Anyone else have trouble falling asleep at night? You snuggle under the covers, lay your weary head on the pillow ready to drift off to dreamland and boom––your mind is racing. If you can relate, you’re not alone. Many of us are stuck in the “fight or flight” syndrome and our nervous systems have trouble switching into “rest and digest” mode.
Quality sleep is essential for us to rejuvenate and maintain our physical, emotional, and mental health. If you’re ready to have your best night of sleep tonight, read on for a few of the ways yoga and meditation can help.
1. Calm Your Nervous System: If your days are busy, you could be stuck in “doing” mode where your body is ready to go, go, go. If your adrenals and cortisol levels remain high, you’ll have a tough time sleeping. The evening is the perfect time for restorative practices to pacify feelings of anxiety and stress. Asanas like Balasana (Child’s Pose) and Vipariti Karani (Legs up the wall pose) can quickly activate your parasympathetic nervous system and relaxation response.
2. Release Repetitive Thoughts: If sometimes you feel like you’ve got a troop of monkeys bouncing around in your brain, yoga and meditation are the perfect tools to quiet your “monkey mind.” When we release the repetitive thoughts or at least slow them down, we are letting go of the endless loop of chatter that keeps us staring at the ceiling or tossing and turning.
3. Relax and Restore Your Body: Yoga has the power to relax tight muscles and connective tissue, which can calm your overall energy and prepare you for a restful night of sleep. Asanas like Suptha Baddha Konasana (Reclined Butterfly) open the hips and legs, where stiffness can accumulate throughout the day. It’s tough to sleep if you can’t get comfortable because your body feels hard and unyielding.
This week’s classes are specifically designed to help you relax and prepare to sleep. The rest is as important as the work, so join us and see just how well you can sleep tonight!
Easy Evening Yoga 1 - Keith Allen
Yoga Nidra for Sleep - Erin Wimert
Sound Bowl Meditation for Sleep - Elizabeth Brumfield
Yoga for Better Sleep - Jackie Casal Mahrou
"Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate." ~Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi), philosopher
When we are going with the flow, we are aligned with ourselves and with the world around us. But with the busy-ness and fast pace of life, it’s easy to slip into a state of distraction and lose sight of your center. Yoga is all about clearing out the mental clutter and finding freedom in your mind, heart, and body. A “flow state” is when you are immersed in an activity to the point you no longer reason you’re “doing” it, you’re simply in it.
For some people, finding their flow is playing or listening to music, running, dancing, surfing, gardening, or whatever activity allows them to settle in an energized state of freedom. Yoga is an excellent path to finding your flow. When we focus on connecting the power of physical movement with the practice of breathing in certain ways, we can expand our prana or life force energy and get energized or relaxed, depending upon the technique.
Vinyasa flow classes focus on linking the breath to the movement and encouraging the mind to quiet down as you sink into sensation and breath. When you are practicing connecting your breath to each movement, your mind naturally settles. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali emphasize that yoga’s path is one to create a steady, clear mind.
Other styles of yoga, like Yin Yoga, aren’t focused so much on linking breath to movement but more on holding a pose and utilizing your breath to settle into a flow state within stillness. Various Pranayama (breath control) techniques will allow you to find a clear mind and clarity is a form of flow. This week’s varied flow classes focus on finding your personal zone. However you prefer to practice, you can be confident if you direct your attention to sinking into sensation and filtering out the sounds, sights, and smells around you, you’re going to feel the flow.
Enjoy one or all of these flow practices created by our fabulous teachers
Hip Mobility Flow - Kristin Gibowicz
Flowing with Warrior 3 - Mary Baker
Mixed Level Flow (K.I.S.S.) - Jessica Oldfield
Ease into the Flow - Pradeep Teotia
“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.” ~Dalai Lama XIV
Yoga is many different things to many different people but at its core, yoga is a tool to create a quiet mind and a serene heart. Yoga reminds us that we cannot control external events; we can only control our reaction to them.
Our world is a hectic place these days and if you’ve felt helpless seeing all the suffering, you aren’t alone. The power of the individual can radiate out to the collective. So if we work to increase our own love and compassion and share it with those around us, and others do the same thing, we can create a more peaceful world.
An excellent starting point is to balance our Anahata (Heart) Chakra. Love lives in our hearts and Anahata is associated with selflessness and with enlarging our capacity for compassion. Love and fear are two sides of a coin and when we’re stuck in fear, or when we cannot forgive others, we shut down. We aren’t as kind to others because we fear being hurt and our energy impacts those around us.
Through asanas (postures) like Urdhva Dhanurasana (Back Bend) and Ustrasana (Camel Pose), we create physical openings in our chests, and create space in our hearts to love. Mantras are another powerful tool to shift your energy. Chanting mantras, like Om Shanti Om, perpetuates a sense of peacefulness. Om is a sacred sound and Shanti is the Sanskrit word for peace.
When we breathe and move mindfully, we cultivate tranquility within and can spread that peaceful energy to those around us. Yoga practices can focus specifically on cultivating peace of mind. We’ve got four new classes for you that emphasize finding stillness.
The Yogic Way: Peace Within and Without - Annie Coyle
Kundalini For Peace of Mind - Marie Castello
Kemetic Flow: Love & Unity - Ali Duncan
Evening Chill - Flowing into Stillness - Mary Baker
Are you ready to shift out of high gear into cruise control?
Yoga’s gifts are numerous but one of the best is the ability to move from the reactive state called fight or flight where we’re operating with high stress levels and taxing our nervous systems. Through asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation, it’s possible to move into rest and digest mode, which is a receptive state. If stabilizing your blood pressure, balancing your heart rate, and lowering stress hormones sounds like what you need, read on.
Depending on what style of yoga you practice, you can energize or relax. To become more calm, poses like forward bends, twists, and restorative postures will help you quiet your mind and pacify your nervous system. By slowing down on the mat, you’ll create the space to feel more clear and relaxed. This week, we’ve hand-picked classes to help you chill out, naturally.
If you’re looking for the best asanas to practice anytime you want to relax, here are a few of our favorites. Vipariti Karani (Legs up the wall pose), is one of the best postures to practice before bed, especially if you have trouble falling asleep. Elevating your legs above your heart with the support of the wall signals to your parasympathetic nervous system that it’s time to rest. Add a pillow or bolster under your hips and a blanket, hang out for ten to fifteen minutes, and doze off naturally.
Forward folds like Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold) are both excellent for helping you turn away from external stimuli. When you are literally turning inward, you’re encouraging introspection and a focus on your feelings and personal experience. When you tune out the noise and tune into yourself, you’re giving yourself permission to chill out. Settling into stillness and simply breathing and relaxing is the gateway to settling into your authentic self.
A quieter practice focused on restoring your equilibrium is enhanced with pranayama techniques. Breathing in a controlled manner with techniques like Vishama Vritti, which features extended exhales, soothes the parasympathetic nervous system. Slowing down breath and movement is the perfect preparation to dive deeper into meditation. And what better way to chill out than to settle into contemplation and meditation?
So if you’re ready to relax, check out this week’s new classes and say “ahhhh.”
Qi Gong - Shy Sayar
Ten Minute Chill Pill - Erin Wimert
Chill Out Slow Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.” ~ Lemony Snicket
You’ve heard the expression “waking up on the wrong side of the bed,” right? Well, some days when your alarm goes off, you and want to burrow beneath the covers instead of getting up and facing the day. Our emotions and moods are always changing. And depending on what’s going on in your life, you may be facing serious challenges at work or in your relationships.
We can’t control a lot of what’s happening around us, but we can take steps to control our reaction to them. Yoga and meditation are powerful tools to help us create tangible space in our reaction time to external events. No matter what’s happening in your day to day, practicing yoga in the morning sets you up for a positive experience.
Check out a few (of many) ways yoga is a great way to start your day:
Set and Manifest Positive Intentions:
Mindful breathing and movement helps us set an attitude of gratitude and a positive outlook for each day. Regardless of what the other 23 hours entail, you can choose to do something for your own mental, emotional, and physical health. Practicing yoga in the morning helps you quiet your mind, feed your emotions, and strengthen your body. Empower yourself to have the best day, every day, from the inside out.
Boost Your Immune System and Overall Health:
Yoga doesn’t just help you be stronger and more supple, it’s also excellent for stimulating circulation, improving digestion and elimination, and lymphatic flow. Our lymphatic system is what releases toxins from our bodies and pranayama and asana ensure we’re keeping everything flowing properly. Seventy percent of our immune system resides in our gut so, a regular morning yoga practice will help keep your immune system strong.
Ensure You Don’t Miss Your Practice:
Most of us are living busy lives with full schedules. Yoga is an act of self-care. Sometimes, we forget to refill our own wells and end up feeling burned out. A regular practice balances us out, internally and externally and enables us to show up as our best selves. Yoga in the morning ensures you won’t miss the chance to be your strongest, most balanced self all day long.
Try this week’s classes and start your day out right!
Good Morning Flow 2: Embodiment - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Full Body Sunrise Stretch 1 - Keith Allen
Love Your Alarm Clock - Celest Pereira
Kick Start Your Day - Robert Sidoti
As you know, a meaningful yoga lifestyle is about far more than poses and attending classes. At its best, any yoga practice is part of a holistically positive and aligned way of living. One essential component of this is making dietary choices that best support your practice.
Nutritional philosophy has historically been a central part of yoga. Nevertheless, it’s worth looking a little closer at how you can leverage traditions and modern nutritional knowledge to fuel your body in a way that’s right for you.
The first step to aligning your plate with your yoga practice is getting a better understanding of nutrition. Let’s start with the definition. At its core, nutrition is the way your body uses food and other elements to nourish itself. It’s a process that supports the various basic needs of your holistic wellness. This is why balance is so often considered vital in nutrition. Different food groups — fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins, among others — give your body specific fuels. When these are unbalanced or the body is missing something, it can impact performance and your experience.
So what difference does knowing nutritional principles make to your yoga practice? Mainly, it empowers you to make more informed decisions. Yoga is, of course, a route to your overall well-being. However, it also needs fuel to make a practice practical. At the most basic level, recognizing what makes a balanced diet that boosts your physical and psychological attributes gives you the foundation on which to assess your current condition and make adjustments.
Remember, though, that nutrition isn’t just about adopting general guidelines, such as consuming 2 cups of fruit or 6 ounces of grains per day. The volumes can vary depending on age and gender, too. There will also be nuances if you have specific health issues that impact aspects such as blood sugar or how your body metabolizes food. Do a little research into the nutritional foundations that best fit you. If you’re uncertain, check with your doctor or nutritionist. By establishing this baseline nutrition, you’re in a better position to augment it with nutritional philosophies that are relevant to yoga.
One significant yoga philosophy is the importance of connecting your mind and body for mutually positive and harmonic outcomes. This is particularly vital in dharana and dyana practices that lean into concentration and meditation respectively. While the poses in these practices are often the primary focus, nutrition also influences strengthening and supporting the mind-body connection that empowers you to enhance your experience.
Alongside balanced nutrition, there are foods that are known to boost cognitive functioning. Leafy greens — such as kale, spinach, and cabbage — are rich in vitamins E and K, which can be useful in fending off age-related cognitive impairments. Oily fish includes omega-3 fatty acids that help build brain cells, while its docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) contribute to healthy brain cell composition. Incorporating these into your diet may improve your focus and cognition-related yoga practices.
Of course, cognition isn’t the only aspect of the mind-body connection. Emotional well-being plays a role, too. Some nutritional self-care that supports your mental wellness can put you in a mood that keeps you motivated and able to maintain a beneficial yoga routine. This isn’t just about the types of foods you consume. It is important to eat protein as it contains amino acids that help regulate mood. You also need to ensure you’re eating regularly and staying consistently hydrated, as gaps here can lead to drops in your energy levels and mood that are likely to impact both your wellness and yoga experience alike.
The prakriti has long been considered a core element of yoga nutritional philosophies. In essence, this is the way your doshas combine to determine your physical and psychological makeup. The tradition asserts that every person has a prakriti that is entirely unique to them, based on their specific body functions, their emotions, and even their life experiences. In yoga nutritional philosophy, the better you can understand your prakriti, the more informed choices you can make about a diet that best feeds it for positive holistic outcomes.
So, how do you get this understanding of your prakriti? Well, according to Ayurvedic traditions, people tend to fall into specific body types. Ayurveda practitioners perform analyses of everything from lifestyle to excretions and place people in the most likely categories. According to these processes, yogis who are dominant in a certain body type can benefit from incorporating foods into their lives that bring greater balance into their doshas. For instance, vata-dominant prakriti individuals are often recommended to eat ghee, almonds, and pomegranates.
Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily have to go down this route. You can get a better sense of your individual nature by simply paying close attention to your whole self. Be mindful of what your current and developing physical challenges are and what foodstuffs help you manage these. Perhaps keep a food diary, so you can recognize what types of foods have a negative or positive effect on your physical and psychological wellness. When you’re craving junk foods, consider what your body is really yearning for — whether flavors or sensations — and substitute these for healthier options.
Mindful nutritional choices form a part of any holistically positive yoga practice. This involves gaining an understanding of what contributes to nutritional balance alongside making tailored choices in line with your prakriti. Yet, bear in mind that your needs and how you respond to different foods develop as you age. Be curious enough to keep exploring what your nutritional needs are and what changes you can make to optimize your practice and your health.
By Katie Brenneman
“Don't worry if you're making waves just by being yourself. The Moon does it all the time.” Scott Stabile
Ready to align with the moon? February 10th marked the Lunar New Year, which celebrates the New Year based on the lunar calendar. This week, we’ve got four classes designed to attune your physical and subtle body to the energetics of the moon. Light can’t exist without darkness and vice-versa. Hatha is the physical practice of yoga and “Ha” means sun and “tha” means moon. The sun provides us with light and life, but the moon wields significant power on the Earth and on us.
On a grand scale, the moon controls the ocean tides with its gravitational pull. About 71% of the earth is covered by water of which the oceans are 95%. So, as the moon waxes and wanes, it influences everything from fishermen’s livelihood to tsunamis to daredevils surfing fifty-foot waves off the coast of Nazaré. Of course we all feel the moon’s impact on our moods and emotions so aligning with the moon’s energy can be really impactful.
You’ve heard about howling at the Full Moon and perhaps know that emergency rooms are fuller because more accidents occur under the Full Moon. Many of us feel our emotions on a grander scale during this time so it’s a great time for inner reflection. Full Moon energy is associated with letting go. It’s a great time to release what is no longer serving you.
For the two weeks following a Full Moon, the moon wanes until it becomes a crescent in the sky. The New Moon signifies beginnings and is an excellent time to start new projects, to move forward, to take charge of your life. During the two-week waxing phase, use the energy of the moon’s visible growth to expand your own life.
Yoga is a perfect way to connect to the moon’s energy. Moon Salutations are known in Sanskrit at Chandra Namasakar. Unlike Sun Salutations, Moon Salutations are a sequence of linked poses designed to create a cooling flow. Chandra Namaskar includes mountain pose, star pose, goddess pose, lateral low lunges, triangle pose and pyramid pose. Check out this week’s classes and connect with the lunar energy!
Moon in Leo - Gemma Celento
Moon in Taurus - Gemma Celento
Deep Slow Lunar Flow: A Hip-Opening "Surgery" - Shy Sayar
Moon Salutations Flow - Lisa Richards
“You are only as young as your spine is flexible.”— Joseph Pilates
A strong core and a healthy spine go hand in hand. Visualize the muscles of your core, which include your abdominals, back, and glutes, as a natural girdle supporting your spine. Keeping these muscles strong and supple will protect your spine, improve your posture, maintain and improve alignment, and help you avoid lower back pain.
Whether you’re taking a yoga class specifically designed to focus on core/spine health or a core/Pilates class, you’ll garner these benefits. Back pain is often the result of weak abdominals, tight hip flexors, and inflexible hamstrings. It’s vital to ensure all three of these elements are addressed to keep your core and spine in optimal health.
When you work on your center, you aren’t just getting toned muscles, you’re also creating a support system for your spine. Navasana (Boat Pose) and Phalakasana (Plank Pose) are two of yoga’s best core strengtheners and can be incorporated into any practice. Classes that are fitness-based, like HIIT, Pilates, Core, and Sculpt, generally include dedicated core work.
Another set of muscles that directly impact the health of your core are the hip flexors or psoas muscles. These large muscles are the only ones in your body that start in the front of the body and finish in the back. Asanas like Virabhadrasana I (Warrior 1) emphasize stretching the entire front of the hip and thigh. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) opens the entire front side of the body and strengthens the back too.
In addition to working on your center, it’s essential to work on flexibility, and specifically the hamstrings. Many yoga practices help open the hamstrings, which when overly tight can put pressure on the lower back and cause or exacerbate lumbar pain. Asanas (postures) like Adho Mukha Svnasana (Downward Facing Dog) and Paschimottanasa (Seated Forward Fold) both emphasize stretching the posterior chain of muscles, including the hamstrings and the entire back. Keeping these muscles supple plays a key role in keeping your spine strong.
Taking the time to focus specifically on strengthening and lengthening your center will keep your spine as healthy as possible. Try this week’s classes and see how great you feel!
Strong Core-Supple Spine - Claire Petretti Marti
Midline Method Spine Opening - Ali Duncan
Mad About Core 2 - Jessica Oldfield
Core Strength the Iyengar Way - Dana Hanizeski
“Breath is the king of mind.” ~B.K.S. Iyengar
B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the yoga teachers credited with bringing yoga to the West taught that pranayama was more advanced than asana. In his classes, he instructed his students to master the physical postures prior to attempting pranayama techniques. Pranayama allows you to sink into deeper meditation. A well-rounded yoga practice includes asana, pranayama, and meditation.
What is Pranayama? Pranayama is the practice of extending and regulating your prana or life force. Simply by focusing on mindful breathing, we can learn to change the way we feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Simply by utilizing different techniques, you can calm your nervous system, boost your energy, quiet your mind, and soothe your emotions. Pranayama gives you the ability to manage your prana.
You’re likely familiar with some of the Pranayama practices your favorite yoga teachers use in class. If you’re a Vinyasa yoga student, you’re familiar with Ujjayi breath where you inhale and exhale through the nose with a slight constriction in the back of your throat. Ujjayi is an excellent tool to maintain awareness and quiet a distracted mind and warms you up from the inside out.
If you’re feeling overheated and need to cool off, Sitali pranayama is the technique that will assist you. Sitali breath is inhaling through the mouth with your tongue curved and exhaling through the nose for at least five rounds. It looks and feels kind of silly, but it works!
Two other techniques used in many yoga classes are: Kapalabhati and Alternate-Nostril Breathing. Kapalabhati pranayama or “Skull Cleansing” Breath utilizes rapid forceful nostril exhales to energize the entire body and clear the mind. It’s a perfect practice when you’re feeling stagnant and heavy. Alternate-Nostril Breathing is just what it sounds like––controlling the breath by closing one nostril at a time and imparts a feeling of balance and clarity.
This week’s classes are specifically designed with yoga, pranayama, and meditation to remind you about the importance of mindful breathing. Each class is suitable for students new to Pranayama techniques as well as for advanced yogis. So if you’re ready to impact the way you’re feeling fast––here you go!
Pause & Breathe: Dirgha Pranayama - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Meditation: Mindfulness of Breath - Shy Sayar
A Fresh Breath - Kristin Gibowicz
Pranayama: Kapalabhati - Pradeep Teotia
Most yogis practice at a well-established studio with all the equipment needed to run a great practice. This means yogis can play music, perform equipped poses, and allow newcomers to borrow things like blocks and bands.
However, you don’t necessarily need to practice from the same space year-round. In fact, taking your yoga on the road may be the perfect way to learn new flows, connect with other practitioners, and earn some extra cash.
Yoga on the go is perfect if you’re traveling but still want to maintain your fitness, too. Even a simple session with a mat, a clean space, and thirty minutes of free time can clear your mind and improve your health.
Yoga is over 5,000 years old. During that time, most people who took to the discipline didn’t have supportive vinyl mats to work with. That means that you can probably practice anywhere at any time if you have enough motivation and are willing to alter your normal practice.
However, modern tools and mats do help practitioners deepen their stretch and avoid injury. It’s always a good idea to bring a supportive, reliable mat with you. If you’re planning on teaching groups, consider packing a few extra mats for folks who are new to the discipline.
You may be able to pack a few blocks and straps, too. This can be helpful if you’re working through an injury or are experimenting with new poses. Ultimately, you’ll know your own practice better than anyone and can bring the equipment that supports your flow.
You will, however, need to bring essential first-aid equipment. While most practices go by without a hitch, you’re certain to run into a medical emergency at some point while teaching. Keep things simple by packing a well-stocked emergency kit and learning some first-aid tips while at work to deal with minor strains, sprains, and cuts. For instance, if someone has an injury that has broken the skin, you can use straps as a makeshift tourniquet to stem the bleeding.
It’s usually best to adopt a spartan approach to packing when traveling and teaching. However, that doesn’t mean you need to give up all your goodies for no reason.
Instead, consider setting aside a little of your pack for extras like portable speakers, incense, and gifts for fellow practitioners. This will leave a lasting impression on the folks you train with and may boost your profile as a professional yogi.
You’ll also need to make space for items that boost your health and keep you in shape. Don’t overlook the importance of simple items like foam rollers and aromatherapy tools that reduce stress. This is particularly important if you struggle with travel anxiety. A few simple home pleasures can make a world of difference between practices and will help you maintain your motivation when living on the road.
The idea of traveling and teaching is appealing to many yogis. However, you may find that trying to balance work and play becomes difficult when you’re living on the road. This can become a real issue, as you need to set aside time for your own practice between teaching classes.
Craft some time for yourself with a portable practice that works for you. Try to focus on poses and flows that help you unravel after travel, like:
These flows help you unwind physically and mentally. They incorporate plenty of gentle side bends and twists, too, meaning you can slowly recover after a day at the wheel. Once you’ve thrown down your bags, set aside some time for these quick classes that prepare your body and alleviate any tension you’re still carrying.
Teaching yoga can be lucrative if you’re able to raise your profile and charge a premium price for your services. However, managing your money while on the road can be tricky if you’re used to stability. It’s easy to spend more than usual when eating out, renting hotel rooms, and traveling to new destinations.
Give yourself financial peace of mind by using technology to manage your money. Most banks now offer mobile apps that help you check in on your balance and set a budget. You can also use this service to automate bill payments and set tax reminders. Just be sure to set a permanent address before you decide to travel. An actively monitored permanent address is essential as your bank and employers will likely send you mail while you are away.
Taking your yoga practice on the go is a great way to earn some extra income while connecting with yogis and practitioners. However, you’ll need to make some strategic changes if you want to make the most of your time on the road. Learn to practice with minimal equipment and try to pack more than the bare essentials. This will elevate your practice, improve your reputation, and help finance future travels.
Are you ready to mix it up on your mat? Yoga fusion classes run the gambit of combining yoga with weights, barre, Pilates, HIIT, cardio––the variety is part of the fun! These special classes emphasize getting stronger, but also staying flexible. Whether you are short on time but want to fit in your fitness and your yoga or whether you get bored easily, we’ve got some awesome classes for you.
These practices are efficient, effective, and balanced. Here are a few ways you’ll benefit:
1. Yoga Fusion Classes Improve Your Health
Bad news: once you hit your thirties, you start losing muscle and bone annually. The good news: working on strength just a few times a week will allow you to maintain or even increase your strength. Blending different wellness modalities like weight lifting, cardio, or HIIT with yoga will benefit every aspect of your health. Your cardiovascular system will get stronger and more efficient with classes that get your heart rate up. Weight-bearing exercise and resistance workouts strengthen not just your muscles but also strengthen your bones. The yoga portion of class ensures you’re staying supple, too.
2. Yoga Fusion Classes Save You Time
These days, we’re all busy, right? But self-care is a priority and with Yoga Fusion classes, you don’t have to give up your yoga or your fitness. You can have it all!
Instead of going for a run and to the gym and to yoga, you can take a fusion class and garner all the physical benefits you want without sacrificing the mental and emotional ones. Yoga Fusion classes will allow you to maintain or even improve your game, without diminishing quality.
3. Yoga Fusion Classes Keep You Engaged
Maybe you tend to repeat your favorite yoga classes and fitness workouts and you’re seeking some variety. Hybrid workouts are an excellent way to mix up your usual routine and ensure you aren’t in a rut. When you try new classes, you’re stimulating your mind as well as your body. Get ready to sweat, to get stronger and more flexible, and to feel fantastic. Enjoy!
Pilates/Yoga Fusion Energy Burst - Claire Petretti Marti
The Trifecta - Erin Wimert
Rockin Bhakti VinYin - Christen Bakken
Spin & Yoga: QiFlow Cycle - Dawnelle Arthur
Can you believe we’re more than halfway through January? If you started the year out with the intention to expand or maintain your yoga practice, how is it going? If life has gotten busy and you over-estimated just how much time you actually have, we’re here to make it easier for you to be consistent with your yoga routine.
Don’t waste energy stressing about why you’ve not had time to practice yoga as frequently as you would like. Instead, focus on how you can fit in your yoga, even when you’re short on time. Consistency is key to feeling balanced, strong, and flexible. Quality not quantity! You don’t need an hour or ninety-minute practice to garner all the mind, body, and spiritual benefits of yoga. Even fifteen to twenty-minute classes will help you find a better mood, vibrant energy, and a stronger more supple body.
Practicing yoga several times a week is an investment in your health––both inside and out. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali referred to yoga as a process of being a gardener or farmer. Each yoga practice is planting seeds for your future health and well-being. You might not see the benefits today but you’re setting yourself up to feel your best tomorrow and beyond.
Yoga is a practical journey, and it requires practice––you can’t just think about it, you must do it. Yoga requires us to focus on our breath and tune into how we are feeling. When we increase our awareness of and connection to our thoughts and emotions, we are living more authentically. We are living in the present moment.
Even if your schedule is packed, you can squeeze in a short practice. Set the alarm twenty minutes earlier, spend half your lunch hour on the mat, or turn your phone off and use that time for yoga. You can mix it up on those days where it’s just not feasible to practice for an hour or more. Ten minutes is better than no minutes!
Check out these four new classes for your quick yoga fix!
Mid-day Stretch Break - Mary Baker
Flow on the Go 1 - Keith Allen
Hocus Focus Quickie - Jessica Oldfield
On-The-Go Detoxifying Sequence - Life Force Project
“The very heart of yoga practice is ‘abyhasa’ steady effort in the direction you want to go.” ― Sally Kempton
Has someone told you that you MUST practice yoga in the mornings or the evenings or when the moon is full or fill-in-the-blank? It’s simply not true. No hard and fast rules exist. The best time to practice is when you can step onto the mat!
In our busy lives, every day can be different and so you can adapt your practice based on your schedule. One of the greatest benefits of practicing yoga at home or on the road is you choose. There are advantages of practicing at different times. For example, Yoga Nidra first thing in the morning might make you so relaxed you want to stay in bed all day or an intense power class at 9 p.m. could make falling asleep a challenge.
Practicing yoga first thing in the morning is a great way to set a positive intention for your day, boost your metabolism and get energized, and ensures you’ll get your practice in before the busyness of your day takes over. Morning yoga can also help you start your day feeling focused and serene.
Some days it’s a challenge to squeeze in yoga. If your schedule doesn’t allow you time to practice before or after work, try taking a lunchtime yoga class. Midday is an ideal time to take a break to clear your mind and boost your energy levels. If you work behind a desk or on the computer, take the time to step away and stretch to counterbalance all the sitting.
Evening yoga is an ideal way to release the events of your day. An active Vinyasa class to sweat out your day and transition to a relaxing evening is great for tiring out your physical body. Classes at night are the perfect time for slower practices which can calm your busy mind. Restorative, yin, slow flow, gentle hatha, and Yoga Nidra are perfect for winding down and helping you sleep more deeply.
Check out this week’s classes. There’s a perfect one for whatever time of day works for you!
Sunset Slow Flow (NEW!) - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Fitness 'n' Yoga: Morning Flow (NEW!) - Ben Davis
Weekend Practice - Sarah Shannon
Lunchtime Flow (Audio) - Dawnelle Arthur
For most people, yoga represents a reprieve from everyday life. While on your mat, you can put your troubles aside and work on your strength, balance, and mobility.
However, the Yogi ideals can make life off the mats that much more fulfilling, too. Yogi ideals can have a profound impact on the way you view life and help you develop self-love and awareness during your everyday life.
The Yogi ideals can help you make better decisions, too. Following the yogi way of life can reduce the harm you cause and help you move through the world with grace, mindfulness, and love.
Yoga, which originated in Northern India 5,000 years ago, is underpinned by 10 principles. These principles were formalized by Patanjali and can be broken into 5 external practices and 5 inner observations. These include:
These ideals guide the life of a Yogi and can help you live a more fulfilling, content lifestyle. This can be a powerful change if you’re used to the hustle and bustle of modern life. Consider learning more about the 5 principles of the Yoga Sutra. Alternatively, you can increase your knowledge by watching documentaries that serve as a perfect introduction to the Yogi principles.
It’s worth pointing out that the principles of the Yogi can mean different things to different people. Discovering what Satya and Santosha mean to you can relieve your anxiety and help you lead a calmer, more fulfilling lifestyle.
The Yogi ideals aren’t just platitudes meant to be ignored when you leave the studio. Instead, you should use the Yogi principles to refine your decision-making and lead a more fulfilling, peaceful life.
The Yogi principles can be used when making everyday decisions, too. For example, if you’re buying a new car, you can use the principles of Ahimsa and Aparigraha to guide your decision-making and purchase a low-impact electric vehicle (EV). EVs are eco-friendly and typically feature animal-free interiors. As more of the grid switches to renewable sources, EVs will become increasingly carbon-efficient and, therefore, cause less harm to the environment.
You can also use Yogi principles to improve your relationships. This is particularly helpful if you’ve experienced conflict with coworkers, bosses, friends, or family. Principles like Brahmacharya transform the way you approach disagreements by helping you practice self-restraint. This is crucial when you’re experiencing heightened emotions due to a recent argument.
Yogi ideals can help you make the right choice in an emergency, too. It’s difficult to make positive, assertive decisions when fear has it in your grip. However, the Yogi ideals teach you to follow non-violence and pursue truthfulness in thought. This can be deeply empowering when your adrenaline is pumping and you need to make the right choice.
Many people practice yoga for its physical and mental benefits. Chief among these benefits is a sense of empowerment. When you're deep in a flow, you feel as though you could take on the world. You don’t have to leave these feelings behind at the studio door, either.
Instead, take your practice home with you by following empowering home workout plans. These plans will maximize your garage gym space and help you set aside time for yoga sessions that enhance your lifelong strength. Practicing at home gives you instant access to the health-boosting benefits of yoga and can be partnered with workouts that build your balance, tone your muscles, and get the whole family moving.
Creating your own home studio helps you achieve the principle of Tapas, too. Tapas teaches you to pursue your goals with tenacity and effort. By putting together a home studio, you’re making a clear intention to spend more time on the mat. This is deeply motivating and ensures you are always able to work up a sweat and hone your balance during busy weekdays.
A home studio doesn’t need to break the budget, either. You can pursue yoga in the comfort of your own home by upgrading your mat, installing some mood lighting, and switching on some Bluetooth surround sound speakers. This will allow you to practice around the clock and is sure to enhance your Brahmacharya (self-discipline and consistency) .
Yogis around the world are renowned for their calmness and self-assurance. You can unlock these ideals for yourself by embracing the principles of the Yogi in your day-to-day life. Start small, with simple gestures to improve your self-love. Increase your consistency and embrace the principle of Brahmacharya by creating your own studio space at home. This will help you remain calm under pressure and improve your relationships with your family and friends.
“Life is a daring adventure, without fear, be ready to enjoy the twists and turns.” ~Debasish Mridha
Like a spark of lightning or a crash of thunder, our lives can transform in a flash. We can’t control external events, but we can control our reaction to them. Think of your yoga mat as the preparation zone for the rest of your day. Life isn’t linear, it’s a winding twisting journey so why not twist it out on your mat first?
Twists are an excellent way to invite in a feeling of lightness, to release negative thoughts and emotions, to keep your spine healthy, and to benefit your internal organs. Here are 3 ways twists help.
1. Stimulates Digestion and Elimination
When you twist from your mid-section, you’re placing gentle compression on your internal organs, helping them work efficiently. By rotating your spine, you’re boosting your circulation and encouraging toxins in the liver and kidneys to depart via your lymphatic system. You can release stagnant energy weighing you down and feel more buoyant and alert.
2. Promotes Spinal Health and Prevents Back Pain
Moving our spines though all three planes of motion: front to back (sagittal plane), side to side (lateral plane), and rotation (transverse plane) is vital to maintain proper posture. Twists help create space in the muscles and connective tissue surrounding the spinal column. This helps prevent compressed or herniated vertebrae and discs and improves range of motion. To maintain healthy alignment, we need to counteract the compressing effects of sitting too much and twists play a part in the process.
3. Aids in Creating a Calm and Positive Mindset
Yoga’s greatest purpose and arguably greatest benefit is learning to direct our attention where we want it to go or to control our thoughts. When we create freedom and space in our spine through invigorating and/or soothing twists, we create quiet and calm in our minds and our hearts. If you’re feeling weighed down with your thoughts and emotions, twists are a powerful way to positively impact your mood and mindset.
This week’s classes focus on twisting postures, not simply to benefit your physical body but serve as a tool to navigate life’s twists and turns. Enjoy!
We Move In Spirals - Christen Bakken
Twists Mobility - Lila Whiting
Twists and Binds - Rob Loud
Quick Morning Twists - Cicily Carter
Consistency is a concept we discuss frequently in yoga. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1:14 states, sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkarasevito drdhabhumih: Practice that is done for a long time, without break and with sincere devotion becomes a firmly rooted, stable, and solid foundation.
In other words, you must be consistent in your yoga practice to reap the physical, emotional, and mental benefits. A few classes here and there won’t do it. Sometimes it’s simply not feasible to practice full length classes regularly at a studio. One of the biggest benefits of online yoga with us is you can practice anytime and anywhere.
Consistency and discipline looks different for all of us. If you’re a YogaDownload yogi, you understand the importance of yoga most days. If you only have fifteen minutes, you can squeeze in a quick practice at home or when you’re traveling. On the days you have plenty of time for a longer class, great! It’s more about the commitment to settling into your breath and movement each day, no excuses.
During the holiday season, our customary routines and schedules are often tossed out the window. Whether you’re in a hotel room or sleeping in your childhood bedroom, you may have limited space and time. Also, traveling with a yoga mat isn’t always feasible so you’ll need to get creative.
Don’t worry––you can keep your practice going with our specially designed practices for small spaces. These classes focus on standing poses, which will get your blood flowing, strengthen and stretch all your muscles, clear your mind, and soften your heart. You’ll get your yoga buzz and keep yourself on track until you can return to your regular routine.
So sneak off somewhere in your Aunt Susie’s attic or stand right next to your hotel bed and take a few minutes for yourself! Pick a class and press play! Happy holidays!
Hotel Room Yoga: No Mat/No Problem - Claire Petretti Marti
Straight Up Standing Poses - Dana Hanizeski
Standing Poses - Denelle Numis
Stand Up & Stretch 2: A Yoga Break - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Whether you celebrate Hannukah, Christmas, or Kwanza, it’s that hectic yet slow time of the year. Add in that we’re in the midst of Mercury Retrograde––the time when the planet of communication is traveling backward––and you may be feeling off your game. It’s the time of year to release expectations and attachment to how the next few weeks will unfold.
According to Patanjali’s Eight Limbed-Yoga Path, the final Yama is Aparigraha which is:
A=”not”, the absence of, the freedom from Parigraha=hoarding or collecting. In other words, Aparigraha means not being greedy and not attaching too much importance to possessions, outcomes, and even relationships. Yes, this concept can be confusing.
In relation to the holidays, it can be a reminder not to worry too much about what you cannot control.
Sometimes at this time of year, we fixate on being the perfect child/parent/brother/sister/partner or we’re determined to make the holiday perfect. If you’ve ever watched Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase, you’ll recall how sometimes the more attached you are to making everything perfect, the more can go wrong. The holidays are the perfect time to release attachment to outcomes, work on being more compassionate, and be joyous for what you do have.
Carving out the time to practice yoga, even if you’re sneaking in a few Sun Salutations or only have time for a yoga quickie, can help you soothe your nervous system, balance your perspective, and appreciate the present moment. Santosha, one of the Niyamas in the Eight-Limbed path, encourages us to be content with what we do have in our life, right now. Cultivating Santosha is tied to a sense of gratitude for the present moment.
The holidays are a great time to remind yourself to be grateful and happy with yourself, just as you are. Take time for some self-care, for even a few minutes of yoga and meditation, and navigate the last few weeks of 2023 feeling great! This week’s classes can make all the difference! Enjoy!
Find Your Bliss Flow - Mary Baker
Midday Mood Booster - Jessica Oldfield
Reset Refuge: Crazy Day Decompression - Elise Fabricant
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the holidays are one of the busiest times of the year! Despite our best intentions to maintain our healthy routines and remain balanced and grounded, we often find ourselves feeling stressed out. If you usually practice active, flowing styles of yoga, it might be the perfect time to slow down and focus more on Yin yoga to tide you over to 2024.
Yin yoga is a quieter style of yoga that soothes your nerves and relaxes your fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced yogi, you can adapt Yin yoga to your individual abilities and needs. These classes advocate taking your time finding your edge in each posture, so you can work within your range of motion.
Yin consists of three primary principles or tattvas:
One: Find your edge or appropriate depth for you in the posture.
Two: Settle into stillness.
Three: Hold the posture for time, usually one to five minutes.
Although a Yin class contains only a handful of postures, don’t assume that it’s easy. Sometimes, holding poses for several minutes, especially ones like Sleeping Swan (Half-Pigeon in Yang yoga) or Dragon (Runner’s Lunge), is more challenging than flowing through a series. The focus on Pranayama (breath work) to stay calm and manage the emotions that arise when we remain still is a key element in Yin.
Yin yoga targets the deeper connective tissues in your body and encourages better blood flow to the joints and nourishes your kidneys, adrenals, and internal organs. Slowing down helps you create a calmness and softness inside. The holidays can bring up a myriad of emotions––positive ones and not-so-positive ones––depending on your personal situation. However you’re feeling, Yin can help you process your emotions and ensure they don’t remain stuck in your physical body.
This week’s classes emphasize slowing down in order to feel your best. Check out these fabulous practices from top YogaDownload instructors and see how good you feel!
Yin Yoga: Hips & Lower Back - Caitlin Rose Kenney
Let it Go: Yin + Sound Bowl Savasana - Elizabeth Brumfield
Yin Yoga - Finding Your Center - Kylie Larson
Yin on the Rocks Live! - Eric Paskel
“Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river.” - Lao Tzu
It may sound like a contradiction to discuss flowing and stillness as co-existing, but they actually go hand in hand. Learning to still or quiet your mind and focus on your breath flowing through your body enables you to find your zone, where you stop doing and you’re simply being. When you’re able to filter out distractions, you’re able to access a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. Perhaps you feel in the zone when you are totally immersed in a favorite activity, like running, surfing, dancing, or gardening.
Many paths exist to find your flow. Yoga, pranayama, and meditation are some of the most powerful ways to find freedom from constant patterns of “doing” and learn to simply “be.” Yoga is a journey of peeling away the layers to access your inner light and authentic self. When you can sink into sustained attention, you are fully present and at the height of your personal power.
Vinyasa yoga is often referred to simply as flow yoga and is derived from Ashtanga Yoga. Vinyasa means to place in a special or sacred way, with attention and intention. The focus is on linking breath to movement to create a moving meditation. A state where you can quiet your thoughts and settle into your body, mind, and heart. Other styles of yoga also allow you to find your flow––the key is to find what resonates with you and allows you to sink into the rhythm of your breath.
The way we breathe impacts the way we feel. Pranayama, or breath control, is one of the most powerful modalities to create harmony within you and is an important precursor to deep meditation. A consistent yoga practice which includes pranayama and meditation can help you access your flow state whenever you want. When you’re in the flow, you’re truly living your life fully.
So if you’re ready to “be still like a mountain and flow like a great river,” try one of this week’s specially curated practices!
Inner Strength Flow 3: An Open Heart - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Seamless Flow - Lila Whiting
No Fuss Flow - Jessica Oldfield
Wild Thing Flow - Jill Pedroza
You may have heard the terms flexibility and mobility used interchangeably but although they are complementary, there are distinctions. Think of flexibility as the muscle’s ability to stretch passively. Mobility incorporates flexibility but also requires strength to actively move a joint through its full range of motion. It’s important to work on both flexibility and mobility and guess what? Yoga provides a way to improve and maintain both.
Mobility and flexibility provide a myriad of benefits to help you feel your best. The combination of both helps you move your body through your full range of motion, whether you’re swinging a golf club, picking up a heavy box, or flowing through chatarangua dandasana. When your muscles are tight or inflexible, they can create restriction of the joints and restrict range of motion.
So for healthy hips, you’d want to stretch your hip flexors and hip rotators (piriformis muscles) for flexibility and do some range-of-motion exercises to move the thigh bone in the hip socket for joint mobility. A great pose for mobility is Adho Mukha Svanasna (Downward Dog) which stretches the posterior chain of the body and improves ankle, hip, and shoulder mobility.
Improving flexibility and mobility is important to prevent injury and enhance performance. Yoga helps build strong, healthy muscles, improves blood flow and enhances coordination and athletic performance. But you don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from a focus on mobility––everyone benefits. If you want to feel your best and stay active indefinitely, it’s vital to either maintain your current level or improve upon any limitations in your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.
When you’re moving with ease and freedom, you also experience more mental and emotional freedom. This week’s classes are specifically designed to emphasize mobility but you’ll also improve your flexibility at the same time. Get ready to get loose!
Shoulder/Neck Mobility Flow - Kristin Gibowicz
Your Hips Don't Lie: Hip Mobility Gentle Flow - Christen Bakken
A Daily Plan for All Over Mobility - Michelle Berman Marchildon
Mindful Transitions Flow - Kristin Gibowicz
Traveling is often considered an exciting experience. Unfortunately, not everyone finds the process to be entirely positive. If you live with travel anxiety, your symptoms can put a serious dent in something that should really give you great cause for joy and enrichment.
The good news is that you’re not powerless here. Some knowledge, preparation, and a few techniques can help you manage and even overcome your anxiety. This can help free your mind and body to fully drink in all the positive attributes travel has to offer.
Your first step to conquering your travel anxiety is to get a good understanding of what the root causes are. In some instances, there may be an issue that has developed from a specific incident. You might also have a variety of causes that contribute to a wider sense of fear. The more you can learn about these roots, the better you may be able to address them or prevent them.
Each person’s experience of travel anxiety tends to be individual in nature. This means that while there may be common causes, the nature and details of these may be largely unique to you. Therefore, establishing the likely causes could require some analysis. You might be able to perform this yourself. Consider what specifically unnerves you about traveling and what past experiences this relates to. Alternatively, a therapist or psychologist could be a useful tool in helping you dig deeper to unearth the deeper or more complex issues.
Preparation is often a good way to handle travel anxiety. The better you can arrange measures in advance, the more effectively you’re likely to be able to control your experiences. Not to mention that the knowledge of having preparations in place may help you to feel more comfortable with the idea of spending some time away from home.
Wherever possible, utilize the knowledge you’ve gained about the root causes of your anxiety to drive your prep efforts. You may find it useful to brainstorm potential arrangements that directly impact the difficulties you face.
For instance:
There’s no doubt that travel costs can be stressful. If this is a cause of your anxiety, you may find it helpful to prepare with measures that enable you to travel on a budget. This could include booking your travel well in advance so you can shop around for the best deals. Alternatively, you could book vacations during the off-season to take advantage of lower flight and accommodation costs. Making plans to prepare your own food during trips rather than eating out can also be financially smart.
The idea of being around a lot of people while traveling can trigger anxiety. You may find it useful to prepare by spending time around gradually larger groups of people in the weeks leading up to your trip. You could also practice relaxation techniques that enable you to be more calm when in close proximity to others. Even loading a device with music or meditation apps may be effective.
Adopting effective coping mechanisms for travel anxiety can depend on your symptoms and their severity. Some people find they have trouble sleeping prior to travel, which can also exacerbate further sensations of anxiety. Panic attacks and physical health problems, like body aches and ulcers, are also common. The key is to find activities that ease these experiences while also generating a wider sense of calm.
Some effective mechanisms include:
Remember, though, that the efficacy of your coping mechanisms may change over time. Not to mention that you may have needs that some general techniques don’t quite address entirely. Be open to experimenting with approaches and exploring new methods that are more attuned to your unique challenges.
Travel anxiety is a difficult experience, but there are tools to address it. Get to know what the causes are and adopt relevant preparation and coping strategies. That said, it’s worth also generally building anxiety-reducing methods into your wider lifestyle. This can empower you to both enjoy greater day-to-day wellness as well as preparing you to make effective adjustments when traveling.
by Katie Brenneman
Are you ready to feel energized and empowered and embark upon your day? Or do you just feel like lounging on your couch or staying in bed with the covers over your head?
If you’ve been feeling stressed out or simply lethargic, yoga is one of the most powerful ways to lift your spirits and feel better. Often, we feel depleted because we are focusing on external events, or we’ve slipped into a pattern of being sedentary. This week, take some time to rebuild your strength, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
According to several studies in Psychology Today, author Kimerer L LaMothe Ph.D shared that movement helps depression, mindset, longevity, and more:
“Movement is what humans are. And when humans move their bodily selves—whether consciously exercising or not—they stimulate whatever resources exist within them for responding to life’s challenges—whether those challenges hale from cancer, depression, death, or a math problem.” February 29, 2016, Psychology Today
We are made up of energy or prana and if we don’t move and breathe regularly, we can feel stagnant and blocked. It’s a pattern where the less you move, the less you want to move. We’ve got four classes specifically designed to revitalize and energize you. Yoga helps us to improve our thoughts and feel more comfortable in our own skin. Trust that each time you step onto the mat, you are empowering yourself by improving your health and well-being.
Whether you are in the United States and are traveling or dealing with challenging family members over the Thanksgiving holiday or you simply have found yourself working too much and not moving enough, this week’s classes are specifically designed to revitalize you. Movement is one of the best ways to feel your best and stay calm under pressure. Plus, if you are celebrating the holiday, some twisting and vigorous movement will help you digest more efficiently! So try one or all of these energizing practices and see how great you feel!
p.s. We here at YogaDownload.com are grateful for you!
Energizing Power Vinyasa - Shy Sayar
Big Energy: A Morning Flow - Erin Wimert
Energizing Twisting Flow - Kylie Larson
Invigorating Power Flow - Lesley Jackson
How do you usually begin your day? And have you noticed how different your day is depending on whether you start out with a ritual or start out running around? Mindset or perception is everything and is a vital concept in yoga philosophy. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, humans suffer because of our perception. If we can change our viewpoint, if we can polish the lens through which we see the world, we will encounter less suffering.
Yoga Sutra 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodaha: Yoga is the resolution of the (dysfunctional) mind states, essentially means that yoga is the ability to direct the mind without distraction or interruption and is the pillar around which the entire text is built. Learning to control and quiet the mind takes dedication and practice. What better way to start off your day than to create the intention for your day through mindful movement and breath?
Choosing to practice yoga in the morning has the power to create a positive attitude you can extend throughout your day. You’ve likely heard that we don’t have much control over external events, all we can control is our own reaction to them. When you get centered before embarking on your day, no matter what external events occur, you’ll find you have more space in your reaction time you’ll feel more calm and collected. Less reaction and more peace sounds good, right?
Stepping onto your yoga mat to start your day not only shifts your perspective, but it boosts your physical well-being too. Yoga warms your muscles, stimulates circulation, stokes digestion, and impacts the lymphatic system to help flush out toxins. It’s a great way to feel strong, centered, and ready to embrace the day as your best self. Choose to take control of your body, thoughts, and mood.
We’re always here to make it as easy as hitting the Play button and this week is no different. Check out this week’s selection of classes designed to start your day right.
Good Morning Flow 1: Here & Now - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Wake Up Slowly 4 - Keith Allen
Rise, Flow and Shine! - Pradeep Teotia
Morning Routine to Start Your Day - Robert Sidoti
“In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow. In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention.” – Pico Iyer
We’ve just survived another time change! In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re moving into Winter with shorter days and much, much longer nights. Even if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere and entering summer, you’ve experienced a change in nature, as well. We’re all connected to the earth and life flows along so much more smoothly when we align with the changes in season. Transitions are excellent moments to breathe and experience the shifts.
If you usually gravitate toward intense style yoga classes because you feel like you need more work, why not try something different! We promise that a slow flow class won’t be boring or effortless. Sometimes, slowing down is actually more challenging than powering through. When you practice slower styles of yoga, you can hit the pause button on your adrenal glands, which are your “fight or flight” mode and settle into a more serene mindset.
Slow Flow and Hatha and mindfulness practices are the perfect antidote when you’re stressed out. So many of us are busy “doing” all day long and slower yoga practices help us transition to relaxation. Take a moment to contemplate how much time you have to simply watch the sunset, play with your pets, read a book…Probably not enough! Sometimes we all need the reminder that life is a beautiful dance between yin and yang, rest and work, and softness and strength.
Rest is good! When we slow down, we open up the space to settle into our deeper thoughts and dreams. Creativity thrives when we’re sitting still, not when we’re running around. Pause, stop, step back and see how much more energy you can embody!
This week’s classes will help you restore your physical energy, your emotional energy and your mental energy. Go ahead, take time to slow down and find your own sense of flow and nourish yourself––you deserve it!
Yummy Slow Flow - Claire Petretti Marti
Slow Hatha Flow - Ali Duncan
Square Breathing - Gemma Carey Clarke
Finding Peace & Stillness Flow - Mary Baker
“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self and intelligence.” B.K.S. Iyengar
Renowned yoga teacher, B.K.S. Iyengar based his system of yoga on proper alignment. He backed up his methods with theory that resonated not just when he was alive but stands the test of time, regardless of what style of yoga you practice. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned yogi––technique matters. There is no perfect pose, but by learning what works best for your body, you can create a yoga practice that will help you feel your best, inside and out.
We all have different anatomies, starting from our bones, our joints, our muscles, and our innate ability to move. You don’t have to be naturally flexible or strong to practice yoga. Taking the time to learn proper physical alignment and technique for each asana and then adapting them to your unique body will set you on the path to your own personal best practice. Flexibility and strength come with time!
“Action is movement with Intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is conscious movement, more action.” B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga emphasizes mindful breathing and certain styles, like Vinyasa yoga, link the breath to the movement to create a moving meditation. A good teacher will emphasize tuning inward and paying attention to how each pose feels. Listening to your body is key. If you’re experiencing mild discomfort, that’s probably just fine. But yoga should never cause any type of sharp or shooting pain. Conscious movement means moving with awareness and your awareness develops with time and commitment.
If you pay attention to technique in each pose, you’ll eventually move into the shape where you’re reaping the most benefits. Mastering the basics will free your mind to simply be present. You won’t have to think about it anymore, your body will learn all the small tweaks necessary to find the sense of “Sthira and Sukham” or “effort and ease as discussed in Patanjali’s yoga sutras.
Once you have a solid foundation, it’s simply a matter of layering your knowledge to move onto more advanced postures, like Scorpion and Headstand. Think of it like learning how to snorkel before you scuba dive or walk before you run. We’ve got tons of technique specific classes on YogaDownload, so you can safely and effectively learn just about any pose. Check out this week’s carefully curated collection!
Asana Lab: Warrior 2 - Katy Bateman
Yes! You can Crow! - Mary Baker
The Safe Path to Headstand - Shy Sayar
Qi Yoga Clinic - Hurdle - Dawnelle Arthur