-
How to Practice Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender to a Higher Source
The final niyama in yoga’s eight limbed path is ishvara pranidhana, or surrder to a higher source. The yoga niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbed path, and are referred to as mental observances. Both the yamas and niyamas are the foundational teachings in yoga philosophy, and Ishvara Pranidhana is the perfect niyama to summarize the first two limbs of practice. One of my favorite resources regarding this topic is The Yamas and Niyamas, Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Principles by Deborah Adele. Before diving into the topic of surrender, the idea of a higher source is personalized to each practitioner. Traditional texts may refer to this higher source as God, or Brama…
-
5 Yoga Myths We Need To Bust
Not flexible enough, not strong enough, and not having a thin, able-body are all reasons why newbies shy away from the practice of yoga. Any yoga teacher will tell you that these factors have nothing to do with the actual practice of though. Today, I’m going to tell you why. Here are five yoga myths that need to be busted! I’m Not Flexible Enough For Yoga I hear this all the time and I can’t help but laugh. Flexibility is a byproduct of the physical practice, not an initial requirement. When I came to yoga I was far more strong than flexible. In fact, when I started my teacher training I couldn’t even…
-
Understanding the Mechanics of Yoga Backbends: Your Hips and Lumbar Spine
I’m going to be honest, I absolutely hate backbending postures. That’s why I never have any expectations when entering backbending poses. It wasn’t until I fully understood the mechanics of backbending, that I started to find a little more ease with it. Don’t get me wrong, I still despise backbends, but you have to practices the poses you hate too. What Does Backbending require? In yoga, back bending and spinal extension are one and the same. In every backbending posture, the intention is to stabilize your low back and work with your natural lumbar curve. The same goes for your neck or cervical spine. You want to stabilize and utilize these natural curves,…
-
Five yoga poses to relieve period pains and bloat
If I’m being honest, the last thing I want to do when I’m on my period is any type of physical activity. That’s why I chose restorative postures to help relieve period pains and bloating. A little movement, coupled with lots of water, and a heating pad can go a long way. Here are five yoga poses to relieve period pains and bloating. 1. Restorative childs pose Using a bolster or pillow underneath your abdomen allows the muscles in your neck, shoulders and back to be passive. A lot of tension builds in the back side of our body. By disengaging these areas, and sinking into the support of a bolster, we create…
-
Essential Oil Blends To Liven Your Yoga Practice And Lift Your Mood
This Post Contains Affiliate links read disclaimer for more info I absolutely love using essential oils, which probably isn’t shocking news for most of you. I usually stick to using oils on my yoga mat to promote concentration and relaxation. However, essential oils have many amazing therapeutic qualities, I can almost always find an excuse to utilize them. I’ll stick with the basics today though, and talk about five different uplifting essentail oils and blends. How to Use Essential Oils When I use essential oils in my Yoga practice, I usually use a few small drops on my skin. I like to first drop the oil into my palm, and then rub my hands…
-
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.…
-
How I Started My Yoga Practice
When I first came to my mat I was at a low, I had suffered from depression, a lack of self-love and poor body image. My intention when I started yoga was to build lean muscle and strength. I started practicing at a hot yoga studio a few blocks away from my college campus. They were running a student special and practically giving away month long memberships. I couldn’t resist the offer, I paid for an unlimited monthly membership and went to class almost every single day. As dramatic as it may sound, that first month of unlimited yoga changed my life for the better! It didn’t take long for me to realize…
