It’s important for all of us to get some stretching in on a daily basis. Equally as important is regular mindful breathing. We’re lucky enough to have our senior yoga advisor Lee Marie guide us here with an easy to follow practice to help us loosen up and let go of any tension we may be holding. We hope you find Lee’s video beneficial, either on an “as needed” basis, or as part of your daily routine! Namaste.
The Vibram Furoshiki Wraparound Shoe
Once in a while you come across something so different and cool that you want to tell everyone you know about it. This (or “these”, really) is one of those things.
I’ve always appreciated the quality of Vibram shoe soles. In fact, my Merrell hiking boots are made with them and the traction is Continue reading
“Snow-ga” for the brave
Winter is here, and while I like to keep my yoga warm and cozy, for you brave souls out there who are invigorated by the cold, here’s some inspiration. We give you “snow-ga” (along with a little bit of cuteness)!
Yoga and Running
Is running part of your physical fitness routine? Maybe you do an occasional 10k fundraiser road race? Or perhaps you’re even training for a marathon?
Whether you are a light jogger a triathlete, if you go out and pound your feet to the ground for any length of time, you might also want to Continue reading
Happy National Yoga Month = a free week of yoga for you!
September is National Yoga Month and to help celebrate celebrate, the Yoga Health Foundation is offering one free week of yoga to new students at 1600 participating studios in the US! You don’t have to be new to yoga (but it’s cool if you are), you just have to be new to the participating studio.
What’s extra nice is that even though September is National Yoga Month, you have until October 30 to redeem your free week of yoga. You can find out more details at the Yoga Health Foundation’s website.
What a great way to start the fall season!
Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga – Stronger Together
My dear Yoga enthusiasts, namaste. I want to briefly talk about my newly discovered attraction to Tai Chi.
Tai Chi has been practiced for centuries. But until recently, I had never studied it, even though I had been curious about it for some time. I was very interested to see if it shared any of the same benefits as Hatha Yoga, which Continue reading
Meditation made easy – calming the monkey mind
Often the difficulty we have in trying to meditate is when we are attempting to concentrate on not concentrating on anything at all. It’s a conundrum that leads us in circles. It can be especially frustrating when it’s our restless “monkey mind” that we are trying to relax in the first place.
Thankfully, sometimes in life things can be a lot simpler than we think. And meditation is one of those things.
Calming the monkey mind
As Tibetan Buddhist master Mingyur Rinpoche explains, instead of trying hard to focus on getting rid of all your mental chatter, all you have to do is to give your monkey mind one simple job…focus on breathing:
What’s equally as helpful to know is that you don’t have to be in sacred spaces or attend any special classes to meditate. You can meditate just about anytime, anywhere, for as little time as you want.
So take a breath, and relax, even for a few moments if that’s all you can spare. It can really provide some rest to your mind that it so very well needs and deserves, and in turn improve your overall happiness.
Power down for downward dog
I recently read an article where a New York Times writer remarks on how yoga typically gives her anxiety because she wonders how long she has to stay in position before she can check her twitter feed. It occurred to me that she’s exactly the type of person that would reap some of yoga’s greatest benefits.
One side bonus of practicing yoga is being away from all external demands, all distractions, all social media. Sure, many of us rely on staying as connected as possible for our work. But if we’re not dealing with a life and death situation, it would help us a great deal if we allow ourselves to unplug for at least Continue reading
Meditation for the mind, body and wallet
Did you know that relaxation response techniques can greatly reduce health care costs? According to recent a study by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, regular practice of yoga and meditation can reduce the need for health care services by 43%.
According to the Harvard University Gazette, “The paper’s authors noted that stress-related illnesses, such as Continue reading
Cobra Pose – A mini-lesson with Lee Marie
It has been said that “you are as young as your spine is flexible”. I believe there is a lot of truth to that. In yoga, the Cobra pose, also known as Bhujangasana, can help keep your spine youthful and flexible.
There are other numerous, wonderful benefits of the Cobra pose. It can help your digestive tract by stimulating your digestive organs. It helps to open up your chest, improving your breathing.
The Cobra pose also will help tone and firm the muscles in your upper arms, your chest your abdomen and buttocks. Performing the Cobra is also Continue reading