“Each morning, we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” —Buddha
Morning rituals set the tone for the rest of the day. How do you begin yours? Do you bury your head under your pillow and hit the snooze button a few times? Automatically pick up your phone and start scrolling? Or do you have a morning routine designed to help you feel your best?
Practicing yoga in the morning is one of the greatest ways––yes, we’re biased––to start the day how you intend to live the day. No matter what happens after you’ve stepped off your mat, you’ve done something positive for your well-being.
Here are three of our favorite reasons to practice first thing in the morning:
1. Create a Clear Calm Mood:
Instead of diving straight into your busy day, set the tone from the inside out. No matter what style of yoga you choose, you’ll quiet your brain with mindful breathing and stimulate and soothe your nervous system. Before dealing with external events, create a positive mindset because all we can do is control our reaction to events. Yoga helps to create space in your reaction time so you can handle whatever the world offers up in a more graceful, balanced way.
2. Enhance Your Flexibility, Strength, and Balance:
Have you ever gotten out of bed and felt like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz? You’re not alone. One thing about yoga and any type of physical movement is that it requires consistency. To become or remain supple and strong, you must move on a regular basis. And to can guarantee you fit in your practice, do it first thing in the morning. Even a quick session will keep your muscles supple and your body strong and balanced.
3. Stoke your Digestive Fire:
One of the most powerful benefits of yoga is how it increases your digestive fire. Over 70% of our immune system is in our gut so it’s vital to maintain healthy digestion and elimination. Twists and forward folds massage and compress the internal organs and keep your system moving along at a regular pace. Let go of sluggishness and heaviness at the beginning of your day and see how energized you feel.
Whether you’re a morning person or not, practicing first thing will help you feel energized, clear, and calm. Check out this week’s classes and have a fantastic day!
Morning Movement - Kylie Larson
Morning Yoga Fix - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Morning Yoga Ritual - Elise Fabricant
Wake Up Slowly - Keith Allen
"Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over." ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
Who is ready for a boost of energy into the new year? It’s time to wipe the slate clean and inject all your enthusiasm for life and growth potential into moving forward with a positive mindset. A new year is a milestone for all of us to not simply pause and reflect on the past but to commit to living our best life. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting from Square One or you just need some simple tweaks to feel your best, yoga can help!
If you’re still processing 2022, you’re not alone. Take your time but we encourage you to join us in moving forward together to turn the page and start writing a fresh plan. We’re here to help boost your vitality with classes and a yoga program specifically designed to give you energy to enjoy today and plan for tomorrow.
How does yoga help boost vitality, especially when you may be tired from the recent holiday season? As you likely are aware, different styles of yoga help you feel a certain way. All yoga incorporates breathwork, physical postures, and often meditation. These modalities impact not just your muscles and bones, but your brain, your internal organs, and your entire system.
A gentle relaxing Hatha classes will soothe you and quiet your mind. Vigorous Vinyasa or Ashtanga flows will boost your endorphins and burn off excess energy. Yin yoga quiets your nervous system, among many other benefits. All yoga teaches use patience and discipline, which fuel our life’s journey.
This week’s classes focus on increasing your energy––physically, emotionally, and mentally––so you feel you're most alive. Pick one of the styles that resonates most for you in this moment. You’ve got choices so feel free to explore them all or just do the one(s) your body is craving today. Happy New Year!
Regenerating Vitality: Yin - Caitlin Rose Kenney (New!)
Transform Tension to Vitality - Geenie Celento
Energy Flow - Tyrone Beverly
Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality
While you’re reflecting on everything that’s happened over the past year, you can start to think about the things you are grateful for, maybe making a list. Gratitude can help to increase your life satisfaction, as well as help you feel more positive. It can help you to feel more positive about the year ahead, and help you to feel excited too!
Clear out your space
It’s good to get rid of the old, to make way for the new. Take in your space, and all the ‘stuff’ you’ve accumulated over the past year and get rid of anything you no longer need. Old paperwork, clothes you don’t wear, even old food in your pantry. This will help you to enter the new year feeling lighter. This includes your devices too! Delete old photos, messages and emails to create space for new things to come along.
List your goals
Once you’ve gotten rid of the old, it’s helpful to take time to write down your goals for the new year. Yes, new year's resolutions are hard to stick to, but writing them down is a simple way to help you keep them. And writing down goals is also a great way to stay focused on the year ahead. Try to break your goals up into small and manageable chunks to help you achieve them.
Make a schedule
Planning your time is a great way to make sure you’re successful in your new year goals and can help you achieve everything you want to. Start by creating a general schedule for the year ahead as you prepare, which you can then change based on the month, week or day, depending on your plans and responsibilities. Scheduling doesn’t sound fun, but it can allow you to see when you have time to have fun! Schedule fun activities as well as work commitments, to keep balance in your life and avoid burnout in 2023.
Create a budget plan
Having goals and the time to achieve them is great, but you also need the money. Not just for essentials, but for the fun things in life like holidays and hobbies. For times when you feel there's just not enough money in the bank, a budget is essential. Using your money wisely each month can help you to reduce financial stress and anxiety, as you know exactly how much you need each month. This peace of mind can also help you keep your goals realistic financially, avoiding you overextending yourself.
Get a savings plan
Once you have a budget, you should consider pulling together a savings plan for any big-budget things that come up in the year ahead. Taking your savings seriously can help you to make some of your dreams a reality. A savings plan is great for things like holidays, new furniture, even a new house or moving cities!
Make a list of your dreams
Finally, make a list of any dreams you have for the next year. These are different from goals, as they are the things you want to do but maybe don’t have the time or the confidence. Dreams are important as they’re a massive source of inspiration for everything we do in our lives. If you’re working towards your dreams, your day-to-day tasks will be easier. Once you’ve listed your dreams out, pick one or two to tackle in the new year, using the steps above to help you achieve them.
So, instead of being overwhelmed with things you didn't achieve in 2022, think positively about 2023 and start the new year with a sense of purpose and more importantly - a plan!
Who is ready to kiss 2022 goodbye and welcome 2023 feeling your best? The end of the year is a great time to sit down and review the last twelve months and decide what to keep and what to let go. It’s an opportune time to release all that’s no longer working for you, like stagnant energy, unhealthy relationships, and negative behavior patterns. A strong, dynamic yoga practice can free emotions trapped in your physical body and help you feel lighter and brighter.
Often we lose our regular routines around the holidays and end up feeling heavy emotionally, foggy mentally, and rigid physically. If you’ve been on the couch bingeing television and sugar, you may not be feeling your best. When we begin moving our bodies again, we create openings that help release negative thoughts and feelings weighing us down.
Vinyasa flow classes are like a long, sweet dance with your breath and help you settle into a “flow state.” Consider what helps you find that state where you’re no longer thinking about what you’re doing, you’re simply doing it. Maybe it’s skiing, running, gardening, hiking in nature, swimming, dancing––everyone is different,
but we all have those activities we can lose ourselves in. Vinyasa yoga can create a moving meditation by emphasizing linking breath and movement.
When you settle into that type of rhythm, you create harmony within yourself. So even if you’ve gotten used to hanging out on the couch more or your usual schedule has been totally disrupted, you can turn it around and sweat it out. This week features dynamic Vinyasa flow classes designed to empower you to find strength, balance, joy, and clarity.
Join us to rekindle a positive mindset and sense of well-being. Pick a class or do them all to find your flow state and carry good energy through to 2023.
As the pace of modern life continues to accelerate, it can be difficult for busy people to find the time to take care of themselves properly. One way to prioritize self-care is by incorporating yoga into your routine, even if you're short on time. Here are some tips for practicing yoga on the go:
1) Find a style that works for you: With so many different types of yoga to choose from, it's important to choose a style that resonates with you and fits into your schedule. Some options include vinyasa flow, yin, or hatha. Consider watching our online video explaining the different styles of yoga to help find a style you will enjoy.
2) Keep it short and sweet: If you're short on time, it's okay to practice a shorter, more focused yoga routine. Even just 15-20 minutes of yoga can have benefits for your body and mind.
3) Take it with you: You don't need a studio or special equipment to practice yoga. A yoga mat is a convenient tool to have, but it's not necessary. Instead, you can use a towel or blanket as a makeshift mat and practice wherever you are – in a park, in your office, or even in your hotel room while traveling.
4) Make it part of your daily routine: To make sure you're consistently incorporating yoga into your busy schedule, try to make it a part of your daily routine. This could mean setting aside a specific time each day for your practice or finding small ways to incorporate yoga into your day, like doing some stretches at your desk or taking a few deep breaths before a meeting.
5) Don't worry about perfection: It's easy to get caught up in the idea of "perfect" yoga poses, but it's important to remember that yoga is a practice, and everyone's bodies are different. Try not to worry about getting into a specific pose or holding it for a certain length of time. Instead, focus on what feels good for your body and let go of any judgments or expectations.
By incorporating yoga into your daily routine, even in small ways, you can improve your physical and mental well-being and find some much-needed balance in your busy life.
Can you believe we’re closing in on the end of 2022? December is a time when we’re managing the holidays on top of tying up loose ends at work or school, traveling…doing all the things. With the added busyness of the season, some days it’s tough to find time for your yoga practice. If you feel overwhelmed and are tempted to throw in the towel on your yoga or fitness until January 2023––don’t!
It's more important than ever during this stressful time of year to carve out time to step onto your yoga mat. Whether you’re away from home or juggling life’s demands, squeeze in a quick class––quality over quantity is what matters. In as little as ten minutes, like in Claire Petretti Marti’s new Quick Yoga Break, you can feel more clear, flexible, and calm. It only takes a few minutes to shift your mood and quiet your mind.
In a perfect world, we have time for a sixty or ninety minute well-rounded practice including asana, pranayama (breath work), and meditation. The world is perfectly imperfect, so if your schedule only permits ten to thirty minutes a few times a week, do that! Consistency is key, so do what you can, when you can.
Each of this week’s classes is designed for the days when you’re short on time but want all the yogic benefits. To clear your mind of distractions, check out Brain Break from Ellen Kaye. If you haven’t tried Denelle Numis’s Element Yoga series, check out the class exploring Space. And if you’re in the mood to go deep, don’t miss Les Leventhal’s Guidelines for a Balanced Life: Ishvara Pranidhana.
This week’s class may be short, but they are mighty! With the proper focus, intensity, and desire you can garner all the benefits of a full-length yoga class in half the time. Even a little bit of yoga will help you manage the next few weeks and be ready to start the new year strong. Enjoy!
Quick Yoga Break - Claire Petretti Marti (New!)
Element Yoga: Space - Denelle Numis
Brain Break - Ellen Kaye
Guidelines For A Balanced Life: Ishvara Pranidhana - Les Leventhal
The holiday season brings with it all sorts of fun and good times, but it's also important to rest yourself for the year ahead.
This time of year is always fun and exciting, but it can sometimes be hard to switch off and relax when so much is happening. But it’s important to take some time out to rest in preparation for the year ahead.
Over the holidays, there are always plenty of parties and people to catch up with while you take time away from work. But it’s also a time to step back and unwind, which can be hard to do if you find it difficult to switch off. Here are our top tips to take some time to rest over the holidays.
1. Make a to-do list
The best thing you can do to help you relax over the holidays is to make a to-do list of everything that needs doing before you switch off. Decide what the priorities are and what can wait till the new year, but be strict and get as much done as you can so you don't worry about it over your time off. This means you’ll have less on your plate to worry about.
2. Make a planned return
It's also very important to clearly lay out what needs to be done when you come back to the workspace. You won't feel relaxed if you come back in January to a mountain of tasks, and knowing all the things you have to do will hinder you from chilling out over the holidays. Knowing exactly what you need to do when you go back to work is crucial to allow yourself to unwind. Make a list of tasks to do on your return, so that when you do go back to work you can hit the ground running. This also means it will be much easier to get back into the swing of things after some time off.
3. Log off from work
It's really easy to take a quick look at any emails or messages while you're supposed to be relaxing, especially with everything at the touch of a fingertip on our phones. Try not to be tempted to have a quick look and anything work-related. If you bring work home with you, it's going to be so much harder to relax and switch off. Log out of everything that you're usually checking during your workday, this will help you mentally switch off and relax.
4. Don't say yes to everything
Over the holiday season, there are going to be lots of invitations, parties and catching up with old friends. However, don't feel pressured to say yes to everything you get invited to. It might be tempting to fill your schedule, but this also means that you won't have the time to yourself to relax. It's ok to say no if you're not feeling up for things - you can always make plans for the New Year when people are generally freer.
5. Indulge in bonding activities
It might be tempting to stick the TV on or scroll on your phone, but a great way to relax is to bond with your loved ones by doing an activity. Board games are a great way to have fun, relax and spend time with friends and family. This can also take your mind off any stress and get your brain working.
6. Watch favorite movies
Watching movies and being cozy while it's cold outside is a great way to relax. It can be the ultimate switching off activity and helps to keep your mind off work or stress for at least a couple of hours. Even better if you can add in a favorite warm drink and some cozy blankets, to fully help you unwind.
7. Go for a walk
If the weather is nice, then getting out and stretching your legs in the winter air is a great way to switch off and unwind. Getting outdoors automatically boosts your mood, and it can be a great way to escape any festive chaos indoors. Quiet, peaceful walks full of natural beauty can lower stress levels as well as blood pressure.
8. Plan fun things
Don’t confuse switching off with doing absolutely nothing. If you make no plans and just sit around all day, you’re going to get very bored very quickly. Make plans and give yourself something fun to look forward to, so you really enjoy your time off. You don’t want to feel like you didn’t make the most of your time off when you go back to work!
9. Do something nice for yourself
We’re so generous over the holidays with other people, we can often forget to be generous to ourselves. Take some time to do something nice for yourself, this could be taking yourself shopping, to a spa, or even a nice meal.
No matter what your plans are over the holiday season, we hope these tips to help you fully relax will come in handy. Happy holidays!
By Amy Cavill
“The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us.” –Anonymous
No matter what holiday(s) you’re celebrating this December, this time of year can stir up mixed feelings and create stress and tension. It’s the perfect time to step back and reflect on all you appreciate in your life and spread some joy to the people around you. We know it’s busy, busy, busy, but it’s even more important to refill your well to manage the hectic pace.
If you love this time of year, perhaps you’re going to parties and indulging in tons of sugar and cocktails. If you’re not a big fan of the holidays, perhaps heavy emotions are weighing you down. Either way, you may miss your regular sessions on the mat. If you’re not feeling your best, physically, mentally, or emotionally, you’re not alone! Tamasic or heavy, stagnant energy is common this time of year, but you can balance it out with yoga!
We’ve got four classes designed to help you soothe your nervous system and feel your best. Even if you know you won’t be settling back into your usual routine for another few weeks, see if you can carve out even a few minutes for self-care. You’ll find more energy and be able to finish out the year and decade strong!
Another exercise to give you a boost is to journal or jot down all the things you’re grateful for in this moment. Yes, we mention gratitude practice often––because it works! What we focus on expands, so choose wisely! The holidays are tough for many people so by taking time to feel better yourself, you can show up for others in a positive way! We’re grateful for you!
Evening Yoga for Stress Relief 3 - Keith Allen (New!)
Quicky Stretch & De-Stress - Celest Pereira -
Stretch & Stress Relief - Robert Sidoti
Weekend Practice - Sarah Shannon
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new” - Socrates
How about a little ancient Greek philosophy to start manifesting change and creating the life you desire? If you’re ready to leave 2022 in the rearview mirror and start 2023 with a powerful foundation, we’ve got the perfect solution for you. Our New Beginnings–23 Day Yoga Challenge is designed to assist you on your path to your best year ever.
December is a busy month with holidays and end-of-the-year deadlines but it’s not too busy to begin mentally preparing to launch your 2023. In fact, it’s a great time to tap into your intentions for the future. In order to move forward, it’s vital to release what’s weighing you down, so you’re free to create your ideal life. Carve out a little time and journal about this year to clarify what worked and what did not. Plant the seeds for your future by focusing on gratitude.
Grab a journal or notebook and a pen. Snuggled up on your couch with your favorite beverage and snacks. Then, write down your responses to the following prompts. Don’t spend too much time analyzing––simply write down what comes to mind.
Past (2022): Think of specific times in the past year when you felt deep gratitude. Try to recall these days in as much detail as possible. Where were you? What sensory details come to mind? (What did you see, smell, hear, taste, and touch?) What people were involved?
Now list the times when things didn’t work for you or caused you undue stress. Consider all the situations you would not care to repeat.
Present: What are you grateful for in the present moment? Aim for a list of five things. If only three come to mind, so be it. What and who can you acknowledge? What do you want to carry over to 2023?
Future: Allow yourself to fast-forward in time to December 2023 (one year from now) and imagine what your life looks like. Where will you be? How will you be? What will you be able to acknowledge in the future? What gratitude list would you like to write next year at this time?
Our 23-day challenge is designed to support you in creating the best foundation possible for your physical, emotional, and mental health. A consistent yoga practice will help you settle into your personal flow of life. How we are on the yoga mat mirrors our life off the mat.
About the challenge: You’ll participate for FREE with our community of yogis from all over the world. Each day you’ll have the choice of three classes sent to your inbox so you can take the style and level that feels right for you in the moment. This challenge is for everyone, and suitable for all levels - beginner to advanced. 23 consecutive days of yoga will have you feeling clear and focused on your path forward. Commit to your well-being and sign-up today!
Beginner Sunrise Yoga: Stretch & Renew- Jackie Casal Mahrou
Cycle of Completion Flow: Honoring Endings-Claire Petretti Marti
Wake Up Slowly 2: Brand New Day-Keith Allen
If you work as a manager, firefighter, nurse, police officer, or anything that is fast-paced and comes with high stakes, then you know what it is like to have a stressful job. While you may be honored to have your career and know that you are making a difference, it can still be hard to wake up every day and face another tough shift. Instead of turning to unhealthy behaviors to put your mind at ease, you should consider practicing yoga.
Yoga is a great way to settle your mind and get the exercise that you need to take on each new day with gusto. To help you out, we will talk about the effects of stress at work and why you need to make a change today.
There are many ways that stress can manifest itself during your day job — and none of them are healthy. When you are filled with anxiety, then your productivity suffers and you may even lose passion for the job. That is bad news in any profession, but it could be dire if you have a job in law enforcement or medicine. Staying alert is necessary to save lives and protect the people of your city, and you cannot afford to have a bad day.
There are also many hidden causes of stress that could impact your mental health. For instance, if you stare at a screen all day as a 911 operator or IT manager, then the use of those devices can lead to addictive behaviors, eye strain, and anxiety. Also, if you have a job where you are constantly dealing with bad news, then that repetitive drama can eventually leave a dark mark on your psyche.
Burnout and fatigue can show themselves a lot in medical professions, especially nursing. The excessive workload and long shifts can be tiring, and it can be tough to retain your focus. Plus, the constant need to watch patients deal with pain and chronic conditions can lead to compassion fatigue, which can lead to anger, dejection, and resentment. We may even carry those jaded feelings over into our personal lives.
If you are experiencing the symptoms of burnout or work-related stress, like constant exhaustion, body aches, or lack of sleep, then it’s worth it to seek out help. Consider turning to yoga.
There are many components of yoga that can help you deal with the stress of work and feel better overall. One great benefit of yoga is that it helps us to center our breathing. When you try breathing exercises, you can calm down your heartbeat and ease your body and mind. Try something as simple as breathing in through your nose while mentally counting to four, holding your breath as you count to seven, and then exhaling as you count to eight. Consider that exercise next time you are having a particularly stressful moment to redirect your mind and focus on your breath.
The poses that you do while practicing yoga can also be great for stress relief, and some of them are very simple for beginners. For example, the cat pose involves being on your hands and feet as you draw your belly toward your spine and arch your back toward the ceiling. This pose will help you to cool down your muscles and rid your body of the rigid feeling that could be keeping you on edge.
Another exercise is the cow pose, where you are on all fours, but this time you curve your belly downward as you stretch your chest and chin by looking upward. You hold this pose for 30 seconds at a time and it massages your organs, so you feel instant relaxation.
Practicing yoga can also help you to build confidence in yourself and your job. That is because when you are able to complete a new yoga pose, you feel a sense of accomplishment that you can carry over to your job. Also, if you practice regularly, then you will get better sleep and wake up feeling prepared for a new day.
At this point, you may be sold on the idea of incorporating yoga into your routine, but you may not know how you will fit it into your busy schedule. While you may not be able to do a full routine, you can fit in here and there with some smart strategies.
For example, you can do yoga at your desk. Take a few minutes out of work every hour or so to relieve stress and take on the rest of the day. If you cannot get out of your chair, then try some neck stretches or shoulder rolls to ease the pain in that area. When you feel physically depleted, then you may be slouching. Sit up straight, and you can correct the flow of oxygen to feel better and be more productive.
You can also try some longer exercises and yoga poses by ensuring that you take your breaks and lunches every day. Excuse yourself and go to the local park or an actual yoga class so you can return to work feeling refreshed. This is also important if you work remotely. When you don’t have to commute home every day, then it can be easy to work longer hours. However, you need to correct that behavior and implement a proper work-life balance. At the end of a long day, leave your remote office and do your yoga poses to unwind.
By practicing the many elements of yoga, you can give yourself a chance to succeed at your stressful job. Consider these tips and sign up for a class, and you will notice a big difference.
By Katie Brenneman
Much like for a balanced diet you need a range of different foods and vitamins, for a healthy exercise regime you should try and add variety in what you do to workout. Yoga has many benefits and is a great practice for your overall health, but it can be easy to forget the many other exercise options out there.
You may want something more intense, with a higher calorie burn and work up a sweat, or maybe you’re just looking to change it up and do something that feels different from yoga. Here are our top fitness activities that will be able to provide you with anything you feel you’re not getting from yoga - as well as help you hone down your skills on the mat and make progress.
Swimming
Swimming is a really good cardio workout, and will push you more than even some of the most intense power yoga classes. Swimming will increase your respiratory and cardiac endurance, as well as boost your muscular endurance and speed. Swimming is also very low impact, so you won’t put your joints in danger. What it’s not low impact in, is it’s ability to improve your body’s functional capabilities. IF running isn’t your style, swimming is a great alternative.
Hiking
Hiking is a great workout, because you can easily do it with friends and combine socializing with exercise. Hiking is also one of the best ways to improve your cardiac endurance as well as boost your muscles if you’re not a fan of the gym. Spending time outdoors can also massively boost your happiness levels, so it’s a great hobby to improve your mental health too. Hiking also works out your joints without stressing them, so there is low risk of injury as long as you don’t trip! Yoga is a great compliment to cardio workouts like hiking because it's super important to stretch afterwards, to avoid any stiffness or tightness.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is a great physical challenge that targets your entire body, in different ways than more traditional types of exercise. There are so many muscles that don’t usually get a workout involved, like your forearms, feet and hands. Building up these muscles is a great way to feel more comfortable in certain yoga positions, as well as help you build up functional upper body strength. Plus - it makes you think and stimulates your brain too!
Pilates
You might think yoga and pilates are the same, but they are in fact two very different workouts. Pilates has a huge focus on core strength, training abs, back and legs, and you mostly work against resistance - either body weight or using a reformer machine. Pilates is great if you’re recovering from an injury, as it is low impact, but it also helps to build your strength and prevent injuries - as well as providing you with the functional strength and skills needed in many advanced yoga poses.
Team Sports
If you’re looking for a communal aspect in your workouts, taking part in a team sport is a great way to work out while being social - and you can try lots of different things like football, netball or volleyball for example. Look up leagues in your local area or even pull together your own team from your friends, and decide your skill and intensity levels.
Yes - Yoga can offer so much in terms of improving our health both physically and mentally, but why not try some of these ways to mix things up a bit and complement your practice on the mat?
Everybody likes cookies, right? A perfect small treat to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. Here is a super simple and quick recipe using only the ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The cookies will be extremely short and crumbly, so they are perfect for enjoying at home and do not like to be transported. But in a way, it is a good thing because you just need to enjoy them at home and there are more for you! In fact, don’t let yourself be fooled by the image where the cookies are pictured in a jar – taking them out several crumbled, so I recommend storing them on a flat surface, cookie rack, or a plate. Let’s not fool ourselves, they will be eaten super quickly anyhow, so no need to place them in a jar.
For all you PB&J lovers out there – feel free to spread your favorite jam or jelly on a cookie. Just a fresh raspberry or strawberry also works super nicely. And after I managed to destroy some cookies to a crumb I created a dessert out of these with Greek yogurt, fresh raspberries, and the cookie crumbles sprinkled on top – delish!
Cooking time: 10 min
Yields: 24 small cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup flour ½ cup sugar ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tbsp water, if necessary
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 360 F and cover the baking sheet with parchment.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add peanut butter and mix until you have got a crumbly mixture, try to form a ball. If the mixture seems too dry (peanut butters and flours are not all the same), add a bit of water, as little as possible to help the dough come together
4. Divide the dough into 24 equal parts and roll into little balls placing them on the prepared baking sheet. Push the balls flat with a fork creating a pattern on each cookie.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, let them cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to the rack to completely cool.
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves to spend time in the kitchen, but most of her recipes are simple and usually don’t require more than 20 minutes of active cooking time. She thinks everybody can find time to cook healthy food at home - it's just a matter of planning. "I work in an office full time, teach yoga 7-8 hours a week, and write a blog. If I manage to cook most of my meals, then so can you!" Connect with Kadri and enjoy many more of her delicious healthy recipes on her website: www.kahvliga.ee.
"I must be a mermaid, Rango. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living." ~ Anaïs Nin
This week, take a deep dive with us into some classes that explore the depths of yoga philosophy and offer inspiration and insight into the yogic path. All yoga is valid and works simultaneously to benefit physically, emotionally, and mentally. Some days a juicy physical practice is what you need, other times you’re seeking a deeper message.
Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga path is described and analyzed in the Yoga Sutras. The text depicts the yogic journey toward Samadhi or enlightenment in practical steps. In theory, the path is simple, but Patanjali emphasizes that it isn’t easy. This week’s classes delve into various philosophies to help you not just stretch your hamstrings but also to expand your perspective on life.
1. Yamas - The five moral restraints
2. Niyamas - The five moral observances
3. Asana - Posture
4. Pranayama - Mindful breathing
5. Pratyahara - Withdrawing the mind from senses inward
6. Dharana - Concentration
7. Dhyana - Meditation
8. Samadhi - Absorption / Enlightenment / Union of Self
The first two steps on the eight-limbed path, the Yamas and Niyamas, are excellent building blocks on your yoga mat and off. The Yamas can be interpreted as attitudes or behaviors. The Niyamas are the five internal practices or observances, and both combined are tools to help you live life to your highest potential.
The first Yama and foundation upon which the rest of the path is based, is Ahimsa, which is avoiding all forms of violence to yourself and to others. A = “not”, the absence of, the freedom from” and Himsa = Violence, Killing, Judging, Harming.
Often, students assume Ahimsa is limited to actual physical harm but in fact, the concept is much broader. Ahimsa means avoiding harming yourself or others through judgment, criticism, or negative talk which diminishes a person’s well-being. How do you speak to yourself? If you listen, you may notice you are tougher on yourself than you would ever be to friends, family, or even strangers.
Practicing Ahimsa encompasses being compassionate, patient, loving, kind, and understanding to yourself and others. Practice releasing fear so you can expand your ability to be loving and compassionate. Step onto the mat today with one of this week’s classes to help you on your path.
Deep 30 Vol. III Mark Morford (New!)
Evening Enlightenment Yoga - Jackie Casal Mahrou -
Everyday Yamas Ahimsa - Kristin Gibowicz
Mindful Movement - Elise Fabricant
The recipe I share with you is an Estonian classic. Well, almost. Traditionally it is cooked with a lot of fatty pork, but my version is completely vegan. Also, the potatoes and carrots are not traditionally added here, but rather served as a side. I wasn't planning to cook this recipe, but a fridge clean-out soup, but while cooking, it got way too thick. Of course, there is always an option to thin out the soup with extra water or stock, but this time I felt halfway through the cook that maybe a stew is a better option. So, a stew type of a thing is what I ended up with and I am most likely going to eat it for a few days in a row now.
To be fair, I am usually not a big fan of cooked sauerkraut - I always find it the best while it is still fresh and crunchy, full of good bacteria. But, somehow, I had managed to buy too much to consume it fresh and needed to find a way to use it up so it is actually my first time ever cooking sauerkraut. I still love the fresh version more, but in our chilly autumn weather, the cooked version does have its place. It is super homey, a little funky, and maybe even weird, but definitely delicious.
If you are a fan of traditions (and not vegan or vegetarian), just replace the oil with a few chunks of really fatty pork and start the recipe by rendering some of the fat, then continue with adding onion and everything else, skipping the carrots and potatoes. The rest of the process is exactly the same, but you might wish to extend the cooking time a bit to make sure the pork is falling apart tender.
Oh, and the name of the original dish is “Mulgi kapsad” which translates to “cabbage from Mulgimaa”, Mulgimaa being a county in Estonia.
Cooking time: 2-3 hours, most of this is passive
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 onions 2 carrots 1 cup barley 4 cups of vegetable stock 4 medium potatoes 2 cups of sauerkraut Salt and sugar, to taste
1) Chop the onions and sweat them in the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat for 5 minutes.
2) Cube the carrot and add this to the onion. Let them soften for 5 more minutes.
3) Add the barley and the stock to the pot, bring to a boil. Then add cubed potatoes and cook until they are soft. This takes around 15 more minutes.
4) Add the sauerkraut, mix, and have a taste. If you feel it needs more salt, add it now. Also, I like to add 1 tbsp of sugar here to start balancing the flavors.
5) Let it simmer on low for 2 hours, mixing now and then and making sure it does not stick to the bottom. Add more water if needed.
6) After 2 hours have a taste. Maybe you want to add more sugar or salt (it depends on how sour your sauerkraut was and how salty your stock was). You can keep cooking it to develop even more flavor if you have time.
“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.” Alan Cohen
Now, we’re not suggesting that by mixing up your yoga and exercise routine you’ll transform your life, but it’s a start! We show up on our yoga mats the way we show up in our daily life. It’s easy to fall into a rut and repeat the same workouts, practice with the same teachers, or walk the same route.
And it’s easy to stay in a dead-end job, a crappy apartment, or a stagnant relationship because it’s easier than taking that first step toward something new. New and unfamiliar can equal scary, right? If you tend to wait for change to happen to you instead of instigating a shift yourself, maybe you simply need a nudge in a different direction.
No need to quit or give notice or break up with your partner, even if you know it’s time to move on. Baby steps can work better than ripping off the Band-aid. Perhaps you could register for a new career site and peruse the listings. You could drive around the neighborhood where you dream of living and check for rental signs.
Relationships are a more complex. Only you know if it’s over or if a heart-to-heart or a therapy session could breathe new life into it. The thing is you must DO something, or you may exist in complacency or stagnate forever.
If you’re not ready to make the shift in your daily life yet and require some support, start with your yoga practice. Engage your body, mind, and heart in different ways on the mat and see what happens off the mat. This week’s fresh classes are outside of the box.
These unique fitness workouts are powerful, beneficial, and complementary to your regular yoga practice. Check out a planet inspired HIIT class, a barre fusion flow, a quick core workout, and an animal movement class. Engage yourself in a fresh way!
Mars Workout - Ali Duncan (New!)
Fusion Flow - Annie Coyle (New!)
Quick Core Break - Claire Marti (New!)
An Intro to Animal Movement - Jack Cuneo
I don’t know what is happening on your side of the world, but here in Estonia, we are fighting inflation rates of around 25% which means that everything is getting more and more expensive every single day. This also means that it makes sense to use up all the ingredients fully. Of course, nose-to-tail eating makes sense at all times and is super close to my heart anyway. Especially so for all animal products. I rarely eat fish or meat, but if I do I make sure that none of this is wasted. This way I will get more food for my money, and nothing is wasted – I find this way of eating just respectful.
Here in this recipe, I have used the fish bones to make a broth, and no matter how good you are at filleting a fish, there is always some meat still left on the bones, which can be utilized in a nice soup. Sometimes I don’t feel like cooking fish broth a day after I have been eating fish anyway and on those occasions, I always pack up the bones and fish head in the freezer so I can make broth when I feel like it. It also makes sense to cook a larger pot of broth, so I sometimes wait until I have 3 or 4 fish heads and carcasses waiting for me and then cook up a large pot of stock.
Autumn is a perfect time to enjoy hot meals and a slightly spicy bowl of steaming soup is just a wonderful meal to have right now. So warm and comforting. Loaded with the goodness of fresh vegetables and I also added in some edamame beans to load it with even more protein. I enjoy the texture edamame beans bring to the soup. So good!
Cooking time: 1 hour (most of it is hands-off cooking time) Serves: 4 people
For the broth: The carcass of 1 smaller trout (use the fillets for another dish) 1 tsp rapeseed oil 1 carrot 1 large onion 2 stalks of celery 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger (In case you have some odd ends of other vegetables, just throw them in the broth too) 4 black peppercorns 1 bay leaf Salt, to taste 4 cups of hot water
For the soup: 1 tsp rapeseed oil 1 onion 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger 1 red chili 1 stalk of celery ½ leek 1 large carrot 1 cup of diced potatoes 1 cup of broccoli florets 1 cup edamame beans (frozen is okay) Fresh parsley, to serve
1) Start by preparing the broth. Sautee the vegetables in a bottom of a large saucepan for 3-4 minutes. Then add the fish bones to the pot, cover with water, add in black peppercorns and a bay leaf and leave to simmer on low for 30 minutes. Skim the foam off the stock in the first 10 minutes of cooking time.
2) In the meantime, chop up the onion, ginger, chili, and celery finely.
3) Cut the leek, carrot, and potatoes into larger pieces, and the broccoli into florets.
4) Sweat the finely chopped veggies in the bottom of another saucepan for 5-6 minutes. Add in the carrot and keep cooking for 3-4 minutes more.
5) Once the stock has been simmering for 30 minutes turn off the heat, and pour the stock on top of the onion, ginger, chili, celery, and carrots. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
6) In the meantime, pick the remaining trout flesh off the bones. Discard the rest.
7) Then add in potatoes, and cook for 10 more minutes.
8) Add in broccoli and edamame and keep on cooking until the veggies are done. About 5 more minutes. Mix in the trout flesh.
9) Check the seasoning and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it. - Tori Amos.
Life is a meandering journey filled with highs and lows, twists and turns, and during difficult times, it can feel unbearable. We all experience pain and suffering––it’s inevitable. We also enter this lifetime with Samskaras, or shadows of past pain and suffering. For example, an emotional trauma suffered as a child that was never fully processed can show up as pain in the hips and lower back. Yoga offers a way to deepen your awareness of your subconscious emotions and process them.
Yoga can help heal your wounds––the mental, emotional, and physical. Through mindful breath and movement, we create not just a physical release but a psychological one. One of the primary ways yoga works is by profoundly impacting the central nervous system. Soothing the parasympathetic nervous system with quieter practices like Yin and Restorative yoga can help you relax, stress less, and sleep better.
Yoga and meditation reduce cortisol levels, which are our stress hormones. If we’ve got too much cortisol pumping through our bodies, we are constantly in a state of fight or flight and our adrenals become fatigued. It’s vital to balance out all that energy expenditure and quiet the mind. A more vigorous practice can help you purge excess tension. When our system equalizes through yoga, feelings of anger and sadness diminish and positive emotions like joy and confidence increase.
No matter what phase of life you’re experiencing, yoga can help. Yoga has been used for everything from healing a physical injury to programs for people suffering from PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, to access the areas of the brain where individuals house trauma and fear. Even the traditional medical arena encourages yoga and meditation for their patients more and more frequently. Explore this week’s classes and experience the healing benefits for yourself. Don’t be afraid to go deep and harness yoga’s powers to help you heal from within.
The Only Way Out is Through - Shannon Paige (New!)
Be Here Now: Sound Bath Meditation - Elizabeth "EJ" Brumfield (New!)
Strengthen, Protect & Heal the Lower Back - Desiree Rumbaugh
Yoga Nidra for Self Healing - Shy Sayar
Physical healing is often very straight forward, we rest, we take medications, and follow doctors orders. Emotional healing on the other hand, can be a tricky journey that can be hard for many people. People look for emotional healing after all types of trauma, and growing after these types of trauma can be hard, in fact, we might never be the same as we were before.
Emotional healing is the process of acknowledging, accepting and processing any painful life experiences and strong emotions. This can involve a lot of self-compassion and acceptance, as well as becoming more empathetic. You might avoid emotional healing by minimising your pain and negative emotions - but that can slow down the process of emotional healing.
Emotional healing can take time, and you need to fully process your feelings, which might take longer than you realise. Emotional healing will look different for everyone, but you will eventually be able to be more present with both yourself and other people. Common stressors that can lead people to look to emotional healing can be loss, divorce, job loss, illness, or stressful world events. Emotional healing is possible for any scenario.
Healing is not an easy process, but it can be rewarding and help you find clarity and inspiration in your life. But you might want to ask yourself some questions before you start your healing journey. Think about how not healing is negatively affecting your life, and what you want your life to be like. Also have a think about if you’re ready to experience the healing journey and any emotions it might bring up for you.
Here’s some tips for emotional healing to make the journey as easy as possible:
Remind yourself that you’re not broken, and don’t beat yourself up all the time. Self compassion is essential to heal from trauma, and you’ll find it very hard to improve your emotional well being if you’re not compassionate about yourself. This also includes being thankful towards yourself, acknowledging how far you have made it despite any struggles.
Trying to go it alone can hide your healing journey, even if you feel like you want to hide away until you are feeling better. The reality is that friends and family want to help you and it can be great to have a support network that is aware of what you are going through.
Emotional healing isn’t simple, and trauma can have deeper roots inside of you than you realise and can be affecting you in more ways than one. Be realistic and don’t expect to fix everything all at once.
Sitting through your feelings can be one of the hardest things to do. You’re probably experiencing a whole range of deep feelings like grief, anger or sadness. These emotions aren't fun - but it's important to let yourself feel rather than ignoring or rushing through them. It can feel uncomfortable but acknowledging rough feelings is part of the process of healing. The good news - these feelings will pass!
Healing, especially emotional healing, is never linear. You can be making breakthrough after breakthrough, and then have a day where it feels like all that work has been undone. Don’t worry when this happens, and know that you are doing the work and eventually it will get better.
Some of the benefits of emotional healing can also improve your physical health. If you're afraid to start healing, here's some of the benefits that you can reap from the positive emotions you get through healing: Improved cardiovascular health, lower stress output, lower heart rate, improved respiratory health.
If you’re looking to start your emotional healing journey, some ways you can get started include:
Therapy Mental health professionals can help with the painful feelings emotional healing can bring on, and help you move forward at a pace that is right for you, and help you find insight you might not be able to find by yourself.
Mindfulness When we are healing, it can be easy to get distracted by the past, and stress about the future. Mindfulness can help you stay in the present, and see that you are fine at this exact moment. Journaling can help, as it is a great way to reach insights into your mind by working through your feelings and experiences. Most importantly, allow yourself to feel the fullness of your emotions, without tattaching further meaning to them. And when you feel emotions, take note of how long it takes before the feeling goes away, using your mindfulness skills in the meantime.
Move your body Moving your body can help to process your emotions, especially exercises like yoga. Listen to your body and how it wants to move, and allow yourself to move in this way.
And remember, there is no end point or finish line to cross to signify the end of your healing journey. Emotional healing can be so gradual that you might not even realise how much you have healed before other people notice it. But, if you find yourself looking back at trauma without becoming overwhelmed, and if you are bouncing back quicker from stressors, or even if you feel peaceful and more chilled, this shows you are well on your way to feeling emotionally healed.
Do you ever feel like you are losing focus or having trouble thinking clearly? If so, it may be the result of stress and burnout, and these factors can contribute to the condition often referred to as brain fog. This mental fuzziness can be frustrating, especially when your focus needs to be on your life, work, and family.
The good news is that you can remedy this issue by staying active and practicing yoga. Today, we will talk a bit about the reality of brain fog and how you can use yoga to clear your mind and get back to life as you know it.
What Is Brain Fog?
Although brain fog is not really a medical term, it is also typically referred to as mental fatigue. The symptoms associated with this condition can include trouble concentrating, short-term memory loss, difficulty solving problems, and potential behavior and mood changes. Basically, you don’t feel like yourself, and it can be harder to do the things that are easier when life is going well, and you are less stressed.
While we will talk about the benefits of yoga, you first need to look inside and determine why you are filled with anxiety and fix that aspect of your life so you can get back to normal. Sometimes it is work, money, a family issue, or it could be external factors that affect us all, like the economy or disturbing news stories. You can alleviate a lot of that stress by talking to friends and family or journaling your frustrations at night, so you can get restful sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
You can also feel better by improving your overall view of life. Think about the good things that you have and take every chance you get to stop and smile. In fact, smiling can help your mental and physical well-being. Health professionals have found that when you grin and laugh, your mood can improve almost immediately. Smiling can even ease your pain when you get an injection, and doing so can even lower your blood pressure. So, when you are doing your favorite yoga pose, put a big smile on your face.
How Yoga Can Help
There are many reasons why medication and yoga can help to alleviate brain fog. For starters, yoga is a form of exercise, and regular activity can improve your cognitive abilities and help you to fight off illnesses as you get older. Exercise can help to keep your blood pressure in check, which helps reduce the loss of brain matter. Elevated blood pressure can also increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Needless to say, it is important to take care of your body and mind now or that brain fog could evolve into something more drastic down the line.
Yoga, in particular, is instrumental in fighting brain fog because it helps us to focus on our individual awareness, and it gives us a peaceful environment where we can think about our problems and find a solution. Some experts believe that the act of going upside down in a downward dog or headstand can help to clear the fog in our minds. You’ll also improve your balance at the same time.
When you attend a yoga class, you may also get a chance to work on your mindful breath work, which is sometimes referred to as Pranayama. The point of these breathing exercises is to connect your body and mind, and by focusing on your breathing, you could feel a decrease in your stress levels, your mindfulness, and even the quality of your sleep, which is essential for a clear head in the morning.
The point is that you are spending time focusing on yourself, and when you make yourself the priority, then you can get through anything.
Poses To Try For Brain Fog
You may not realize it but there are actually several specific yoga poses that can aid in eliminating brain fog. For instance, many experts recommend the sphinx pose, where you lengthen your legs to strengthen your core and keep your head raised as you focus on a certain point on the wall. This exercise can be helpful because it helps to sharpen your mind and release the tension in your body. Best of all, it is an easier exercise for experts and beginners alike.
Another pose is shoulder stand, where you lie on your back and then inhale as you raise both legs together using your core and rest your weight on your shoulders and upper back. This particular exercise harkens back to the advice from earlier about being upside down to achieve better focus. Plus, this move is great for enhancing your concentration, and it improves the blood flow to your head and brain, so you may be able to think through some of your problems.
Other poses to consider include the thunderbolt, reclining hero, and big toe pose, which are also all known for their stress-relieving benefits.
As you can see, yoga can be incredibly helpful for fighting brain fog and clearing your mind so you can focus on the things that matter. Consider this advice and the poses mentioned above, and you could start feeling better sooner than you think.
Three Ways Yoga Sparks Your Inner Fire
Are you ready to feel passionate about your life, right now? If you’ve been feeling lethargic or in a rut, here are three ways yoga helps you stoke your inner fire.
1. Improve Your Digestion: Yoga and pranayama techniques can literally stimulate your internal organs, which helps your digestive system operate at ideal capacity. In the Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar says in order to operate at our optimum levels we need to burn up “the rubbish.” When we focus on working our solar plexus or core, it helps us to digest, assimilate, and eliminate our food efficiently so we feel energized. When our gut is healthy, our prana or life force energy flows freely.
2. Boost Your Mood: A high-energy yoga practice releases endorphins, which are the “feel-good” hormones that give you a natural buzz. Strong, fiery classes help you let go of your worries, at least for a while. If you’re truly engaged and linking your breath to your movements, you find that flow state where your mind quiets and your worries fade. You won’t have the time or energy to think about anything else on the mat. Vigorous movement is great for your mood!
3. Build Your Confidence: Yoga can help by stoking the fire in your belly or “tapas” with dynamic classes that boost your healthy ego. Your self-confidence and identity is housed in the Manipura or navel chakra. Sometimes we fall into patterns of questioning ourselves and settling into a pattern of insecurity. Asanas like Parivrtta Trikonasana (Twisting Triangle) or Navasana (Boat Pose) don’t just strengthen and lengthen your spine, they empower your sense of self.
This week's classes are powerful practices that energize you and leave you feeling fired up and ready to conquer the world. If you've been bogged down, feeling dull, or uninspired, this week's classes will reconnect you with your inner flame.
Devotion Intensive IV: Smoking Camels - Mark Morford (New!)
Empower Yourself Vinyasa - Claire Petretti Marti (New!)
Element Yoga: Fire - Denelle Numis (New!)
Energy Flow - Tyrone Beverly (New!)
As you know, I love gardening and friends gave me two chili plants for my birthday this year. One of them is the habanero, and I don’t even know what the other is, but it has fruits very similar to the habanero. Surprisingly it turns out that they are both super spicy – so spicy that I ended up cooking 15 times more hot sauce than I intended as the batch started with was so super spicy, I was not able to eat more than a drop. And I love spice! So now my fridge is basically filled with hot sauce and not much of anything else fits in there anymore. I guess my future is spicy. And if somebody invites me to a birthday party, you better believe that the gift is going to be in a nice bottle of hot sauce.
For you, I calculated the more reasonable amounts as nobody needs a ton of hot sauce. Of course, when adding habaneros make sure you know your spice tolerance. I assume nobody starts cooking hot sauce if they don’t like spice, but still – there is a difference between spicy and spicy, so maybe start with 3 chilies. And if it turns out too spicy be like me – add more mangoes and more vinegar, bring to a boil and blend again. I ended up going grocery shopping for more mangoes and apple cider vinegar 3 times. And I am not even exaggerating.
Once you are done with the sauce, bottle it up in clean jars and it will keep in the fridge for at least a few months as it contains a lot of vinegar. The sauce is delicious on pizza and sandwiches, mixed with Greek-style yogurt for a quick dip and everywhere else that needs a little spice.
Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
Cooking time: 20 minutes
3-4 yellow habanero chilies
2 large ripe mangoes, diced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ tsp salt
1-2 tbsp coconut sugar
1. Chop the habaneros. Large junks are okay as we are blending them later anyway.
2. Place the chili in the pan with vinegar and salt, and let simmer on low for 10 minutes.
3. Add mango cubes and simmer for 10 more minutes under the lid. Mix in 1 tbsp of coconut sugar.
4. Place into the blender and blend until smooth. Have a taste, and add more sugar if you feel like it.
5. Bottle up and drizzle on everything that needs a little kick.
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves to spend time in the kitchen, but most of her recipes are simple and don’t take more than 20 minutes of active cooking time. She thinks that everybody can find time to cook healthy food at home, it is just a question of planning. "I work in an office full time, teach yoga 7-8 hours a week and write a blog. So if I manage to cook most of my meals, then so do you!" Connect with Kadri and enjoy many more of her delicious healthy recipes on her website here: www.kahvliga.ee.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a seminal text on yoga, states that “when the breath wanders the mind is unsteady. But, when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.”
The practice of controlling or extending your breath is called Pranayama, one of the eight limbs of yoga. In Sanskrit, the word Pranayama consists of “prana” and “ayama”. “Ayama” means to stretch or extend, and “yama” means to regulate and direct. Prana is life force or energy that consists of the three gunas, or nature’s building blocks.
The three gunas are:
Sattva: is luminous, balanced and refined energy––what we’re seeking to become.
Rajas: is the activating, dynamic force that propels movement.
Tamas: is heaviness or the inert, dark, stagnant quality of nature
By learning to control the flow of prana within us, we can change how we feel and how well energy flows through our bodies. Regardless of the conditions outside of ourselves, we can harness the gunas to create sattva or balance within us.
Different pranayama techniques enable us to control heart rate and blood pressure. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed out, your breath comes in shallow, short bursts which tax your system. Changing your breathing to extend your inhales and/or exhales can aid you in tapping into your parasympathetic nervous system, or relaxation response.
If you’re feeling weighed down physically, mentally, or emotionally, switching up your breath patterns can energize and wake you up. Kapalabhati pranayama or “Skull Cleansing” Breath utilizes rapid forceful nostril exhales to energize the entire body and clear the mind. It’s a great antidote to lethargy.
You’re probably familiar with Ujjayi pranayama, which is an even paced nostril breathing with a slight constriction in the back of your throat. Ujjayi is a warming breath and translates to “Victorious Breath.” If you need to cool down, Sitali pranayama is a cooling breath which entails breathing in through the mouth with your tongue curved and exhaling through the nose. Changing the way you breathe changes the way you feel!
Many of the respected teachers who helped bring yoga to the West, like B.K.S. Iyengar, believed pranayama was more advanced than asana and that students should master the physical postures prior to attempting pranayama techniques. Others, like Pattabhi Jois, believed in teaching asana and pranayama at the same time. Yoga relies on mindful breathing and pranayama is a vital part of the practice no matter when you choose to learn more about it. Ready to dive deeper? We’ve got an upcoming all-levels Pranayama Immersion program with you a wide variety of short, simple, and powerful pranayama practices. If you’re ready to go deeper, check it out!
When you think of yoga, you probably think of exercise, relaxation, and stress relief. These are all good reasons to practice yoga, but there’s another benefit. Yoga can also do wonders for your immune system.
So, how does yoga help, and what techniques can you use to bring balance to your system? Let’s talk about the science behind your immune health, and seven powerful yoga poses for boosting your immunity.
Yoga Reduces Stress
When you’re under stress, the effects aren’t restricted to your mental health. Your physical health also suffers. To date, there are more than 300 peer-reviewed studies that show that prolonged stress reduces your immunity.
When this happens, your body isn’t able to fight off viruses and bacteria the way it normally can. If you’re constantly getting sick, it could be because of stress! Yoga reduces stress systemically, limiting its impact on your immune health.
Yoga Reduces Inflammation
According to a study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, yoga reduces inflammation. In the study, researchers performed 15 separate trials with an average sample size of 70 people. Participants suffered from chronic inflammation and practiced Hatha yoga, which focuses primarily on poses.
The Study
The researchers looked for compounds called cytokines, which trigger inflammation in the body. They also looked for C-reactive protein and antibodies, both of which indicate that there is inflammation. Participants who practiced yoga saw all of those markers go down. In one trial, scientists even found changes at the genomic level. Proteins in the cells that are critical for producing cytokines went down, literally reducing the body’s ability to create inflammation.
How Long Does Yoga Take to Work?
One thing the studies weren’t clear on was how long it takes to achieve anti-inflammatory effects. The studies were all over the map, lasting anywhere from eight to twelve weeks, with participants practicing yoga between once a week and once a day. The length of the sessions were even different – ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. But if you make yoga a regular habit, you’re bound to see some benefits.
Yoga is Exercise – And Exercise is Good for Immunity
Yoga isn’t just about mindfulness and relaxation. Depending on the intensity of your routine, it can also be a form of moderate exercise. And moderate exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of illness.* That’s because it stimulates all your body’s systems, including the immune system and nervous system.
Other Benefits of Exercise
According to the CDC, exercise has the following short- and long-term benefits:
· Improved sleep
· Reduced anxiety
· Lower blood pressure
· Reduced risk of stroke or heart attack
· Better bone health
· Weight loss
· Reduced risk of some kinds of cancer
· Improved coordination
· Reduced risk of nervous system disorders like depression and dementia
Once again, this only works if you’re exercising on a consistent basis. If you’re having trouble sticking to your yoga routine, a wellness app might help.
Other Ways to Boost Your Immunity
Your immune system is important. It’s what keeps you from getting sick! So when it comes to boosting your immune function, it’s best to take a multi-pronged approach. Here are some other ways to kick your immune system into high gear:
· Get plenty of sleep
· Avoid processed foods
· Hydrate regularly
· Exercise daily
· Limit your alcohol intake
· Practice grounding
Six Immune-Boosting Yoga Poses: Now that we know why yoga is good for your immune health, let’s talk about some specific techniques you can try. Here are six yoga poses – and one breathing technique – to boost immunity this cold and flu season.
Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)
To perform the tree pose, stand on one leg, and lift the other leg to the lotus position, with your hands clasped above your head. Focus your eyes forwards, and hold the position for a few seconds. Return your raised leg to the ground, and repeat the process with the other leg. Do this as many times as you like.
The tree pose is designed to bring a sense of balance. As you balance your body, you also balance your mind. It’s designed to strengthen your legs, feet, and ankles, as well as loosen your hips. It’s great for focus, as well as for general well-being. It’s also relatively easy, although you should avoid it if you have vertigo.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
To perform the cobra pose, lie flat on your stomach, with your elbows out and your hands palm-down next to your chest like you’re about to do a pushup. Lift your head, neck and shoulders, but keep your chest on the floor as you inhale a full breath. Then do a half pushup, keeping your thighs on the ground and arching your back as much as possible. Hold the position for five seconds, then slowly lay back down.
This pose strengthens and stretches the muscles in your back, buttocks, chest, core, and shoulders. It also improves blood circulation and increases your lung capacity. Many people use this yoga pose because they have asthma, but you shouldn’t try it in the middle of an attack. Wait till you feel better and do it then.
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
The seated forward bend starts in the dandasana, which is a basic staff pose. This is one of the standard starting yoga poses, where you sit with your legs outstretched and your back straight. Put a strap around your feet, then stretch out and grab them with your hands. Your knees should be slightly bent. Now inhale, and stretch your arms to the side. Then stretch for the sky and keep your back straight.
Exhale, and fold your whole body forward at the hips. Grab your feet, and bring your face close to your knees. Continue breathing, and try to lean further in as you exhale.
The seated forward bend is helpful for high blood pressure, diabetes, and general stress. It stretches the upper body and trunk, and can even alleviate anxiety.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
If you practice yoga, you’ll already be familiar with downward-facing dog. This is the yoga pose many people return to when they need to regain a feeling of calm. With your head down, you get a quick rush of blood and energy which can help you focus your mind.
This pose stretches your hamstrings, and provides a near-instant mood boost. Not only that, but it can help clear your sinuses. If you’re feeling congested, it’s a great way to get some relief.
Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Legs up the wall is exactly what it sounds like. Facing your wall, sit down on the floor. Then lay on your side, and roll onto your back while lifting your legs up against the wall. Keep your feet hip-width apart, and slowly scoot your butt toward the wall. It doesn’t have to touch, but it should get as close as possible.
Now lay your alms flat with your palms facing upwards. Then relax all your muscles. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, and lie there for at least 10 minutes.
This pose is helpful for everything from general anxiety to examination stress. It also makes good meditation practice.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Anulom Vilom Pranayama)
Start by sitting cross-legged, as you often do in yoga practice. Put your hands on your knees, and close your eyes. Put your right thumb over your right nostril, and take a deep breath through your left nostril for a count of four. Put your left thumb over your left nostril, and hold both nostrils shut for a count of two. Then reverse the process and breathe through your right nostril, re-block the left, and so on. Do this for five minutes.
Alternate nostril breathing boosts your cardiovascular health as well as your immune system. It also helps reduce your stress hormones.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, consistent yoga practice is a great way to keep your immune system healthy. You just have to be consistent, whether that means working with a trained yoga teacher or doing your favorite yoga poses at home. The health benefits are undeniable!
By Dawn Chambers
Dawn Chambers, PT, DPT is a private practice physical therapist and wellness blogger. She is passionate about women's health and wellness and a self-proclaimed "outdoorsy girly girl". When she is not working, you can find her playing tennis, hiking, playing golf, and practicing self-care.
Meet my new obsession – the acai (pronounced “ah-sigh-ee”) bowl.
As you probably know by now, I’m a HUGE advocate of the green smoothie! I especially praise them as the breakfast of champions for their unwavering ability to deliver a ton of nutritional punch into the first meal of the day.
They also keep your digestive system from having to do a ton of work first thing in the morning, essentially allowing the digestive tract more time to rest. More rest means more efficiency, which translates to more of the gunk coming out of the backend.
Back to my new obsession.
The acai bowl recently caught my attention because it answers the conundrum we’re sometimes faced with when people on our cleanse tell us that they just don’t get down with drinking their breakfast. The acai bowl is the perfect solution because it’s chock full of all the stuff like a green smoothie but can be enjoyed in a more traditional meal sense with utensils and all.
In case you haven’t heard of acai yet here’s the skinny – Acai is a berry that comes from the Amazon rainforest of Brazil and is considered a superfood known for antioxidants, omega fatty acids, protein, fiber and amino acids.
All this from one little berry! Can I get an Amen?
Besides the fact that the flavor in this recipe is to-live-for, I’m over the moon for the endless acai bowl possibilities. Not to mention the other big bonus is that kids love these things. They’re sweet, fun to eat (translate messy!), and a great way to get superfoods into our kiddos’ bodies on a regular basis.
Check out the recipe and let me know what you think in the comment section below. What kind of acai bowl do you want to try next? You know I’m thinking a green one!
With love and acai berries,
Jo & Jules
Acai Chia Breakfast Bowl
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients for Bowl:
¼ to ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk 2 frozen packets of unsweetened acai berry (I use Amafruit) 2 ripe and frozen bananas 1 TB. chia seeds, soaked in water for at least 15 minutes
Ingredients for Toppings:
1 banana, sliced ½ cup raspberries 1 mango, chopped
Directions:
Place ¼ cup of coconut milk in a high-speed blender with acai berry packets, bananas and chia seeds. Blend on high until creamy to make bowl base. Add more milk as needed to reach your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and top with banana, raspberries and mango or any of your favorite fruit medley.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of two books The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life and their brand new The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” - Corrie Ten Boom, Clippings from My Notebook
Did you realize that fear exists only in the future, not in the present moment? Maybe you’re scared to attempt your first handstand or fear what might happen when your rollercoaster car teeters at the the peak above an enormous hill right before it drops. Perspiration pops up on the back of your neck, butterflies flit around in your belly, your pulse kicks in your veins in the seconds before you do something that scares you. But, when you’re balancing on your hands or screaming and laughing on the ride, you are not afraid. You’re simply experiencing.
Worrying about the future won’t change it. According to Yoga Sutra II:16, Heyam duhkham-anagatam, the suffering not yet come must be overcome. Or in other words, anticipate the mistake and prevent it. We cannot control external events, we can only work on becoming as strong, calm, and happy as possible today.
Stressing about falling out of that challenging posture won’t help you remain steady. When you spend today anticipating something negative that might occur tomorrow, you sap the joy from today. Yoga reminds us to focus on navigating the now, filtering out repetitive thoughts, and learning to accept the present moment.
As humans, we struggle to release regret for the past. All those unprocessed emotions sit in our tissues and manifest as tightness and pain. Part of our yoga practice is designed to release what no longer serves us. When we create space in our bodies, we’re able to let go of past trauma and pain. Think back to the last time you held pigeon pose for a few minutes––didn’t your heart feel lighter?
Sitting with our emotions while we breathe and move on the mat empowers us to let go of our worries. Expand your emotions creating a stronger more supple body, a clearer mind, and a softer heart. Then, when tomorrow comes, you are better equipped to handle whatever happens. Check out these great classes and see how optimistic you feel!
Elizabeth "EJ" Brumfield - Unworry: Yin & Sound Healing
Alanna Kaivalya - The Gratitude Meditation Practice
Maria Garre - Beat the Winter Blues Namaskara