat and see this effect help you in bed.
Surface level beauty. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it can be argued that yoga is a fountain of youth, and keeps practitioners with a youthful glow into old age. Postures like inversions reduce wrinkles, and a regular practice keeps the hormone systems of one’s body, operating harmoniously. Good posture is also attractive and is an effect of a regular yoga practice.
Treat others with respect. The Yamas and Niyamas of yoga philosophy are surprisingly relevant to one’s sex life. Be honest with others and don’t do anyone any harm. Sex is something that can benefit all parties involved, and a sense of respect and understanding is key. Diving deeper into the roots of yoga, and applying some of these principles to how you engage and relate to others, can allow for more beneficial, honest, and intimate relationships.
Shamelessness. For many, upbringings infused of shame and guilt around a healthy sex life are real barriers to fully letting go and enjoying this special part of life. Yoga allows people to let go of an array of old emotional baggage, and layers of social programming that they do not need to carry around any longer. It is good to be uninhibited in bed, guilt-free, and be at peace and passionate about this part of your life. Yoga’s emotionally healing benefits, help with this.
Presence. Yoga is really about presence. If you are in your head thinking about things that happened before or what’s going to happen after, you are not going to be as good of a lover. You want to be present and attentive for a peak experience.
True and lasting happiness comes from within and never from sexual satisfaction alone. However, a healthy sex life can be a healing and beneficial part of one’s life. The wisdom and breakthroughs experienced in a yoga practice, have ripple effects and will allow you to experience more pleasure and meaning in your sex life.
Nicki Mateo is an independent artist and author, who enjoys pushing boundaries, yoga and meditation, creative energy, and breaking down stereotypes.
If you’re thinking of starting yoga practice, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed with trying to decide which class is right for you. There are lots of different traditional yoga practices, as well as a huge variety of hybrid yoga classes, which can make trying to pick a style confusing.
Here’s a quick guide to a few different types of yoga, and how to choose the right type of yoga for you.
Hatha Yoga
A hatha yoga class is great for beginners, who want to learn the basics of yoga. This is because the movements are slower than other types of yoga. There is more focus on alignment and deep breathing, with longer posture holds and no flow in between asanas. It’s a great place to start before trying out more advanced and fast yoga styles.
Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is based on the Taoist concepts of yin and yang. Yang here represents more athletic activities, which generate heat in the body, while yin is the softer and restorative activity that heals the body. Yin yoga was actually developed to help practitioners go deeper into the muscles and target joints and ligaments through passive stretching.
Yin yoga is slow in pace and is usually held in silence, with each pose being held between one and 20 minutes. Traditionally, yin classes feature very little movement and consist of between 18 to 24 floor postures to stimulate meridians. This type of yoga class is ideal for people who want to build up their flexibility and improve their joint stability and heal muscular tissues. It is also a great style of yoga for those who are looking to unwind and destress and balance their body and mind.
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini yoga is a different style of yoga than you might be used to. It’s a very spiritual style that is centered around chanting and meditation. Kundalini translates as ‘a spiritual energy’, and Kundalini yoga’s aim is to channel and awaken this energy.
These classes can be very physically demanding and are ideal for those who are looking for more spirituality in their yoga practice. This type of yoga can help you feel a shift in energy, although they can be pretty tough for beginners. Kundalini sequences typically consist of asanas combined with breathing exercises to awaken each particular chakra. Classes open with a short chant, then usually have a warm-up sequence focusing on spine flexibility, then an asana sequence, and a closing meditation.
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa translates to ‘placing in a special way’, and it refers to the sequence of yoga poses. Vinyasa yoga focuses on moving and linking together postures in a fluid way. It can be quite physically demanding and requires you to move your body in time with your breath.
Every vinyasa class can be different, and you can expect to use props or music depending on your teacher's preferences. Most vinyasa flows incorporate moves such as sun salutations, warrior poses, and lots of backbends and inversions. This type of yoga is ideal if you’re looking to tone up and build up your flexibility.
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is based on ancient teachings and was popularised in the late 1970’s in India. Ashtanga yoga is challenging and fast-paced - it consists of six pose sequences that are practiced in gradual progression. You need to focus on the connection between your breath and the pose itself, as you flow through the sequence in breath-synchronized movements at your own pace.
This is a very structured yoga practice that is ideal for athletic people. You need to commit to at least 3-4 times a week, and be prepared to move through some tough arm balances.
Power Yoga
Power yoga is a very athletic practice of yoga that is a great workout if you want to push yourself! It incorporates lots of fluid movements with strengthening postures in between, to help build strength. It’s a good practice if you want to push yourselves and work up a sweat, but it’s not the most beginner-friendly practice - so if it’s your first time, maybe work up to this style.
Aerial Yoga
Aerial yoga is a unique style of yoga that uses silk hanging from the ceiling to help support and deepen the poses. It can also be called anti-gravity yoga. This type of yoga typically consists of inversions, and you may need some upper body strength to help lift yourself up on the hangings. Aerial yoga can be quite fun and liberating and is great to help back pain through its gentle spine stretches.
Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga was developed and popularized by a famous yogi named B.K.S Iyengar. This type of yoga focuses on proper alignment and uses lots of props like blocks and straps to help you achieve this. Iyengar yoga features a lot of stillness, and you’ll find yourself holding poses rather than moving with your breath. This type of yoga is great for if you are struggling with injuries, or are less than flexible.
The truth is, there are countless styles of yoga. While finding your preferred style makes it more likely you show up on your mat consistently, don't be afraid to branch out. It'll keep you from becoming stagnant and plateau-ing in your yoga journey, and also work new muscles in your body.
By Amy Cavill
On YogaDownload.com, you can try Yin, Power, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, or Iyengar, to get different takes on yoga and find the right style for you!
Different Styles of Yoga Explained
Depending upon in which hemisphere you live, you’ve either just celebrated the Summer or Winter Solstice. Long summer days characterized by sunshine and short nights or long dark nights to rest and recuperate. Wherever you are, take a moment to check-in and ask yourself if you are living your life in the flow right now. When we are in the flow or the zone, we are aligned with ourselves, with our community, and with nature.
If you’re feeling in alignment, great! If you need some encouragement and support to find your optimal rhythm, we’re here to help. We’ll work together to find our flow on the yoga mat so we can take our renewed sense of connection off the mat for the rest of the day. Vinyasa flow yoga is an excellent way to create strength, balance, flexibility, and connection.
Vinyasa translates from Sanskrit as to place in a special or sacred way. Vinyasa Flow yoga emphasizes working on linking breath and movement to create a moving meditation on the mat. Classes can be vigorous and physically challenging with an emphasis on fiery energy or soft and flowing with an emphasis on grace and gentleness. Unlike styles of yoga where the postures are a set sequence, like Ashtanga or Hot, Vinyasa Flow classes are varied and creative and emphasize an instructor’s individual style and sequencing.
When you are practicing connecting your breath to each movement, your mind naturally quiets and sensations in your body guide you. While building strong bones and healthy joints, you’re also stepping away from distractions and connecting with your emotions. The deliberate emphasis on creating a continuous flowing practice allows you to generate heat, to create a balanced physical body, and relieve stress and anxiety. The end result is feeling in the flow with yourself and the world around you.
This week, join us as we focus on finding that flow through practice and beyond. We’ve compiled four very different classes for you to fit whatever mood you might be in. From an early morning flow designed to awaken and enliven your senses to a class created to tune into your inner “Wild Thing,” there’s a class suited for you.
1. Jackie Casal Mahrou - Sunrise Flow 1: Wake Up
2. Mark Morford - Yoga Alchemy: The Axis
3. Lindsay Gonzalez - Vinyasa: Wild Thing
4. Flow with the Go - Dana Smith
Summer is here in Colorado, and as we’re heading into our Group Cleanse, we’re looking for quick, veggie-based meals that don’t heat up the house. When the temperature rises, we reach for refreshing, water-rich summer veggies like cucumbers, and this is the perfect recipe!
This soup is the ideal meal for a hot summer day. The avocado adds a creamy texture and the cucumber, lemon, and dill make the flavor light and refreshing. Pair it with a massaged kale salad and grilled chicken or salmon, top with hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds to make it a meal – or just enjoy it as is as a snack or a lighter lunch/dinner!
This recipe would also be great for purification! Purification weekends are an optional part of our online food-based cleanse program. Simply omit the avocado to follow purification guidelines, and you’re good to go.
Do you have a meal or food that immediately makes you think of summer? Let us know in the comments below! We always love to hear from our community.
Chilled Cucumber Dill Soup
Yield: 1 serving
1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted 1 large cucumber, peeled if not organic ¼ cup fresh dill, or to taste Juice of ½ lemon ½ tsp. sea salt 1 or 2 TB. water
Instructions:
In a high-speed blender, mix avocado, cucumber, dill, lemon juice, and sea salt until smooth. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water as needed to make creamier. Chill soup for at least 20 minutes before serving.
If you liked this recipe and would like to learn more about the Conscious Cleanse, we invite you to join our online community! As a welcome gift, we’ll send you our Taste of the Conscious Cleanse Free eCookbook, a collection of more of our favorite recipes!
We’ll also be sure to share new recipes and healthy lifestyle tips. Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.
It’s important that seniors do all that they can to stay in shape and optimal health. In order to get the best quality out of life, it's ideal seniors make it a point to preserve their overall health and wellness and in order to do that, they should work out at least 3-4 times a week for about 30 minutes each session.
Though many seniors want to workout, many have not found the right workouts that work for their body, and that they enjoy. If this sounds like you, or you simply are a senior that is looking for something new, try some of the following workouts.
These are four excellent workouts that every senior can incorporate into his or her life and will improve the quality and longevity of it. What are the Best Workouts for Seniors?
It’s common for seniors’ bodies to not move the way that they used to; so it’s important that they do workouts that will not injure their body in any way and will preserve their strength and mobility. It is also important that anyone find workouts that they enjoy doing, and work well for their body, so they continue to practice regularly. Here are some workouts can do just that.
Yoga
If you are a senior looking for a new workout, consider starting out with yoga. Yoga is a great workout for people of all ages but can be especially great for seniors because it will preserve their strength and muscle tone. Yoga for seniors requires different muscle groups to work together, creating stability and strength in the body.
There are various kinds of yoga that seniors can benefit from. Practice any of these different styles of yoga to find the ones you enjoy most:
Yin
Bikram
Vinyasa
Kundalini
Hatha
Seniors should make it a point to strengthen their muscles so that they don’t lose the ability to get around. Yoga will also keep seniors’ hearts healthy and will prevent them from gaining weight with age.
Not only is yoga outstanding for a senior’s bodies, but it’s also great for their mind as it will allow them to practice mindfulness. In fact, yoga is so beneficial for seniors that many spiritual retirement communities offer it to their residents as a way to keep them active.
Strength Training
Like yoga, strength training helps seniors preserve his or her muscles and will also keep a senior from gaining weight or lose weight. Strength training can be done with or without weights; some seniors prefer to use their body weight as their form of resistance. Similarly, strength training can also be done at a gym or at home.
It’s recommended that when a senior begins weight training that he or she learns how to do it with a personal trainer or someone that is trained in the field. Strength training puts anyone at risk of injury if not done right, but especially seniors because their bodies are a bit more prone to injury.
Some strength training exercises for seniors to try include:
Lying hip bridges
Squats
Wall push-ups
Toe stands
Dead bugs
Outdoor Walks and Runs
Outdoor walks and runs are some of the easiest yet most beneficial ways to work out as a senior. Outdoor walks and runs will keep a senior’s heart-healthy and will get him or her up and moving. Walks and runs can be done at any time of the day and do not require any equipment or a new skill that needs to be learned.
Outdoor walks will get you up and moving and are great to do with friends, your significant other, or even just your dog. Outdoor runs will also keep you from sitting around all day. However, outdoor runs can be a bit more physically demanding on the body so start off slow; perhaps running a half a mile the first week, then slowly increase your distance.
Start Your Workout Journey Today
People of all ages can benefit from making it a point to work out a few days a week. Whether a person wants to lose weight, or he or she wants to build more muscle tone, making time to workout is imperative. Working out doesn’t have to be intense, nor does it have to be challenging. Keep the above workouts in mind as you begin your workout journey today.
By Kelsey Simpson
Kelsey Simpson enjoys writing about things that can help others. She lives in South Jersey and is the proud companion to two German Shepherds and spends her free time volunteering in dog shelters.
Practice YogaDownload's Yoga for Seniors program, here:
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world. The history of tea dates back to 5,000 years, and it now has more than 3,000 different variations. While most of us drink tea to enjoy its flavor, it was initially grown and consumed for medicinal properties.
In this article, you will learn about some of the best teas to improve health. Not all these teas are true teas. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are brewed from the Camellia sinensis plant's leaves and are true teas. Herbal teas like jasmine tea, rooibos tea, and hibiscus tea are made from dried fruits and flowers of these plants and are a unique form of tea.
1. Green tea
People have consumed green tea for its health benefits for centuries. It is made from the unoxidized leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and is not very processed, which is why it is rich in antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.
According to research from Japan that studied 40530 adults for 11 years, green tea consumption is associated with lower mortality due to cardiovascular disease.
Drinking green tea can also lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. According to the study, green tea polyphenol, epigallocatechin gallate stops the formation of beta-amyloid plaques, by interfering with the function of beta-amyloid oligomers.
The best way to brew: To enjoy the benefits of the antioxidants in green tea, you must brew it properly. Don't steep green tea in boiling water, let the water cool down a bit.
2. Rooibos tea
Rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss) is a delicious herbal tea from South Africa. This tea comes from the aspalathus linearis shrub, which has long needle-like leaves. Also known as African red tea or red bush tea, this caffeine-free beverage has a mild flavor with a hint of vanilla.
Rooibos tea is rich in many antioxidants, which provide numerous health benefits. Its health benefits include protection from cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
According to a 2010 study, rooibos tea improves heart health by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. ACE constricts the blood vessels and leads to an increase in blood pressure. Rooibos tea also contains the antioxidant aspalathin, which has shown anti-diabetic potential.
The best way to brew: If you want maximum benefits of rooibos tea, brew it in boiling water for five to eight minutes. Rooibos tea leaves are tiny, so you need a fine-mesh strainer.
3. Chamomile tea
Chamomile (pronounced KAM-MUH-MILE) tea comes from the dried flowers of the chamomile plant, which belongs to the Asteraceae family. Chamomile tea contains flavonoids, antioxidants, and sesquiterpenes, which are highly beneficial for health. It has a sweet, earthy taste and is caffeine-free.
Chamomile is a mild sedative. It contains the flavonoid apigenin, which binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain and helps aid sleep. It is also helpful in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. A study on rats in 2014 showed that chamomile could also help treat diarrhea.
Many other studies have shown that chamomile can help in lowering blood sugar levels, protect against certain cancers, and improve heart health.
The best way to brew: To brew a cup of this tea, steep one tablespoon of chamomile tea in a cup of hot water for five minutes.
4. Ginger tea
Ginger is a tropical flowering plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. The root of this plant contains gingerol, which provides it with its many benefits. Fresh ginger tea is a light spicy beverage, which has warming and stimulating qualities.
It aids digestion, soothes upset stomachs, and can help with morning sickness as well. Research also shows that ginger tea can be used to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy .
Some other studies have also shown that ginger tea can help in managing obesity. According to a 2012 study, when ten obese men took hot ginger tea, it reduced the feeling of hunger. Ginger tea has been traditionally used to alleviate sore muscles, headaches, and menstrual cramps.
The best way to brew: To brew a cup of fresh ginger tea, take a one-inch piece of ginger, and slice it thinly. Add it to a pan along with a cup of war and boil it on high heat. Now reduce the heat and let this mixture simmer for five minutes. Pour through a fine sieve. You can a bit of lemon or honey for added flavor.
5. Holy basil tea
Holy basil (Tulsi) has been used in Ayurvedic medicines for centuries. The holy basil plant (Ocimum Sanctum) is a member of the mint family.
There are three varieties of tulsi plants:
• Krishna tulsi – Krishna tulsi has purple leaves and flowers and has the spicy aroma of cloves. • Rama tulsi – This tulsi plant has green leaves and white or purple flowers. It has a cooling flavor and a clove-like aroma. • Vana tulsi – this plant has light green leaves and has a citrusy aroma.
Tulsi is rich in antioxidants and phenolic compounds that provide it with many medicinal properties. It helps lower stress, improves digestion, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and protects against infections.
The best way to brew:
To brew a cup of tulsi tea, take one teaspoon of fresh tulsi leaves or ½ teaspoon of dried tulsi leaves in a pot. Boil a cup of water and pour it on tulsi leaves. Cover the pot and let steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Now strain the leaves and add some honey to the tea.
6. Peppermint tea
The peppermint herb is a cross between spearmint and water mint. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used peppermint as a medicine. The leaves of the peppermint herb contain menthol, menthone, and limonene, which give it a distinctive minty flavor and aroma and its numerous health benefits. Peppermint tea has a uniquely minty flavor, which is mildly sweet, and it leaves a cooling sensation in the mouth.
Peppermint tea is beneficial for the digestive system. It helps reduce headaches, improves nasal congestion, and can even relieve menstrual cramps (14). While there are very few studies on the benefits of peppermint tea, several studies have shown that peppermint extracts are highly beneficial.
The best way to brew: To brew peppermint tea, boil two cups of water and turn off the heat. Tear a few fresh peppermint leaves and add them to the water and cover. Let this mixture steep for five minutes. Strain and drink the tea.
7. Hibiscus tea
This tea is made from the beautiful flowers of the hibiscus plant. The most commonly used variety is roselle (hibiscus sabdariffa). It has a tart flavor and is linked to numerous health benefits like lowering high blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight loss.
According to a 2009 study, when 65 mildly hypertensive adults were given hibiscus tea for six weeks, they showed a significant decrease in their systolic blood pressure.
During another study, 60 people with diabetes drank hibiscus tea twice a day for one month. At the end of the trial, they showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
The best way to brew: Take two cups of dried hibiscus flowers and four cups of water and 2/3 cup of sugar in a pan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. Strain this mixture and add eight more cups of water. Add some ice and serve it chilled.
8. Jasmine tea
Jasmine tea is made with tea leaves and jasmine flowers. The flowers of the jasmine plant (Jasminum officinale or Jasminum sambac) are harvested and dried along with tea leaves. This process takes several days. These blossoms are used to scent green, oolong, and black tea. Jasmine tea has a subtle flavor and a floral aroma.
Since the most common jasmine tea uses green tea as its base, it has many beneficial properties. It contains epigallocatechin gallate, which is known to improve heart health, helps in blood sugar control and weight loss.
Jasmine tea can also help to calm you and improve your mood. According to a 2005 study, jasmine's aroma has sedative effects on autonomic nerve activity and mood states.
The best way to brew: Jasmine tea can become bitter if it is steeped in water that is too hot. Boil one cup of water and let it cool down for two minutes. Put less than one teaspoon to jasmine tea in the put and let it steep for two minutes.
9. Sage tea
Sage tea is an aromatic beverage made from the leaves of the sage plant (Salvia officinalis). Sage is a herb that belongs to the mint family and has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Sage tea has a mild mint flavor, with a hint of lavender, and is a bit bitter to taste.
Sage is rich in antioxidants, particularly rosamarinic acid. This antioxidant helps to regulate blood glucose levels and lowers inflammation. Sage also has antibacterial properties, which is why people recommend drinking sage tea for sore throat and mouth wounds. Sage tea may also help in improving memory and preventing Alzheimer's disease. According to a study that included 135 healthy adults, just the aroma of sage helped boost mood and cognitive performance.
The best way to brew: Bring one cup of water to a boil and add either one tablespoon of fresh sage leaves or one teaspoon of dried sage leaves. Let it steep for five minutes. Strain and remove the leaves and add some sweetener and lemon juice.
10. Echinacea tea
Echinacea tea is well known for its immune-boosting powers and its ability to fend off winter illnesses. It is made from the flowers and leaves of the echinacea plant (Echinacea purpurea), which is commonly known as the American coneflower. Echinacea tea has a sweet and floral flavor.
Echinacea is a popular supplement known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and immune-strengthening properties. According to a 2015 study that involved 473 influenza patients, drinking hot echinacea tea helped reduce the risk of complications and adverse events.
Echinacea tea also works as a mild laxative and can be effective in providing relief from constipation. Echinacea is also helpful in reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, managing anxiety, and reducing the risk of breast cancer.
The best way to brew: Take ¼ cup of loose leaf dried Echinacea in a bowl and pour 8 ounces of boiling water over this herb. Allow this mixture to steep for 15 to 20 minutes, strain, and drink. You can also add some other herbs like lemongrass and min to improve the flavor. Final thoughts: Herbal teas are rich in antioxidants and minerals. They provide numerous health benefits and can make the perfect addition to your daily diet. Enjoy the unique flavors and health benefits of these teas and stay fit.
By Abhishek Bade
Abhishek has a career in journalism and writing. She is the mother of a super active 7-year-old. While chasing her around the house, she also finds time to pursue her passion for writing on parenting, education, health, fitness, and entertainment for Stemjar.
Practice this FREE guided medtiation, before or after your delicious and healthy cup of tea.
Are you ready to tap into your superpowers and dedicate time and energy to creating a strong center? Sure, a toned belly, healthy spine, and looking good without a shirt are tangible physical benefits of intelligent core training. But the true benefits of strengthening your center run much deeper than mere aesthetics. Learning to cultivate your personal power located in your Manipura (Navel) Chakra will aid you in burning through layers of insecurity and help you build a true sense of your authentic self.
Yoga is an excellent path to access your “inner fire,” and step into your greatest sense of self. Through asana, pranayama, and mantra meditation, you can ignite your self-confidence, self-discipline, and willpower. Kind of like firing up your superpowers! Sound good?
In yoga, we refer often to the Subtle Body, which is basically a blueprint of the physical body. Prana or energy flows along the Sushumna Nadi from the Muladhara (Root) Chakra at the base of the spine to the Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra located at the crown of the head. Each of these energy centers embodies different qualities and personal characteristics. It is essential to keep these in balance physically, emotionally, and mentally. So read on to learn how you can create a strong core, inside and out.
The Manipura is the third of seven chakras and is the center of your ego and personal power. It is the seat of Tapas, or your fiery passion and discipline. Tapas is the third of Patanjali’s Niyamas from the Yoga Sutras and means to burn and evokes a sense of fiery passion and discipline. By working your core, you are stoking your own inner radiance and power to achieve your dreams.
When you are out of balance, you can act from a place of excessive ego or arrogance or on the flip side, a place of insecurity and doubt. A healthy navel chakra helps you be proactive instead of reactive or stagnant. Through focused core training you not only keep your sense of ego healthy, but also maintain a healthy spine, improved posture, and enhanced digestion.
This week, try out these four classes to build your inner power and your physical strength. During practice and throughout the day, consider using mantras like: I have full command of my personal power and I act on my desires and motivation. Ignite your superpowers of self-discipline and confidence and shine your brightest!
1. Angela Kukhahn - 15-Minute Core
2. Claire Petretti Marti - Nothing but Core 5
3. Mark Morford - Firestarter
4. Cicily Carter - Manipura Chakra: Core Flow
When embarking on a new fitness regimen, you may look for a way to supplement your protein intake.
Though we generally believe that most of our nutrients should come from the whole foods we eat, we understand that when you’re exercising more frequently, you might need to find ways to add more protein to your diet.
When paired with regular exercise, a protein supplement can help reduce soreness after working out and aid in quicker muscle recovery.
However, most store-bought protein powders and shakes are highly processed, filled with sugar and unhealthy additives, and based on common allergens like soy or dairy. So we knew we needed to come up with a healthy substitute for your favorite quick post-workout shake.
Without further ado, here are our fave plant-powered protein shakes for a post-workout pick-me-up.
Our Banana Almond Butter Shake is cleanse-friendly and delish, and our Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake is a tasty healthy treat for your post-cleanse 80:20 lifestyle. If you have another flavor combo you’d like us to create, let us know in the comments below!
With love and plant protein power,
Banana Almond Butter Shake
3 TB. Cinnamon Spice Hemp Protein Powder ½ of a banana 1 TB. almond butter 1 ½ cup Homemade Nut Milk ½ cup fresh baby spinach
Instructions: In a high-speed blender, blend protein powder, banana, almond butter, nut milk, and spinach until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
Note: You can also substitute 3 TB. hemp seeds and ½ tsp. cinnamon if you don’t have a batch of protein powder on hand.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake
3 TB. Chocolate Hemp Protein Powder ½ of a banana 3-5 strawberries 1 ½ cup Homemade Nut Milk ½ cup fresh baby spinach
Instructions: In a high-speed blender, blend protein powder, banana, strawberries, nut milk, and spinach until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
Note: You can also substitute 3 TB. hemp seeds and ½ tsp. cacao powder if you don’t have a batch of protein powder on hand.
*This is an 80:20 recipe due to the cacao and strawberries.
If you have a friend or family member that loves yoga then buying them a yoga-related gift the next time their birthday comes around is a really nice idea. You getting them something they’ll enjoy and find useful, it’s also a gift that will encourage them to keep up their practice. Because practicing yoga is proven to be extremely good for you physically as it can improve your flexibility, strength, posture, muscle tone, and range of motion.
And the controlled breathing, mindful movements, and spiritual aspects of yoga mean it’s great for your mental and emotional health too. Yoga can calm your busy mind, relieve stress, improve your mood, help you to sleep better afterward, and give you a sense of overall well-being. So, giving a gift that helps someone with their yoga practice can also contribute to keeping them healthy in all areas of their life.
However, it can be hard to know what to get if you don’t have experience of practicing yoga yourself!
So, to help, this is a list of yoga gift ideas that will all be gratefully received by any yoga enthusiast.
Get Them A New Yoga Mat to Practice On
The most obvious place to start when looking for yoga gifts is a high-quality yoga mat to practice on. And while this is an obvious choice it can still make for a great gift idea.
Using a good mat can improve someone’s yoga experience by giving them the padding and cushioning they need to protect their joints, as well as a good grip to stop them slipping and hurting themselves.
The varying cost of mats means that many people make do with using a cheaper and less suitable mat as they are reluctant to spend the extra money on themselves. So, they’ll love it if you buy them a new one for their birthday, as they’ll have a great mat to use without any of the associated guilty feelings of buying one themselves.
The good news is that when it comes to high-quality mats you have a wide range of brands and designs to choose from that will all do the job nicely. Just make sure you get them a mat with a thickness that matches their preferred style of yoga and with a good grip.
For people that practice faster, more flowing forms of yoga or travel a lot, a thinner mat will work, as this will give them more balance and stability, as well as lightness to travel with. Slower, more restorative types of yoga benefit from a thicker mat, as this has more padding to protect their joints and will help them to relax more deeply into the poses.
If They Already Have a Good Mat: A Good Mat Bag or Yoga Towel
A high-quality yoga mat will last you for years, but only if you take good care of it before, during, and after your yoga class.
Not only can your mat get dirty and sweaty as you use it, but it can also become damaged when exposed to the elements on your way to and from yoga. A couple of gift ideas that can help a yoga enthusiast keep their mat in tip-top condition are a yoga mat bag and a yoga mat towel.
Giving someone a specialized bag to zip their mat into will help them protect it from the wind, rain, and pollution outside, keeping it clean and dry. If you get them a bag with easy to carry shoulder straps it will allow them to keep their hands-free on the journey too, which is helpful and especially good for anyone who cycles to their yoga class.
Laying a yoga mat towel over the mat as you practice will keep it fresher and more hygienic to use, as this will keep sweat, odors and bacteria off the mat. You’ll also be less likely to slip and injure yourself too. A yoga mat towel makes an ideal gift for people who practice hot yoga, as they are likely to get very hot and sweaty during class!
Buy Them A Full Set of Yoga Props
Yoga is an easy activity to get started with as all you really need is a mat to practice on. However, there are many different yoga props you can add to the mix that can improve your ability and experience in a multitude of ways.
These are especially good for beginners, as they help them to stay correctly aligned and safely go deeper into the poses even when they have limited flexibility. But they can also be helpful for more experienced yogis too, providing support and stability when attempting more difficult poses like backbends or headstands. A set of yoga props can make for a wonderful gift bundle that they can use in yoga.
The most common props are yoga blocks, with cork blocks being firmer and better for balancing and stability, while foam blocks have more give and are more suited for sitting or lying on for support.
Then there are yoga straps that help to increase your flexibility and allow you to do more difficult poses while staying correctly aligned.
A yoga bolster is a firm cushion that provides support and allows you to sink deeper into poses when practicing gentler kinds of yoga.
The yoga wheel is used for opening up your chest during backbends and giving your spine a nice pressure relieving massage.
So, choose one or more that suit the yogi you have in mind and you’ll have a really nice gift to give them.
A Pair of Stylish Yoga Pants Will Always Be Appreciated
There aren’t many forms of clothing that women find more comfortable than yoga pants. They fit you like a glove, don’t restrict your movement in any way and are light to wear. These great features make them perfect for practicing yoga in, as you won’t have any bits of loose clothing getting in the way as you move comfortably through the postures.
So, a stylish pair of yoga pants is a gift that most female yogis will adore and the added bonus is many of these pants look great outside of the yoga studio too.
If you want to create a nice little gift package then you can add a stylish hoodie as well, as these look great when worn with yoga pants.
Give Them Something to Help Them Meditate
The mindful and spiritual parts of yoga practice mean it’s much more than just a physical activity, and most yoga classes recognize this by ending with some form of meditation. However, meditation is a difficult skill to master and can be frustrating for beginners.
So, why not get your favorite yogi a little something that will help them with their meditation practice?
You could get them a ‘How To’ book on meditation that will broaden their knowledge and skills and help them to quieten their busy minds.
Another idea is to get them a weighted eye pillow to use while meditating in the Savasana pose, as this will block out light and distractions, while the weight on the eyes will help them to relax.
You could also throw in a Mexican blanket that they can use to keep warm and comfortable, as your body temperature tends to drop when meditating.
For those that prefer meditating in a seated position rather than lying down, a set of meditation cushions makes for an ideal gift, as sitting cross-legged on your mat or on a hard floor can really start to hurt after a while.
Buy Them an Online Yoga Subscription
While yoga is a great activity to get into that carries so many health benefits, not everyone will enjoy going to yoga classes in person and some prefer to practice yoga online.
It can be quite daunting for beginners to join a class full of people that seem to be able to bend and stretch their bodies at will in superhuman ways. Yoga classes also might not be a viable option for some people for other reasons.
The high prices that some yoga studios charge, not being able to fit classes into your busy schedule, or the pain of trying to get to your class when the weather is horrendous outside, are all obstacles for practicing in a yoga studio.
So, if you know someone that loves practicing yoga but hates going to the actual yoga classes, then buying them a subscription to an online yoga studio, is a fantastic gift idea. This way they can practice yoga at any time of the day and night from the comfort of their own home.
By Dan Singleton
Daniel Singleton is the founder of Back on Site, a website dedicated to helping people fight back against persistent back pain using the latest medical and scientific advice as well as his own personal experiences with the condition.
Have you ever received upsetting news and immediately your jaw, shoulders, and neck grow rigid?
Were you aware that yogis and psychologists agree that unprocessed emotions become trapped in your physical body? In our current time, many of us are having to navigate an intense collective experience, as well as how everything occurring is impacting every aspect of our own personal lives.
Our yoga practice is a tool to alleviate stress and tension and fortify us emotionally, mentally, and physically. This week, join us as we explore some yoga classes designed to not just make you strong enough to handstand like a master but to soften the knots in your neck and the pain in your back.
Here are three major benefits of focusing on your upper body:
1. Physical Strength and Suppleness: By paying special attention to creating muscular strength and flexibility in your neck, shoulders, and back, you are creating support for your spine and alignment for your entire body. Strong shoulders and arms give you functional strength needed in your daily life from picking up your child to carrying groceries. A strong upper half is vital for proper posture and preventing stooped shoulders that can result from poor posture or simply aging. Of course, endurance for your chataranguas and the control to balance on your hands are visible benefits, which give you a sense of empowerment.
2. Emotional Tension Release: If you’ve practiced yoga even a few times, you’ve noticed the direct correlation between opening tight muscles and joints and the release of emotions. The sensations arising in your body are your emotions speaking to you. Often the hips are associated with holding past trauma and grief, the chest house fear and anxiety, and the neck and shoulders trap anger. By learning to direct your awareness inside, you discover where your own stress and emotional tension reside. Awareness is the first step to releasing the negative and creating space for positive feelings.
3. Clear Mind: In addition to physical and emotional impacts from our yoga practice, we garner the benefits of a calm, clear mind. Often, tense shoulders and tight neck muscles cause headaches, fuzzy thinking, and shallow breathing. Most of us are on our computers or phones for extensive periods of time and that repetitive stressful position causes chronic damage if not balanced out with strong, supple muscles. Simple stretches practiced throughout the day are an excellent way to maintain clarity and sustained attention.
Whether you’re looking to improve your arm balances, release negativity, or foster calm, try these beneficial classes this week.
1. Keith Allen - 30-Minute Shoulder & Upper Body Love
2. Desiree Rumbaugh - Yoga for Upper Body Strength
3. Elise Fabricant - Gentle Yin for Your Neck
4. Kylie Larson - Upper Back & Shoulder Opening Flow
We've taken time this past week to process, think, listen, learn, and formulate a plan to take definitive action in regards to the #blacklivesmatter movement.
We always have, and always will, stand in solidarity, side-by-side, with our black brothers and sisters, and vehemently fight against racism in any shape or form. We absolutely will not tolerate it.
We are committed to being a part of the solution, to standing up and speaking loudly against racism in any form, to educating ourselves and our community, and open people's eyes and hearts to the inherent oneness that binds us all together.
We promise to continue to listen, to be vocal, to take action, and to fight for real change.
For us, while we acknowledge and honor our differences, we only see brothers and sisters who are sewn from the same cloth. And the only reason to distinguish the different patters, is to explore its incredible beauty.
How we are taking action: we have made a donation to the National Police Accountability Project and BlackLivesMatter.com, and will continue to do so on an ongoing basis through our YDL Gives Back program. We will increase our efforts to promote a culture of inclusivity and togetherness through our social media channels and on our site, and will work to amplify the voices of black teachers and those working to promote positive change. Our staff and team will continue to safely support local events and peaceful protests in our areas.
Finally, we would like to make it clear that this is not a one-time show of support. This is a declaration of our ongoing commitment to real lasting change, and to the work that goes into continuous learning and growing.
There is a lot of work to do. We are listening, we feel you, we're here with you.
I don’t know how it is in your part of the world, but in Estonia pesto and all things basil is rather expensive. I do grow basil in my little balcony garden, but making pesto requires loads of it. It has happened several times that I have the biggest bunch of basil you can imagine. So obviously pesto is on the menu, but once I start making it, I realize very soon that a lot of basil still translates into only a little jar of pesto. And talking about pesto, the small jar is not enough. Never. The only reasonable quantity for pesto is a lot.
So, I have been playing around with other herbs and greens that grow better in this, rather cold, part of the world. Actually, all greens mixed with some sort of nuts or seeds, oil, and cheese are good. I have never prepared pesto I didn’t like in my life, but today I am sharing one of my favorites – dill pesto! Dill loves the Estonian climate, and all the gardens are full of it. Estonians like to add it everywhere, so I figured I try to use it in pesto too. And it worked amazingly! In fact, I think I need to take a break right now and whizz up a batch :)
Talking about amounts, I did not give you precise quantities this time. Just add your bunch of dill on a scale – this is your one part and work from there. Salt and lemon should be added by taste anyway, but don’t add too much at one time. Start with only a little - you can always add more later on.
Once you have your pesto and you have tasted it you probably figure out several ways how to use it. I love to enjoy it on fresh bread just on its own. Or mix it to a nice salad with boiled potatoes, eggs, and green beans. It would also work with fish dishes or maybe even chicken (I rarely eat meat, so I don’t remember having it with chicken, but in my head it makes sense). Asparagus with dill pesto is fantastic. Mixing it with greek yogurt gives you a quick and easy dipping sauce. So, a lot of different options for enjoying it, I am sure you figure out many more.
To store, cover the pesto with a thin layer of extra oil. It will be good for at least a week, but in reality, it will be finished much sooner
Delicious Dill Pesto
Cooking time: 10 minutes
1 part of cashews
1 part of gouda cheese
1 part of fresh dill
1 part of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and lemon juice, to taste
Toast the cashews on a dry pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes, mixing now and then so they would toast evenly. Set aside to cool. You can do this in advance.
Grate the cheese and chop the dill roughly.
To make the pesto, you need to blend all the ingredients. I like to use a stick blender here, but you can also do this with a regular blender or a food processor with cutting blades.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge.
Try these free yoga and meditation classes before your delicious lentil and eggplant empanadas.
In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to be a positive and guiding force in our children's lives. Many of us are stressed, and worrying about our families' health, and the health of the world in general. This stress can often transfer to our kids, and in doing so negatively affect their well-being. Mindfulness & meditation is one way in which we can positively influence our children’s outlook on life. It can help to relieve anxieties by encouraging us to live in the present. It can help to increase happiness by forcing us to focus on all that we are grateful for. Mindfulness practices are not just for adults. Here are some simple things you can do to bring more mindfulness to the lives of your children:
1. Art & Coloring
It may seem simple and like something that all kids enjoy, but the act of coloring, or creating, is one of the most mindful and meditative things we can do with our time, whether as a child or adult.
Encourage your children to create, draw, color, and be creative. There are even coloring books that encourage mindfulness for children.
2. Do Yoga for Children
Yoga makes children calmer, stronger, more agile, and adaptable. It can also help make them more mindful.
Depending on your child's age, you may have to adjust the approach or style of yoga. For example, younger toddlers stay more engaged in a yoga class that incorporates storytelling and animal noises. You can still get them to practice yoga this way.
For children even 10 years old, many have the maturity and physical stability to practice adult beginner yoga classes, depending on the child.
Focusing on your breath, challenging yourself, becoming stronger, and creating more peace of mind through yoga, is highly beneficial for children, just as it is for adults.
3. Meditate with Your Kids
Mindfulness and meditation are valuable for children. Even kids have anxiety and depression issues from time to time.
Increasingly, meditation programs are showing encouraging signs in schools. Children as young as pre-school are learning meditation and mindfulness practices, all the way through high school.
Science is also continuing to show that meditation from an early age, can have a positive impact on the development of the brain.
4. Teach them Valuable Lessons & Ethics through Storytelling
You can teach children stories from your religion, or philosophies of mindfulness you'd like to teach them, through creative story-telling.
Children are intelligent and impressionable. The early years are important to help instill the benefits of being mindful and a person with ethics and values. These are things that children must be taught.
Read them their favorite stories, that also have a good message. You can also find mindful children's coloring books that combine creating art and storytelling, to instill more mindfulness.
By Leif Haerum
Towards these goals, celebrated author and cartoonist Guy Gilchrist, together with Leif Haerum and the team at Backpack Buddha, have developed a very unique interactive children’s book entitled, Buddha Bear’s Enlightenment Coloring Book. Although the book draws its strength directly from Buddhism’s 8 Fold Path, it is largely a non-denomination journal. In other words, anyone of any faith can easily relate and benefit from this book. And while this book is primarily intended for kids aged 5-12, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy and benefit from this coloring book as well, as we certainly did!
The book is designed to be completed over 21 days and each day the reader learns a new lesson as he accompanies the adventures of Buddha Bear. Buddha Bear’s Enlightenment Coloring Book offers an effective and exceptionally fun way to introduce our children to mindfulness and mediation. Rather than teach our children these techniques outright, the book encourages them to discover these on their own. In these exceedingly stressful times, Buddha Bear offers us all a much-needed escape into a beautifully illustrated world.
Want to do yoga with your children? Try now!
Kids Yoga: Chillax Your Mind with Karyn Sullivan
I want you to come on a journey with me. Let’s travel to a yoga class, one in which you’re in your flow, landed in your body and breath, inseparable from your intention. Ready for that next exhale to move deeper into your practice, you hear: “exhale, contract your pelvic floor.”
What do you do?
Do you scratch your head? Look up at the ceiling and squeeze the living bejesus down there? Does a circus of interrupting thoughts arrive? Like, “How?” “What the hell is that?” “Am I doing it right?”
Maybe you’ve actually been here before. I have. And as a pelvic floor specialist, I wanted to facepalm. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had women come into my office after reading they should do 100 Kegels a day with their kegel weights, arriving with new symptoms of pelvic pain, urgency, and even incontinence. Many women are completely unaware that they already hold tension in these muscles.
Of course, I don’t blame them. This area of the body is not a hot dinner table topic, and it’s complex. These muscles are intimately woven in our bodies, hidden from our view, and frankly, are hard to feel without practice.
Casually encouraging people to blindly “contract the pelvic floor” is as dangerous as never squeezing anywhere ever again. This phrase is still thrown around today, even 72 years after a male gynecologist had success in a study to treat incontinence in postpartum women. While it showed some benefit to these women, it’s imperative that these exercises are prescribed to the appropriate women and taught in the correct way. And, unfortunately, on a spectrum of laypeople to birth professionals, I have found time and time again that pelvic floor contractions, or kegels, are completely misunderstood and misused.
Kegels, the holy grail of pelvic health, the solution to all of your problems, the one-size-fits you and you and...no more please! Let’s take a moment, zoom out, and stop passing this fad saying along before anybody else gets hurt. Because, seriously, doing kegels can be damaging.
If I had to have one slogan, it’d be: “Kegels, don’t try them at home.”
Of course, with the subtext of, “without a pelvic floor therapist.” Yet, avoiding kegels all together isn’t helpful either, so I have something you can try at home as a first step.
By the end of this article, I’ll have you connecting with your true core in one simple exercise.
So, I’m here to tell you the good, the bad, the ugly of these exercises, and provide a foundational understanding of your pelvis first, so that you can connect with your pelvic floor for real strength.
It’s hard to get these exercises right unless we get the full view.
Like everything in our body, the pelvic floor musculature is beautifully complex. It deserves the right attention, and the most up-to-date application of knowledge we as professionals have of this area.
Why is the pelvic floor important?
You may have experienced something in your life to make you more aware of the pelvic floor: leaking during exercise or with a sneeze, urinary urgency or frequency (going more than seven times a day), bowel issues like constipation or IBS, or pain.
Did you know that low back pain is correlated with a weakened pelvic floor? Often, sacro-iliac (SI) pain, or pain in the lumbar spine is due to instability in the pelvis, which is held together by your pelvic floor muscles.
During pregnancy, or in your postpartum recovery, you most certainly became aware of these muscles. Tearing, or an episiotomy (a purposeful cut to the perineum) can occur because of the lack of awareness, control, and ability to completely coordinate and relax down there. Hormone changes at any stage in a woman’s life can reveal that these tissues are susceptible to change, causing microtears, dryness, and discomfort in sex.
One thing is for sure: whether or not you’ve had to pay attention to these muscles before, they tirelessly work for you, providing you some of the most essential support for your organs, posture and movement.
What is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of sixteen muscles that are suspended in the pelvis, woven around the vagina, anus, clitoris, and urethra. The pelvic floor musculature provides three of your most essential functions:
Support: the pelvic floor muscles support not only our most vital organs (bladder, uterus, and rectum), but also the weight of our head.
Elimination and continence: the pelvic floor muscles help you control the bladder and bowel by relaxing to let waste come out, and contracting to hold things in when you need to.
Sexual Appreciation: the pelvic floor muscles help us to experience comfortable intimacy. One muscle, for example, erects the penis or clitoris. Our muscles down there also need to relax and contract properly to achieve climax.
Amazing, right? But there’s more to what makes this such an essential part of our body. What most people don’t know is that it is one of three diaphragms in our body. It is the upside-down parentheses to our respiratory diaphragm. Like a trampoline, these muscles are buoyant and respond to our breath to make room for more air in our abdominal canister, and to simultaneously maintain healthy intra-abdominal pressure.
When you inhale, the diaphragm drops down like a parachute, and the pelvic floor responds by lengthening and softening. The pelvic floor also coordinates with your diaphragm on exhale, by gently shortening and compressing in and up. These two diaphragms coordinate when you breathe, and are connected through two other muscles, the transverse abdominis and multifidus.
The Core is More
When most people think of the core, they think of the rectus muscles, or the “six-pack” muscles. But what really supports our spine and respiration are the deep core muscles. I call them the “core four:” the pelvic floor, transverse abdominis (TA), multifidus, and respiratory diaphragm. The TA muscle is deep, and connects to the ribcage and the pelvis. It is also connected through fascia, or connective tissue, at the diaphragm muscle and to the lumbar spine. If you’re a visual learner like me, you’ll appreciate the following images.
All together, the “core four” close your abdominal container, and coordinate to maintain healthy pressure internally to protect your vital organs for elimination and sex. They also work to manage added pressure when we exercise, lift our baby, or sneeze. Without this core stability, pressure can escape up (acid reflux much?) or can press down on our pelvic floor muscles.
Continuous pressure downward can result in the muscles becoming fatigued, weak, tense, and even painful. The muscles are like an overworked employee; they are constantly being recruited to hold against this pressure. The muscles, overactive, get knots of tension from constantly straining, just like muscles in your shoulder or neck. Over time, these strained muscles can no longer hold things together effectively, and eventually lead to dysfunction like incontinence, pelvic pain, and even organ prolapse.
Kegels: the good, the bad, and the ugly
So, wait, why wouldn’t we want to go home and pump some iron down there? Don’t those muscles need to get stronger?
Imagine holding a ten-pound weight in your hand, and continually pumping the bicep muscle without ever giving it a break, or letting your elbow completely extend. Would that create a strong muscle? No. In this example, if your elbow doesn’t extend to its full range of motion, the bicep muscle never turns off. It will keep working and working, and the muscle will get tighter and tighter. To get stronger, these muscles need a break.
Posture is also a major component. Remember when I told you we have sixteen muscles down there? Even a minor imbalance in your pelvis can pull one side of the muscles to have more tension and be overly tight, while the others get stretched and weak.
Most patients I see have overactive muscles or a combination of underactive and overactive muscles. Even postpartum moms have tension patterns that develop from carrying a baby during pregnancy, and from tissue healing postpartum. Doing 100 Kegels a day, especially without good core awareness and a full breath, would just tighten the tight ones more.
Of course, kegels aren’t all bad. Done properly, they help pump blood and oxygen down to our organs. Practicing kegels at certain stages of your pregnancy can help you increase awareness of the muscles and coordinate the muscles consciously. Yet, no amount of kegels will help you unless you’re able to relax your pelvic floor completely. Focusing on just these muscles without the support from the “core four” is often tiring, fatiguing, and not effective. It’s not effective because the musculature is reflexive in nature; it turns on in coordination with our core as long as it’s buoyant and springy. Let’s help you get your inner core online, so that you can experience the natural rhythm of your pelvic floor muscles.
Try This at Home
First things first, let’s get you to connect to your true core. Go ahead and try this at home:
Start by lying on your back, with knees bent and soles of the feet on the floor.
Place your hands on your belly inside your front hip bones, and take several rounds of breath inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Allow your belly to expand on the inhale and stay soft on the exhale.
Once your belly is soft (think: Buddha belly), exhale with a “shhh” sound until you can’t exhale anymore.
Stay soft; let the belly drop from the exhale, but without gripping or pulling it in.
Keep the ab muscles relaxed and keep exhaling to feel your deeper, inner core. You may feel under your fingers a deep core muscle turn on; the TA may press out into your hands.
If you don’t feel it, you can lift just your head off the floor 1-2 inches and you will feel the TA activate.
This deep core muscle should feel firm, but should never dome, cone, or “poof” the belly.
Now that you’ve felt it, try to use the technique above to contract the TA without lifting your head.
Now, let’s find the pelvic floor.
Bring your awareness to the muscles between your sitz bones. As you breathe deeply with the “shhh” breath, notice any change in pressure in your perineum (space between your vagina and anus).
If you don’t feel it, place your hand at your perineum for feedback, and focus your awareness there. You can also sit up on a yoga ball or chair, with a rolled up towel under your perineum for extra feedback.
If you feel tension down there that won’t fully release, this is your practice.
If you feel like the muscles are very relaxed, you can use an exhale to contract the muscles, pulling them in and up. Hold for 3-5 seconds or until the muscle fatigues.
Are you able to fully relax after the contraction? Try taking those muscles down an elevator to the ground floor, and then the basement.
If you notice increased tension down there that is hard to let go, your muscles are likely overactive and you’ll need to just use the first breathing exercise above.
If you’re able to fully relax them, you can do 5-10 repetitions.
Don’t go crazy, unless you’ve gotten clearance to do so. Do use them to increase your awareness down there, and to focus more on the relaxation or release afterward.
Let Go
Just like our breathing, the pelvic floor muscles are reflexive, their response automatic. They are already connected to our breath. And like our breath, they already know what to do. The only thing in the way is us: in our constant gripping of the abs, learned tension patterns in the body, and limits in taking a full, deep breath.
The secret is to let go. Our entire body has a natural rhythm. Sometimes we need to relearn that rhythm. One thing I can promise you, is that it is often that simple. Once a woman is able to fully relax her pelvic floor, that next pelvic floor muscle contraction is much stronger. My clients are amazed when they realize, all they had to do was drop the weight. It's the patterns of clenching that get in the way. It isn’t about working harder. Most of the time, what women need is to relearn to use the muscles again correctly with the breath, allow their full range of motion, so that the muscles can switch on when they need them to.
Whether you are a pregnant or postpartum woman, or you’re a person who has experienced any kind of pelvic dysfunction, becoming aware of your pelvis is an exciting opportunity. These muscles, organs, and structures communicate to us when there is a problem so that we can come more into balance with them.
Health is a lifelong pursuit.
Maybe you didn’t notice before, or maybe you even ignored the signals, but now you have the knowledge to get the support you need and to optimize your pelvic health. Take it as a jump-off point.
So next time you hear a teacher say “contract your pelvic floor,” I encourage you to slow down, soften, and bring your breath all the way down there. Relax any clenching, and give your floor a break. Then, if you want to pick up that weight, go for it. See if you can coordinate it, see how long your muscle will contract before it gets tired. But make sure you can relax. The power is more so in your softness, in your allowing. Awareness is key, and I promise you’ll likely be surprised to find you already have the strength you need. You might find, all you really needed all along was to reconnect with your breath.
By Emily Merollis
Emily Merollis, OTR/L, RYT is an occupational therapist with a private practice named The Integrated Feminine, specializing in pelvic health. Her practice is located in Portland, OR, and she offers consultations online. Merollis is offering a 90 minute online course, The Essential Guide to Kegels (spoiler alert: it’s about much more than just kegels!). The course guides you in a self-assessment of your own pelvic floor muscles to see if they are overactive or underactive, and where to go from there, at an affordable $39.
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