Posts In: Yoga 101

Do you know about the incredible practice of mudras? Better yet, do you know how mudras can lift your energy and deepen your yoga practice?

At one point or another you’ve probably heard a yoga teacher say during class, “now bring your hands to a prayer position.” You were doing Anjali Mudra and you might not have even known it! ?

This beautiful mudra means “to salute” or “to offer” in Sanskrit and is often associated with gratitude, humility, and a reunification of the right and left sides of the body. Whether you practice Anjali Mudra in front of your heart or try it behind your back (like this awesome picture of Olivia!) we hope it adds a grounding element to your flow ???

??To practice: Bring both hands to touch so your fingers are pressed against each other and your fingertips are pointed up to the sky. Try not to press too hard into your palms so that you can allow a little space between your lower knuckles. Think of it as a flower getting ready to bloom.

Do you know about the incredible practice of mudras? Better yet, do you know how mudras can lift your energy and deepen your yoga practice?

Mudra means “seal” or “closure” in Sanskrit, and each mudra requires a specific shape of your hands – like asana for your fingers! The precise position of each mudra is deeply connected to energetic qualities, different natural elements, acupressure points, and more. Incorporating mudras into your practice can elevate the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of your practice ??????

Today we’re sharing Lotus Mudra, which is often associated as a heart-opening gesture. The image of the lotus brings to mind a beautiful, pure flower growing toward the light out of dark, murky waters ? Experiment with holding this mudra at your core, your heart space, and your third eye to notice any shifts in your energy or mood. 

??To practice: Bring the heels of your palms to touch as you press your thumbs and pinkies together, using the leverage of this motion to expand your center three fingers out into the shape of a blossoming flower. 

Expand and explore your yoga practice with master teacher Amy Caldwell of Yoga One.

Yoga is an experiential process. A regular practice can help you develop a better connection with yourself, others, and the present moment. Yoga can help reduce stress, anxiety, and bad habits. Yoga means union. At Yoga One we strive to connect mindfulness, breath, and action.

These step by step instructions will safely guide you into and out of this yoga pose. We offer precise alignment cues to cultivate conscientious movement and to keep you safe, so  you can refine and benefit from your practice and the subsequent understanding for a lifetime.

Throughout our internationally acclaimed Yoga One Teacher Training Course, we dive further into the details to inspire and assist those individuals looking to take their practice to the next level and for those wanting to share the joys and benefits of yoga with others.

Warrior III – Virabhadrasana III

Benefits:

• Strengthening, especially for the abdominal, back, leg and gluteus muscles
• Challenges and improves balance and coordination

Foundation and general alignment:

• Standing foot: Three points of foot grounded.
• Standing leg: Muscles engaged, including glutes. Kneecap lifted and tracking toward middle toe. Bend knee if needed – check engagement and tracking.
• Lifted leg: Muscles engaged, the foot flexed or pointed (different effects).
• Kneecap points downward towards the floor – inner thigh firm and lifted toward the sky.
• Neutral pelvis (in all three planes). Firm outer hips.
• Strong core.
• Torso lengthens evenly on all sides.
• Shoulder blades hug onto the back ribs – widen collarbones
• Arms extend straight alongside the ears, palms facing one another
• Ears are between the upper arms, face is parallel to the earth
• From pelvis, expand out equally in all directions
• This pose is Tadasana or Supta Padangusthasana done horizontally

Common problems and misalignments:

• Most at risk: Standing leg knee and hip, lower back, neck
• Weight imbalances at the base
• Hyperextension / misalignment of the standing knee – OK to keep standing leg bent with lifted leg straight
• Hip of lifted leg flares out to side with knee and foot turning out
• Excessive curve in low back – lack of core engagement
• Low back rounded with tailbone tucked
• Upper back overly rounded
• General lack of engagement to the midline

Contra-indications: Weakness, poor balance, knee problems, low back problems, balance issues, practice with caution if you have high blood pressure

Modifications:

• Hands on the wall or chair (fingertips on two blocks)
• Entry from Tadasana or Virabhadra 1
• Bend standing leg. Easier to maintain muscular engagement and neutral pelvis
• Teach shape of pose lying on back, bottom foot at wall or on all 4’s with one leg lifted

Variations: Arms out to the side, back, Anjali mudra, or hands on hips

Enhancements: In version with arms forward, face student, have them press forearms down onto adjuster’s arm and tone belly, or adjuster stands on standing leg side, hip to hip with student, then squeezes in hip of lifted leg hip for stability.

Prep posture: all fours, with one leg up – press shin down, adjuster resists, lift low belly to find neutral spine.

guest post by Wendy Swanson

Yoga, for many of us, can feel particularly intimidating, especially if we follow any “famous” yogi on social media and see lots of pretzel poses done flawlessly, in full makeup and expensive clothing (by the way, this is not really what yoga is all about and most of us do not look like that).

The best tips for beginner yogis

To help ease beginner angst, below are some tips on starting a yoga practice outside of our own homes:

• Bring your humor to the mat and leave your perfectionism and self-critical parts at home. If I’m feeling particularly self-conscious I remind myself that people are usually more concerned with themselves than with me. I’m super important to my Mom but not the stranger on the mat next to me.
• Try at least 5 different classes and 2 or 3 different studios/communities before deciding whether yoga is or is not for you. There are lots of flavors of yoga these days. There is yoga that is slow and meditative and there is yoga that is fast and sweaty and everything in between. Find out what is best for YOU.
• Identify 2 or 3 of your personal goals around yoga and then talk with the teacher or desk staff. They can help steer you in a direction that matches your needs.
• Nitty Gritty Pro-tip: no shoes in the yoga room & wear comfortable clothing that stays put when you bend forward (ie you may not want your shirt coming up over your head)
• Let the teacher know if you are pregnant, have been injured, or have any health issues that they should know about to keep you safe. They are trained to give modifications and will do their utmost to make certain your class is an enjoyable experience.

Overcoming beginner’s resistance

Some other “fun” demons that sometimes rear their ugly head are resistance, doubt and second guessing. Think back to some of the bigger moments and decisions in your life and I bet you will find these guys hanging out. Recently I went on life changing retreat and for weeks leading up to the retreat I thought about backing out. My resistance to change and doing something new showed up in the form of: “I don’t have the money, so I should cancel”; “My family really needs me, so I should stay home”; “My business is super busy right now so this is really not a good time. I should cancel”. There are parts to me and to you that want us to stay small, play it safe and never ever change. These parts stem from aspects that have experienced hurt and pain in our past. They are valid parts of us AND we need to not have them running the show.

Living outside of fear

I find that when I allow these parts to have a voice and at the same time not run the show, I can make decisions from a grounded and centered place. I literally picture myself stepping into my higher/ spiritual self and asking that part, that truly has my best interest in mind, what I need to do. A vibrant, joyous and fulfilling life comes from paying closer attention to our higher self that promotes growth, self-love, connection and abundance. It was a game changer when I realized that my overly practical side was just resistance cleverly disguised. I encourage you to ask yourself “what part of me is talking right now?”

Connect to your higher self

The practices of yoga and meditation can help us know our higher self a bit better. Taking time to retreat can help us profoundly understand ourselves so that we can have the life we dream of. Our dreams can then move from imagination into reality.

I invite you to bravely stand up to the parts of you that hold you back and go take that yoga class or go on retreat. Your soul will thank you.

This piece originally published on The Art of Living Retreat Center

Wendy Swanson, L.Ac, E-RYT 200

Wendy is a healer, transformational leader, yoga teacher and licensed acupuncturist. She is the owner of Be Yoga & Wellness in Charlotte, NC; and is currently studying at Kripalu for her 500 hour yoga certification.

by Laura McCorry

Do you ever sit in front of a computer and type? Hold your phone with your ear and shoulder? Wrangle a small, squirming child?

Restorative Fish Pose

So many daily activities cause tension and tightness in the neck and shoulders. Try this super short sequence to find relief at home and when you can, join us for Restorative Yoga with Missy, Fridays at 4:30pm.

• Gentle Head Rolling. Take a comfortable seat, ensuring your feet are hip distance and parallel, and sit tall, gently drawing the shoulder blades onto your back. Allow your head to bow forward towards your chest. After a few breaths, slowly roll your head towards one shoulder, then again towards the chest. Repeat a few times moving mindfully from side to side.
• Backbend with Cactus Arms. Inhale and extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling with the palms facing one another. (Yelling, “Touch down!” is optional). On your exhale, bend your elbows to ninety degrees (cactus arms). Powerfully lift your chest, allowing your gaze to lift as well but keeping the back of your neck long. Alternate straightening and bending the elbows, moving between these two poses as you breath in and out, or hold each one static for 5-8 breaths.
  
• Cat and Cow Poses. Come to the ground in table top with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale and arch your back, drawing the shoulder blades together, gaze gently up (cow pose). Then exhale and round your back towards the sky, pressing the floor away and looking between your hands (cat pose). Stay connected to your breath while you flow between these two poses.
• Restorative Fish Pose. If you have yoga blocks, place one block horizontal (medium height) just below the shoulder blades on your back and a second block (tall height) underneath your head. Alternatively, you can use a rolled up blanket beneath your shoulder blades and a pillow under your head. Stretch your legs out long or place a rolled blanket underneath your knees to alleviate tightness in your lower back. Stay here and breathe for up to five minutes.

Now take a moment to acknowledge the difference in your body, mind, and spirit. Thank yourself for making this time to offer yourself gratitude and loving-kindness.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

by Laura McCorry

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

by Laura McCorry

Time has started to unravel a bit for me. As I move further into this pregnancy, I’m falling out of routine, becoming less attached to the segmented hours of the day. This is probably a good thing. I wake when I’m finished sleeping (some days at 8:30, some days at 6am), I eat when I’m hungry (always, always snacks before bed), and I’ve found myself baking banana bread muffins at 10:30 at night.

In Walking on Water, Madeleine L’Engle writes about two different conceptions of time, “Kairos. Real time. God’s time. That time which breaks through chronos with a shock of joy, that time we do not recognize while we are experiencing it, but only afterwards, because kairos has nothing to do with chronological time. In kairos, we are completely unself-conscious and yet paradoxically far more real than we can ever be when we are constantly checking our watches for chronological time.”

The birth of a child is a moment like this, always outside of time. But you are also ushered into kairos at the death of a loved one. (I remember being shocked when I realized that practicing savasana, or final relaxation, in yoga is also a way of practicing death. It’s translation is corpse pose, after all.)

How can you practice both life and death with grace? I think the word that matters most is practice (meditation). Or perhaps grace. For me, moving into kairos is the same as practicing meditation. You allow yourself to move outside time, into space that is neither here nor there, you are not awake or asleep, you simply ARE.

The paradox of life is that we need both kairos and chronos. I need the immediate, tactile chronos, the skin, muscle, and bone of my hands dusted in flour, forming a dough, placing it in the oven, setting a timer (because humans being can move outside time, but yeast, water, and flour cannot if they are to become bread.) And I need those moments of timelessness, of seeing the moment arrive and stepping into it whole-heartedly, whole-bodily: when my toddler bumps her head and needs to be held RIGHT NOW, so I drop everything and cradle her in my arms.

I hope you are gifted the experience of time in all its splendored variation. The moments that are breath-giving and the moments that take your breath away. Moments of kairos when you allow yourself to be fully present; when you take in whatever sensation, thought, or emotion is most present, but practice not letting it define you. And when you need it most, I hope you find those life-affirming moments of chronos, of baking late at night, a solid grounding in time as we most often know it.

We hope to help you find that Kairos time on your mat at Yoga One, click here to view our schedule.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

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by Laura McCorry

It’s been said that life is about the journey, not the destination – but if you’re traveling with a toddler, just packing for the journey can feel like outfitting a polar expedition. Getting on the road with the family can be the hardest part!

I recently attempted this challenge, on an annual trip to the mountains to visit loved ones. The car ride itself is five hours without stops, and we wanted to arrive well before the two year old’s bedtime. I very quickly felt stressed about remembering everything to bring and anxious about keeping the kiddo entertained.

We have a cd of kid’s tunes we play in the car and this is one of the songs:

“Try to move a moose in the middle of the road, he’s much too big for you.
He’s ten feet tall and that’s not all, he weighs a ton or two.
When you can’t drive under, you can’t drive over, and you can’t drive around,
you have to wait for the moose to move although it slows you down.
But what’s your hurry, don’t you worry, don’t you know it’s true –
it may take a month or two, but the moose is bound to move.”

If you keep listening, the moose decides to take a nap, cars pile up on both sides, and eventually, everyone gets out of their cars and befriend the moose, taking pictures with him and scratching his chin.

In my yogic journey to the present moment, always trying to arrive, I don’t often embrace the obstacles in my path. I think that’s hard for most of us. What would happen if we did? Would the obstacles change, would we ourselves change, or both?

Yoga teaches us to observe the present moment, to sit with discomfort, to notice our reactions before acting upon them. All of these mindfulness techniques run counter to our culture of more, better, faster. Before you get caught up in the busy-ness of the last months of the year, try to observe the obstacles in your path. Maybe the “obstacle” is an important part of the journey.

As it turned out, we had everything we needed for the trip, the toddler didn’t have a single meltdown in the car, and we even enjoyed stopping to stretch our legs while appreciating the crisp air and fall colors. I hope you find the same joy in whatever journey you undertake.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

by Laura McCorry

I’m still rather new to minimalism. I love the concept – a clutter-free home that invites both unexpected guests and private relaxation. But the practice of de-owning often feels overwhelming and exhausting.

In July, I was invited to participate in a 30-day declutter group hosted online. It was great to have the support of other people in the group and to have a pre-set monthly schedule of different areas of the house to tackle each day. It usually didn’t take me more than ten or fifteen minutes, and every day I found items I could place in a large cardboard box marked for donation.

Then the cardboard box sat in a corner of my bedroom for three months. Does this sound familiar? Sometimes the follow-through is the hardest part. But just last week – last week! – I made a trip to a household hazardous waste site (don’t throw your batteries in the trash, people!), electronics recycling, and a local charity that accepts household and clothing donations. It only took about an hour.

When it doesn’t take very much time, why is it still so hard to let go?

So often in life, I find myself clinging and grasping. I keep letters from loved ones, gifts that remind me of people, books that remind me of people. I try to hold on to the idea and experience of my toddler as an infant, and I feel a kind of desperation every time I realize another day has finished, never to return.

One of the eight limbs of Yoga is Aparigraha, which translates as non-greed, non-attachment, non-grasping. Fear teaches us to cling tight, even to things which can’t be held. When we let go, maybe prying open one finger at a time, we find Trust, Plenitude, Equanimity. (These words that don’t have an everyday coinage because they’re so frequently out of circulation.)

To what (or to whom) do you find yourself clinging most often? Is there physical or emotional baggage holding you back from feeling a sense of peace with the present moment?

Yoga’s emphasis on the present moment actually helps me to be a better minimalist. When I shift my focus to what actually matters, right this very moment, it’s easier to see how so many objects in my life belong to the past or to an as-yet-unrealized future. As Autumn’s full glory approaches, I intend to simplify my home and my routines, letting go of excess to better appreciate the things, people, and routines that serve me best right now.

Thoreau himself embraced yogic values with his injunction to “simplify, simplify.” Let go of grasping and see what fills your hands and your heart.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Laura McCorry

1. Ring a bell. Bells, gongs, and chimes have been used the world over for centuries as a call to attention. They precede religious gatherings, call out the time of day and still sometimes announce the start of school. The tone of a bell reminds you to pay attention, and to set aside this time for something different. Ring your own bell, find the space and quiet you need, then sit down with yourself.
2. Start with yourself. Want to experience more love, peace and health in the new year? Start this moment by modeling those behaviors with yourself. Do one activity today that will enhance your wellbeing. Choose one part of your body that you love and repeat that affirmation aloud in front a mirror. (We’re huge supporters of body positivity – here’s more! How Do You Feel Sexy and Yoga and Body Positivity.)
3. Cultivate Gratitude. Instead of asking for what you need and what you want from this new year, ask yourself what you have and what you can give. This means changing your perspective from one of scarcity to abundance. (Read more about that here.) Acknowledging the gifts and joys we already have creates gratitude and from gratitude flows generosity towards others.
4. Say yes more often. One of the first principles of Anusara Yoga is “open to grace,” it means expanding your awareness and establishing a connection to something bigger than yourself. Choose to participate in your community. Say yes to new experiences. Say yes to new friends. Say yes to new ways to love yourself.
5. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Life-changing habits are notoriously difficult to put into action long-term. Rather than thinking about the future and how many days or months you’d like to do something – start with today. Do one thing that will positively impact your life today. After all, the present moment is the only one we really have.
6. Bonus tip: spend some time engaging with a child – they are masters of the present moment!

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Laura McCorry

guest post by Hannah Faulkner

this article originally published on Half Moon Yoga and Art Blog

Fangs, scales, or tentacles?

Have you fashioned a monster?

From snake-like, dragon-like, bird-like, or octopus-like, humankind has been creating monsters across cultures and time. Ironically, a fear of certain creatures and the unknown is shared on all continents. On the other hand, one of the important characteristics of historical heroes across cultures is being fearless in the face of big and often lethal enemies. This story and message has been told time after time throughout the human experience.

So, why do we still all use our imaginations to provoke fear?

When we imagine or see strange creatures, we often associate them with something that is large, ugly, and frightening. This triggers an unpleasant emotion, anxiety, caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain to ourselves or someone dear to us.

Accelerate breathing rate, sweating, and alertness are physiological changes in the body that show fear is activated. This reaction is an inborn response for coping with danger. This primitive mechanism can help people to survive by either running away or fighting the threat.

In the exhibit, Footsteps Through Time: Four Million Years of Human Evolution, we can identify tools, artifacts, body parts, habitats, ideas, and other touchable replicas of early humans, primates, and futuristic cyborgs (part human, part machine). Stepping through this display, we piece together some of their story. From the tool shed, we see an assortment of tools they used to fight their threats. These battles can result in either dinner, a peaceful night’s sleep, or both. Because early humans that were quick to fear dangerous situations were more likely to survive and reproduce, caution is theorized to be a genetic effect.

From an evolutionary perspective, according to Human Brain Evolution and the Neuroevolutionary Time-Depth Principle by Bracha in 2006, different fears may be different adaptations that have been useful in our evolutionary past, developing during different time periods. For example, a fear of heights, may be common to all mammals and developed during the dinosaur or reptile era. Other fears, such as fear of snakes, may be common to all monkeys and apes developed during the mammals and birds era. Additional fears, such as fear of mice and insects, may be unique to humans and developed during the early human paleolithic and neolithic time periods (when mice and insects become important carriers of infectious diseases and harmful for crops and stored foods).

As a result, humankind shares a fear of the unknown. 

Fear may be politically and culturally manipulated to persuade the citizenry of ideas which would otherwise be widely rejected. For example, sometimes customs and beliefs bring more separation amongst the human race. Only a century ago, “anthropologists at the Museum of Man and the Smithsonian Institution worked together to collect plaster life casts of different racial types. These casts were displayed in San Diego at the 1915 Panama-California Exposition as part of an exhibition about the “progress of man” that presented European Americans as racially superior. (Museum of Man website)”

Previous scholars tried to conclude judgements of species and intelligence levels between people with different colors of skin. However, science has now discovered that over of thousands of years, our DNA has adjusted our skin color to relate to the amount of sun/vitamin D that our bodies should receive at a time. People whose ancestors come from the North need less sun each day, so they could stay warm in shelters, while people from more equatorial regions would stay outside all day and therefore not be oversaturated with vitamin D. The skin pigments adjusted accordingly.

In the exhibit, Race: Are We So Different?, artists like Kate Clark strive to connect the dots between the museum’s archive of face molds to the reality of living and breathing people today. She created a series of face molds from museum visitors to break down the stereotypes from these older social constructs. Today, so many different races have blended and moved around that the results are remarkably more united.

Did you know that we share a connection with all living beings?

According to DNA, we are 50% related to bananas,
98.4 % with chimpanzees, and
99.9% similar to the person next to you
as well as all people in this world now.

It has been theorized that the formation of communities happened because people lived in fear. The result of this fear forced people to unite to fight dangers together rather than fight alone.

Archaeological discoveries of masks, bowls, and figurines highlight the creativity and beliefs of the ancient Maya. Two plates show figures seated in sukhasana pose. For millennia, people all over the world have been sitting on the ground in cross-legged positions.

Mayan Figure seated in Sukhasana Pose

Despite its name, sukhasana meaning “easy sitting pose” it doesn’t always feel easy for a lot of people, especially in today’s culture with the convenience of chairs. Using our core strength, we make many small adjustments to distribute our weight evenly over our sitting bones, balance our shoulders directly over our hips, and align our head directly with our spine.

A well-aligned Sukhasana produces the conditions for a relaxed, yet alert, state in both the body and mind. Therefore, sukhasana has the power to draw us deep inside, leading us toward a meditative state and revealing the immense joy present within our hearts.

The word sukha can also mean “happy” or “joyful.”
This name is a reminder of the innate joy that is within all of us.  

Is it surprising then that the opposite of fear is calm, assurance, love, courage, heroism, confidence, faith, happiness, and joy?

We have the power to overcome frightful social constructs through connection with our mind and body, we can breathe through fear! In yoga practice we call these breathing techniques pranayama.

Yogic philosophy is a guide and reference point along the journey made by those who have walked it before us. Thousands of years ago, Patanjali created the 8 Limbed Path as a guide towards true yoga and peace. He suggested the practice of asanas (postures) and pranayama as preparation for Samadhi, the very last limb, which means “to bring together, to merge.” Samadhi refers to union. There is an ending to the separation that is created by the “I” and “mine” of our illusory perceptions of reality. During samadhi, we realize what it is to be an identity without differences, and how a liberated soul can enjoy pure awareness of this pure identity.

Mandalas at the Museum of Man are a symbol of Unity.

In the state of samadhi the body and senses are at rest yet the mind and reason are alert, as if awake. There is only the experience of consciousness and unutterable joy. Samadhi, is the ultimate goal of our spiritual journey on earth. Perhaps enlightenment is not your conscious goal right now, but samadhi is the highest state of consciousness that a human can reach in life.

There is no longer any individuality of our experiences: gender, personal history, family and cultural values, education, etc. In samadhi, that filter is removed to make room for being intensely present without a point of view. In samadhi you perceive all points of view of reality at once, without focusing on any particular one. This concept of samadhi brings with it the possibility of a deep hope about our growth as human beings.

Samadhi can be experienced through our purple Crown Chakra, the energy source, resting on the top of our head. This crown represents the invisible dwelling of God consciousness, our divine nature, this connection to our God Self, from which we came and also are destined to return.

We may have glimpses of this state, but it’s very rare to live entirely in this state. Some people have this experience during prayer or meditation, others during physically bonding, and still others while alone in the woods. Samadhi is awareness of the oneness of the Universe blended with connectedness, forgiveness, joy and love. We need the journey of yoga to help us discover what was present inside us all along.

Be still.
Can you find this connection and oneness within yourself and all living beings?

Join us for Yoga under the Rotunda at the Museum of Man as we explore the story of humanity and reach towards samadhi.

Saturday, November 12th, 8:30-9:30am

Sign Up Here

Hannah Faulkner
Guest Writer

Hannah Faulkner draws inspiration from her surroundings and seeks to find relationships between the ordinary and extraordinary daily life through her writing. With 4 years of experience as a flight attendant, and many more travels preceding, Hannah’s curiosity and adventurous spirit have soaked in elements from worldwide cultures while growing in her spirituality. As a yoga and visual arts teacher, she combines her passions to create beauty in a variety of ways through her inspiring stories, bridging connections with deeper yoga philosophy and wellness concepts at HalfMoonYogaandArt.com.

by Monique Minahan

The birds are chirping even though it’s still dark. This kind of silence – the kind that isn’t devoid of noise but rather full of presence – is the backdrop for my practice today.

Physically located at the level of the throat, vishuddi chakra represents a gateway between body and mind, through which the energy of this chakra can be suppressed or expressed. As an energetic center for communication, creativity, and expression, this chakra is not just about speaking. It’s also about feeling heard.

Instead of beginning with the beeja mantra ham, I explore the concept of toning, where body and breath invite a sound vibration to form, whatever that sound may be. The tones I create symbolize speaking my truth, as opposed to regurgitating truths I’ve been taught by others.

I begin on my exhale breath with a guttural groan. As I refrain from judging or perfecting it, I watch it transition through numerous auditory forms, eventually settling on a cathedral-like ahhhhh.

From the seat of an observer I acknowledge the things I have heard in my lifetime: from my inner dialogue, my conversations with others and what I’ve been taught to be true by people in authority.

And I sense the times I’ve refrained from speaking my truth over the years, whether out of fear of being punished, disapproved of or not understood.

With the intention of freeing my voice both physically and energetically, I begin ujjayi pranayam. I place a finger at the front of my throat, the glottis, and visualize the breath entering there, at the front-body location of vishuddi chakra, known as the chakra kshetram. I place another finger on my cervical spine at the back of my neck, visualizing the breath exiting through the spine, the back-body location of vishuddi chakra. Then I reverse the cycle so it begins at the back of the neck and travels forward. This practice focuses my awareness, breath and entire being on the physical and energetic center of vishuddi.

Vishuddi is often translated as “purification,” but I think of it more as refinement. As a pause between body and mind where I begin to distinguish the chatter of my unconscious mind from a higher level of knowledge. An energetic space where I can observe the way things have been and choose to create a new song for my life.

I sit a little longer listening to the sound of my breath. Before opening my eyes I speak out loud my vision of how my voice contributes to the chorus of life. I hear that truth with my ears and I seal it by bowing my head to my heart.

Part 6 of a 7 part series. You can find part 5 here: Anahata, The Heart.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. Contact: moniqueminahan.com

We love this piece from Rainbow Yoga on What Makes a Great Yoga Teacher!

Rainbow Yoga regularly leads weekend-long kids yoga teacher training courses at Yoga One (and around the world!) They will be back at Yoga One, August 4th – 6th, 2017 leading their 3 Day Kids Yoga Teacher Training. Join us for this great adventure in learning!

This article originally published on RainbowYogaTraining.com

by Gopala Amir Yaffa

What makes a great teacher? Well, that’s like asking what makes a great day!

There are so many ways to make things rock as an awesome yoga teacher, but here are some quick pointers you can try.

Be Awesome

First, what makes an awesome teacher is simply being an awesome person. But in addition to being awesome, you need to let it shine so that the world can know how amazing you are! So whatever your coolness is, let it shine!

Who are you? What do you want to be?

The best way to learn is to teach; and teaching is sure to help you become a better you. When you teach, you need to be your ideal self; an expression of love, knowledge and kindness.

This is not to say that you should be fake. Just give it the best of you every time.

Be Real

At the same time, you have to be authentic to where you come from, who you are now and your challenges and struggles at the moment. We teach best from our own genuine failures and experiences.

If your life has been and is always perfect, you will have nothing to teach. It is often the most broken people that make the best teachers. They have overcome enough challenges to understand and relate compassionately to other people, they have real experiences and wisdom from the inside to share.

You don’t get the lotus without the mud and the more mud, the better the flower. Teach from the inside, from those life experiences that have transformed you.

• Don’t be afraid to show your own limitations, it will help your students feel more comfortable with theirs.

• Don’t pretend that you know something you don’t or you will miss an opportunity to learn something new.

If you are not Indian, don’t try to be one by wearing Indian clothes and speaking Sanskrit. If you are not all Om Shanti and relaxed, don’t act as if you are… people will know if you are faking it, and really not all of us need Om Shanti yoga – some of us need to be shaken to awaken.

“Be the best version of yourself rather than the second best version of someone else.”

Trust that you have meaningful gifts to give to the world that someone will need. Nothing is good for everyone, and everything is good for someone.

Offer your authentic gifts from your heart, they are sure to be a great service to someone.

Be New

There are a million yoga teachers out there, so don’t be like everyone else. Make it your own. Make it new!

What are your passions? What are you really good at? What have you been working on already for your whole life that has made you who you are today?

You don’t need to forget about all of those when you shift into teaching yoga. Life is an evolution rather than a revolution, and everything you will build from here on has, in one way or another, a foundation on what you have achieved and experienced in your past.

Combining your passions is a great way to come up with something new.  The possibilities are endless and this is how people came up with ideas like:

Kids Yoga, Partner Yoga, Senior Yoga, Aqua Yoga (yoga in the water), yoga and weight lifting, Doga (yoga with your dog), yoga on exercise balls, Yoga Fight Club (yoga and martial arts), Yoga Canvas and Cabernet (yoga, painting and wine drinking), Yoga for Surfers, Yoga for Golfers, Equestrian Yoga (yoga on a horseback), Naked Yoga, Acro Yoga, Aerial Yoga (yoga suspended from the ceiling by straps)… and there are many many more!

Yoga is not set in stone; it has been evolving since ever. Even the most “traditional” yoga teacher trainings have very little in it that was called yoga a hundred years ago.

Don’t be like everyone else! Have some style! Dare and live a little! Experiment!

Be Now

Start teaching right away! Don’t wait until you know everything before you start teaching, because no one knows everything.

Don’t wait until you are perfect before you start to teach, because no one is perfect. You learn as you go. You evolve with your students.

Waiting will just make you stagnant and dull your energy. Get out there and share yourself with the world now!

Be The Change

Whatever your new yoga is going to be, what is your job description as a yoga teacher?

In my opinion it is making people happy! You are AMAZING – we all are in our own special way! And you are going to change the world, one person at a time… and not by talking, but simply by being the awesome you that you have now freed.

Are you ready?

The real question is, is the world ready for you? Well… it better be, because you are going out there today to rock it!

by Laura McCorry

You know that whole-body blissed-out feeling you have sometimes at the end of a really good yoga class?

You feel completely relaxed, like you just woke up from a deep and restful sleep. Your eyes are only half-open. And your hair might be a little messed up but you don’t even care, you’re just *that* relaxed.

You bring your hands together at heart center and repeat “namaste” along with a chorus of other yogis. The room reverberates for a moment, waves of peace and calm floating through the air.

What if you could capture that feeling at home? First thing in the morning perhaps. Or right before bed. A simple yoga routine can prepare you physically and help settle your thoughts into the present moment.

You don’t need a teacher. You don’t need any props. You just need a baseline knowledge of a few, simple poses (or access to youtube) and about 10-15 minutes. Although, let’s be honest, 30-45 minutes with this sequence would feel heavenly. Enjoy!

Go to Yoga Digest for a sequence of 6 yoga poses you can do IN BED to ease strain in the body and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. 

What poses are part of your everyday home practice? Do you have your own pre-bedtime wind-down routine? Let us know in the comments and happy dreams to all.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Monique Minahan

I place my left hand on my heart and on top of that layer my right.

I don’t move until I feel that familiar thump-thump beating under my hands, as subtle or as strong as it may be. I don’t move until I connect with the aliveness within me.

Anahata, the heart chakra, reminds me of my need for love and my true capacity to love. It asks me to stretch my heart open not just for my friends or family but for every human being on this planet – a major paradigm shift from the more prominent fear-thy-neighbor mentality that threatens to tear our world apart.

This is why I must connect with myself first. I cannot find compassion for anyone else until I find compassion for myself. I cannot welcome another’s pain until I have welcomed my own.

Onto the physical connection of hands to heart, I layer sound. A soft reverberation of anahata’s seed sound yam starts at the middle point of my sternum, this chakra’s kshetram, or front-body location. It travels through my body, piercing the spine, emerging on my back at the actual chakra point, a deep blue flowering like a tattoo over my upper back.

I repeat that cycle until it feels complete, letting the sound shape-shift, becoming a groan or a song or a wail until it naturally tapers into the quietest, softest syllable, matching the beat of my heart.

Alone with my heart I ask her what she has to say. Then I step back to allow her to answer:

Love bigger, she says. You know you can.

She is right but I stay silent. I listen as she questions why I don’t. I give her all my reasons and tell her that the world makes it hard to love sometimes. She reminds me that when I block love from exiting, I also block love from entering. Like breathing out and breathing in.

I begin bhramari pranayama, the humming bee breath. The gentle buzzing sound allows me to listen to my heart without my head thinking of a reply, a response, a defense.

This practice draws me out into the deep waters of vulnerability, the only state of being where I can receive and offer love fully.

As my humming drifts into silence I become aware of akasha, the heart space, and how it shrinks and expands proportionate to my level of fear or love.

I choose love. Not the small love I only offer to those who love me back. The Big Love that does not require reciprocity. The love that is enlarged by our differences instead of threatened by them. The love which the world needs so desperately.

Part 5 of a 7 part series. You can find part 4 here: Manipura, The Navel.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. Contact: moniqueminahan.com

by Monique Minahan

I invite my body into some gentle asana next to a dwindling fire. Only after movement do I find the stillness necessary to enter the city of jewels, manipura chakra; mani meaning jewel and pura meaning city. Now focused, I contemplate the literal flames before me then look to my internal place of fire, manipura chakra.

While its frontal location is at the navel, the chakra itself is said to reside at the level of the spine. I guide my attention horizontally there, to the inner wall of the spinal column and whisper the beeja mantra ram until it settles in my bones like the hum of my breath.

I let my inner vision focus around the space of my solar plexus, literally a complex of nerves in the abdomen that delivers the intuitive “gut feeling” or sinking sensation in the pit of our stomach. The fact that there are no bones in front of the solar plexus seems fitting as this chakra embodies willpower and action; an ability to hold one’s self up. It is the center of heat and strength physically and energetically. The Japanese refer to this area of the body as the hara, or “sea of energy.”

Discerning what’s at the heart of this chakra for me requires patience. Below this chakra is the energy that creates me as an individual. Swadhisthana chakra: my ego, self-esteem, my individuality. Above manipura lies anahata chakra, the energy to channel my unique offering to the world. But here is where those two energies meet. Here is where I find empowerment, authenticity and responsibility. Here is where I transition my individuality to universality. Here is where I struggle with holding on and letting go.

I choose the unifying pranayama of breath retention for this chakra; one that balances both prana-vayu (upward and inward energy) and apana-vayu (downward and outward energy).

I visualize the two forces traveling to the navel simultaneously on the inhale. Only when I feel that they have arrived at the same time do I then perform a gentle breath retention before the exhale. I repeat this for a few minutes before letting my breath return to normal.

When I open my eyes, the fire has dwindled to hot embers. I acknowledge the times in my life when I’ve barely had an ember of light to guide me through the darkness. And I acknowledge the times when a full flame has burned through limitations and freed me to be more authentic, empowered and alive.

I bow my head to that.

Part 4 of a 7 part series. You can find part 3 here: Swadhisthana, The Sacrum.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. Contact: moniqueminahan.com

Celebrate Earth Day by embracing Saucha (cleanliness and purity) in your thoughts, your home and the whole world.

by Laura McCorry

Spring is a time fo new beginnings and for cleaning out the old cobwebbed spaces to bring in fresh air and light. Sometimes these spaces are in the depths of closets and sometimes they can be found in the depths of our thoughts and habits.

Saucha is one of the five moral observances, or Niyamas, of yoga and it refers to cleanliness and purity of body, thoughts and deeds. At first glance, saucha seems rather straight-forward. It’s easy to remember to bathe and to cut your finger nails. Your body won’t feel comfortable or function properly if you stop doing these items of daily maintenance.

But widen the perspective just a bit and you can see how saucha applies to your home as well. If you were to allow trash, papers and other items to accumulate in your home, it would soon be uninhabitable. A clean living space is good for both your health and your mental clarity.

One of the many benefits of yoga is that over time, your awareness will expand in every direction. If you stick with the practice, you’ll find what is good for the body, is also good for the mind and soul. The lessons learned on your mat will follow you into every corner of your experience.

So my hope is that one day, as a species, we will all recognize that the earth, too, needs to be cleaned and maintained.

We learned disposable habits of living from the adults who came before us. It’s easy to fall into the habits of convenience and sticking with the status quo. But there was a time not so long ago before plastics. When things worth having cost a bit more, or took a bit longer, or we knew how to do without them.

You don’t have to revolutionize your life overnight, but I invite you to take a first step. Here are some of the changes I’ve made in my personal life and some that are on my list of what to do next:

• Consider the “end of life” of each object and avoid the use of all plastics wherever possible
• Choose reusable grocery bags and produce bags
• Shop grocery products sold in cardboard boxes or glass jars
• Refuse single use to-go cutlery
• Use cloth placemats and napkins at home
• Extensive use of kitchen towels to avoid using paper towels
• Bring my own tumbler to the coffee shop
• Replace my toothbrush with a bamboo alternative
• Use a glass water bottle for travel
• Cook my own food and eat the leftovers
• Buy less – bring fewer new items into my home
• Invest in a small space/balcony composter

What’s on your list? Share with us in the comments. Here is a great resource with tons of ideas to go even further: plastic free guide

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Monique Minahan

The womb. Love is made here. Life is made here.

Swadhisthana is the seat of our right to feel and represents the duality (and sometimes dueling nature) of separation versus attachment, two concepts I became intimately familiar with while carrying and birthing my son.

A chakra often characterized for its sexuality, I find its watery dimensions to be layered with both humanity and divinity. Growing up in a society that exploits sex and a religion that denied it, I observed it too often reduced to one or the other. The sexual energy this chakra represents spans desire, sensation, pleasure, need and emotion. Much like water changes form to become ice or snow, this chakra’s energy can shrink or expand commensurate to our awareness of it.

As the life inside me grew from hiranyagarbha, the universal womb where all is in its potential state, into my baby, I began to tune in to this chakra on a physical level like never before. The process of creating and carrying life plunged me down into my fears, opened up new depths of emotion, and baptized me more fully into my humanity. It didn’t wash away the ugly or the shameful or the unacceptable – but they were revealed to me without the lens of judgement. I could feel it all, be it all, allow it all.

The space of the womb expands greatly in weight and size during pregnancy. Once baby is born the energetic space is still expansive, but the weight is gone. For weeks I stacked heavy blankets on top of my pelvis to physically weight down swadisthana chakra. The sudden weightlessness felt ungrounding to me, as if the watery energy was struggling to find its boundaries after the enormous experience of childbirth.

I choose a simple mantra for my practice today, the beeja mantra vam.

Pressing on the chakra’s front-body location with one finger, the pubic symphysis, and with another on its back-body mirror image, at the level of the sacrum, I recall that during labor the downward pressure in this space was enormous, an oceanic surge of power I didn’t know I possessed. I release the memory but keep the feeling of intensity in my body as I repeat the mantra.

I free my hands but not my attention. Emotions, memories and judgments surface and I practice allowing them instead of trying to repress them. Some days my mind is as wild as the ocean and all I can do is cling to the anchor of the breath while it swirls me around and around. Today my thoughts feel peacefully contained, like a river flowing downstream content within its banks.

As I end my meditation I return to hiranyagarbha. Some call it god, others universal consciousness. While I cannot grasp its mystery, I can understand it on a level that does not require words. Just presence.

Part 3 of a 7 part series. You can find part 2 here: Mooladhara, The Root.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. Contact: moniqueminahan.com

by Gopala Amir Yaffa,
Rainbow Kids Yoga Founder

The 3-Day Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher Training is well rounded and intensive, with practical theory, discussions and TONS OF FUN! Most importantly, you will come out with immediate tangible knowledge and tons of fabulous ideas to create original, captivating and fun yoga experiences for kids of all ages, anywhere in the world.

Their next training will be held at Yoga One, April 29th – May 1st, 2016
FRI: 9am – 11:45am then 2:45pm – 8:45pm
SAT 10:30am – 7:30pm
SUN 11:30am – 8:30pm
Go here to register and reserve your space today!

To be able to balance is not just impressive; it is also an essential skill that young children need to gain as part of their development. You might think that they will obtain this skill on their own, but there is a direct relation between children’s activity and their level of development: kids who are physically active will develop faster than sedentary kids.

Young children under the age of 3 cannot balance on one foot on their own… But they definitely can with a friend, teacher or a parent!

It is amazing how much more we can do when we do it TOGETHER!

Holding hands or supporting each other with arms over shoulders or waist, we can balance in poses while facing each other, standing side by side, back to back or one behind the other. It’s easy!

And it is not cheating… Our balance does improve immensely when doing yoga together. All while we learn many other important skills such as working together, communication and safe gentle supportive touch.

One of the leading principles we use in our classes is “success builds success.” If children feel successful in one achievement, it gives them the self-confidence they need to be more successful in their next endeavor.

Balancing with a friend or with mom and dad builds self-confidence and so it gives children the assurance they need to try even more daring yoga feats. It also helps children develop trust in their friends or parents, and it is an engaging way to deepen our connections without even needing to talk much.

But most importantly, balancing together makes yoga FUN!

Kids learn best through fun. And when yoga is engaging, interactive and fun, they want to do much more of it. And yes, it is always more fun to do yoga together!

Even older children might find it challenging to balance on their own in a pose like the Tree Pose, Dancer or Airplane for more than a few seconds. But if we start from where they are and build their confidence gradually, there is no limit to the incredible yoga tricks we can perform.

You might think that tricks and performance has no part in yoga, but for older children many times yoga is not interesting enough on its own, and making the class fun is just not enough… it has to be COOL!

So when standing in Tree Pose gets way to easy, we start balancing on top of each other spicing up the yoga class with some Acro-Balance and Human Pyramids. This is uber-cool!

And it is yoga. It increases our balance and flexibility, our coordination… and of course our balancing skills!

Yes, it is a bit risky… But it is not as dangerous as you might think. In the circus they say “no risk, no trick”, and beside, do you know what is the greatest risk in life? It is to take no risk. If we don’t take any risks, we stay stuck where we are.

When doing more acrobatic yoga in pairs or groups, we always assign an additional person to be the Mini Teacher. The Mini Teacher’s job is to make sure that everyone is safe. They are there with their hands ready to assist and to slow down the fall if anyone loses their balance. There is a lot to be learnt about caring for others and being present while being the Mini Teacher.

Kids fall all the time, even when they don’t do yoga. So it is a very small risk to try some more challenging balances and partner and group balances during a class while learning in a supportive environment.

Falling down has its benefits too… it teaches us to get up and try again. If we over protect our children, hover over them and scaffold their development so much that they never fall; they simply don’t learn how to get up. Then every little tumble becomes a big emotional tragedy that they find hard to rise from.

I always try to pass on my very wise grandfather in-law’s motto “you fall, you get up.”

As parents, teachers, and as Mini Teachers, we don’t want to over protect our yoga friends while they balance. If we hold on to them tightly while they are in a Headstand or a Handstand for example, they will never be able to find their own balance.

Keeping everyone safe is always our priority, and there is a wonderful technique we use to strike the right balance between safety and over helping… we call it Hot Potato.

In Hot Potato we never actually hold our friends when they balance, because again it will inhibit them from finding their own balance. They are a “hot potato,” so they are too hot to hold on to. Instead we just touch here and there, touching with our fingertips for a moment and letting go, without ever holding our friends. Try it, and you’ll be amazed how fast your children or classmates will improve with their yoga balance!

Here is another awesome method you can try at home or in your classroom. It is the Protective Circle. We do it in a group of three and it can be done with most balancing poses, as an example lets try the Headstand.

As one friend prepares to come up into the Headstand the two others stand on either side of her and form a “wall” behind her by reaching toward each other and holding each other wrists.  They can than hold onto the head-stander ankles and lift her up, or she can jump up into the Headstand Pose. The two standing partners now form the ‘Protective Circle’ around the head-stander legs by joining each others hands at the wrists. The head-stander stays safe from falling inside the Protective Circle while their legs bounce off her friends’ arms until she finds her own balance. It works!

The communication skills we can learn by balancing in yoga together with our parents or friends in the relaxed atmosphere of a yoga class can go a long way in helping us keep our cool and our connection to each other as we try to find balance also off our yoga mats and into our everyday beautiful lives.

Hold on to each other, it’s going to be soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much FUN!

by Laura McCorry

Becoming a parent can you leave physically exhausted and sore all over at the end of the day. Here’s a run-down of all the yoga poses you may not have realized you’re already doing!
Plank Pose – Might as well do your own ten minutes a day of tummy time while the little one is down on the floor.

Crescent Pose (dynamic) – Keep baby upright while you pick something up off the floor. Pro tip: remember to alternate which leg is in front.

Boat Pose – Your baby is sleeping on your chest but you need to burp her, gently move from high to low boat and pat her back.
Chair Pose – Load your laundry machine because your darling baby can’t be separated from you for even ten minutes at a time.

Seated Forward Fold – You can play with baby while seated if your hamstrings allow your torso to move forward.

Child’s Pose – Baby gets to feel snuggled in close and you get some relief for your lower back!

Ujjayi Breath – Babies actually regulate their breathing based on their caregiver’s breath. When you’ve done everything you can but baby is still crying, a nice, loud ujjayi will keep as least one of you calm.

Om – No lie, my partner would lean over our fussy baby on our bed and om and she would instantly quiet down. Magical sound of the universe indeed!

Savasana – Nope, sorry, this isn’t compatible with baby. It’s just called sleeping whenever you get the chance.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Monique Minahan

I start with ajna, the third eye chakra. It might seem like any chakra practice should proceed from bottom-up, but working with the lower chakras can dig up some dirt… so to speak. Connecting with ajna first helps me step back and observe the meditation process as it unfolds.

“Ommmmm,” I chant it slowly, visualizing the sound vibrating at the center of my eyebrows, waiting until it fades completely to begin the next one.

Each chakra has what’s called a beeja mantra or ‘seed sound.’ Om is the seed sound for ajna chakra.

This practice is settling and slow. Questions about my vision begin to float to the surface. Literally my vision (I started wearing glasses at 7 years old); metaphorically my vision (where do I see myself in five years); and spiritually my vision (who do I think I am and who am I really?)

Instead of reaching for the answers with my mind… I just sit with the questions, letting the om soothe my need to know, my need to define myself.

Each chakra has a color associated with it. Ajna is a two-petalled silver-grey lotus flower. I imagine silver beginning as a small dot of color in my belly and watch as it expands through organs and limbs until my whole body is filled with silver, until I am radiating silver. Until the sound of om and my silver being fill all my senses.

The oms naturally begin to wane. The silver color dims and fades completely.

The silence that follows is so crisp, so clear. As if I can hear the everything in the nothingness.

I blink my eyes open slowly, pausing as I take in my surroundings with my actual eyes, grateful for the ability to see where I’ve been, where I am now, and to discern my next step clearly.

This is the first of a 7-part series on the chakras. Check back soon for the next installment!

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. Contact: moniqueminahan.com

by Laura McCorry

As a new yoga teacher, I was in love with everything yoga. I wanted to soak it all in and learn as much as I possibly could so that when my training was over, I could go out into the world and help people move and feel better in their bodies.

I diligently memorized all the Sanskrit names and their English translations. I practiced saying both names whenever I taught a class (and I’m a bit embarrassed to think how many Sanskrit names I’ve now forgotten). But there was one pose, one name, for which I always used the Sanskrit: savasana.

After yoga and namaste, it’s probably the most-recognized Sanskrit word, so you can get away with not saying its translation. I’ve used “final relaxation” to explain savasana in many classes. But here are the words I’ve avoided saying for so many years:

Corpse Pose.

I was reminded of the proper translation this week. I had just finished leading a restorative yoga class and everyone in the room was lying down on their mats, not moving. This is the most relaxing part of yoga, the culmination of the previous hour and the time when the body receives the greatest benefit from the practice.

And I remembered that savasana meant corpse pose and I felt a chill go up my spine to see a room full of people, essentially “practicing” death. In that moment, I realized how much easier it was for me to be the teacher, to sit on my mat and stay “awake” so I could guide them out of savasana when the time was right.

My level of comfort with death ranges from “not very” to “nope, this is not even a little bit okay.” And I know I’m not alone. Our culture pushes death outside the realm of public discourse. We cover it up in medical jargon and leave death in the hands of hospice and the funeral home – anything to create some distance between us, the living, and the-thing-we-fear-above-all- fears.

So there’s something profoundly radical about the practice of yoga ending each session with the practice of death.

It flies in the face of popular culture which would rather pay attention to the youngest, newest, brightest thing under the sun. Which helps explain why savasana at some of the trendier, more corporate-feeling yoga studios can be so short – sometimes no more than two minutes.

How long savasana should last is a matter of debate in the yoga world, but the goal is long enough for you (your essence/spirit/soul) to surrender you (the body/mind). To truly practice corpse pose, you must recognize your Self as separate from your body. This acknowledgement can take years to manifest because we are very attached to our bodies in both a literal and psychological sense.

One of yoga’s primary tenets is the yama of non-attachment, aparigraha. It is natural for us to cling to things, to hold on tight to the people we love and the experiences of our body. But yoga teaches that You are not your body. In order to be free, to experience samadhi, or union with the divine, you must let go. Surrender. And yes, even practice death.

I believe that fear and discomfort can only ever hold us back from the fullness of life. We are meant to be alive. We are meant to fully enjoy this beautiful world and to live abundantly. I hope that over time, this practice of yoga continues to mold me, body, mind and spirit until I can one day acknowledge death without fear. Until the practices of living and dying can peacefully coexist that I might move with greater ease through this experience of life. And I wish the same for you.

**This post was partly inspired by Contributing Writer, Monique Minahan’s piece When I’m Gone Please Don’t Have a Funeral on Huffington Post. Thank you Monique for always writing from your heart!

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

8 Yoga Poses to Enliven Your Hands and Your Practice

by Amy Caldwell

Thanks for the feature, Yoga Digest! Go here to read the full article which includes a guided yoga practice focused on enlivening the fingers and hands.

photo credit: Simpatika

Knowing Your Body Like the Back of Your Hand Can Begin with Your Fingers

The Practice: The feet often get a lot of attention in yoga class. You may be familiar with the term “yogi toes” and teachers advising students to, “lift and spread the toes,” or “root down through all four corners of the feet.” Yet aside from a few mudras (gestures) the fingers often play second fiddle to the toes. The following practice will enliven your fingers. It will also increase your attention to detail, foster optimal alignment through the wrists, arms and shoulders and ultimately, empower your entire practice.

Body-Mind Benefits: Our fingers are dexterous, strong and acute sensory receptors. Bringing focus to what your hands are doing during practice will enhance the flow of energy, help prevent injury and improve concentration. Whether touching the mat, the earth, held in mudras or placed on your heart, our fingers initiate a connection and often tell a story. Learn to recognize and enjoy the nuanced sensations present at your fingertips.

Enjoy gratitude for your hands. They are an extension of your heart in their ability to feel, serve and connect compassionately to your self, others and the world around you.

by Laura McCorry

The body positive movement means finding ways to respect, honor and love your own body as a daily practice. Feeling positively about your body has nothing to do with your health, fitness or size. (Can we repeat that about a thousand times across the twitterverse?)

The culture we live in is always ready to tell us that we’re not good enough. Sometimes all we see in the media are airbrushed and photoshopped images of women and men that misrepresent the natural body of the model. Not only have we elevated one type of body to an ideal, but often the thin/fit/flawless body is a complete illusion.

So what does it mean to step out of this culture and onto your mat to practice yoga?

Every belief you have about your body will follow you onto your mat. If your thoughts are predominantly negative, this can have disastrous consequences for how you feel about yoga and your likelihood of maintaining a regular practice.

But yoga teaches present moment awareness – which means paying attention and honoring how your body moves that day, without comparison to how it moved in the past or how you’d like it to move in the future. The more you practice this mental shift into the present, the more you can circumvent negative self-talk.

Body positivity doesn’t mean complacency in the face of health risks. It means rejecting the “not good enough” mantra and replacing it with affirmations of love, acceptance and encouragement.

When we feel positively about our bodies, we create an atmosphere of nurturing protection for the body and prompt the desire for more positive change. Sometimes the biggest physical challenge you encounter in life is not the super hard workout or the discipline to stay active – the bigger challenge is the radical acceptance of your body. All of it, without exception.

You are only given this one vessel with which to experience the world. Treat it kindly. Allow it to feel the warmth of the sun and the caress of the breeze. Take it on adventures and let your body carry you through a world of new experiences.

Know that all change starts within. If you can change one thought, you can begin to change your way of thinking. If you change your thinking, you can influence others to do the same. Maybe one day the cultural legacy we leave behind will be one that affirms the value of all bodies and contributes to the health and happiness of all.

(Here’s a great place to start, 10 Ways to Practice Self-Love.)

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Sarah Clark

I’ve come to think of my eight-limbed yoga practice a lot like the image of the bodhisattva Avalokite?vara from the Buddhist tradition. This figure, said to embody compassion, is often depicted with many, sometimes innumerable arms. Each one of these arms and subsequent hands holds a different kind of tool – the tool that will be just right for the task; and that right tool depends on the circumstance.

Like many westerners, I was introduced to yoga through asana, or the practice of yoga postures. Asana is the third limb of yoga in the eight-limbed path. For a long while, my practice was characterized solely by the time I spent on my yoga mat, sweating, moving and breathing (working with the energy of breathing is the fourth limb, by the way: pranayama). It was glorious.

But after awhile, I felt other seeds starting to grow. My posture and breathing practices were effecting other aspects of my life. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I felt as though I was becoming more patient and calm. I could feel these seeds sprouting tendrils that were reaching down into deeper parts of me that earnestly valued compassion, kindness and peace. I was hungry to understand more about what was happening.

I found teachers, or maybe they found me, that were eager to foster my deeper growth. I started learning about the eight-limbed path and I started to ask myself hard questions and take on new practices. I wanted to know: what is this practice for? Why bother? Why, exactly, am I dedicating all this time in my life to practice? Where is it leading? What are my truest, deepest values?

The beauty of the eight-limbed path is that it dealt with the whole of me. The first limb, the yamas, profoundly changed my life. The yamas are comprised of five ethical practices that help us navigate the sticky world of relationships. We activate these yamas in our actions and speech, in how we listen, and how we work with our thoughts. We wrestle with the intention to cause no harm (ahimsa), to be honest (satya), and to let go of our tendencies for greed (aparigraha).

I discovered that the other limbs were equally potent. I learned how to cultivate patience when yoga postures and everyday life was high in intensity (practice of tapas) and how to find contentment in my being regardless of circumstance (santo?a). These are part of the second limb, called the niyamas.

I learned to harness the subtly of my breath, and how to savor its energetic effects with more nuance as I dove deeper into the fourth limb of pranayama.

I learned how to work with my sensory experiences and to let go of them through the fifth limb of pratyahara so that I was able to psychologically settle down. This paved the way to being able to mentally stop running around and running away in my mind: that’s the sixth limb, dharana.

I began a quiet, seated meditation practice, limb number seven, dhyana. I took a deeper look at how I constructed my reality. Now, I sit every day. And samadhi, the eighth limb, opens up in moments. This is the limb of being fully integrated in my life, just how it is. It circles me back around to the first limb again, begging that I use these deeper insights and growing wisdom in the actions I take in my life.

The eight-limbed path has not led me to some constant state of bliss or ended world hunger. But its richness is a scaffolding through which I stay more steadily connected with what is most meaningful in my life. It keeps my eye on the target of living a life of kindness, compassion, steadiness, and love. And it is whole. It addresses my entire, interwoven body-energy-mind-heart.

As a practitioner, and especially as a yoga teacher, I owe it to myself and to the world to take on a more whole practice; it’s critical I encourage my practice to mature. We live in a complex, interconnected world, and so we need a wide range of tools in our tool belt! I hope to see us as a wider yoga community embrace the fullness of yoga through all eight limbs, so that this path can more meaningfully address the real needs of this particular culture at this particular time. The way that actually shows up in our life is entirely dependent on each of our unique circumstances! And, allowing a whole practice to shake up our world honors the precious opportunity that is being alive.

If you want to learn more about the eight limbs of yoga and how they can enhance your life and your practice, join me on Sunday, May 3rd at noon at Yoga One for an in-depth workshop, 8 Limbs for a Whole Being. For more details and to register, go here.

Sarah Clark has been teaching yoga since 2006. She currently offers Teacher Training, workshops, private instruction, and group classes throughout San Diego, CA. Her primary teachers include Michael Stone, Joe Miller, Christie Clark, Judith Lasater & Cyndi Lee. 

by Laura McCorry

What does it mean to practice yoga when your physical practice is greatly diminished or taken away entirely from illness or injury? 

Yoga grew out of a tradition that includes eight limbs (or tenets) for a complete practice. Asana, or the physical postures of yoga, is just one of those eight limbs. The others show up during yoga practice as well and contain the philosophical groundwork of the ancient practice. (You can do your own search to learn more or come to our upcoming 8 Limbs for a Whole Being workshop on May 3rd.)

I’ve experienced long withdrawals from my physical practice due to long-term injury and more recently, a period of several weeks wherein I’ve caught one virus after another. Neither condition is any fun because you’d much rather be well and able to move your body freely.

So what does it mean to be a yogi who cannot practice asana?

I started out feeling very sorry for myself and disconnected from most forms of yoga displayed on the internet. I didn’t want to see photos of handstands on the beach or “inspirational” videos of complicated pose transitions. But this is the showy side of yoga and if you dig deeper, there’s so much more.

Physical limitations give you many opportunities to practice non-attachment, or aparigraha. You must let go of what you used to be able to do. You learn to guard your heart against jealousy when others do what you cannot. There is always a choice in how and whether you respond to any given circumstance. Non-attachment means letting go of feeling bitter and lost and broken.

Yoga becomes a more internal experience. During asana practice, teachers often tell you to listen to your body. Without asana, you must listen to your state of mind. (tweet that) The lessons learned on your mat become even more important when you cannot use the gross tool of your body to process them. The mind is slipperier and harder to control.

I found new ways to measure my yoga practice. I could no longer count the number of sun salutations I did in class, but I could ask myself if I spent some time sitting in silence. Did I make the most loving decisions I could make? How long was I able to forget about myself while being present for another? Sometimes yoga meant doing something just because it brought joy into the world.

If you really practice yoga outside the studio and off your mat, you realize that you always have your breath. I learned to make time just to breathe consciously. This was my practice – to be aware of my breath moving in and out of the body, sustaining my life. To allow myself to be carried away by the sensation of breath until the mind gives up listing its grievances and to-do lists. Then you move beyond the awareness of breathing and for an unknowable space of time, you simply are. This is the good stuff. This is samadhi, or oneness with the universe, that all yoga practice seeks to achieve.

Asana is wonderful. It can help transform both body and mind. But it’s not the only path. If you must take a break from asana, do not mourn it for too long. The real work of becoming who you are meant to be is internal and the other limbs of yoga can reveal the process. Stay connected to yourself and to the experience of each moment. This is how yoga moves with you and carries you through times of adversity.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Monique Minahan

If walking down the street was a yoga pose, how would we do it? Would we walk more mindfully, consciously, and with attention to how our breath informs our every step?

by Rachel Krentzman, PT, E-RYT

Backbends are an integral part of any Yoga practice. The intention for backbends is to open the chest and rib cage in preparation for pranayama (breathwork). For some, backbends are exhilarating and freeing while for others, they can be somewhat daunting and anxiety-producing. For the first few years of my yoga practice, I would experience back pain in most back bending postures and assumed that it was a ‘normal sensation.’ The truth is, if done correctly, backbends should be challenging but comfortable. If you are not experiencing freedom in your backbends, it is a sign that you may be compressing your lumbar spine instead of increasing your range of motion.

Is it safe for my spine?

When done correctly, back bends help increase extension of the spine, a normal movement that is available to us based on the anatomical structure of the lumbar vertebrae. There are approximately 55 degrees of extension available in the lumbar spine in most humans. As we move up the spine, extension is more limited due to the shape of the thoracic vertebrae.  In optimal alignment, the lumbar spine should rest in a slight arch (lumbar lordosis), to properly carry the body weight and prevent low back issues. When we lose the normal curve due to poor posture or frequent forward bending, there is an increased risk of low back pain, disc injuries and muscle spasm.

With all this in mind, it is important to increase the extension in our spine in order to maintain back health and mobility and combat the constant effect of gravity that pulls us forward. In addition, back bends help increase lung capacity, prevent arthritis, alleviate depression, build stamina and energy as well as improve circulation, digestion and immune function. Backbends are said to help us move from the past into the present, and to help us open our hearts and let go of fear.

Backbends are safe for most individuals (contraindicated for those with spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis) as long as the body is warmed up appropriately and there is close attention paid to proper alignment and actions in each pose. The beauty of yoga is that detailed instructions can be given to help one attain ideal alignment so a greater sense of opening is experienced. When we have pain in backbends, it is because something is breaking down in our execution of the pose. Discomfort is an opportunity for us to practice more awareness and find a new, pain free way to work in the posture.

Common limitations

Individuals who have difficulty in backbends can be categorized into two main groups: those with tight muscles and ligaments and those who are naturally loose and highly flexible. In every body, there is a dance between the qualities of stability and flexibility in the musculoskeletal system. There is a myth that being more flexible is a sign of better physical health, however, the more flexible a person is, the more prone their ligaments are to injury in yoga because they lack stability. Conversely, those who are stiff are less likely to suffer an injury due to over-stretching, but these individuals need to increase their flexibility so the pelvis and spine can move freely and avoid compression during activities of daily living.

Common restrictions for tight individuals include decreased range of motion in the chest, shoulders and hips (primarily in the hip flexors and external rotators). These areas become restricted from prolonged sitting at a desk, driving, frequent forward bending and lifting and can even occur from overtraining the anterior chest musculature. Runners, cyclists and avid athletes are prone to tightness in the hip flexors and external rotators as well. These individuals need to focus on increasing flexibility in the chest and hips to prepare for backbends.

Hyper flexible people experience different difficulties in back bending postures. They often have tight hip flexors but compensate with over-extension in the low back. Core strength is usually lacking in these individuals, so they tend to ‘hinge’ at one segment in their spine over and over again instead of dividing the extension throughout the length of the spine. In this case, the hyper mobile segment becomes more mobile while the tighter segments in the spine stay tight. Years of ‘dumping’ into the low back without awareness can lead to injury as the segment bears all the work. These individuals need to focus on stability and strength in their backbends, which may mean backing off a little to maintain the integrity of the pose and length throughout the entire spine.

How to practice correctly 

Here are some important tips to help you achieve success in your back bending poses:

• Warm up! In order to be ready for back bends, you must practice poses that open the chest, hip flexors, quadriceps and external rotators of the hip. It is also important to practice a couple of poses that encourage strength in the arms and legs to prepare for certain backbends.
• Keep the front body long. “Back bends should really be called front body lengtheners,” says Jo Zukovich, a well known Iyengar Yoga teacher from San Diego. While we are extending our lumbar spine, it is important to maintain length at the same time so there is more space and equal movement between each spinal segment. The common mistake that leads to pain and injury is collapsing in the spine at one segment while in the backbend.
• Internally rotate your hips. Internal rotation in the hips is essential in all backbends to avoid compression in the spine. If we allow our hips to externally rotate (which will cause the knees to splay out), our stronger muscles, namely the gluteus maximus and external hip rotators, will contract. By internally rotating the thighs, we turn off those stronger hip muscles and activate the deeper gluteal muscles which help to create more space.
• Avoid gripping! The tendency in backbends is to contract the buttocks strongly which creates more compression and less freedom in the spine. In addition, ‘tucking of the tailbone’ creates shortening instead of increased length in the spine.  Instead, think about lifting the lower belly to help the tailbone descend. This creates length while maintaining the integrity of the spine and core strength in back bends.
• Don’t fight the backbend, GO FOR IT. Most people try to resist the back bend while they are doing it. It is safest to work on helping your lumbar spine move into extension at every level. Focus on moving each vertebrae into the body as if it were sinking into quicksand in order to safely increase extension in the lumbar spine. Remember that we are lengthening as we are extending to maintain a full lumbar curve free from compression.

Rachel Krentzman PT, ERYT 500 combines 18 years of Physical Therapy experience with more than 15 years of Yoga studies. Her treatment methods involve a highly effective approach to healing the whole person. Rachel received her 2000-hour certification from the College of Purna Yoga™ with Aadil Palkhivala and has studied Yoga therapeutics. She is the founder and director of Embody Physical Therapy and Yoga in San Diego, CA. For more details and/or questions contact: 619-261-6049 or rachel@embodyphysicaltherapy.com

by Laura McCorry

Everyone knows the holidays can be a stressful time of year. Combining multiple social engagements, the expectation of gift giving, and seeing your relatives is enough to set most people’s nerves on edge. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Yoga encourages us to continually check in with the present moment. “What is happening right now?” Yoga One head teacher Amy Caldwell likes to ask. It’s easy to become unsatisfied thinking about the past or anxious thinking about the future. Present moment awareness uses meditation and pranayama (breath control) to bring our emotional selves back into balance.

To encourage balance in all things, even our giving, here’s a non-traditional holiday gift guide for the yogi in all of us:

1. Spend quality time with the ones you love. It doesn’t get any simpler or better than this. Love can’t be bought or wrapped – it can only be shared. Sit down to a meal, play on the floor with the kids or the dog, go for a long walk. In this age of increasing digital connection, it’s good to remember the joy of being present in person. Your presence is the gift.

2. Create or purchase an experience gift. After basic needs are met, more material things do not necessarily increase happiness. When you provide an experience, you can still have the pleasure of gift giving without adding to your loved one’s possessions. This can be anything from tickets to a play or concert, a good old fashioned coupon book, or the even the gift of yoga (our favorite!)

3. Encourage minimalism, give chocolate. Consumable gifts are enjoyable but won’t take up space on a closet shelf for years to come (though eaten in excess, they may land on the thighs). Good examples include a gift certificate for dinner at a favorite restaurant, a subscription to a CSA or DIY meal service like Blue Apron, a bottle of wine or a favorite beer, the list goes on! (You can find award-winning Beardsman Brewery local beer at Yoga One on December 12th)

4. Write a letter of support. It’s important to tell someone how you feel, yet writing it down can sometimes be even more powerful. Thank them for taking the time to listen. Congratulate them on achieving a goal, having a baby, being an awesome person. Support their personal development. Encourage the yogis you know to deepen their practice by participating in the Yoga One Teacher Training.

5. Give Back. Many charitable organizations rely on end of year donations to fund their services and programs throughout the year. Seva Yoga is the practice of selfless service without the expectation of reward. You can volunteer your time, add a charity to your wish list, buy some extra groceries for your local food pantry, or donate yourself. You can even select a charity to benefit from your web browsing and shopping through Amazon Smile or Goodsearch.

It’s the thought, grounded in present moment awareness which is then consciously acted upon, that counts! Whatever you decide to give this holiday season, let it spring from a place of balance and love. From all of us at Yoga One, to all of you, wishing you good health and much happiness!

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

How many hours do you spend typing in front of a computer screen? If you’re like many Americans, you’re spending a significant amount of time every day with your fingers on a keyboard. Over time, repetitive movements like typing or clicking on a mouse can cause wrist pain or even carpal tunnel syndrome.

Our friends at Embody Physical Therapy and Yoga (who lead the anatomy portion of Yoga One Teacher Training) have created a short video showing three poses to reduce and eradicate wrist pain and carpal tunnel symptoms. To find out more about Yoga One’s award-winning studio and yoga teacher training, go here or send us an email: info@yogaonesandiego.com

by Monique Minahan

The initial weeks and months postpartum are a unique time in a woman’s life. Although new moms often feel a lot of pressure to “get their body back,” the reality is that having a baby changes your body radically from the inside out and there’s no need to push yourself. Even with a healthy pregnancy and delivery, the impact of childbirth and the physical demands of taking care of a newborn can be surprising to new mothers.

My yoga practice has changed dramatically since having my baby. With no extra energy and little free time I’m learning to make my yoga count. Gone are the days of 5-minute warm-ups and 10-minute savasanas. I’m happy to get in a 15-minute practice on any given day and am learning that life after baby requires a different kind of flexibility, strength, and patience than the kind I practice on my mat.

Here are 5 poses I’ve found healing, energizing, and supportive on my postpartum path. In all poses bring awareness to your breath and the back side of the body, two areas that tend to get neglected in new moms. Step into your new body slowly and with awareness, letting it open up when ready and heal at its own pace.

1. Cat/Cow: This was the first pose I did after having baby and it never felt so good. It’s a wonderful way to gently begin to reconnect to your new body and massage your spine at the beginning or end of your day.

Find how to do cat/cow here.

2. Supported Twist: Back pain is a common complaint among new moms. Twists are rejuvenating for the spine and can provide a much-needed release to the back after a day of carrying baby. This restorative version is gentle enough for your recovering body and the support allows you to deeply relax.

Use blankets or a pillow wrapped in a towel. Line up your hip with the middle of your prop. Twist to face the prop and lengthen your torso as you place yourself on it. Rest on each side 5 to 15 minutes.

3. Back Bend Over a Bolster: The hunched shoulders that come from carrying and picking up baby all day compromise our posture and can leave us feeling exhausted energetically as well as physically. This gentle heart-opener expands your lungs and frees up your breath.

Roll up a blanket and place your upper back over it until it rests under your nipple line. For extra support use a blanket under the knees and neck. Rest here 5 to 15 minutes.

4. Shoulder Clock: Carrying and rocking baby contracts the biceps as well as the forearm muscles, creating tension in the upper chest and neck over time. Gently opening the shoulders when possible helps to relieve tightness in the arms.

Find how to do shoulder clock here.

5. Constructive Rest Pose: Hours spent sitting while nursing, rocking, and playing with baby fatigue the psoas, a core muscle connected to our central nervous system and a major player in keeping the hips happy and balanced. The psoas connects the spine to the leg, and this pose helped me learn to relax it without pushing my body into deeper poses too early.

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor in line with your hips. Rest the knees against each other. Keep your spine in its natural position with a curve under the low back and neck. Rest here for 10 to 15 minutes and let gravity do the work.

Monique Minahan
Contributing Writer

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

by Laura McCorry

Nothing will ever replace a teacher’s guiding hand when it comes to yoga, but it can be very rewarding for students to do some solo work on their mat.

A home yoga practice allows you to:

• listen to your body more closely
• establish a healthy routine capable of diffusing anger and managing stress
• more fully integrate the poses and modifications learned in class into your practice.

Use these tips to set yourself up for success! And remember, it doesn’t matter how many times you fall down, as long as you get back up at least one more time. Do your practice and all is coming.

1. Start with a sequence. Learn the sun salutations from your favorite teacher, write down a sequence of poses in order, use a book, magazine or video for guidance. Check out the iYoga Premium App developed by Yoga One in collaboration with 3D4Medical! If you have a set sequence planned in advance, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
2. Set a specific time aside. The beginning of the day and the end of the day are wise choices because you don’t have to cut anything out from your schedule. Pick a time, set an alarm (if you need it) and commit to being present for the allotted time. Even just 10-15 minutes – don’t bite off more than you can chew. Increase as desired.
3. Isolate yourself from distractions. Turn off your cell phone and ask others not to disturb you while you are practicing. Life happens and distractions will come, but do your best to stay focused and you’ll increase your chances of success.
4. Create a ritual. After practice, make yourself a cup of tea as a treat. Set up a special place in your home with a candle, incense or an icon. Allowing yourself a healthy treat and practicing in the same location each time activates the reward center of the brain and helps reinforce your new habit.
5. Choose an affirmation. It can be as simple as internally repeating “peace” on your inhale and “love” on your exhale or as specific as “I am healthy because I choose to take care of myself.” Over time, affirmations and mantras become part of our internal dialogue and create shifts in long-established ways of thinking.
6. Allow time for reflection. A brief period of journaling or silence (while making breakfast, brushing your teeth before bed) will ease your transition back into the world of activity and relationships. This pause gives you time to integrate the benefits of your practice into your body, life and mind.

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Laura McCorry

Did you know there’s more than one way to practice savasana? Often labeled the most difficult pose to master, savasana (or final relaxation), means you have to let go. When it comes to meditation and letting go with your mind, how you position the body can actually have a profound effect.

Try them all out and let us know in the comments which is your favorite!

1. The Cadillac

A favorite of anyone who has ever secretly wanted to use yoga as an excuse to take a nap and pregnant moms-to-be (your head stays above baby’s heart). Ever wanted to feel completely supported, loved and cared for? Welcome home.

2. Rock Me Easy

Similar to The Cadillac but requires less assembly: two blankets, two blocks. Gentle heart-opening and fully supported goodness. Especially calming if you’re tight in the shoulders or upper back.

3. The Minimalist

You love the security of having a blanket (and you’re probably damn good at snuggling) but don’t like to make a big fuss. This is simple and effective, especially for relieving lower back pain.

4. The Recliner

You’re the type of person always asking for the cherry on top. You love savasana, but what about a little cushion for your head? And your legs are restless, so how about some love for the knees? Yeah, that’s better. Mmm.

5. No Frills

Let’s face it, you’re a traditionalist. You don’t like nuts in your chocolate and you don’t want to waste any time getting your savasana bliss on. Props required: none. Mat: optional.

6. The Rebel

Maybe it was the extra shift your manager asked you to take or the email from your boss at 5pm. You’re ready to get off your feet and lying down won’t cut it – raise ’em up! Bonus: legs up the wall is also known as the anti-aging pose.

Special thanks to Missy DiDonato for modeling all of these difficult poses. I know it was a tough job, but someone had to do it.

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Amy Caldwell

Yoga teaches us that it’s not just what you do but how you do it that matters. This process will help you release stress – which is often a result of fretting over anticipated events or those that have already transpired. Here are a few easy ways to obtain present moment awareness and feel better:

1. Sit or stand up straight. Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out slowly through your mouth with a soft ‘ahhhh’ sound. Continue for two more breaths, letting go of thoughts and physical tension. Feel and enjoy your breath.

2. Ask yourself the question, “What problem is there RIGHT NOW?” Frequently there IS NO crisis in the present moment. Shift your mindset from finding problems to accepting the situation or make a conscious choice to respond rather than react.

3. Focus on someone or something you are thankful for. This can be done anywhere, anytime – or regularly upon waking, before meals or before bedtime.

4. If you are feeling completely overwhelmed, take a few deep breaths into your belly, exhaling slowly and completely. If possible, lie on the floor with your lower legs resting on a chair or sofa (make sure your buttocks are resting fully on the floor with a small natural curve under your low back). Close your eyes. When they open, let it be with a new and positive perspective.

Amy Caldwell is the co-founder, co-owner and head instructor of the award-winning interdisciplinary Hatha yoga studio, Yoga One. She also co-teaches the annual Yoga One Teacher Training. Amy collaborated with 3D4Medical to create the top-selling, iYoga Premium app. She has been featured in numerous media outlets including two covers of Yoga Journal, NBC News, Union Tribune and others.

by Monique Minahan

“Yoga is the only thing that makes sense right now,” a student commented to the teacher before class.

It was a simple yet powerful statement that most of us can relate to. We’ve all been there at some time in our lives. Life becomes so busy, overwhelming, crazy, problematic, or stressful, and yoga provides a kind of virtual sanctuary that allows us to rest, recharge, and refuel on a deep internal level.

Physiologically, when we experience stress, anxiety, frustration, or other negative emotional states our breathing is impacted. Our breathing rate increases as our depth of breath decreases. This change in our respiration has a direct impact on our heart rhythm, which in turn affects our entire body.

When we go to yoga we are asked to do something very simple. We’re asked to turn our attention to our breath.

When we consciously lengthen and deepen our breath, such as through ujjayi pranayama, we are actually changing our heart rhythm and thus the neural patterns that are sent to the areas of our brains that regulate our emotional and mental functioning.

Effectuating positive change on the level of the breath, the fourth of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, we find ourselves better equipped to face our inner and outer worlds after an hour of yoga.

On top of this breath awareness we layer asana, the postures we practice and the third limb of yoga. Asana has been shown to raise our brain’s GABA levels. GABA is a neurotransmitter in our brains that has a calming effect on our central nervous system.

It makes me wonder what would happen if we practiced all eight limbs of yoga instead of just the two most common ones, breath and posture.

The phenomenal thing about yoga is that it never changes. We change.

The poses don’t change, the breathing doesn’t change, the process doesn’t change. Where we are in our lives changes, where our body is at changes, what we’re experiencing on emotional, physical, and spiritual levels changes.

Your first down dog at the beginning of class doesn’t feel like your last one. Tomorrow’s hip or heart openers may be easier or harder than today’s. Each movement and each breath is a doorway into your present moment, your present body, and your present state of being.

Yoga brings us home to our bodies, although I find it’s sometimes more like a vacation home than a real home. I visit it when I do yoga and sometimes leave it uninhabited when I head back (literally head back) out into my “real” world.

B.K.S. Iyengar says, “It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.”

Through our body and through our breath we tap into deeper, freer levels of being that get buried under the stress or busyness of our lives.

This is unmapped and uncharted territory that requires vulnerability, compassion, courage, and a willingness to meet ourselves where we are on any given day.

Our yoga practice brings us to the doorway of our body and welcomes us home. How long we choose to stay is up to us.

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

by Monique Minahan

Did you know that for every 49 minutes of static posture (e.g. sitting at a desk) it takes 20 to 30 minutes of activity to undo the patterning in your fascia? The surprising (and slightly alarming) thing is that a static position held for 50 minutes or more takes 3 to 4 hours of activity in order to undo fascial patterning! [1]

I don’t know about you, but I’m regularly sitting at work for stretches longer than 50 minutes. On a good day I can catch a lunchtime yoga class, but I’m not always so lucky. Depending on my schedule, an hour and a half yoga class can be a luxury.

After learning the scientific findings mentioned above in a workshop with Gina Schatz, I started looking for ways to incorporate a few minutes of yoga throughout my day instead of waiting for an opportunity to get to class. I’m always amazed at the difference a mere 5 to 10 minutes of daily yoga makes!

Here are 5 of my favorite Workplace Yoga Poses:

1. Seated Cat/Cow

A variation on traditional cat and cow pose, this version can be done in a chair.

• Ground both feet evenly to start and make sure you are sitting on your sitz bones.
• On an inhale sit up tall and lengthen your spine.
• Clasp your hands behind your head and on the inhale ease your sacrum forward into a gentle arch, letting the rest of your spine follow in turn like a row of dominos.
• On the exhale round your spine evenly, feeling the shoulder blades gently separate.
• Repeat for 4 or 5 full breaths.

2. Seated Twist 

A variation on parivrtta sukhasana, this is another one you can do from your desk. I use this one regularly as I’m often confined to my chair for over an hour, without an option to stand up.

• Sit up tall.
• Keeping your hips level, twist gently to one side on the exhale, twisting from the inside out.
• Keep your core engaged as you twist by lifting your lower belly up and in towards your spine.
• Inhale back to center and on the exhale twist to the other side.

3. Wall Dog 

Often used as a prep for down dog and a great way to warm up tight hamstrings, wall dog is a nice alternative to full down dog (which might look a little funny to your coworkers).

• Stand facing the wall and place your hands on the wall in front of your hips.
• Bend at the knees and walk back until your spine is extended.
• Keep your hands and arms engaged, just like real down-dog.
• Press back through your hips and down through your legs.
• All your down-dog alignment holds true, you’re just at a wall.

4. Shoulder Clock

This is a great one to counter the rounding in the upper back we experience from sitting at a computer all day.

• Stand next to a wall with your feet hip width apart.
• Extend one arm up the wall towards 12 o’clock.
• Take a few breaths here and then stretch your arm back to 1 o’clock.
• Take a few breath cycles at each stage until you get to 3 o’clock. Lean your chest forward slightly and breath deeply here.
• Repeat on the other side.

5. Flank Pose

I like to use my office chair for a gentle parsvottanasana.

• Keeping the feet in two separate lanes with the front foot facing forward and the back foot out at a slight angle.
• Keeping the hips even, lengthen your spine and come forward, placing your hands on your chair.
• Keep the spine long and both legs rooted and active as you breathe deeply.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Remember to draw your low belly in and up towards your spine to support your inner organs and back.

(A variation of this is parivrtta trikonasana. This is one of my favorites because I get a hamstring stretch, a calming forward fold, a focused balancing pose, and a detoxing twist all in one! If this pose is not a part of your regular practice ask your yoga teacher for assistance in class before trying it on your own.)

Do you have a favorite office-friendly pose?  Share it in the comments below!

References:

[1] International Fascia Conference, Harvard University, 2007   
[2] Anatomical images from iYoga Premium application for iPad and iPhone

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

In our last post we referenced two common backbends in a Vinyasa practice: cobra and upward-facing dog. Often teachers will allow students to pick which one feels right to them, but what are the differences, really?

Our friend and guest workshop teacher, Paisley, posted an excellent tutorial on her blog, check it out!

by Laura McCorry

photo credit: Abigail Friederich

When injuries occur in yoga, there’s often a reluctance to admit them and perhaps even a sense of shame. So many people come to yoga after injury and so many doctors recommend yoga* as a gentle exercise that anyone can do, that it makes sense: yoga is supposed to cure you, not cause pain.

But the truth is that yoga is a physical practice. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves. Many teachers tell you to honor your body at the start of class and then ask that you push your “edge” when the going gets tough.

Students and yoga teachers will likely find themselves with an injury at some point in their practice. In my own practice, injury, pain and soreness have all been powerful, if unwelcome, teachers.

Consider Why an Injury Occurred

I went to a class once with a very short warm-up sequence. I remember feeling rushed but wanting to “go with the flow.” Within the first two minutes, the teacher had the class in upward facing dog and almost immediately, I felt something shift in my low back and sharp pain followed.

For many people, upward facing dog is safe and even enjoyable when performed with correct alignment. For me, I need to warm up into backbends slowly. Looking back, I could have spent more time opening my body in cobra (a smaller backbend), I should have engaged my core to prevent sagging in the lower back once in upward facing dog, and I should have trusted the signals my body was sending.

Even if you want to kick yourself for all the reasons leading up to an injury, figuring out why you got hurt is an important step towards injury prevention in the future.

Modify Your Practice as Needed

Sometimes it’s impossible to know how you got hurt and whether yoga is the culprit. My feet are a chronic weakness for me and about a year ago I experienced foot pain for about four months straight. Any pose that put weight directly on the ball of the foot was incredibly painful, so in order to give myself time to heal, they all got tossed out: no more crescent lunge, no chair with lifted heels and definitely no toe stand.

With those modifications in place, I was still able to practice yoga and keep my feet comfortably grounded. I bought better, more supportive shoes. And one day, without being aware of exactly when, I realized that it had been a week or longer since I had experienced any pain.

Always tell your teacher about any injury or chronic pain you may be experiencing. They can suggest modifications to keep you safe and help you get the most out of your practice.

After Healing, Determine If You Still Need the Modification

This is the most difficult step because the instinct to protect yourself from future harm is so strong!

I avoided upward facing dog for a solid year and only recently have I started to re-introduce it to my practice. I didn’t need that long to heal physically, but emotionally I had built up a lot of fear surrounding that pose. Sometimes I try crescent pose with the back heel lifted and it feels okay, other days it feels like too much stress on my foot so I modify to warrior I with the heel down.

Once you know that your body is physically ready, give yourself time to emotionally confront any barriers between you and the poses you’ve avoided. Don’t compare now to what you were able to do before the injury – you could repeat the same mistake! Instead, move mindfully and ask yourself at each step how you feel.

May you all practice yoga in a safe and mindful environment and stay free from injury! And if you do experience pain from yoga or from another area of your life, I hope these tips keep you connected to your practice and help you heal.

*Please remember to seek medical attention when necessary and follow your doctor’s advice. This article is not meant to advise for or against medical treatment, nor to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

by Monique Minahan

About a year ago two of my longtime yoga teachers moved away within months of each other. I felt suddenly cut adrift and spent time looking for a replacement teacher to whom I could anchor my practice. I started to practice at home more. I tried a variety of yoga studios and classes. I took a yoga teacher training (at Yoga One!)

After awhile, I realized that instead of finding a new teacher, I had found myself. Being “on my own” forced me to trust myself more. There was no one leading the way, so I had to find my own way. I had to learn to be my own cheerleader, my own coach, and my own compass.

Practicing on my own allowed me to spread my wings and listen more deeply to my own body. This is challenging because sometimes I go to yoga to get out of my body or to get out of my mind. At times my goal is to get out of my current state of discomfort, disease, or distress, and into an easeful, blissful, serene body and mind.

While these are often wonderful side-effects of yoga, they’re not always present. In the words of Richard Freeman:

“Yoga is almost a way of looking for trouble. You may be feeling pretty good, but then you start doing postures and all of a sudden you discover there is a holding pattern that goes way deeper into your very being. You have to breathe into it and observe it as it is. The postures and the breathing, or pranayama, are like a fine-tooth comb that take out all the buried stuff you don’t need anymore.”

Not long into my practice of yoga I saw this happening. There were poses I liked and poses I didn’t like. In general, I liked the ones I was good at and disliked the ones that made me feel uncomfortable, trapped, or physically inadequate.

I sometimes choose faster classes because I get into a rhythm with my breath and my body and it just feels so good. I feel really accomplished afterwards because I release tension in my body, increase my strength, and feel balanced energetically.

In contrast, when I do a deep hip-opening practice at home, holding pigeon for three or four minutes with the intention to observe and release deep-seated tension or judgement, the experience is very different. I notice the effect of my practice less in a yoga “high” and more in the way I relate to myself and the people in my life.

One of my teachers would often say, “You know your practice is working when your relationships improve.” This was a philosophical stretch for me early in my practice because I couldn’t grasp how an hour of yoga a few times a week could transform my life.

Thankfully, I just kept practicing. And it did transform my life. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga yoga, said “do your practice and all is coming.” I find this reminder especially relevant when I don’t feel like practicing.

Like any transformation or growth process, sometimes it’s beautiful and spacious and sometimes it’s uncomfortable and hard-going.

This is the deeper potential of yoga that all of us experience at some point in our practice.

Whether your yoga is clearing up your life or clearing out your life, trust your practice and trust your process. Trust that, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

Don’t be surprised if that teacher turns out to be you. At times our teachers are our injuries or some other limitation. Perhaps your teacher shows up on your doorstep instead of your yoga mat, in the form of a life experience instead of as a yoga teacher.

I like to think of my yoga practice as a path with detours, alleys, and bridges. Sometimes I follow a certain teacher down one path until we reach a fork in the road. When the detour takes me to what seems to be a dead end, I realize it’s not a dead end at all.

It’s time to build a bridge or learn to spread my wings and fly.

May we all travel our unique yogic paths that lead us home to ourselves, connected in our common journey from who we think we are to who we really are.

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

by Laura McCorry

When was the last time you consciously breathed? Was it the last time you went to yoga class? Even though pranayama (breath control) is one of the eight limbs of yoga and essential to life, yogis and individuals still need to be reminded to consciously breathe.

Nothing worries me more as a yoga teacher than to have a room full of students in the middle of practice and hearing nothing. One of the most powerful commands I’ve ever heard from a fellow teacher was in the middle of a long hold in Warrior II when she said “Breathe. Smile.” That was it. Those were her alignment cues and the whole room re-animated. People came back into the present moment with heightened awareness and back into the experience of being in their bodies.

Of course respiration will happen naturally whether or not you consciously tell yourself to breathe – which is awesome, right? Phew! Thank goodness we don’t have to add that to our to-do list. (Wake up, breath in, get out of bed, breath out, walk to the bathroom, breath in – how exhausting that would be!)

However, unlike other natural rhythms in the body such as the heartbeat, over which we have limited control, the breath is an amazing tool we can use to maximize well-being. Yogic tradition teaches us that breath control is an essential component for meditation and the first step towards enlightenment. Any time you take a deep breath to stave off reacting negatively to stimuli you know the great power it wields.

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh

Breathing consciously has more immediate physical effects too – more oxygen is incorporated into the blood stream which results in better circulation and works to lower stress. You may think you’re going to yoga to sweat and stretch and exercise the body and those are wonderful benefits of the practice – but that euphoric feeling of clear-headed wellbeing at the end of class? The quality and expansiveness of your breath played a major role in getting you there.

Perhaps the biggest benefit yoga has to offer is not muscle strength or flexibility, but simply providing you with an hour or more of directed breathing!

Now take a deep breath and slowly let it go. I bet you feel better already!

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura@yogaonesandiego.com

guest post by Monique Minahan 

In yoga we often hear teachers suggest we create an intention for our practice. As opposed to a goal, I like to think of making an intention as an alignment. Just like we align our bodies in a certain way to safely move into Warrior II, we can align our minds and our hearts to optimally move in the direction we choose.

Sometimes my intentions are a whole sentence and other times single words; for example, presence or gratitude. I find it helpful to choose intentions I can apply on my mat and also off my mat. Instead of having an intention to finally nail bakasana, or crow pose, I’ll choose an intention of tapping into my inner strength, giving my intention bigger potential.

I’ve used the same intention for months until I feel I’ve outgrown it, and other times I use a different one every practice.

This year I’ve been applying a concept I discovered in the yoga workbook Art of Attention. The question posed is this:

Are you trying to prove something or are you trying to emerge?

While this question can be applied to anything, I primarily apply it to my yoga practice because that’s where I get up close and personal with my ego, my willpower, and my true self.

Reflecting on this question I realized that in asana, the physical practice of yoga, the effort we put into a pose may appear the same regardless of which mental or emotional approach we choose. The external appearance of our pose won’t necessarily look any different.

It’s the intention that changes.

Whether you are trying to prove something (e.g., I’m going to muscle through this practice no matter what) or you are trying to emerge (e.g., the fire of tapas [discipline] I create by staying with the intensity is burning away blockages), someone looking at you from the outside might not know what’s going on inside.

But you do. You know what’s going on inside. Over time what’s going on inside starts to be reflected on the outside.

Applying this question to my current practice, I’ve noticed both happening. Sometimes I try to prove I’m strong enough. Other times I’m trying to create an opening for my inner light to shine through. Bringing a quality of nonjudgement to both gives me the opportunity for svadhyaya (self-study). Applying compassion to myself and my practice (ahimsa) allows me to love, accept, and honor both the striving human and the soulful being living in the same body.

The beauty of yoga is that it creates a safe space for us to practice, grow, and heal. It’s called a yoga practice because our mat is not where we truly prove ourselves or emerge. It’s when we get off our mats that our practice turns into the real thing.

Having felt our true self emerge through the process of yoga, perhaps we step out into the world with increased courage and allow our true self to be shared with the people we meet.

If my intention is gratitude, I often weave that intention into my entire day and find something to be grateful for in every situation, however challenging.

The power of intention is the power of choice. By tapping into this power I’ve found I can effectuate positive change, not only in my body and mind, but in my life as well.

Mo is a writer and yoga teacher who believes in peace over happiness and love over fear. She likes to set her sights high and then take small steps to get there. You’ll find her walking the dirt path behind her house with her little fluffy dog, practicing walking her talk by keeping her head high and her heart open. 

Read more from Monique on her blog, mindfulmo.com

Did you know we now have not one, but two amazing classes held outdoors every week? For more information and to see our full schedule, go here.

10am Saturday poolside at the Sheraton on Harbor Island

9am Sunday at the Porto Vista Hotel rooftop in Little Italy

Yoga in all its varied forms and styles is so beneficial for overall wellness in body, mind and spirit. Practicing yoga outside with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair has some extra benefits you may not have considered:

• Remember how your mother always said fresh air and sunshine was good for you? Well she’s right: exposure to a limited amount of sunshine each day improves production of vitamin D (which helps ward off disease), elevates your mood and can even improve concentration. Just be sure to wear sunscreen for prolonged exposure like an hour-long yoga class!

• It’s way cooler to practice tree pose in front of an actual tree. We’ve seen you on vacation standing in front of a redwood in tree pose – it’s practically irresistible. Plus, science has found that trees emit vibrational frequencies that help decrease stress and improve creativity. Seriously! Om with me now, ooommmmmmmm

• While many people bring plants into their homes or offices to improve air quality, it’s important to completely immerse yourself in the natural world. Walk barefoot in the park, gaze out over the bay, listen to the sound of the ocean, join us for yoga this weekend! When we take the time to let all five senses enjoy the experience of being in nature, the entire body is rejuvenated.

What it means to modify your yoga practice and why everyone should feel empowered to make changes to their practice during group classes.

Yoga One Students: Martha, Maureen, Rachel, Amy

One of the biggest differences between a beginning yoga student and a more advanced student is their ability and willingness to modify poses during class. Sometimes the best pose for your body that day is not the one the instructor just called out. Adapting a posture to better suit your energy, strength or flexibility is a sign of a conscientious practitioner who is connected to and honors their body. Knowing how to modify a posture to be easier or more difficult is only half the battle – it’s also important to consider why a modification will enhance your practice.

We’ve all been there before, the new kid in class trying to hide in the back when the instructor guides everyone into tree pose. You shakily lift one leg off the ground and place it against your other leg, concentrating as hard as you can to avoid toppling over when the half-flamingo, half-model instructor guides the class to “leave your hands on your hips, bring them together in front of your heart or grow your branches up towards the sky!” Glancing around the room, you notice that most people are reaching their arms upwards, so you try too and flail your lifted foot to the ground.

In this example, the options for arm position reflect increasingly challenging options for balance. Keeping the hands on the hips brings them in line with the body’s center of gravity, increasing stability. Bringing the hands to the heart helps a student check in with the midline of their body, still providing stability but moving further away from that center of gravity. In contrast, raising the arms overhead introduces an element of instability to challenge a more experienced student’s balance. The arm position appropriate for you depends upon how experienced you are with balancing on one leg and how grounded you feel on that particular day.

Luckily, there are some rules-of-thumb for when it’s appropriate to modify a pose and how to determine which modification is right for you!

1. Go With The Flow. In a vinyasa or flow class, instead of trying to modify each pose during a sequence or dropping into child’s pose halfway through, try to stay with the class for one whole sequence on each side of the body. Rest in downward facing dog or child’s pose during repetitions of the sequence and rejoin the class the next time they come to downward dog or a forward fold.

2. Pay Attention to Order. When teachers offer several different modifications for the same pose, they’ll usually begin with the most basic and work up to a more advanced variation. For example, you might start out by holding plank pose with the knees on the floor, the next option would be to lift the knees so your whole body is parallel to the floor, then you could bring one knee to touch your arm and from there advanced students might come into an arm balance. Don’t worry about being the only person in the room with your knees still on the floor – it’s better to challenge yourself with something you can do rather than risk injury attempting the flashiest variation offered.

3. Know Your Limits. Strike a balance between challenging yourself with poses and variations you’ve never tried before and recognizing your ability level. Yoga teachers everywhere breathe easier when they see a new student stay with the most basic form of a pose for a few weeks. When you can practice the basic variation with ease, go ahead and try out the next step! Maybe you’ll get it right away and maybe you’ll need some more time to work up to it – that’s why it’s called yoga practice, not yoga perfect.

4. Every Day is Different. Even if you can sink your thigh parallel to the ground in extended side angle and bind your arms with ease, you may not feel like pushing yourself to the max if you’ve had a long day at the office. Determine your energy level at the start of class and honor your body if it tells you to rest. After a long day, even the most experienced practitioners prefer to stick to the basics, focusing on a deep connection between body and breath.

5. Sometimes It’s All About Style. Slight variations in form exist between different styles of yoga. Some schools of yoga teach that the feet should be touching during a sun salutation and others prefer the feet to be placed hip-width distance apart. Some teachers will ask that you interlace the hands overhead in Warrior I, others will expect your arms to reach straight up towards the ceiling. In general, these types of variations are simply a question of style. Be open to trying new styles but also feel free to stick with what you know and try to be gracious if the teacher comes around to correct you.

6. Ask Questions! Lastly and most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions before or after class. Explain which poses you find to be difficult and ask if the teacher has any suggestions on how to modify or refine your practice. If the teacher came and adjusted your alignment during class and you’re not sure why, ask and you’ll remember next time how to make the adjustment yourself.

Hopefully these tips give you the confidence to modify and experiment with your practice during class. Yoga can be an amazing journey of self-discovery and empowerment as long as you step onto your mat with a student’s heart, willing to learn whether it’s your first time or your ten thousandth.

by Sharyn Greenberg

Spring is a time of flowers, sunshine, love and picnics! After the long, dark, chilly winter days and nights, it’s nice to find ourselves finally emerging from hibernation. Even in San Diego, rain showers, cloudy days and the occasional hail storm kept us indoors. But spring is a time of rejuvenation when nature is reborn and the excitement of a warm breeze makes life seem a bit lighter.

As we set out to face the sun of this new season, the practice of Ayurveda can help put a spring in your step by bringing your body in balance with the rhythm of nature.

During winter and early spring, the elements of water and earth (kapha dosha) are dominant yet as the earth transitions into late spring there is an onset of fire (pitta). These elements are present in both our external and internal environments. An accumulation of too much kapha within a person may lead to sleepiness, depression, weight gain or phlegm – all of which may have been noticed in the winter. Now that spring is here, it’s time to reign in kapha so we can remain in step with nature, which is moving towards light and warmth.

1. Embrace routine to combat any lingering lethargy from winter. Ideally you should wake up with the sun, around 7am, and go for a brisk walk outside first thing. If you don’t have time for a walk, just pop outside to feel the air against your skin.
2. Lighten up your diet. There’s no more need to store up fat for the winter – it’s time to eat lighter, incorporating herbs and spices into your diet. Avoid heavy, oily foods. Enjoy bitter, pungent and astringent foods such as apples, asparagus, okra, leafy greens, beets, legumes and dark grapes.
3. Herbs are nature’s pharmacy. Triphala is good for detoxifying the body (take 1/2 teaspoon at night.) Ginger gets the digestive system going and warms the body; try drinking ginger tea 30 minutes before every meal. Turmeric dries mucus and aids allergy symptoms (mix 1/4 teaspoon with 1 teaspoon raw honey a few times per day).
4. Get moving! Yoga asana that soothes kapha include sun salutations to get the heart rate up, back bending to energize and spinal twists to detoxify. Daily yoga practice is encouraged but equally so are outdoor activities like hiking, jogging and bike riding.
5. Don’t Forget to Breathe. Kapalabhati is the recommended pranayam to do daily in the spring as it promotes detoxification, healthy digestion and a lighter state of mind. Go here for a tutorial.

Sloughing off the heaviness of winter is the main guide to health in the spring. The goal is not only to lighten up the physical body but also the mental and emotional bodies which are also affected by the seasons. Naps are not advisable during spring as they slow digestion and aggravate kapha. Try to stay up and enjoy the daytime. If you feel tired or restless, enjoy some restorative yoga!

Dear readers, I’m excited to share with you today our very first guest post from the lovely and multi-talented, Sharyn Greenberg! To find out more about Ayurveda, living with the seasons and how your personal dosha impacts your health, come to Sharyn’s workshop, The Basics of Ayurveda: The Elements and Your Dosha, this Sunday (11/18) from 4-6pm. You can read more and register here. 

If you’ve ever felt frazzled and blown about during these autumn months, then you already know that seasonal changes have a profound effect on the body, mind and spirit! Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, advocates living in tune with the seasons: eating seasonal food, engaging in appropriate exercise and reflecting on the energies that are most abundant during a specific time of year. With this wisdom, we are able to take a profound and active role in staying healthy and happy despite the winds of change.

Autumn is ruled by the air and space elements, a combination Ayurveda refers to as vata, which has cold, light, dry, rough, and moving qualities. Vata is responsible for all the mobility within the body such as elimination, respiration, nerve impulses, thoughts and even speech. Vata is one of three doshas (your physical and mental constitution) and it’s the one that goes out of balance the easiest, leaving you vulnerable to discomfort, scattered thoughts and at a greater risk of getting sick.

Consider the following scenario:

You wake up feeling sore and achy, as though you tossed and turned all night. Before your eyes even open, a laundry list of things to do floods your mind. You think about going to a morning yoga class, but instead go to make coffee and do some light cleaning and before you know it, you’ve missed the class. Sit down for breakfast? Who has time for that?! You contemplate the quickly approaching holiday season… the mind jumps nervously from one idea to the next. Eventually, you make your way outside, feel the cool air against your skin as brown and orange leaves swirl around your feet. Your skin feels dry and you wish you’d remembered to throw the hand lotion in your bag. Good thing you brought a jacket, it’s chilly!

If this sounds like your typical morning, it’s time to reign in your aggravated vata dosha! Below are a few tips to help pacify the seasonal uproar:

1. Eat warm, nourishing meals. Good breakfast ideas are warm grain cereals (oats or quinoa) cooked with an apple and cinnamon and topped with ghee. Soups are great for later in the day, as well as lightly steamed seasonal vegetables. Autumn brings all sorts of delicious produce: leafy greens, squash, persimmons and leeks, to name a few. Visit your local farmer’s market and explore new ways of cooking. If you like raw food, try adding spices to warm you up and activate digestion. Avoid foods and beverages that are ice cold. Some herbs to keep on hand and use throughout the season include: pepper, ginger, nutmeg, chili pepper, cinnamon and clove.

2. Take time to rest. As mentioned earlier, vata controls movement and too much movement (physical or mental) can aggravate the dosha, causing you to feel worn out and depleted. Set aside a few minutes every day to sit in stillness and take deep, full breaths. Get enough sleep at night so you wake up feeling rested. Remember, rest is key to avoiding sickness.

3. Practice self-massage. In India, the practice of abhiyanga (self-massage) is performed daily or even twice a day. It’s a great way to nourish the skin and protect it from dryness while allowing toxins to slide off rather than penetrate the body. Massage also stimulates the lymphatic system which boosts immunity. Use sesame oil (not toasted!) Apply generously over the entire body, even the head, scalp, and especially the feet. Let the oils settle into the skin for a few minutes before taking a warm shower or bath.

4. Move! Vata is calmed by heat. Engage in physical activity to create internal heat. Take a brisk walk around your neighborhood, choose the stairs over the elevator, head to the studio for a yoga class. Just be careful not to over-do it! In your yoga practice, flowing through vinyasas is great but also try holding poses longer as a way to ground the body and mind.

If you’re an experienced yogi, chances are you already know the value of using props to enhance your yoga practice. Yoga teachers are the ones who grab several blankets, a bolster, a strap and at least two blocks, creating a veritable fort of props surrounding their mat. But if you’re a beginner or still new to the practice, knowing why and how to use the different props can be a mystery unless a teacher explicitly includes them in a class. While there are many types of props in the yoga world, we’ll focus on the basics here: blocks, straps and blankets.

Myth-busting time! Just one more thing before we get into the breakdown of each prop. It’s a common misconception that using props means you aren’t capable of doing the pose as it’s meant to be practiced. Here’s the truth: the ONLY way to do yoga correctly is to do it in a way that honors your body. Honoring your body doesn’t mean powering through or pushing beyond your limits but it also doesn’t mean going easy and not trying. Using props effectively will help deepen your practice, increase your awareness and create space to better experience the benefits of the poses.

Blocks = Your Best Friend

Blocks are your best friend on your yoga mat. They offer solid support when it’s most needed (for example, underneath your front hand in triangle or half moon) and they reassure you when you feel really far away from the ground (like in standing forward bend or forearm stand). Blocks create space in the body to better target the key muscle groups in a pose. Sitting on a block with crossed legs or in virasana will create space in the hips and low back so you can experience ease while focusing on the breath or meditation. When you hold a block between your thighs in chair pose or flow through a sun salutation jumping between forward fold and plank, blocks push you to work harder and test your limits. Held between the thighs in bridge pose, they focus your attention on the quad muscles instead of the glutes but when placed beneath the sacrum in the same pose, they comfort you and help you relax.

Try keeping a block or two next to your mat throughout an entire class. Whenever the floor is just out of reach of your hands, place the block on any of its three sides (three different heights) to help support you. Usually, putting the blocks beside your mat but near the top will be the easiest place to access them during class.

Straps = Your Co-Worker

Not the annoying one who leaves a mess in the microwave; the co-worker you admire and with whom you have a good-natured rivalry. Sometimes straps remind you of how far away your goals are but most of the time, they challenge you to do the best you can that day. Straps provide that extra reach when you can’t quite make it on your own (holding a strap between your hands instead of clasping them behind your back in standing wide-legged fold, prasarita padottanasana). Sure, it would be great if your shoulders were flexible enough that your fingers interlace and touch the floor behind you, but everyone has to work with the body they have. It’s better to use a prop and still experience that deep shoulder stretch than to try and fake it or worse, injure yourself. Straps can also bring attention to where its most needed as in extended hand to big toe pose, utthita hasta padangusthasana. With a strap around the ball of your foot, not only can you keep the lower back extended and free from pain by grasping the strap instead of your foot, the pressure of the strap on your foot reminds you to keep muscular energy in the lifted leg with the toes flexed, which makes it easier to keep the leg raised.

You probably won’t need to use a strap in every class. If you know you have tight shoulders or hamstrings (straps are great for seated forward fold, paschimottanasana) then it’s a good idea to grab one at the start of class, unroll it and leave it gently folded beside your mat. If you need it that day, it’s nearby and if you don’t, it’s easy to roll up at the end of class.

Blankets = Your Mother

Blankets offer support and unconditional love. Blankets always have your best interests at heart, like when they protect your knee joint from the hard floor in a kneeling lunge. When the padding of your mat isn’t enough and you feel pain or discomfort, a blanket is a welcome aide. After all, yoga is about taking pain away, not creating it! In plow and shoulder stand, several blankets stacked underneath the shoulders will decrease the angle of flexion in your neck, creating a safer alignment. Like a good mother, blankets offer only as much support as you need and allow you to do the yoga on your own. Maybe sitting on a block with the legs crossed is more than you need but sitting on the ground would be uncomfortable – grab a folded blanket instead. Lastly, a mother’s job is to cradle you no matter how old you are: during savasana, use a folded blanket as a pillow, a rolled blanket underneath the knees to release tension in the lower back or an unfolded blanket as a cover to keep you warm. Savasana without props is wonderful, savasana with props can be glorious.

Put one or two folded blankets at the back of your mat. Use them to flatten down the pesky rolling up edge of your sticky mat and as support underneath your hips for the first seated meditation. When you start moving into other poses, gently push the blankets off the back of your mat so they’re out of your way but nearby if you need them later.

Remember, props are your friends! Using props during class is a sign of conscientiousness and respect for your body, not a sign of need or inexperience. Surround yourself with abundant support and feel the difference it will make in your practice!

It’s that moment in downward facing dog, or triangle, or side plank when I hear the instructor’s footsteps coming towards me and I know they’re going to adjust me. Instantly my brain takes a body scan, trying to identify what I’m doing wrong, I fidget my hands, shift my hips or flex my feet a little bit more. Instead of allowing the instructor to guide me in the right direction, my whole attention is focused on how I can fix myself. I used to think that if I’m doing the pose correctly, I won’t be adjusted and conversely, if I’m adjusted in class, I must be doing the pose incorrectly; but I’ve come to realize that neither conclusion is helpful to me or my yoga practice. Below are some thoughts on how to keep your zen during and after an adjustment!

1. Surrender the ego. It’s number one because it’s the hardest and the most important. If you’re worried about how you look or what the instructor/other students think, you’re missing out on the whole experience! Do your best to follow instructions for how to get in and out of a pose safely, then focus on how your body feels and the quality of your breath. Remember that yoga is a non-competitive and non-spectator sport.

2. Adjustments are your friend. If an instructor comes to assist you, chances are it’s because they see a mis-alignment in your body with a potential for injury. Often the instructor will be able to see your alignment more clearly than you can feel it. Any adjustment that doesn’t address safety concerns is simply a refinement for a pose, so don’t worry about “doing it wrong,” you’re right on track!

3. Stay Steady. The temptation is strong to try and fix yourself, but if the instructor is already nearby and ready to assist you, hold your ground and listen to their instructions. A good adjustment will establish a deeper connection between the mind and body, allowing you to find the same precise alignment later and carry it through your practice.

4. Keep an open mind. There are no set rules for instructors on how to make adjustments and many variations exist within the yoga community regarding how the poses are meant to be practiced. Allow yourself to be open to experiencing something new. Ultimately, you are your own best teacher if you truly listen to your body and breath.

5. Communicate.Every instructor adjusts differently – some will only intervene for safety concerns while others are more hands-on and help to deepen your posture. Know whether you’re comfortable being touched and don’t be afraid to talk to the instructor before class or while they’re giving the adjustment. It ‘s okay to opt out of hands-on adjustments. Just try to save any lengthy questions for after class so you don’t interrupt the flow.

6. Reflect. After class or the next day, think about how you felt during the adjustment and whether the teacher’s assistance enhanced your practice. Whether the adjustment was beneficial, didn’t feel quite right or if you still don’t understand the alignment of a certain pose, bring it up the next time you come to class. Instructors offer adjustments to instruct and enhance their students’ practice, so feedback is always welcome.

Thanks for checking in,
Laura

What exactly is savasana or shavasana? One translation for this posture is corpse pose, but I prefer the more technical that-lying-down-thing-we-do-at-the-end-of-class.

At first glance, it seems pretty straightforward: at the end of an hour spent stretching and moving (strenuously or not) through different poses, lie down for a final pose of relaxation. But the one pose found in every yoga class is cause for all manner of contentions among teachers: how long one should stay in savasana, when to practice savasana during class, whether or not the teacher may leave the room, how students are instructed to practice savasana, even the reasons given for why savasana should be practiced are all matters of debate.

To the uninitiated, savasana often seems like time for a glorified group nap. Like kindergartners, we grab our blankets, lie down on our sticky mat cots and close our eyes in the middle of the day while the teacher keeps watch. But that’s where the similarities end. During savasana, we’re instructed to relax the body and the mind, to let go of the constant stream of thoughts in search of a quiet place within, and to resist falling asleep.

For a pose purported to bring rest to your body and deep peace to your mind, there’s something fundamentally uncomfortable about savasana. Even from a linguistic standpoint, there’s no simple approach. Most teachers prefer the foreign Sanskrit word over the English translation, corpse pose, which feels macabre amongst all the animal poses. However, for those who delve beyond the initial discomfort of trying to still the body and mind, there are great benefits to enjoy.

According to Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, savasana occupies the middle ground of consciousness, “not waking, not sleeping.” That middle ground, between waking and sleeping, is a place of mystery for most people. Through the practice of asana, the physical movements of yoga, we move beyond the demands of the body to better explore savasana’s largely uncharted territory of passive, heightened consciousness. The purpose of savasana can be anything from deep relaxation to meditation to a spiritual experience. People have used savasana to relieve stress, reduce headaches and fatigue, lower blood pressure, and even probe the limits of consciousness to connect to the spiritual world. Often used as an introductory guide to meditation, savasana is not so much a pose of the body but rather of the mind. The goal is to quiet the thoughts until there are none, not even the thought of having no thoughts.

If you’re anything like me, though, the minute you lie down and close your eyes is the same minute everything on your to-do list flickers through your mind like a movie reel!

Practicing savasana in class with a teacher makes all the difference in the world. Their presence allows you to fully relax, confident that they will guide you out of your meditation after a certain period of time. Without having to worry about how much time has gone by, you can delve more deeply into your awareness of the present moment and remind yourself again and again to let go of intrusive thoughts or worries. As adults, there are very few things that we must rely on others to do for us, such as cutting our hair. Sure, you could do it yourself, but it’s better to trust a professional. The same goes for savasana. By all means, take the time at home to relax and seek out your inner peace, but the voyage is easier when you have a guide you trust lead you there and back, without having to worry about how long it’s been or getting lost along the way.

Whether savasana is just another yoga word you’re not quite sure how to pronounce or an old friend whose company you relish, time spent in this pose is often powerful and transformative. When so many good things in life offer only delayed gratification, savasana is a shining beacon of immediacy that continues to unravel benefits for those who return time and time again. That lying down thing we do? It’s pretty awesome. Come to class and let us guide you today.