Working with your chakras can be highly healing. If you are interested in holistic healing, you’ve probably heard of the concept of chakras and know a little bit about chakra healing.
The chakra system has origins in India, over four thousand years ago. Knowledge of chakras came to the western world through the practice of yoga. Chakra literally translates as ‘wheel’ or ‘disk’ and refers to the sphere of bioenergetic activity emanating from the nerves branching from the spine. There are seven of these wheels or chakras, and they are stacked in a column of energy that spans up from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
In addition to the seven major chakras, there are also lots of minor chakras found in the hands and feet, and other areas of the body. But generally, when we talk about chakras, we mean the seven major centers of energy. You might work with specific chakras for different results, but all the chakras are interrelated and can affect each other.
The lower chakras can help to ground us and build a strong foundation. If you have more energy in your higher chakras, you might be full of imagination, and a very spiritual person. While this is great, sometimes our chakras can become distorted and unbalanced, and we might struggle. For example, while the third eye chakra can help us to be perceptive, we can become prone to confusion and illusion if it becomes unbalanced and we can lose our clarity.
Different qualities and imbalances are associated with different chakras, and paying attention to your lower chakras are very important. These chakras relate to issues such as feelings, power, and sexuality, and are an essential aspect of love.
The Root Chakra
An unbalanced root chakra can cause issues with fear, and this may stem from experiences of neglect, abuse, or wounds related to survival. A balanced root chakra will give you a sense of stability and trust in the world, and if it becomes unbalanced, you may come across issues to do with survival and the ‘right to have’; meaning you might find it hard to let yourself have nice things.
Physically, the root chakra can show up as issues with the lower body, like the feet, legs, and lower back, as well as the solid aspects of your body like teeth and bones. Additionally, you might suffer from digestive disorders or issues with eating.
Healing practices for your root chakra can include physical activities to connect with your body - like yoga! As well as lots of physical touch. The root chakra has a red color, and is also associated with sandalwood and cinnamon, as well as sage. Drumming music is also associated with it - so bringing any of these aspects into your life can help you feel more grounded and present in your body.
The Sacral Chakra
This chakra is associated with the ‘right to feel’. If you grew up hiding your emotions or not expressing emotions, you might have an imbalance in your sacral chakra. Avoiding feelings and emotions can cut us off from the important information that feelings bring us. It can make us feel numb and disconnected from what we really want.
This can also cause a lot of feelings of guilt, perhaps excessively. While a balanced sacral chakra shows up as emotional intelligence, an imbalance can cause poor boundaries and a fear of change. Physically, you can suffer from lower back pain, lack of flexibility, or sexual problems.
To heal the second sacral chakra, you have to assign yourself healthy pleasures. The color associated with it is orange, and essential oils are jasmine and neroli. Engaging with these aspects in your life can help to heal second chakra issues.
The Solar Plexus Chakra
The third Chakra is the solar plexus chakra, which focuses on the right to act. The solar plexus chakra can become imbalanced if we fear punishment, or act a certain way that we don’t really want to. This chakra is connected to personal power, and when we don’t have enough space to develop our inner authority, it can become imbalanced and we can feel shame.
A balanced solar plexus chakra can help us to define and discover ourselves, and make us feel responsible. When it’s imbalanced, we can become easily manipulated, or dominated. Physically, issues with the solar plexus can show up as digestive disorders, chronic fatigue, and stomach issues.
Healing practices can involve exercise, and trying to take a few more risks. The color for the solar plexus is yellow, and smells include lemon and juniper. Bringing these elements into your life can help to heal the solar plexus chakra.
By Amy Cavill
Does anybody need a confidence boost? This week’s classes are centered on improving your confidence and enhancing your willpower. By turning your attention and focus on your navel or Manipura Chakra, you’ll stoke your inner fire or “tapas” and step into your personal power.
According to yoga philosophy, we are made of three bodies, the physical, subtle, and the causal. The subtle body mirrors the physical body and consists of energy channels called nadis. The seven primary chakras flow along the Sushumna Nadi, which runs along your spine. In Sanskrit, chakras mean wheels of light and each one relates to different emotions and states of being. The Manipura chakra is the third chakra, located at your solar plexus. Yes, that means plenty of core work will do the trick!
When you’re feeling self-assured, courageous, and shining your brightest, your Manipura chakra is steady. Clear signs of imbalanced Manipura show up as acting arrogant and bombastic or on the flip side, being plagued by self-doubt and insecurity. Life isn’t a straight line path and we all have periods where we question ourselves or over-estimate what we can accomplish. No matter how you’ve been feeling, focusing on your solar plexus will shift you back into balance.
To balance Manipura, try twisting asanas (postures) like Parivritta Trikonasana (Twisting Triangle) and seated and supine twists. Another physical benefit of asanas emphasizing your center is that they stimulate your internal organs and improve digestion and elimination. When the prana in your body is flowing freely, you feel lighter and more joyful.
Core strengthening asanas like Navasana (Boat Pose) and Phalakasana (Plank Pose) will both stoke your determination and protect your spine. Your center is considered the powerhouse of your being––not just physically but emotionally. Another way to focus on building a more powerful center is through balancing postures, which require you to engage your core. The attention to muscular engagement gives your Manipura chakra a boost.
Another way to increase your self-confidence is through guided meditations and practicing mantras like “So hum” which means “I am” and boosts your ego. Trust your gut feelings and stimulate your solar plexus energy with us this week! This week’s classes were specifically created to build your self-confidence, strengthen your core, and help you show up feeling your best. Enjoy!
Kristin Gibowicz - What's Wrong with Being Confident?
Dana Damara - Chakra Flow Series: Manipura Chakra
Denelle Numis - Manipura Movement Flow
Confit means baking something in fat. In this recipe, the tomatoes are not fully submerged in the oil, because I just find it unnecessary. I think it is enough to make sure the bottom of the tray is covered in oil and then just move the tomatoes around halfway through the cooking. Of course, if you feel like splurging, you can always add more olive oil – the oil will be infused with tomato flavor and herbs if you are using them, so you can use it to season salads, pasta, and simple sourdough bread…. So feel free to do this.
Here in Estonia, the summer is slowly arriving, but our tomato season is still a few months away. But even the imported tomatoes already taste better compared to the mid-winter ones that taste like nothing. Actually, because tomato flavor is brought out by baking them for a long time, the recipe would be good to enhance flavorless out-of-season tomatoes too. To bring out even more flavor I recommend keeping the tomatoes on the vine while baking. Please do not eat any tomato leaves or stems as they are not edible but only used to infuse the oil! I love the smell of tomato leaves and wines! Even my favorite perfume reminded me of tomato leaves, but unfortunately, they stopped producing it ☹ So if some of the readers have acquaintances in Nina Ricci, please ask them to bring back the very first edition of Les Belles! 😊
Back to the tomatoes – my favorite way of enjoying them is on top of simple sourdough toast, but they are also wonderful on salads, pasta, and as a side of fish dishes. I will go and have another slice of sourdough now!
Simple Confit Tomatoes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 min
Ingredients:
2 pounds cherry tomatoes, preferably on vine
1 cup good quality olive oil
Salt
Fresh herbs – oregano, basil, thyme (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 300F.
If you are using herbs, place them in the bottom of your baking tray so they would infuse the oil, and not burn in the oven.
Place the tomatoes on top of the herbs. Try to stay in one layer, but if some of the tomatoes are on top of the others, this is okay.
Pour the olive oil on top of the tomatoes, season with salt, and mix them with your hands, so every tomato would be covered with oil.
Bake for an hour and a half. Feel free to gently move them around halfway through.
Enjoy warm with pasta or cooled down and preserved in the oil they were baked in on top of sandwiches, salads, or simply as a snack.
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves to spend time in the kitchen, but most of her recipes are simple and don’t take more than 20 minutes of active cooking time. She thinks that everybody can find time to cook healthy food at home, it is just a question of planning. "I work in an office full time, teach yoga 7-8 hours a week and write a blog. So if I manage to cook most of my meals, then so do you!" Connect with Kadri and enjoy many more of her delicious healthy recipes on her website here: www.kahvliga.ee.
The main vedic-yogic system of understanding, assessing, and addressing the needs of the mind and the emotions is the triguna system. This system is like a lens through which we may view everything in existence as the division into and interactions between 3 basic qualities called gunas.
Tamas is metaphorically described as pertaining to darkness and heaviness, oriented towards the past and arising from it as karmic consequences of past actions. While tamas is naturally involved in the arising of all forms, such as the body, an excess of tamas results in mental heaviness: depression, nostalgic sadness, mulish stubbornness, pathological materialism and grasping attachment. An excess of tamas may arise from unaddressed mental patterns of insecurity, overeating, oversleeping, or overaccumulation of possessions.
Rajas pertains to the fire of unbridled passions, primarily oriented towards the future in a relationship of desire and greed. While rajas is naturally involved in drive and action in the world, fueling forward motion in life through the wish for expression and meaningful impact in life, an excess of rajas results in mental aggression: unbridled anger, powerful craving, jealousy, zeal, and selfish drive without consideration for the needs of others. An excess of rajas may arise from hyperactivity, hypersexuality, or aggressive language, music and marketing.
Sattva refers to the qualities of light, both in weight and in brightness. It is described as the energy of love, peace, joy and wisdom, and is entirely oriented towards the present moment. Much of the purpose of yoga may be said to be cultivating sattva, which may be achieved through meditation, mantra, service, selfless prayer, generosity, and acts of kindness and consideration.
Want to learn more about yoga philosophy? Check out this lecture series on the Yoga Sutras!
One of the beautiful things about practicing yoga is that often we start out viewing it as a physical practice but we quickly learn how much deeper yoga goes. Yoga links the body, mind, and spirit and whether you’re focused on all three or not, you reap all the benefits. This week, we’re focusing on the lower body, which is comprised of your legs, hips, and core as well as your Muladhara (Root), Svadhistana (Sacral), and Manipura (Navel) chakras.
If you’re interested in stoking your senses of stability, security, creativity, and passion, these classes offer external and internal benefits you’ll feel right away. The subtle body is a blueprint of the physical body––although you cannot see your nadis (energy channels) or chakras (energy centers), they exist within you.
The seven main chakras run along the Sushumna Nadi, which correlates to your spine. This primary energy channel starts at the Muladhara (Root) Chakra at the base of your spine and runs up through the Sahasrara Chakra at the crown of your head. Each chakra is an energy center with correlating color, essence, sense, gland or organ, karmic relation, and physical issues. These three chakras are in your lower body.
Mulahdhara Chakra is located at the base of your spine, is associated with the color red, the essence of earth, the sense of smell, and the testes and ovaries.
Muladhara is concerned with satisfying basic needs such as food, shelter, safety, in other words, survival. The karmic relation is to parents, home, money, employer/employee and those people involved in life’s basic necessities. Often, if you’re dealing with issues with these areas, problems can arise in the feet, legs, sacrum, and base of the spine.
Asanas to balance Muladhara include standing poses like Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) and seated poses like Lotus or easy pose.
Svadhisthana Chakra is in the pelvic region, is associated with the color orange, the essence of water, the sense of taste, and the adrenal glands. It’s referred to as “Great goddess” or “Her favorite standing place.”
Svadhisthana is concerned with emotions, dreams, creativity, and relationships. The karmic relation is to people you’ve had sex with and/or been romantically involved with, creative or business partners, children, trust, addictions, and personal boundaries. If you’ve experienced issues with pleasure/pain, anger/jealousy, lack of intimacy/creativity or dreams fulfilled, you’re dealing with the second chakra. When you’re out of balance here, problems with the reproductive organs and digestive/elimination issues can manifest.
Asanas to balance Svadhisthana: Forward bends, Baddha Konasana (butterfly), Paschimottanasana (seated forward fold), Virasana (hero’s pose.
Manipura Chakra is in your solar plexus or navel, is associated with the color yellow, the essence of fire, the sense of sight, and the pancreas. It is called the “Jewel in the city.” This chakra is the line between your lower and higher consciousness.
Manipura is concerned with your ego, personality, gut feelings, and all activity motivated by the desire to be seen and acknowledged. The karmic relationship is to others who you’ve hurt to increase yourself––criticism, judgment, gossip to make yourself feel better. Physical issues with your stomach, digestion, and assimilation can arise when out of balance.
Asanas to balance Manipura: Twists like Parivritta Trikonasana (twisting triangle) and Ardha Matseyandrasana (seated half-lord of the fishes.)
This week, remind yourself that when you’re stretching your hips and hamstrings, you’re also balancing your sense of stability and personal boundaries. Try this week’s classes and see you feel––inside and out.
Erin Wimert - Lower Body Release
Desiree Rumbaugh - Strengthen, Protect, & Heal the Lower Back
Cicily Carter - Sacral Chakra Flow
I’m often asked how I can continue to drink green smoothies when the weather gets cold. This smoothie is my answer. It’s warming, earthy, and packs a gamut of immune defense – exactly what we need this time of year.
Between the lemon, ginger and turmeric, this smoothie is good for digestion and is very cleansing for the liver. It’s also chock full of antioxidants. To boot, it delivers a high dose of kale, which is a great way to fill up on vitamins, minerals, and other immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.
Read more about the healing benefits of turmeric here and in the meantime, let’s get blending.
Please leave me a comment below and let me know what other ways you’re getting this tasty superfood into your daily diet.
With love and turmeric tastes,
Jules
Totally Turmeric Green Smoothie
Yield: 1 quart
2 cups coconut milk 1 banana ½ cup mango ¼ avocado 1 small lemon, peeled 1 in. fresh ginger 2 cups kale 1 tsp. turmeric
Directions:
In a high-speed blender, blend coconut milk, banana, mango, avocado, lemon, ginger, kale and turmeric until creamy.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of two books The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life and their brand new The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
The latest guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services say that physically able adults should aim for 150 minutes of exercise every week - a combination of both cardio and strength training spread throughout the week. This could translate into 30-minute workouts 5 days a week, but there are other ways to get your exercise that don’t take up quite as much time every day.
Research has shown that actually taking shorter periods of activity can be spread out throughout your day to meet the recommended total. Actually, sometimes quicker workouts can be better for you than one longer workout.
Short bursts of exercise, or ‘exercise snacks’ can reduce health risks and benefit your heart and brain, and can help lead to quicker weight loss. This is because when you engage in shorter bursts of activity, like a 10 minute workout, 2-3 times a day, you elevate your heart rate each time. This can help to reduce blood sugar levels and decrease the risk of metabolic disorders. Short bursts of exercise can also help to boost your concentration, memory and your overall mood.
HIIT workouts are a great way to incorporate short bursts of high-intensity movement that get your heart rate elevated. A study in 2017 showed that many people, while willing and knowing of the many benefits of exercise, don't actually have the time available to workout regularly for longer periods of time. Shorter, high-intensity workouts like HIIT can help to provide the same, or better benefits than longer periods of exercise - it actually can help you to lose more weight than longer periods of less intense exercise.
Going from being inactive to active, or even just moderately active, can reduce your risk of premature death by 72% also. And in addition to physical benefits, you can also improve your mental health.
High intensity means that you should be working out hard enough that you can’t talk or sing while you’re working out - this is called the ‘talk test’. If you’re able to talk and sing, that counts as light exercise. If you can talk, but not sing, that’s moderate exercise, and if you can’t talk or sing along to your music, that’s working out vigorously.
Going to the gym first thing in the morning or after a long day can be hard, and you can be more likely to not push yourself if you’re tired, if you’re low on energy and short on time, you won’t see the benefits of exercise as much. But, most people have a few moments of downtime in our busy days - perfect to fit in a quick workout.
Perhaps you could wake up a little earlier, and use that extra time to fit in a high-intensity workout, just for 10 minutes. Or you could fit a workout in your lunch break, or even during the workday if you work from home and are able to. If you find a few different periods during the day to get active, you’ll be able to meet that 30-minute goal super easily.
Making a plan to help you stay on track can also help you to meet your daily exercise goals easily. Schedule in those 10 minutes of movement 3 times a day, and put it in your calendar or set an alarm to remind you. If you stick to the time, you’ll be more consistent and you’ll see results a lot quicker.
If you’re the sort of person who says they never have time to workout - try exercise snacking today. To help you out, this week our class focus is on shorter, sweeter, and sweaty yoga practices - which you can get done in less than an hour and still see all the benefits of a longer practice.
Quality over quantity wins every time, on the yoga mat and off. We’ve all got busy schedules and some days it can be a challenge to fit in the satisfying yoga practice your body, mind, and heart craves. The great news is that with the proper focus, intensity, and desire you can garner all the benefits of a full-length yoga class in half the time. Squeeze in a twenty-minute practice by setting your alarm earlier or staying up later!
Consistency is the most important component of maintaining a life-long yoga practice. And by consistency, we mean practicing several times a week or daily if your schedule allows. Some days, you may have time for a full-length practice with pranayama and meditation and other days, you’ve only got twenty minutes to spare. As long as you are stepping onto your mat and committing to be fully present in your body and your breath, you’re doing great. If you can up the intensity for the shorter practices, even better.
Why is it so important to commit to a regular practice instead of being a “weekend warrior?” With at least three to four days on the mat, no matter the length of practice, you’ll:
*Build stronger muscles, bones, and joints: Yoga is excellent at developing toned muscles, keeping your bones strong so you can continue all the activities you love for as many years as you want, and enhancing mobility and stability in your knees, hips, shoulders, and other joints.
*Sustain mental focus and concentration for longer periods of time: When you’re absorbed in the present moment on the mat, you don’t have time to stress or worry about anything else. Your mind is free to rid itself of distractions and settle into a calm clarity. A quieter mind also helps you have more quality sleep, which is vital to overall well-being.
*Enhance your mood: A vigorous yoga practice releases endorphins, which gives you a sense of joy and happiness. Yoga’s impact on the hormonal system balances moods and emotions and decreases stress and anxiety. Who doesn’t want to feel happier?
Check out this week's classes, which are short and sweet and designed to benefit you like a full-length practice. Enjoy!
Mark Morford - Deep 30 Volume. I
Pradeep Teotia - Short, Sweet, & Sweaty Power Flow
Kyle Weiger - Arm Balancing Workshop 5: Forearm Stand
Keith Allen - 20-Minute Yoga Fix
I just got back from a holiday in Jamaica (a fabulous place, definitely go!), and brought a few ripe mangoes with me. So today's breakfast was again my buckwheat muesli, served with fresh ripe mango, Greek yogurt, and some pomegranate seeds. So, so good!
Muesli is usually made with oats, but my favorite version does not contain any oats. And buckwheat, at least in Estonia, where I live, is usually considered a savory food. But still, this mildly sweet and crunchy raw buckwheat muesli has been a favorite of mine for a long time now. I got the idea many years ago in India where I did my yoga teacher training and they served similar muesli with loads of fruits. It was delicious, so I felt the need to recreate the recipe and have been baking a tray every few months ever since. Sometimes I substitute the nuts and seeds, sometimes I don’t use raisins but dried apricot instead. It is a good recipe to use up all the odd ends of nuts and seeds that you have laying around in the bottom of your cupboard somewhere (we all have these, right?).
Raw Buckwheat Muesli Bowl
Cooking time: 45 minutes (+ soaking time)
Makes: 15-20 breakfasts
1 cup raw buckwheat ½ cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds ½ cup sesame seeds ½ cup nuts of your choice (I like pecans and cashews) ½ cups raisins 2 tbsp coconut oil 4 tbsp agave syrup A sprinkle of salt
To serve, any fruits or berries are nice. I love it with fresh watermelon and strawberries.
Greek yogurt is nice for creaminess or coconut milk to keep it completely vegan.
1. Place the buckwheat, nuts, and seeds in cold water and soak them in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 and rinse and dry the buckwheat mixture as well as possible.
3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and lay in a thin layer on a baking tray.
4. Bake for about 40-45 minutes mixing a few times.
5. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.
6. Serve with fruits, berries yogurt, or anything else you fancy.
Home workouts of all kinds grew in popularity during the pandemic and continue to be a great alternative to going to a gym or yoga class at a studio. While not everyone has the resources to build a home gym, yoga is a highly accessible form of exercise that anyone can implement — no matter your age, gender, or body type. In fact, doing yoga at home can be just as effective as going to a studio for your practice and in some ways even better than going to a public class!
Here are five reasons why yoga is ideal perfect at home and some tips to help you reap these benefits as you practice at home.
Practice with little to no financial investment
One of the biggest barriers to regular yoga classes at a studio is often the cost. Gyms typically require monthly payments on top of annual fees and sign-up costs. Fitness studios frequently charge per class. Buying traditional workout equipment for your home can cost hundreds, which can make it unattainable, even if it saves you in the long run. However, when you choose yoga as an at-home workout, all you really need is a yoga mat to get started with your exercise routine.
You don’t have to figure out your yoga routine alone either. To get the most out of your yoga practice, you can sign up for Yoga Download’s free online yoga classes and free live streams. It’s a simple, effective way to get professional help without recruiting a costly personal trainer or personally researching pose after pose.
You can be active with minimal space
When you purchase weights, treadmills, and other traditional workout equipment, you’ll end up wasting a lot of space just to do one type of exercise. Yoga, on the other hand, can offer the benefits of both aerobic and anaerobic all on one mat.
While some yogis prefer to create a dedicated yoga space, complete with props like candles or altars that get you in the mindfulness mood, it’s not 100% necessary. You can do yoga right in your living room, in your backyard, or wherever you have space.
If you live in a small studio or apartment and are still struggling to find room to safely practice yoga, consider decluttering your space to ensure you can exercise at home. For example, you can get furniture with built-in storage to maximize your space. Decluttering can also help you stay focused and present during your yoga routine.
Offsets the negative effects of remote work and working from home
As more and more people take on remote careers, finding at-home workouts that can easily be done during short breaks is becoming increasingly important. With yoga, you can make the most of your 15- to 30-minute breaks and return to your tasks feeling more energetic and refreshed. The transition from your desk to your yoga mat can be incredibly simple, too.
Yoga can also help you mitigate the health risks that come with remote work. Sitting at a desk for long periods can cause hip misalignment, poor circulation, tension headaches, and more. When you implement the right poses, you can get stretching and moving instead of staying still, all while stepping away from the blue light of your computer screen.
Personalize your practice to suit your needs
Yoga truly is a type of exercise that’s made for everyone. No matter your fitness goals or your experience level, you can find a category of yoga that works for you — and there are a lot of options to choose from.
For example, if you want to build muscles through your at-home workout, you can take up power yoga, which is an incredibly effective bodyweight exercise. Plus, since power yoga routines are highly customizable, you can focus on enhancing your muscle tone in specific areas or do full-body workouts.
Alternatively, if you want an exercise that encourages movement and mindfulness, you can practice hatha yoga, which emphasizes breathing and is much more slow-paced. Hatha yoga can also help you challenge your flexibility from any starting point. You can get started even if you’re a total beginner at fitness.
You can get your family involved
Exercises like lifting aren’t family-friendly activities, and most home workout equipment is designed for people to exercise solo. However, yoga allows you to involve your spouse, kids, and anyone else in your household. It’s a fun way to bond and practice teamwork with your family.
With your family, you can practice assisted poses that require everyone’s participation. Consider doing the twin tree pose with your partner and take on more advanced positions — like the double plank, which involves one person balancing on top of the other — as you succeed. You can also play virtual yoga classes on your living room TV and invite your household to join in.
There’s no reason you can’t involve your pets either. “Doga” is a growing trend that involves lifting small dogs or stretching alongside your pet in an effort to bond with them during your exercise routine. Have fun and see where at-home yoga (or doga) takes you!
By Katie Brenneman
Practice yoga at home online, no matter how busy you are!
“If you want to change you have to be willing to be uncomfortable.”
Are you ready to push through your personal boundaries and use your yoga practice to expand and evolve physically, emotionally, and mentally? On the yoga mat and off, we tend to slip into comfortable patterns. Consistency is something to strive for, but it can be a slippery slope and if we aren’t paying attention we can end up in a rut. Here’s how yoga can help you continue to evolve:
Yoga for Physical Growth: On the most obvious level, a well-rounded yoga practice will help you develop stronger muscles, a more supple spine, and improve joint mobility. Yoga improves your posture so you’re literally standing taller. If you’re always doing the same yoga class or same series of asanas, you may not be continuing to progress. This week, step out of your customary routine and try something new and see how that impacts you physically––you might be surprised!
Yoga for Emotional Evolution: We store emotions, especially past trauma and stress, in our bodies. When we practice yoga and meditation, these feelings rise to the surface and sometimes surprise us when we burst into tears or have flashbacks to emotions we may have buried in “the vault.” We’ve all had difficult times we tuck away and promise we’ll deal with later, but never do. Those emotions remain stored in our tissues unless we work to release them.
If you’ve spent five minutes per hip in Sleeping Swan (Half-pigeon) during a Yin class, you’re probably nodding your head right now. After a while, if you’re merely repeating the same practices, you may no longer be accessing those deeper emotions and continuing to evolve. Try one of this week’s new classes, one that is out of your comfort zone, and see if it reignites your emotional growth.
Yoga for Mental Expansion: According to the Yoga Sutras, yoga is a path toward developing a higher level of consciousness by creating a calm, clear mind. This yogic journey isn’t an easy one and it takes willpower and discipline to learn to filter out distractions and focus on what truly matters to us. What the expansion looks like is up to you but it’s important to get uncomfortable––meditate for longer, try a sound healing or chanting mantras, work on asanas that scare you (safely, of course). In other words, do something that you think you can’t do––you may surprise yourself and boost your confidence when you do.
Change doesn’t have to be dramatic to be impactful. Small tweaks can have as much influence as intense moves in creating a shift in your body, heart, and mind. This week’s classes are designed to give you an avenue into something new and exciting. Check them out!
Ben Davis - Fitness 'n' Yoga: Evolving Flow
Dana Smith - Shifting Paradigms
Truth to be told - this is not an authentic Spanish paella but as I saw somebody cooking paella in a movie, I felt I needed to give it a go myself and sooner rather than later, so there was no time for shopping and I needed it right this moment! I somehow always manage to have at least 3 different types of rice, so this was covered. I used risotto rice as this seemed the closest to Spanish rice, but feel free to use Spanish rice as this is used in the original. I also happened to have a classic risotto spice saffron available (even two jars, both unopened) and some frozen seafood too, so an hour after I was done with the movie I, already had a plate full of this delicious treat in front of me. And delicious it is!
Classically paella is cooked on a paella pan, which I didn’t have, so I just used a normal frying pan, so no need to panic if you don’t have the right pan – if you don’t plan on becoming a professional paella chef, the normal pan will do just fine.
One thing to remember when cooking paella – after adding the broth to the pan, try not to mix this at all. This is a huge challenge for me as I am very used to cooking risotto where mixing is everything. And another thing – the pan only needs to be covered at the very end to steam the seafood through. For the rest of the cooking time, the pan is uncovered. With the pan uncovered and not mixing the paella, you will get a nice crispy bottom layer of rice called soccarat, which is just amazing.
Also, many people also like to add chorizo or chicken to the paella, rabbit is also a classical ingredient, but just seafood is delicious in my opinion. Peas and beans would be a good option too, making this a 100% plant-based dish. So you do what you like, just make sure to use good rice, loads of onions, tomatoes and peppers, paprika powder, and saffron, and the rest is up to you!
Simple Seafood Paella
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2-3
1. If using frozen seafood, take them out of the fridge to let them thaw slowly if possible. If you are rushed, place the seafood in cold water to speed up the process.
2. Place the saffron threads in a small cup with a couple of tablespoons of warm water to infuse.
3. Chop the onion, capsicum, tomatoes, and celery, place them in the frying pan with the oil, and a sprinkle of salt, and let them sweat for around 10 minutes until they are soft.
4. Add in the rice, spices, and broth, give it a quick stir, and taste. Add salt or more spices now, if you feel like it.
5. Leave the pan uncovered to simmer for 15-16 minutes. By this time, almost all the broth should be absorbed. Have a quick taste to make sure that the rice is almost tender.
6. Without disturbing the rice too much (you do not want to touch the bottom) snuggle the seafood pieces on top of the rice, then cover with a lid and leave to cook in medium-high heat for 5 more minutes.
7. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley.
Dirga pranayama is a technique that increases focus and calms your mind. It's simple to do, and even those without any prior yoga experience can enjoy this rejuvenating practice. Here is how to do a three-part breath and the benefits of this practice. Even a few minutes can make a difference in your day.
How to do Dirga pranayama:
Take the first third of your inhalation into your lower lungs and upper belly, and pause briefly. Then breathe the second third of your inhale into your middle lungs and back, and pause again briefly. Then breathe the final part of your inhale, into the upper portion of your lungs and collarbones, and pause again.
On the exhale, release gradually from the upper lungs, middle lungs, and lower lungs.
Repeat this simple pattern again for several rounds for up to five minutes.
Benefits of Dirga pranayama:
Helps overall respiratory health.
Calms down the body and mind.
Improves concentration and focus.
Bolsters the lungs and serves as a foundation for many other pranayama practices.
The practice of Dirga pranayama is helpful for better skin and hair quality and also beneficial for better sleep.
Helps reduce hypertension and high blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.
Enhances detoxification of the body.
Helps balance hormone health.
Improves the energy levels in the body.
Improves digestion.
Take many pranayama classes online here!
Distraction and activity are easy. Focus and stillness are a challenge but calming your mind and tapping into your inner silence is worth the work. Yoga is one of the most powerful tools to quiet your mind––the ultimate achievement of a dedicated practice.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, considered the seminal text in yoga, provides a practical path to attain a calm, quiet mind. It all begins with Yoga Sutra 1.2: Chitta Vritti Nirodaha: Yoga is the ability to direct the mind without distraction or interruption. When you can achieve sustained attention, you are fully present and truly at the height of your personal power and light. Sounds fantastic, right?
But when your brain resembles a windowless room with a troop of wild monkeys bouncing off the walls, getting quiet can feel unattainable. But with commitment, patience, and discipline, you can tame that troop of wild monkeys. Yoga isn’t an easy path, but it can be simple if you allow it.
This week’s classes have been specifically selected to help you drown out the external disruptions and tap into your inner silence. If you’ve been feeling that your daily thoughts are repetitive and you’re unable to switch them off, these practices can help you. Or if life has felt more challenging than usual these days, a yoga practice themed around silence can help you center and clear your mind.
The way we breathe changes the way we feel. Pranayama techniques can heat you, energize you, and calm you. Even five minutes of dedicated breathwork will enable you to tune inward, breath-by-breath. The combination of specific asanas (physical postures), dedicated pranayama, and meditation will help you delve into your inner silence and give your mind a rest.
Check out the various techniques in this week’s classes and see how still you can get! Enjoy!
Channing Grivas - Embrace Your Inner Calm
Ali Duncan - Coherent Breath
We’ve been obsessed with collard wraps lately! If you’re new to eating the Conscious Cleanse way, figuring out what to eat instead of a sandwich, hamburger bun or tortilla might have you stumped, not to mention tired of eating plain old salads.
Say hello to your new friend, the collard green.
If you’ve spent any time in the South, you know collard greens well. But unlike the bacon- and butter-slathered Southern classic, these collards are a fresher take: straight from the garden and bursting with good for you minerals like calcium and vitamins A, K and folate.
Collard greens are an excellent source of fiber and plant protein. And they’re part of the cruciferous family of veggies (same as kale) which are notorious for their anticancer powers.
The world of collard wraps is full of endless possibilities. Top it off with a variety of your favorite veggies, roll and you’ve got the perfect on-the-go meal!
Now it’s your turn. Are you trying to cut back on gluten products but just aren’t sure of the alternatives? Give the collard wrap a chance and let us know what you think of it in the comment section below.
With love and collard greens,
The Conscious Cleanse Team
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower “Rice” Collard Wraps
Yields 4 wraps
2 cups cauliflower “rice” (about 1/2 head of cauliflower) 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (juice of 1 lime) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove 4 medium-sized collard leaves 1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded 1 carrot, julienned 1/2 avocado, sliced Handful of sprouts
In a food processor fitted with an ‘S’ blade, pulse 1/2 head of cauliflower florets and sea salt until it makes a rice-like consistency. In a high-speed blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Pour over cauliflower “rice” and stir to mix well. Let cauliflower “rice” marinate in the fridge while you prep the other veggies.
To prepare the collard leaf, lay each leaf flat, face down so that the spine of the collard stem is most prominent. Shave off the thick part of the stem carefully so as to not cut all the way through the leaf.
To prepare the wrap, flip the collard leaf over so that the side you cut is face down. To assemble the filling, start with about a 1/4 of cauliflower rice spreading it vertically on the right-hand side of the leaf. Layer cabbage, carrots, a few avocado slices and sprouts vertically on top of rice. Fold the top and bottom flaps of the collard leaf toward the center and then roll the collard leaf starting with the side that the filling is on. Slice on the diagonal and voila! You have your wrap.
*Variation: Feel free to top with your favorite lean, organic protein of choice. Since the “rice” is veggie-based, you don’t have to worry about a bad food combination.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
Practice yoga for greater vitality and health now, featuring Jo of the Conscious Cleanse!
Hot yoga isn’t necessarily new, but it’s increased in popularity over the last few years for a variety of reasons. It increases the intensity of traditional yoga by using a heated room that can range from 90-108 degrees.
Some of the biggest benefits of hot yoga include reduced stress, greater calorie burn, and improved flexibility. People try out these classes for different reasons and can experience various perks. However, one thing almost everyone experiences is sweat.
A lot of it.
You can lose up to two liters of sweat in a single hot yoga session. Not only does that purge your body of a lot of water, but a lot of essential nutrients, including sodium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Because of this, hot yoga enthusiasts can be prone to dehydration, leading to potential health risks.
Whether you’re getting into hot yoga for the first time or you attend sessions every week, staying properly hydrated is crucial to your health and well-being. So, how can you make sure you’re replenishing your body with what it needs after a sweaty session?
Go Beyond Water
Drinking plenty of water before, during, and after a hot yoga session is important. If that’s all you have available, it’s absolutely fine and will keep you from getting dehydrated. However, because you can lose so many essential nutrients during a hot yoga session, you should first ensure that you’re drinking high-quality water. Poor-quality water can contain heavy metals and minerals that could be damaging to your health and make you feel worse. Choose filtered water or bottled water from a brand you trust.
You can also add things to your water to provide an extra “boost.” Adding electrolytes, for example, will make it easier for your body to transport nutrients and will balance your pH levels faster, making you feel more hydrated without having to drink so much.
Adding electrolyte powder is a great way to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs. You can also purchase sports drinks with electrolytes, but be sure to read the labels. Many of them contain large amounts of sugar, which can offset the benefits of your workout.
Refuel Properly
No matter how you feel after a hot yoga session, it’s vital to hydrate as much as possible before you continue with your day. While carrying a water bottle around with you is great, it’s also easy to get distracted and “ignore” the fact that you should be drinking at least 20 ounces to replace what you lost in class.
To make it easier to refuel and replenish your body, consider “eating” your water. There are plenty of foods that help you stay hydrated, including
Any of these options make great post-workout snacks. They’ll boost your hydration level and give you the added benefit of additional vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates your body lost through sweat.
It’s often easier to remember to eat something after working out than it is to sip on water all day. So, whether you’re going home after hot yoga or heading to work, most of the options listed here are easy to eat on the go or pack up for later.
Know the Signs of Dehydration
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you might push yourself too far and not rehydrate properly enough. One of the best things you can do to keep yourself safe is to understand some of the common signs of dehydration. They include
Some people may be more susceptible to health issues if they’re dehydrated, including seniors. Older individuals need to be especially aware of dehydration signs before, during, and after a hot yoga session. Things like weakness and confusion can be clear signs, but lasting dehydration can lead to kidney and bladder problems, as well as cardiovascular issues in seniors. If you’re retirement age and taking hot yoga classes, make hydration your top priority.
There’s an old saying that suggests if you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Don’t wait until you can’t live without a drink to reach for your water bottle. Hot yoga isn’t always easy, and it’s meant to be a challenge. However, yoga is meant to help with balance and restoration. Don’t hold back on taking a drink or two during your sessions to keep yourself healthy and focused.
Even on days when you don’t do hot yoga, you should have hydration in mind. It can take a while for your body to fully recover. So, choose a lifestyle that focuses heavily on drinking plenty of water (and other fluids), and eating foods with high water content every day.
When you keep yourself hydrated, you can enjoy all of the wonderful benefits hot yoga has to offer while you sweat away your stress and improve your health.
Try practicing hot yoga from the comfort of your own home. You can make this possible with a heater, or outside on a hot day!
Class Hot Yoga Series with Cicily Carter
Who is ready to release their personal power and feel stronger physically and more self-assured? By focusing on our power center, by building a strong core and spine, we naturally increase our confidence levels and live our lives from a positive perspective, no matter external circumstances.
This week, we’ve got the popular Nothing But Core series with instructor Claire Petretti Marti, which will give you six quick and varied programs to have you feeling your best.
Here are 3 reasons why you want to regularly focus on your core.
Self-confidence: Our power center houses the Manipura or Navel Chakra and is the seat of our ego, inner fire, and willpower. The Manipura Chakra is the third of seven main chakras or energy centers in your subtle body. Visualize a beautiful golden whirling ball of light right in your belly. Here resides Tapas––your fiery self-discipline that enables you to be your most positive manifestation of your true self.
Part of being a self-assured person is trusting your gut instincts. Balancing your Manipura Chakra will remind you that your inner guidance is truth. If you feel insecure in your thoughts and abilities, work on building strong abdominals and back because the physical strength will also bolster your inner strength.
Strong Abdominals equals a Healthy Spine: Sure, having a toned stomach will help you walk tall and feel confident in a bathing suit, but the superficial visual benefits merely scratch the surface. A balanced core workout will target all the muscles of the trunk, including the abdominals, the back, and the glutes. By creating a girdle of muscle, you protect your spine. Often, lower back pain originates from weak abdominals and one of the major recommendations on both the medical and holistic side is to build strong abdominals to prevent further pain and injury.
Enhance Digestion: Focusing on core work will help maintain healthy digestion. Our solar plexus houses our digestive system and it’s vital to stimulate and massage the internal organs to avoid feeling lethargic and weighed down. In the Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar says in order to operate at our optimum levels we need to burn up “the rubbish.” Seventy-five percent of our immune system is located in the gut and by keeping your digestion flowing, you are boosting your natural disease-fighting abilities.
Check out this newly curated program and fire up your Manipura Chakra! You’ll feel more confident, energized, and strong, inside and out.
Do you love lasagna, but can’t stomach grains? Or maybe you’re just trying to avoid the heavy, tired crash that comes with heavy comfort foods? Then our paleo Turkey and Kale Veggie Lasagna is perfect for you!
This recipe was inspired by our vegan Zucchini Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese from the Conscious Cleanse Cookbook — but this Turkey and Kale Veggie Lasagna is baked and uses meat (turkey and pork) and nightshades.
It’s not cleanse-friendly, but it’s still an incredible up-level from your typical gluten-filled option.
What sets this lasagna apart? We use caramelized yellow squash for the “noodles” and our creamy cashew ricotta for dairy-free cheese.
This is an easy one-dish, family-friendly recipe that everyone will enjoy. Jo meal preps the dish on Sunday, so she has 2 ready to eat dinners when things get hectic during the week.
When Jo was recipe testing this meal, she actually liked the lasagna better on the 2nd and 3rd day! And so did her kiddos.
Our Veggie Lasagna is just that good! You won’t miss the real thing. We promise :)
With zesty lasagna love,
Turkey, Kale, & Veggie Lasagna
Yield: 4-6 servings
4 medium yellow squash 1 batch No-Mato sauce (LINK) (or tomato sauce if you’re not cleansing) 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 bunches lacinato kale, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 lb ground turkey 1 lb mild Italian sausage 1 tsp pepper flakes
For the Cashew Ricotta:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked 1 hour 2 tbsp pine nuts ¼ cup basil, roughly chopped 1 ½ tbsp nutritional yeast Juice of ½ lemon 1 tsp salt ⅓ cup water
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut ends off of yellow squash and slice pieces lengthwise, about ¼ of an inch thick. Place slices on a sheet pan with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until browning and starting to caramelize.
To make the sauce, sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add in red pepper and garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add in the kale, and cook for about 5 more minutes, until the kale has wilted. Meanwhile, in another pan, cook the turkey and sausage together until browned and fully cooked. Combine the meat and vegetable mixtures, and then add in the No-Mato Sauce and pepper flakes.
To make the cashew ricotta, drain the cashews and place them in a food processor. Pulse until the nuts look like meal. Add in the remainder of the ingredients and blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
To build the lasagna, start with an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan. In the bottom of the pan, put about 1½ cups of the meat sauce. Place a layer of squash on top. Spread about ½ cup of the ricotta on the squash. Repeat those three layers. Add one more layer of meat sauce, then a layer of squash. Top with remaining meat sauce and dollop with remaining ricotta.
Bake for 20-25 minutes and enjoy!
If you liked this recipe, we invite you to join our online community! When you join, you’ll receive regular new recipes and healthy lifestyle tips. As a welcome gift, we’ll send you our FREE Taste of the Conscious Cleanse Ecookbook!
Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.
Humans are designed to be connected with nature. Even in our modern world, we are still synced to the natural world. If you’re feeling burnt out, tired, or unhappy, reconnecting with nature can help to bring you a sense of calm and refresh yourself. There are a few things that we can do to feel connected with nature, and pause, refresh and notice the world around us.
Bring the Outdoors Inside
If you can’t get outside, it’s easy to stay in touch with nature by creating a mini-ecosystem. Buying plants for your home or balcony is an easy way to bring nature inside, or you can even create a mini terrarium or vertical gardens. Perhaps you can even enroll in a community garden. Spending a little time each day tending to your plants, and watching them grow can help to bring a sense of happiness to you. Starting small is a great way to ease yourself into the plant world, so try things like herbs or lower-maintenance plants. Indoor gardening is one of the best ways to reconnect with nature.
Take a Walk
Getting outdoors is a great way to break up your day and escape from the stresses of everyday life. Spending the day with technology and devices can make your day sedentary. Our time spent outdoors has taken a hit in recent years. Going out for a walk or a jog can help to give us a change of scenery, and fresh air can help clear our minds. Also, this is a great way to include physical activity as well as noticing aspects of nature like plants, birds, and wildlife.
Try a Seasonal Diet
A seasonal diet is a great way to reconnect with nature. In the modern world, everything can be available all year round, and while there are upsides to this, it has also led us to lose connection with nature and the local environment. A seasonal diet has lots of health benefits because produce is freshly harvested. The body's nutrient demands can vary with the changing seasons. Try visiting your local farmers' market and picking up fresh fruits and vegetables in season.
Walking Barefoot
One of the best ways to stay grounded and connect with nature is to touch the earth. This can create contact with the earth’s surface electrons and it also has multiple physical and physiological benefits such as improved sleep, reduced pain, and increased immunity. Spending a few minutes in the morning walking barefoot in the grass, breathing in the fresh air, feeling the sun on your skin. Even better, if you have access to a beach, you can walk and feel the sand underneath your feet to rejuvenate yourself. This connection with nature can help to make you feel grounded.
Spend Time with Animals
Another way to connect with nature is to take an interest in other living creatures. Animals and birds are a great way to stay grounded by spending time with them. Quality time with pets is proven to have great health benefits and can teach us to be better beings. There are a lot of ways to get reacquainted with nature, such as walking your dog or even spending time at a local animal shelter or farm. You can even foster an animal, for example.
Go Camping
If you’re able to, spending a night or two outside can be a great way to enjoy time in nature. Take a break from technology and try an outdoor activity like rock climbing, glamping, fishing, or even canoeing. Most camping sites can offer hike trails and maps too. If you can’t get away, even pitching up a tent outside can be a great way to get out of your routine. Do camping activities in your back garden like stringing up a hammock or star gazing. This is a great way to get out in nature and get away from screens.
This earth day, try and do one of the above to help you to pull away from the modern digital age and back to your natural instincts. It’s never too late to reconnect with nature and find your roots.
Happy Earth Day 2022! On April 22nd, the fifty-second Earth Day, join us to commemorate this year’s Earth Day theme of Invest in Our Planet. Yoga practice, comprised of the earth’s elements of earth, air, fire, water, and ether, naturally honors our planet and is embodied in the yogic concept of Ahimsa or non-harming. To celebrate, YogaDownload is offering our biggest sale of the year so you can maintain a consistent yoga practice and feel connected to the earth beneath us.
Sometimes we can get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to express gratitude for the planet that sustains us with air, water, food and all that nourishes us. We’ve got a few suggestions for you to try this Earth Day to honor this universal worldwide celebration.
1. Practice yoga outside. Instead of practicing indoors, grab your yoga mat and practice on the grass or the dirt with the sun shining down on your skin, the earth supporting you, and the fresh air refueling you with each and every breath. The more connected you feel to the world around you, the more each action you take can help preserve it. Hint: try one of our earth-themed classes releasing this week.
2. If the distance allows it, ride your bike or walk to work. If not, carpool or hop on the train or the bus to help minimize pollution. Each mindful act we take as individuals to implement change benefits our communities.
3. Small actions add up. Here are some suggestions to try:
If we all focus on making changes together, our contributions add up and help preserve a healthy planet. When we practice yoga, we’re renewing our own spirits and creating more peace and well-being within ourselves. If we’re all feeling healthier, our world will benefit from our positive energy. Check out this week’s classes, each with a specific theme dedicated to Mother Earth. Happy Earth Day 2022 from YogaDownload.
Elise Fabricant - Mindful Movement 2 (Free Class)
Denelle Numis - Earth Yoga
Katie Silox - Earth Grounding Tantric Flow
Here is a simple recipe for you that so far everybody who has tried it loves. The middle eastern recipe called tabbouleh is based on a load of fresh herbs (really, make sure you use a lot of herbs) and bulgur. Bulgur is wheat that is crushed and pre-cooked, then dried again, so there is no need to boil the bulgur before adding this to the salad – the moisture from tomatoes, oil, and lemon juice soaks right into the grains making them softer and even more flavorful. Of course, if you don’t have 40 minutes to wait until the bulgur slowly absorbs the liquid you can also quickly boil it for 5 minutes, but I really do not recommend this.
The salad itself is already quite filling in my opinion, but I recently hosted a dinner party where a vegan main was needed, and so I felt the need to add another element. Eggplant with zaatar seemed appropriate in my head, and luckily it translated well into the real dish too. While roasting eggplant, please make sure you leave it in the oven for long enough, as this is probably the only vegetable that tastes a lot better when overcooked and just terrible when undercooked.
The recipe is also a good thing to meal prep as it is really good at least for 5 days and the eggplant tastes good also if cold or at room temperature.
Tabbouleh with Zaatar Roasted Eggplant
Cooking time: 1 hour (most of it waiting time)
Serves: 4
1 ½ cup of bulgur
3 ripe tomatoes (using different colors is always fun)
1 long cucumber
1 medium red onion
A huge bunch of flatleaf parsley (at least 2 ½ ounces)
A huge bunch of mint (at least 2 ounces)
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the eggplant:
1 large eggplant
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp zaatar
½ tsp salt
Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion into small cubes and mix them all with bulgur (there is no need to cook the bulgur). Make sure to drizzle in all the juices from the vegetables as these are flavors!
Add in lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper – adding the liquid and juicy ingredients first, the bulgur can already start the soaking process.
Then chop the herbs finely and add them in. Leave the salad to gather flavor for at least 30-40 minutes. Then check back and make sure the bulgur is softened nicely and the flavor is on point.
For the eggplants, mix olive oil, lemon juice, zaatar, and salt for the marinade, cut the eggplant lengthwise in quarters, and cover evenly with marinade. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then cook in 400F oven with fan on for 20 minutes until nice and tender.
Serve the warm roasted eggplant on top of a refreshing salad for a light, yet filling plant-based meal.
Sleep problems are all too common for many adults. While there is no one universal cause or fix for everyone, yoga and meditation can certainly help calm your mind and nervous system to help you better prepare for a night of sound sleep.
Amongst YogaDownload's vast collection of 2400+ online yoga classes, are many practices that are specially designed to help you doze off to sleep more easily. Below are 15 of our top-rated yoga classes for better sleep.
This list is a mix of movement asana practices, gentle Yin classes, yoga Nidra classes (meditations done lying down), and some are a blend of all of these components. To come up with this list, we picked classes that are designed to help you sleep more soundly and classes that are top-rated, by those who practice on this site, from all over the world!
Top 15 YogaDownload Classes for Better Sleep:
1. Unwind Your Spine, Unwind Your Mind with Erin Wimert
Rating: 5.00 rating | Released: 2019
50 min class | Level: All Levels | Intensity: Ahhhhhh
2. Bedtime Yin with Body Scan with Erin Wimert
Rating: 5.00 rating | Released: 2017
40 min class | Level: All Levels | Intensity: Ahhhhhh
3. Slow and Relaxing Yoga with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Rating: 4.98 rating | Released: 2016
4. Yoga Nidra for Self-Healing with Shy Sayar
Rating: 4.98 rating | Released: 2019
35 min class | Level: All Levels | Intensity: Ahhhhhh
5. You are Resilient AF with Kylie Larson
Rating: 4.97 rating | Released: 2020
35 min class | Level: Adv. Beginner & Up | Intensity: Ahhhhhh
6. Therapeutic Yoga for Stress, Anxiety, & Insomnia with Shy Sayar
Rating: 4.95 rating | Released: 2017
25 min class | Level: All Levels | Intensity: Ahhhhhh
7. Yoga Nidra with Celest Pereria
Rating: 4.94 rating | Released: 2014
8. Yoga to Close Your Day with Robert Sidoti
Rating: 4.94 rating | Released: 2020
9. Evening Relaxation Yoga with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Rating: 4.93 rating | Released: 2019
10. Evening Yoga for Stress Relief with Keith Allen
Rating: 4.92 rating | Released: 2019
11. Evening Yoga for Stress Relief 2 with Keith Allen
Rating: 4.91 rating| Released: 2021
12. Yin Yoga & Breathwork for Relaxation with Caitlin Rose Kenney
Rating: 4.91 rating | Released: 2018
13. Quickie Stretch & De-Stress with Celest Pereira
Rating: 4.91 rating based on 130 reviews | Released: 2014
14. Nighty Night, Don't Sleep Tight with Kylie Larson
Rating: 4.90 rating | Released: 2015
15. Chillax Before Bed with Elise Fabricant
Rating: 4.86 rating | Released: 2018
If you want to lift heavy things physically, you need to increase your physical strength. Strong, big muscles go a long way in helping you to be able to carry more. Well, the same can be said for your mental muscles. If you struggle with tackling big challenges and overcoming more obstacles, you need to increase your mental strength.
Just like going to the gym to work out your body - your mind needs a good workout too. Here are some exercises to help you to develop your mental strength and help you achieve anything.
Reframe Negative Thoughts
If you suffer from negative thoughts and self-doubt, it can help to reframe and replace them with more realistic thoughts. While everyone has bad days that can lead to negative thoughts, by searching for the positive and realistic scenarios you can eliminate damaging negative thoughts, and equip yourself better for any bad days.
Make Realistic Goals
Create realistic goals, instead of aiming high and dreaming big - which can be more likely to lead to disappointment. Smaller, achievable goals make you more motivated to move forward and give you confidence in your ability to be successful. This can also help you to work out what goals are and are not challenging you enough - and which might be too challenging!
Set Up Your Day for Success
If you change your environment to fit your goals and needs, it can be easier to stay mentally strong and makes your life a little easier. Put your gym clothes out before you go to bed so they’re there in the morning if you want to work out more. Get rid of junk food if you want to eat healthy. Small things will help you to conserve your mental energy and help to set yourself up for success.
Do Something Hard Everyday
You don’t get stronger by accident. Challenge yourself on purpose, and try something new that’s just outside of your boundaries - it’s important to be aware of your own boundaries and what is going to be challenging for you. Try making a small step everyday, like doing something like enrolling in a new class, or speaking up when you feel shy. Push yourself a little bit everyday.
Be Okay with Feeling Uncomfortable
Feelings of discomfort can lead people to look for unhealthy shortcuts and can lead people to common emotional crutches that can be unhealthy, like binge-eating, watching too much TV or leaning on alcohol. These crutches can lead to bigger longer-term problems. Next time you feel discomfort and catch yourself leaning towards quick fixes - think about the bigger picture. Managing uncomfortable emotions can really help you to gain the confidence you need to reach your goals.
Balance Your Emotions and Logic
If you act on logic 100% of the time, you’ll probably not really have much fun, pleasure, or even love! But on the flip side, if you base everything on emotions, you might spend all your money on frivolous things, and miss out on savings and investments. The best decisions come from a balance of logic and emotion. Check-in with yourself before decisions, and make sure you are balancing emotions with logic - being overly excited, angry, or anxious can lead you to make an emotional decision - so try to make some pros and cons and consider the logical side of things before you make a choice.
Fulfill Your Purpose
It’s hard to stay motivated unless you’re in tune with your overall purpose. Think about your mission statement and what you want to accomplish in life. When you find yourself struggling or faltering, take the time to remind yourself why it is important that you keep going. Focus on your day-to-day goals, but also make sure that you’re giving yourself goals that align with your greater purpose in the long run.
Don’t Take Any Excuses
From yourself, that is. When you fall short of your goals and objectives, don’t make excuses for yourself - try to look for an explanation and then find ways to help yourself to do better next time. Take on responsibility for any shortcomings and don’t place blame. Try to learn from your mistakes to avoid repeating them.
10-minute Rule
Being strong mentally can help you be productive, but if you’re not feeling it, it can be hard to stay motivated. The ten-minute rule is the great way to get past feeling unmotivated. Try doing something for just 10 minutes. If you’re still feeling like you don’t want to do it after 10 minutes, then you can give yourself a break. However, more often than not - once you try for just ten minutes you’ll find it’s not that hard anyway. Getting started is always the worst part.
Remember, you won’t develop mental strength overnight - just like you won’t get big muscles overnight. It takes time to get stronger and become better at all these techniques. But by being consistent, you can build up your mental strength, and have the resilience and power to meet your goals - living a more fulfilled, happier life!
Who could use a dose of stable, grounded strength to boost your body, mind, and heart? Often in yoga, we emphasize the flexibility aspect and many people who haven’t tried yoga assume yoga is a stretch class. While flexibility is one of the important components of a well-rounded yoga practice, building external and internal stability is equally essential. This week we turn the spotlight on ways to amp up stability and strength when you step onto your yoga mat.
Yoga Sutra 2.46 Sthira Sukham Asanam is one of the best known tenets from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. What does it mean? The posture should be steady and comfortable or the intersection of effort and ease. By emphasizing strength and grounded energy, you build sufficient physical power to find the sense of comfort and ease in an asana. If you’re struggling because your muscles aren’t developed enough to support you, the comfort won’t be easy to access.
Standing Poses like Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) and balancing poses like Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III) build strength in the lower body and core. When you are in weight-bearing positions like these ones, your bones and muscles are growing stronger, which helps maintain healthy joints. If you’re too weak to balance on one leg for thirty seconds, your joints often take over and develop instability or cause injury. Rooting your feet and savoring the connection with the earth beneath you creates grounded, stable energy.
Building a solid foundation keeps you centered and is the perfect basis for developing and maintaining flexibility safely. Another vital component of strength and stability is developing a strong core to protect your spine and prevent back pain. Navasana (Boat Pose) and Phalakasana (Plank Pose) both create a strong center and contribute to a toned physique. Integrating these poses and other spine strengtheners will also improve your sense of balance, whether that’s on one leg, your hands, or in your thoughts and emotions.
Prioritizing both strength and flexibility will create a body and mind that’s both flexible and strong, inside and out. This week’s classes create a sense of stability, whether you need to connect to your inner confidence, prevent injuries, regain strength after having a baby, or just want to tone your body.
Jackie Casal Mahrou - Inner Strength Flow
Kristen Boyle - Postnatal Strength
Shannon Paige - Strength for Grace
A plant-based diet is more and more popular and even though this type of eating is completely doable (and delicious!) without any meat substitutes, there are still many of those widely available. I eat about 80% plant-based and rarely consume any of the substitutes, but my partner sometimes likes the feeling of eating meat, so I have been trying out some of them. As I haven’t given up meat completely, these products do not trick me to think I am eating meat, but that said – they do taste good! So if you need to cook a meal for somebody who does not believe that a plant-based diet is delicious and filling, then these meat-free balls are a good place to start!
I also made this meal gluten-free and used high-protein lentil pasta. With all gluten-free pasta types, it is important to make sure you do not overcook them. Of course, it is never good to overcook the pasta anyway, but most gluten-free versions turn mushy quite quickly, so I always try to cook them a little less and then finish the cooking in the sauce.
How do you feel about plant-based meat substitutes? Let us know in the comments!
Meatless Meatballs with Gluten-Free Pasta
Cooking time: 25 min
Serves: 2
1 large onion, chopped finely
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
1 jar of chopped tomatoes
Salt, to taste
Sugar, to taste
10-12 oz plant-based mince of your choice (Impossible, Beyond…)
4 oz dried lentil-, buckwheat-, or chickpea pasta (or regular pasta if you don’t prefer gluten-free)
Fresh basil and more black pepper to serve
Mix half of the onion, black pepper, and oregano with your plant-based meat. Do not add salt as these products usually already contain quite a bit. Roll out to balls and fry until golden from each side.
Set the balls aside until you prepare everything else. In the same pan, sweat the onion on medium-low heat until translucent. Add in tomatoes and the rest of the spices. Depending on the tomatoes you might need to add a little salt or even sugar to balance out the sauce. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the packet instructions say. Then drain and add the pasta to the tomato sauce, and let simmer for 1 more minute.
Serve the balls on top of the saucy pasta garnished with fresh basil and extra pepper.