Yoga
Asana, meditation and philosophy.
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Flow into Crow Pose: How to Prep and Move into Crow Pose, Bakasana
Crow is one of the most basic arm balances in yoga and sets the foundation for a strong arm balancing practice. While it is one of the easier arm balances, that doesn’t mean it’s not difficult. Luckily there are tons of variations and preparatory poses to help us fly! Healthy Hands and Wrists Before we balance on our arms, we want to make sure we have a solid base to balance on. We can check in with our hands and wrists in a tabletop position. Finding a neutral spine, stacking our shoulders over our wrists and hips above our knees. Gently drawing the low belly in to reduce the sway in the back.…
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Five Restorative Yoga Poses and Their Benefits
When I first started practicing yoga I was all about a vigorous, strength-based flow. Now that I’ve got a few years of experience behind me, I have grown to appreciate the softer, sweeter side of the practice. Recently, I’ve absolutely loved a good restorative yoga practice! Regardless of what style of yoga I am flowing through, I always throw a restorative pose into my routine. They really do just feel good and can aid in energizing the body after a tough practice. Restorative yoga is a way to rejuvenate and heal the body. By utilizing yoga props such as blocks, straps, and bolsters, we are able to hold the body in yoga poses…
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My Favorite Meditation Techniques
Meditation and yoga go hand in hand. In fact, one of the many benefits of yoga is the meditative state of mind you find during and after your yoga practice. Yogis practice the yoga postures for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons to practice yoga asana is to calm your body and mind, prepping for meditation. While there are differing schools of thought regarding the meditation practice, they all focus on clearing your mind and stepping into a state of observation. Essentially, creating the time and space for your body to just be and breathe can prove to be extremely beneficial. When to meditate and how to meditate is up to the…
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How To Balance Your Root Chakra: Muladhara
How to move into the first chakra, find your grounding, and build stability for the remaining chakra centers. If you checked out my post last week then you know I’ve got a little theme going. Last week I talked about the first chakra and how it correlates to your energetic wellbeing. This week, instead of diving into the second chakra, I wanted to share how you can balance out the energy of your root chakra or, muladhara. Root Chakra Review The root chakra is crucial to finding balance overall in the chakra system. So it’s important to understand how to tap into its energy. No, you don’t have to be a yoga guru to do…
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7 Yoga Books for Teachers and Practitioners
One of my favorite parts of my teacher training experience was rediscovering my love for reading. I’ve always enjoyed reading but forgot how much as I grew older. Recently, I’ve been reading about ten books at a time and scribbling notes in every single one of them. Here are five yoga books that I recommend for teachers and students alike! Mindfulness in Plain English This book is a great introductory read for those seeking to learn more about yoga and meditation. Mindfulness in Plain English offers a practical approach to mindfulness and meditation for both beginners and seasoned practitioners. It is an excellent reminder of how you can live intentionally off your yoga…
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5 Tips for New Yoga Students
Being a new student on your yoga mat is intimidating, but we’ve all been there. Don’t let your fear of judgment or lack of flexibility keep you from going to the studio to practice. Most of your fellow students in the room will be too wrapped up in their own practice to worry about yours. If you’re still a little hesitant though, Don’t worry – here are five tips for your first yoga class! 1. Do your research on each yoga class there are many styles of yoga, each with their own benefits. When you first start your yoga, look into multiple styles of practice to see what fits your needs. Do you…
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Stepping Into Mindfulness and Meditation
Meditation plays a large part in the practice of yoga and can have many benefits if you practice consistently. While meditation can seem mysterious and ethereal, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, it requires more willpower and patience than anything. Meditation is a way to train your brain, focus your mind, and clear out the junk gathered from daily life. Rather than emptying the mind of all thoughts (which if you’ve ever tried is actually really hard) you simply let your thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky. It is almost impossible to stop your brain from thinking, but it is possible to observe your thoughts without attaching to them.…
