When I attend yoga classes, I like to set myself up in a corner. I do this because it helps me focus my drishiti, or gaze. As an instructor, I’m in the habit of looking around. As a practitioner, however, I want to incorporate pratyahara (withdrawal from the senses) and dharana (concentration) with asana […]
The Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga: Yamas: Non-harming, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Moderation, Non-attachment Niyamas: Cleanliness, Contentment, Self-discipline, Self-study, Surrender Asanas: Postures Pranayama: Expansion of vital life force a.k.a. breathing practices Pratyahara: Withdrawal from the senses Dharana: Concentration Dhyana: Meditation Samadhi: Nirvana According to yogic philosophy, the true self, the soul, is surrounded by five koshas, or […]
Is your enthusiasm for exercise fizzling out? Are there more excuses than workouts lately? If you feel your routine slipping and you want to do something about it, here is my best advice to avoid completing falling off the fitness wagon. Evaluate your current stats: Record your weight, body fat percentage, resting heart […]
Thinking about yoga for your back pain? Here are my favorite flows and stretches to take care of an achy back. You can practice these everyday. Try them in morning, before bed, or after a workout. Alternating Spinal Balance: If you don’t have a dowel, imagine you’re balancing a pot of hot green tea on […]
Did you start exercising to lose weight? How’s it going? Chances are, you’re looking more “toned,” you have more energy, you’re sleeping better a night, aches and pains have subsided, you have more confidence, and maybe your clothes fit better. But the scale hasn’t budged. Don’t cancel your gym membership or fire your trainer, blame […]
I don’t have visions or hear voices when I meditate. I can’t really say I’ve felt a “sense of oneness.” I’m not striving for enlightenment or trying to achieve a state of perpetual euphoria. And I’ve yet to empty my mind (my favorite misconception about meditation). My reason for meditating is much more practical: I […]
Your chronological age is the number of birthdays you’ve celebrated. You can lie about it, but you can’t change it. Your biological age, your REAL age, is more malleable. It’s influenced by lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep hygiene, and other factors all under your control. If you want to know how old you REALLY […]
Do you check your heart rate on your smart watch or activity tracker during workouts? Do you know what it means or where it should be? Heart Rate Training Zones are based on percentages of your maximum heart rate. To figure out your Zones, you’ll need to find your maximum heart rate and your corresponding […]
When we exercise, our heart speeds up, we sweat, muscles get tense, and our blood pressure rises. We are in “fight or flight.” Introducing a bit of stress this way is beneficial: our muscles grow stronger, our bones become denser, immunity improves, as our heart gets more efficient resting heart rate decreases, and we become […]
Q: Does practicing Yoga make you a Hindu? A: Great question! You can subscribe to any religion, philosophy, or spiritual practice or to none at all and experience the healing benefits of Yoga. Yoga now mostly means a class we attend or a series or flow of postures (asanas). The word Yoga comes from yoke, […]
