The autumn is slowly sneaking in here in Estonia, and for me, it always means some changes on my menu. I still love salads, but instead of leafy greens that are main heroes in my summer salads, they are now a little heartier. Hence barley in today’s delicious bowlful.
Barley is somewhat a national food for us Estonians, or at least it used to be. It is traditionally cooked with potatoes and pork, and then lightly mashed to something called ‘Mulgipuder.’ Mulgipuder is often served with crispy fried pork fat (greaves in English, I think) and sour cream. I don’t even remember when was the last time I had it, but now thinking about it I just started graving it… Especially the leftovers heated up on a frying pan, so it turns nice and crispy… mmm!
Talking about Estonian kitchens, it is traditionally a cross between German (sausages and sauerkraut) and Russian (potatoes, a lot of meat, soups) but today leaning more towards the clean Scandinavian kitchens. So here was a sneak peek to Estonian cuisine.
Should I share some Estonian recipes with you sometime soon? Let me know in the comments!
Anyway, back to the salad, this is very far from anything traditional. No pork or potatoes used in any way – in fact it is fully vegan. However, it is delicious! I like how simple it is to throw together and how fresh it is from different herbs. You can play around with different herbs and veggies to customize it to your liking and the massive bonus for this salad is that it stores well. Perfect for office lunch or make-ahead dinner. To prove that it is a crowd-pleaser – I once served it to 4 of my friends for lunch, and within a week 2 of them already showed off their concoctions on Instagram!
Simple Pearl Barley Salad
Serves: 5
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
10 oz pearl barley (if possible, then soak them for a few hours before cooking)
2 larger tomatoes (I always prefer heirlooms)
1 large cucumber
½ daikon
2 ripe avocados
A handful of fresh dill
A handful of fresh basil
A handful of fresh parsley
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and plenty of freshly cracked pepper
Instructions: Cook the barley and let cool. Presoaked parley takes around 20 minutes to cook; if you don’t have time for soaking, the cooking time will be longer.
Chop up tomatoes, cucumber, daikon, and avocado.
Chop the herbs and zest the lemon.
Mix the cooled barley with lemon juice and oil, and then carefully fold in everything else.
Season with salt and pepper, have a taste. If needed, add more herbs, seasoning or lemon.
You can either serve the salad immediately or store it for later. Tried and tested that it still tastes good in 2 days.
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves healthy food and cooking and for her, these two are often the same thing. Cooking meals from scratch, you know exactly what goes in it and even without holding back with sugar or fat we end up using a lot less compared to ready-made frozen stuff from the supermarket.
She does love 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: http://www.kahvliga.ee/.
Eat healthy with recipes like these and practice yoga to keep your body and mind in optimal shape. Never tried yoga before? Explore with this entry level 5-class Beginner Yoga 101 series!
Coconut oil is truly a superfood. It stands out from all other oils due to its extremely high nutritional content.
If you’re already consuming coconut oil regularly, that’s great! We will provide you with information on how it benefits your body. If you don’t regularly consume coconut oil, you might want to try incorporating it into your diet by the end of this. Let’s get started! Coconut Oil is Anti-Microbial
Coconut oil has been known to kill harmful microorganisms in your body. It contains helpful fatty acids that do this, specifically Lauric acid. Lauric acid accounts for around 50% of all the fatty acids found in coconut oil.
Once you digest the coconut oil, the Lauric acid creates a different substance in your body called monolaurin. Together, these two things have been scientifically proven to kill any harmful pathogens in your body. Whether it’s bacteria, fungi, or even a virus, coconut oil has the power to kill them.
If you struggle with yeast infections, coconut oil might be the answer to get rid of this issue for once and for all. Lauric acid has also been proven to kill Staphylococcus aureus, which can be a very harmful pathogen if left in the body.
Not only does coconut oil kill these harmful pathogens, it also helps to prevent any bacteria from entering your immune system in general.
Coconut Oil Can Increase Good Cholesterol Levels (HDL)
We can have both good and bad cholesterol in our bodies. The good cholesterol is called HDL, which is found in the blood. Coconut oil has been proven to increase this. This happens from the natural saturated fats contained in this oil.
In addition to increasing your good cholesterol levels, coconut oil can even decrease the bad LDL cholesterol found in your body. Good levels of healthy cholesterol contribute to overall metabolic health along with a lessened risk of getting heart disease.
Coconut Oil as a Weight Loss Food
Coconut oil contains something called MCTs. This stands for medium chain triglycerides. Many other oils such as canola or soybean oil contain LCTs (long chain triglycerides) which aren’t as effective as fighting weight gain.
MCTs are beneficial for those who want to lose weight because they boost your metabolism and increase your energy expenditure. Consuming around 1 tablespoon or more of coconut oil a day can help you burn an extra 100-120 calories daily, depending on your starting weight.
You might not think that 100 calories are day is enough to make a difference in your weight loss, but it truly is. Over the course of a year, this equates to an average of 36,000 calories burned. That’s at least 10 pounds of fat!
Coconut Oil Helps Regulate Hormones
If you’ve ever struggled with hormone imbalances, you know just how much of a toll it can take on your body. Whether you are dealing with too much or too little hormones, estrogen or testosterone, coconut oil can help regulate both.
Lauric acid is the key to this. This fatty acid works to keep your hormones in check, especially during menopause. For those women who struggle with low estrogen levels, studies have proven that it can increase these levels in your body.
Coconut Oil Boosts Brain Function
Whether you are studying for exams or just trying to do the best you can at your job, coconut oil can help boost your brain function for both these tasks. That makes it especially beneficial for those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or any form of dementia.
Those who commonly struggle with memory loss might not be getting enough glucose in certain parts of the brain. Ketones, which are found in coconut oil, can work as an alternate energy source instead of glucose.
Whether you are looking to reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s or simply prevent it, the MCTs in this oil are especially beneficial for improving overall brain function.
Coconut Oil for Oral Health
You might not think that oils would have anything to do with oral health, and usually they don’t. However, with coconut oil that all changes. Coconut oil has been proven to strengthen your teeth. Some even make homemade toothpaste out of it.
The most effective way coconut oil improves your oral health is through oil pulling. This is a process where you take around a teaspoon of oil and swish it in your mouth for around 15-20 minutes. It’s recommended to do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Be careful not to swallow any of the oil, and spit it out when you’re done.
After this, brush your teeth as normal. The point of oil pulling is to remove and extract bacteria from all over your mouth. It not only extracts this bacteria, oil pulling kills the bacteria as well. During the process, it also strengthens your teeth and gums and can fight against bad breath.
Coconut Oil Helps With Mineral Absorption
Mineral absorption is especially important for our bones. If we aren’t absorbing the minerals that we need properly, our bones won’t be as strong. Coconut oil helps to improve your body’s ability in absorbing certain minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
This makes coconut oil especially beneficial for the older generations as well as anyone who either has osteoporosis or is prone to getting it.
Coconut Oil as an Energy Source
If you’re looking for increased energy throughout the day, coconut oil can help with this. It’s often used by athletes and bodybuilders to give them more energy in their workout. It can also enhance their endurance and overall performance.
Coconut oil is also great for providing energy to those who are dieting. Eating fewer calories than you normally would can make your body feel weak and de-energized. However, adding coconut oil to this can help you feel better.
Conclusion
We hope that you’re now more aware of the countless health and nutritional benefits you can receive from this magical oil. No matter what reason you are choosing to consume it for, you’re likely to receive more benefits than you expected!
By Alice Webster
Alice is the founder of www.alices.kitchen. Alice loves to cook and spends much of her days in the kitchen experimenting with creating healthy nutritious food. For more reasons to love coconut oil, check out this blog form our friends at Alice’s Kitchen.
Ready to feel healthy? Enjoy more healthy recipes, on YogaDownload's blog here, or practice the Yoga for Detox, Cleansing, & Vitality program!
Life is pretty busy, and although we might love the idea of slowing down, taking some time for ourselves, and reaping the benefits yoga practice promises, sometimes in practice, it can be hard to simply just find the time. Yoga urges you to slow down, but sometimes, work, housework, responsibility and family duties don’t give you an opportunity for some time off to roll out your mat.
If you’re finding it hard to juggle a busy schedule, you might have brushed off yoga as something you just don’t have time for, and start denying yourself those minutes in the day that are just for you. Taking time for yourself is important, and yoga can massively benefit both your physical and mental health - so don’t be so quick to write it off as something not important. Even the busiest of people can benefit from all yoga has to offer - here’s some tips on how to fit yoga into your busy schedule.
Keep Your Yoga Mat in Eyesight
Rolling up your yoga mat and putting it away in a cupboard or up on a shelf is a sure fire way to make sure you never get it out again! The effort of getting it out can be just what your brain needs to say ‘oh I don’t have time’, and it turns your yoga practice into a bigger mission. Having your mat where you can see it, or already rolled out in a quiet spot in your house can help you to practice yoga more frequently - and means you can fit in a quick practice when you have the time - waiting for dinner to cook, in between ad breaks in television, if your mat is already out, it’s so much easier to fit in a few minutes.
Tell Yourself That All You Can Do is Enough
If you tell yourself that a short yoga practice is enough, you’ll be more motivated to go do it. If you’re used to hour-long yoga classes, or even longer yin practices, you may think that a shorter practice just isn’t worth it. But even a few minutes of stretching is enough for your body to feel it and reap the benefits! If you don’t have a full hour, or even half an hour, you can still fit a yoga practice in - and you won’t feel bad for running late for that meeting, or missing out on family time because of your dedication to the mat. Every little helps, so do what you can and don’t punish yourself if it’s not very long!
Don’t Beat Yourself Up if You Don’t Have Time
Sometimes life gets in the way and you literally just don’t have any free time for yoga. That’s okay! Things happen, whether it’s a household emergency, or work commitments, or you just want another glass of wine instead. Even if you don’t have time for the physical asana, you can use these days to take the lessons you learn on the yoga mat into the outside world with you.
These include focusing your breath, practicing mindfulness, and being kind to yourself - aka don’t beat yourself up that you missed your practice!
Practice When Your Body Needs To
Some people aren’t morning people - so a 6am yoga practice before heading off to work is just not going to work for them. We all know our body clocks and when we feel the most energised during the day, so it’s impossible to try and work around this - no matter how many times you read the benefits of a morning yoga practice. The key is to remember everyone if different, and to not feel bad if you prefer a few more moments in bed rather than on the mat - just practice in the evening instead!
Yoga practice is supposed to feel good- not torture that you force your body into! It’s much easier to find the time and to keep committed when you practice at a time that’s best for you.
Change Up Your Practice
Changing up your practice to what you have time for in the moment is a great way to stay committed and to fit it into a busy day. Maybe if you have more time, you do a more dynamic practice, or if you have 15 minutes before you head out the door, you do a slower less strenuous practice that means you’ll be less sweaty. Yoga is a great exercise, but it’s important to remember that it doesn’t always need to be intense, and if some days you only have time for a mild practice, that’s totally ok! Be present for the practice of yoga itself - rather than the burn or the weight loss. This is what will keep you returning to the mat, and finding time in busier days.
Do it for Yourself
The simplest way to fit yoga into a busy schedule is to allow yourself to come first. We all hold many commitments to other people, and spend much of our time and energy meeting others needs, colleagues, partners, or children. Allowing yourself to become the priority, and saying no to others, gives you the time to practice yoga (or even do something else for yourself).
To help you, This week's classes are all about giving yourself permission to relax and chill. These classes are here to help you unwind, recharge, and remember to relax. Yes, while determination and ambition are essential, it's also important to take a break from your task oriented mindset, and simply relax. Fortunately, yoga can help in this process. These classes will help not only your body, but also your mind relax, with a mix of different yoga styles and a meditation class.
By Amy Cavill
Ready to make yoga a consistent part of your busy schedule? Try the 14-Day Yoga Challenge for Busy People and receive your shorter class choices delivered to your inbox everyday.
Leading a full life is a blessing. Leading a life where you feel you don’t have time to take care of your own well-being is a problem. In order to live your best life, you must carve out time to refill your own well. Balance is key to achieving a joyous fulfilling life. We’re here to help you with four quick powerful classes so you don’t sacrifice your yoga practice!
We know you’re busy, so we’ll keep this short.
Here are three tips to keep your yoga practice on track, no matter what other commitments you are managing in your life.
1. Schedule your yoga time in your planner: When you write down what yoga class you’re going to take in your calendar, it’s part of your daily schedule. You don’t need to waste time pondering if you have time. You do have time––written out clearly in black and white.
2. Remind yourself of how you’ll feel, even with a short time commitment: You’ll feel stronger, more flexible, more relaxed, and also more energetic. Your sleep will deepen, and your posture will improve. The mental benefits of a quick yoga practice are incredible: you can return to your work day with heightened concentration and a clear mind.
3. Practice first thing in the morning: Prioritize your personal yoga practice and do it first, maybe even before your morning coffee or tea. Set your alarm for twenty minutes earlier than usual if necessary. Unexpected events often arise once your day gets going and can steal your scheduled yoga time. If you take care of yourself first, you’ll be better equipped to handle your day, no matter how busy it is!
Have a wonderful week!
1. Jackie Casal Mahrou - Morning Power Boost
2. Becca Riopelle - Cardio Express
3. Claire Petretti Marti - Quick Energy Flow 4
4. Ellen Kaye - Brain Break
Today’s recipe is entirely free from refined sugar, but I promise than nobody will miss anything. The banana adds just enough sweetness, and the darker your bananas are, the sweeter they will be. Since I really hate food waste, I sometimes deliberately pick out the darkest bananas from the market, bring them home, slice and store them in the freezer to be used in smoothies, banana bread and in these little muffins.
Sometimes I come home with a full box of bananas because they look so sad on the counter and otherwise they would be just thrown out in the evening. So I sometimes think about myself as a banana savior. Since I love overripe bananas it is a very simple saving job for me, so win-win.
In addition to being sugar-free these little muffins here are also wheat-free and if you choose gluten-free oats, they can be gluten-free.
Preparing these muffins could not be any easier, and the most time-consuming part is swirling in the peanut butter on top of the muffins. For me, these extra swirls are 100% worth the effort, but you can skip this to save an extra 5 minutes of your time.
The muffins are perfect little bites for breakfast and very simple to bring with me to snack on during the day. And they are healthy enough, that I sometimes treat my yoga students with these after the class.
Sugar Free Chocolate Peanut-Butter Muffins
Yields: 24 mini muffins
1 ¾ oz full-grain oat flour
1 ½ oz cacao powder
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 ripe bananas
2 large eggs (always free-range, please!)
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla paste
3 ½ oz + extra for swirling peanut butter
1 tsp lemon juice
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In case your muffin tins are not nonstick, use the spray or line with little muffin papers.
In the first bowl, mix flour, cacao powder, baking powder, and salt.
In the next bowl mash the banana with a fork, add the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, peanut butter, and lemon juice. Mix everything (a stick blender is a good choice here, but it can be done just with a spoon as well).
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and fold carefully without overmixing.
Divide the mixture between muffin tins. Top each muffin with a little extra peanut butter and swirl it in using a toothpick.
Bake around 15-20 minutes (depending on the oven and the size of your muffin tins) until baked.
Back pain is a serious problem in the modern day with 80% of Americans expected to experience it at some point during their lifetime. So, any activity that can help to guard against it should be welcomed right?
Well, this is exactly what yoga can do. As the flexibility and increased range of motion it gives you can really take the pressure and strain off your back throughout the day. While the core strength you’ll gain will keep your back better supported while also improving your posture.
However, despite these benefits most yoga classes continue to be dominated by women as many men remain reluctant to give it a try.
But why is this?
Well, despite originating in India as a practice for men only, yoga has often been seen in the western world as a predominantly feminine activity. And this has created a stigma in certain parts of society that has discouraged some men from practicing it.
Why Is There Still Such a Male Stigma Towards Yoga?
The male stigma surrounding yoga is not as bad as it once was. However, it’s still going strong within many male-dominated environments such as building sites and factories, with many ‘real’ men in these environments telling us yoga is for females. However, this is a real shame as yoga benefits men as much as women.
So, what exactly are the hang ups and stereotypes with yoga that keep certain men for trying it?
Some of the most common complaints are:
Yoga is only for girls or hippies.
It’s not competitive and you don’t get a proper workout from it.
Stretching is boring so why waste your time on that when you could be running or lifting weights instead?
Being in a class full of women and doing a ‘woman’s activity’ would be embarrassing.
If your mates ever found out you’d never hear the end of it!
And so on.
The problem is that for some men this stigma is so deep-seated that it’s hard to change their minds. But with more and more people championing the benefits of yoga for athletes such as footballers, boxers and hockey players, in keeping them strong and fit, this will hopefully start to change and open the door for more men to feel comfortable practicing yoga.
As it’s not just great for their overall health and well-being, it’s also especially good for their backs too.
8 Ways That Yoga Benefits Men with Back Pain
Yoga has been found in many studies to be a really effective way for people living with persistent back pain to be able to manage it and improve their quality of life.
But how exactly does it help?
Well, there are a number of ways and I’ll go through each of them now.
1. Yoga Increases Your Flexibility, Which Relieves Pressure on Your Back
One of the best things about yoga is how it keeps your body loose and flexible. You are constantly lengthening and strengthening your muscles as you run through the different poses and postures. This is great for people that suffer from back pain.
The increased flexibility, especially in your hamstrings, will keep your body balanced and relieve pressure and strain on your back as you move around throughout the day. And you don’t need to go overboard to get these results either.
As one study from the University of Doncaster showed that even one 90-minute yoga session per week was enough to increase the flexibility of the participants significantly. So, yoga can be a great way to relieve pressure and ease the burden on your back.
2. It Strengthens Your Core Muscles, Giving Your Back Better Support and Stability
Practicing yoga is great for building up your core strength. Because when you are holding your body in the various yoga poses you are having to support different levels of your own body weight.
This is great for strengthening the deep-lying core muscles which help to support and stabilize your spine. This also gives your back better protection throughout the day.
If you’re exposed to more intense movements involved with more physical jobs, strenuous activities, and hobbies such as gardening or playing competitive sports, you'll want to give your back more support to stay pain and injury-free. Regular yoga sessions are an excellent idea to strengthen your core and protect your back.
3. Yoga Improves Your Posture Which Lightens the Load On Your Back
Maintaining a healthy posture whether sitting, standing or moving around is really important to keep your back free from pain. This helps you stay nicely balanced and spreads the pressure of gravity evenly across your body.
When you hold yourself in an awkward posture your body is forced to compensate, with your lower back tending to take on most of the extra burden. Which leads to extra pressure, strain, and inevitable pain.
But the good news is that yoga is ideal for helping you maintain a healthy posture. It improves your balance and helps to release the tight muscles that can cause your body to hunch over. The increased flexibility and core strength you gain from it makes it much easier to stay upright and comfortable, which will relieve the pressure and strain on your body and back throughout the day.
4. Yoga Increases Circulation and Blood Flow
The stretches and postures involved in yoga practice are great for relaxing tight muscles and relieving tension. By stretching and relaxing these tight muscles you also open up pathways that increase the blood flow to them, which is important for keeping you free from pain.
As this increased circulation allows your body to deliver the oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and tissues that they need to heal, repair and stay healthy. While also flushing away any trapped waste and toxins which may be causing pain and inflammation. So, good news all round for your back.
5. It Helps You to Relax
When you suffer from persistent back pain it can leave you feeling extremely stressed, angry and frustrated. However, allowing ourselves to feel this way will only make this pain worse.
Because the tension this creates can seep into our bodies making everything uncomfortable and a struggle. So, it’s really important that you learn how to relax and let go of any stress you’re feeling. One powerful way to do that is through yoga.
The combination of deep stretches and controlled breathing is great for alleviating this tension. Not only does yoga relax your body and help tight muscles to release. It also calms your nervous system and slows your heart rate which puts you into a really relaxed state. This has been shown in studies to be really effective in relieving the stress, anxiety and tension that may be causing you pain.
6. You’ll Get a Good Night’s Sleep After Yoga Practice
Another by-product of the relaxing effects of yoga is that it can help you drift off if you have trouble sleeping.
Because stretching and relaxing your body while simultaneously calming your mind with controlled breathing during yoga practice puts you in the ideal state for sleep afterwards. The practice can make you feel more calm, relaxed and at peace with yourself.
So much so, that some of the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had have come after evening yoga classes. This is really important for people with back pain. As it’s during sleep that your body gets the chance to rest, repair and heal itself from the day’s stresses and strains.
Which means your tired and aching back muscles are able to recover and regenerate themselves. So, if you want to rid yourself of back pain and wake up feeling refreshed in the mornings rather than stiff and sore, then you need to be able get into a deep and restorative sleep.
However, many people with persistent back pain struggle with this. With one study from Morocco finding that a massive 78% of the people with back pain that they tested had sleep problems. So, it’s wonderful that practicing yoga can help people like us to get over these issues.
One study from the Harvard Medical School found that yoga could also helps those with chronic insomnia. After 8 weeks of daily yoga practice, the study participants were falling asleep easier and sleeping longer and deeper. So, if you think you may not be getting the quality of sleep you or your back needs then you should definitely give yoga a try, and some classes are specically yoga for better sleep classes.
7. It Encourages the Release of Endorphins
Endorphins are fantastic. As not only do they give you a warm and happy feeling inside. They also work as the body’s natural painkiller which is great for keeping back pain at bay. The good news is that practicing yoga is a great way to encourage your body to release endorphins into your system.
So, if you want an easy way to give yourself some natural pain relief then get on your yoga mat and let the good times roll.
8. Yoga Puts You in a Positive Mood That Helps You Handle Back Pain
Yoga is far more than just a physical practice. And while some men may scoff at the spiritual side of it, this can be just as good for helping you to avoid or get rid of back pain.
As the deep controlled breathing and being mindful of your body and movements during yoga can really help to calm and soothe you mentally and emotionally. So, not only do you feel stronger and more relaxed in your body afterwards, you also feel this way in your mind too. And this gives you the self-confidence and positive attitude you need to be able to fight the challenges that persistent back pain brings.
Leaving you feeling happier, healthier, more energized, and well equipped to be able to live a better quality of life. So, if you want to tackle and beat your back pain you need to remain positive and yoga is an excellent way to do that.
How to Get Started
I hope I’ve convinced you to at least consider giving yoga a try after reading through that list of benefits. But if you’ve never tried yoga before then going to your first class can feel a bit daunting.
You might feel like you won't have a clue what you’re in for and worry that you won’t be able to keep up with the rest of the class. So, it’s a good idea to start slowly and build up your confidence. And you can do this by searching for a beginner’s class in your local area rather than heading straight into a class full of experienced yogis.
Also try to find a Hatha yoga class as this is a slower form of yoga and the one that’s well suited to anyone just starting out.
But if the thought of going to an actual yoga class really doesn’t appeal to you then don’t fret, because you still have the option of taking online yoga classes from the comfort of your own living room.
There are even some with classes designed especially for men that you can find on YogaDownload. But whichever way you choose, don’t let something as silly as a stigma or false preconceptions put you off from trying yoga, as the benefits it can bring for your back as well as your overall health and well-being are fantastic.
By Dan Singleton
Daniel Singleton is the founder of Back on Site, a website dedicated to helping people fight back against persistent back pain using the latest medical and scientific advice as well as his own personal experiences with the condition.
Convinced? Start your yoga journey to heal your back pain or for me, from your own home with the two programs below!
Stress and anxiety are all to common in the modern world. In fact, up to 70% of adults say they feel stressed or anxious on a daily basis. There are many ways to combat stress of anxiety, but if you’re having a bad day and need a quick fix, here are some quick ways to manage stress and feel more relaxed.
Work out
Exercise is one of the simplest ways you can relieve stress. It may make you scratch your head, but actually, the physical stress that you put your body through during exercise can actually help to relieve mental stress. Try to work out regularly to reap the most benefits. This is because of stress hormones. Working out and moving your body can reduce the stress hormones in your body, and can also release endorphins, which improve your mood.
Working out can also improve sleep quality, which can be a major cause of stress. Think about your mood the last time you didn’t get enough sleep - the two are very intricately connected! Exercise can also boost your confidence, and introduce a new fun hobby into your life!
Certain Vitamins & Supplements
There are a few supplements that can help reduce both stress and anxiety. For example. Omega 3 has been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms by up to 20% in a recent study. Lemon balm is also useful to use for it’s anti-anxiety effects.Ashwagandha is an herb that is used to reduce stress in the Ayurvedic medicine.Finally, green tea helps to increase serotonin levels, which reduces stress.
Scents & Aromatherapy
Lighting candles or using essential oils in certain scents can help to reduce feelings of stress. Scents such as lavender, rose, neroli, and ylang ylang can be some of the most calming out there. This type of aromatherapy uses scents to treat your mood, and several studies show that it works to reduce stress and improve sleep.
Drink Less Coffee
Your morning coffee might be a necessity to get you feeling awake, but did you know that high doses of caffeine can actually increase stress and anxiety? If you’re drinking so many cups of joe you feel jittery and anxious, it’s probably time to cut down. While coffee can be healthy in moderation, but it’s not for everyone, and everyone has different tolerances, so make sure you’re only drinking enough that’s right for you.
Cuddling
Physical affection such as cuddling, kissing, hugging and sex can all help to reduce stress. This is because positive physical contact releases oxytocin and also lowers the stress hormones. This can help to lower some physical symptoms of stress including blood pressure and heart rate.
Deep Breathing
When you go through a period of mental stress, your sympathetic nervous system is activated - this is what signals your body to go into fight-or-flight mode. This can activate symptoms such as quickened heartbeat, faster breathing and constricted blood vessels.
Deep breathing can counteract this by activating your parasympathetic nervous systems, which control your relaxation response. The goal here is to make your aware of your breath, making it slower and deeper. This expands your lungs fully, slowing your heart rate and making you feel more peaceful.
Reduce Physical Tension
Reducing the physical tension in your body can help to make you feel less stressed. You can use a tennis ball or a foam roller to apply pressure to tense spots. Before you do this, place a warm wrap on the area for ten minutes. Reducing physical tension can help to relieve mental stress.
Keep a Journal
Keeping a journal of things you are grateful for can be a great way to reduce stress by helping you remember the good things in your life. Being grateful and recognising your blessing can help to cancel our your negative thoughts. You can journal little things that have made you smile throughout the day, or document larger achievements. When you feel stressed, take a look back through your journal and remind yourself of the important things in life.
Chewing Gum
For a really fast and simple stress relief, try chewing gum. Chewing gum can actually cause relaxed brain waves, by promoting blood flow to your brain!
Spending Time with Loved Ones
Social interactions are essential to help you get through stressful periods. Being a part of a social network can give you a sense of belonging, and spending time with these people can release oxytocin in your body - a natural stress reliever. This is the opposite of the body’s stressful fight-or-flight response.
Take a Yoga Class
Yoga is a popular and effective method to relieve stress and help you exercise. The main goal of yoga is to join your body and mind, and yoga does this primarily by increasing awareness in your body and breath. Studies have shown that yoga has a positive effect on mental health. Yoga can enhance your mood and in some cases can be as effective as medication for depression and anxiety.
This is due to yoga’s effect on your nervous system and stress responses. It helps to lower your stress hormones, that’s your cortisol levels, as well as blood pressure and heart rate. Yoga can also increase the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid - this is a neurotransmitter that has lower levels in mood disorders.
Why not try this week’s classes on Yoga Download?
These classes are here to help you unwind, recharge, and remember to relax. Yes, while determination and ambition are essential, it's also important to take a break from your task oriented mindset, and simply relax. Fortunately, yoga can help in this process. These classes will help not only your body, but also your mind relax, with a mix of different yoga styles and a meditation class.
1. Patrick Montgomery - Root Back & Relax
2. Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Wall Yoga for Hips & Back
3. Geenie Celento - Transform Tension into Vitality
4. Shannon Paige - Saraswati Hangs in the Stars
How many times have you caught yourself saying, “I’m too busy to…fill in the blank?” Once a week? Once a day? Once an hour? We all want to live a full, beautiful life, but cultivating a balance between action and relaxation is essential. This week, how about adding in a quieter type of yoga to your repertoire?
Consider these 5 benefits of taking the time to chill out:
1. Pacify Your Nervous System
Slowing down and settling into a relaxing, restorative pose encourages you to step away from stress. For example, in a supported Vipariti Karani (Legs up the wall pose), your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and calms your stress levels quickly. If you’ve had a tough day, restorative yoga is a way to reset. Soothing your nervous system helps keep your body and mind healthy.
2. Strengthen Your Body Acceptance
In a mellow yoga class, your focus shifts from “doing yoga” to “being yoga.” You aren’t flowing or sweating, instead, your body can relax and simply be perfect. When you aren’t attempting to arrive anywhere, you have space to appreciate your physical body exactly how it is.
3. Intensify Your Awareness
Restorative and slower paced yoga classes encourage you to turn inward and tune into how you’re feeling. When you settle into stillness and there’s no action required except to breathe and relax, a sense of freedom arises to examine your thoughts and emotions. You enter a safe space to tune into your authentic self.
4. Prepares You for Deeper Contemplation and Meditation
Many of us need to release the tension we’re holding in our tissues before we can quiet our mind. A sweaty Vinyasa class can be wonderful to relax the muscles, but a quieter slower practice does too, and on some days when we’re experiencing extra stress we need the deepened awareness of a quiet practice. You may be able to settle into the meditative state during yoga, before you begin a more formal meditation.
5. Balance Your Perspective
Life is a dance between rest and work, softness and strength, and yin and yang. When we make time to truly relax and restore our body, mind, and spirit we create more energy for the times we need it. Imagine if you didn’t sleep at night? In a matter of days or even hours, you’d collapse. Similarly, if you don’t give yourself permission to chill out, you can burn out.
Allow yourself to release and surrender in order to stay balanced. This weeks classes will help not only your body, but also your mind relax, with a mix of different yoga styles and a meditation class.
Truffles are usually heavy on cream, butter and maybe even some extra sugar in addition to chocolate that is already sweet on its own. But not these truffles!
My truffles are as delicious and creamy as their unhealthy brothers are, but at the same time, completely vegan and I would even go as far as calling them healthy! Of course, they are only healthy if consumed in reasonable amounts and not all 20 of them in one sitting ☺. For me, they are just rich enough that 1 or 2 after a meal with a nice cup of tea are just sufficient to satisfy my sweet cravings.
A bonus is that they only require two ingredients + whatever you choose to coat them with. Can you guess what the components are?
The first one is a no-brainer – dark chocolate just has to be involved when talking about truffles. The darker, the better, I always prefer 80%, but you can test with different ones to find your favorite.
The other ingredient is my old favorite – avocado! Avocado is just such a versatile fruit – it is good both in savory and sweet dishes and gives everything a luscious creaminess. Just try to find the one that is just ripe – soft enough, but not overly ripe yet. A small trick on how to find the best avocado – choose the one that is soft to the touch, but if you remove the stem, you can still see the bright green color.
Chocolate Avocado Truffles
Serves: 20 truffles
4.5 oz dark chocolate (80% would be perfect)
1 large ripe avocado (7 oz)
A pinch of salt
Crushed nuts, coconut flakes, cacao powder or extra melted dark chocolate to coat the truffles.
Instructions:
Melt the chocolate over double boiler. You can also melt it in the microwave. I am not a fan of using a microwave myself, but if you have one, then you can use it to heat the chocolate for 10 seconds, then stir and repeat the process until its smooth and melted.
Once the chocolate is melted, add the avocado with a pinch of salt and puree everything together with a stick blender.
Let the mixture cool completely and let set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls (I got 20) and coat with whatever you fancy. I chose crushed pistachios and cacao powder this time, but coconut flakes, any other crushed nuts or even some extra dark chocolate would all be delicious with these truffles.
Losing those extra pounds and having a toned and fit body is something many people desire. Weight loss is usually associated with two things - regular exercise and a healthy diet plan. However, if your focus is only on these two factors, then your weight loss strategy is incomplete. A fit body is a combination of a healthy mind and a healthy body, so some component of mindfulness and also creating healthy thinking, is essential for a successful weight loss strategy.
Meditation helps not only in keeping brain healthy but also helps in enhancing self-image, managing cravings, promoting regular exercise, and more. Today with an increase in the awareness about meditation, people are using it as a tool to understand their body and adopt healthy eating habits, which further helps in losing weight.
What is Meditation?
Meditation can be considered as a brain exercise which helps connect our body, mind, and soul. It brings a sense of calmness. People have been practicing meditation for thousands of years. In many religions, it is considered as a spiritual practice. Meditation also helps in reducing stress and anxiety.
Different people follow different ways of doing meditation. Some focus on breathing, whereas others chants mantras during their meditation sessions.
Irrespective of the type of the method, meditation helps in understanding the function of our mind and body. It also provides a clearer understanding of our thoughts.
How is Meditation Connected to Weight Loss?
Many people think that burning calories and avoiding calorie intake are the only ways to reduce their body weight. People overlook the importance of a healthy state of mind and the benefit of meditation, in losing weight.
If you want to lose, you need to have strong willpower and determination. Also, you need to find the reasons which have resulted in weight gain. There might be subconscious issues of holding onto things or a lack of self-love.
These questions can be answered only with a clear mind. Meditation is very helpful in finding answers to such questions. In addition to this, meditation helps in building a healthy relationship with food.
Various studies have shown stress as one of the major reasons for overeating. Meditation reduces stress, henceforth resulting in weight loss. In addition to this, meditation helps in reducing the levels of C-reactive Protein and cortisol in the body, which are responsible for causing obesity.
Specific Ways Meditation Helps Support Weight Loss
Meditation Lowers Your BMR Effortlessly
Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR refers to the calories needed during rest time or at the time when we are just breathing. Regular meditation decreases BMR. This means meditation reduces the calories needed by our body, hence resulting in weight loss.
Meditation Aids in the Assimilation of Food
Many times, people after heavy workouts, end up taking more calories. This increase in appetite continues beyond post-workout sessions as well as at times when you have not exercised. This occurs due to the assimilation of food. Meditation helps in improving this condition. In addition to this, stress and hormonal imbalances result in indigestion and overeating. Regular meditation helps in reducing stress and balancing hormones in the body. This also helps in reducing weight.
Meditation Moderates Unhealthy Urges for Fast Food
Our cravings and taste buds are the biggest roadblocks on our way to become healthy. We need to have the willpower to ignore such cravings. Meditation helps in rejecting such temptations, and we also become internally aware of what we should eat and what should be avoided. With time, these healthy eating habits become part of our food habits.
Meditation = Less Stress
Stress hampers our body mentally as well as physically. Daily meditation helps in reducing stress and also relaxes our body and mind. Sometimes, under stressful situations, we don't even realize what we are eating.
Meditation Boosts Commitment
Starting a weight loss routine and following it rigorously are two different things. One has to be 100% committed to be successful in losing the weight they want to lose. This can be only achieved if you have faith in yourself and a strong will to continue. Meditation helps in clearing our thoughts and intensifying our intentions. Hence, making meditation a part of your weight loss routine is essential.
Simple Step by Step Guide to Learn How to Meditate:
Meditation is about both focusing and calming the mind. It aims at attaining inner calm and self-awareness. Meditation does not require any equipment.
All you need is some time to make meditation a part of your daily routine. For beginners, 10 minutes of meditation on daily or alternate days is quite reasonable and can provide noticeable benefits.
Find A Quiet Location
Meditation needs to be performed at a peaceful location, which is free from distraction. All your concentration and focus should be on your body and mind. Select a place where you have privacy and will not be disturbed while performing meditation. If you like music, you can play a soft, calm, and repetitive tune. You may even play music based on natural sounds like the sound of raindrops or running water.
A Comfortable Posture
Traditionally meditation is performed by sitting on the ground, in lotus or half-lotus position. But it might not be a comfortable position for those who have any back problems or lack flexibility. Hence try to find a position in which you can sit comfortably for the entire duration of meditation. Just make sure that the position selected by you let you sit in a straight and balanced manner. Don't restrain yourself to a sitting position if they don't work for you, as you can do meditation even while lying down, standing, or even walking.
Once you found your comfortable position close your eyes relax and take a deep breath and hold it for few seconds. Breathing meditation is one of the basic and simplest ways of meditating. While meditating breathe naturally and focus on your calming breath.
Continue Focusing on Your Breath for 5 to 10 Minutes
Focus on your breaths and follow them in and out with your awareness. Follow the pathway of your breath, starting from nostrils till the movement of your abdomen. Avoid judging or trying to perfect your breathing pattern and keep breathing naturally. Continue this for 5-10 minutes.
An Open Mind and Good Attitude
While performing meditation, your mind might lose the focus and may start wandering. It's quite normal, so don't overthink it and try to bring your attention back to your breathing pattern. Try not to get frustrated and gently bring yourself back to focusing on your breath each time.
By Jessica Ann
Jessica Ann has written many blogs across the spectrum, but specializes mainly in weight loss and dieting. With several years in the field, Jessica has been helping people get healthy and is dedicated to providing information for those who need it.
Convinced? Try our 14-Day Meditation series now, or sign up for Yoga for Weight Loss program.
Happiness can sometimes evade us. Reading bad news, a rainy day, or just feeling generally grumpy can lead to us feeling unhappy and negative. However, there are some small steps you can take to help you on your way to happiness everyday. If you’re feeling down in the dumps lately, here’s some quick wins to help you on your way to happiness.
Get Enough Sleep
Seven to nine hours, to be exact. A healthy sleep schedule is the first step to being happy. Have you ever had a bad night’s sleep and the following day almost everything frustrates or annoys you? This is because a lack of sleep can make you less alert, less logical and can also contribute to health issues such as obesity and can exacerbate mental health issues. All these things can lead to a breakdown of your good relationships, make you struggle at work, and make it harder to feel happy and productive. Struggling to sleep? Try to have a warm shower or bath before getting in bed, and put your phone away from your reach.
Wake Up a Little Earlier
This might seem counteractive to the step above, but having a little extra time in the mornings can lead to a smoother, more prepared, and happier day. If you’re a fan of the snooze button, try to get yourself out of the habit - those 10-15 minutes spent snoozing won’t make you feel less tired! If you adopt the seven to nine hour sleep cycle, this shouldn’t be too hard. This will give you extra time in the morning to start your day right - without rushing around or forgetting to brush your hair! This extra time will also help to get your head in the right frame of mind to start your day.
Meditation
Meditation is such a simple and quick way to feel calmer and happier, and shouldn’t be underestimated! Simply meditating for even just five to ten minutes when you wake up can give you immediate benefits that last the entire day. Increased clarity and focus are just a couple of the benefits that meditation can give you. You will also give yourself the time to set a positive intention for the day, keeping yourself living mindfully and in the moment, and breaking out of negative thought patterns. There’s also been studies that prove that meditating can help to prevent stress and anxiety, that might hinder your day to day life and cause unhappiness.
Keep your Space Clear
How many times have you gone shopping in a bad mood, only to realise you feel worse after buying material goods?
Accumulating possessions, especially those we don’t need can actually negatively impact your mental and emotional well-being. However it’s easy to reverse this and give yourself a dose of happiness by simply decluttering. Spend a few minutes each day cleaning and clearing your space, whether it's your home, your bedroom, or your desk at work. Commit to one area at t a time and donate anything that you don’t need. And next time you find yourself drawn to the shops, remember how your clear and clean space can make you happy - and don’t buy the things you don’t really need.
Learn a New Skill
While you might be afraid of failure, or worried about the stress of picking up something new you’ve never tried before, learning a new skill or taking up a new hobby can actually boost your wellbeing. Focusing on improvement and making progress with something can help to put you in a state of flow, which can improve happiness. Learning something also boosts your self-confidence and can make you feel sharper and more intelligent. Why not try a new type of yoga?
Exercise
Just 30 minutes of moving a day can help to balance your nervous system - and a balanced nervous system means less anger and anxiety. 30 minutes may seem like a lot but all your movements will soon add up. If you don’t have the time to hit the gym, try a few minutes of yoga stretching in the mornings, or walk down the stairs instead of using the lift, these little things will add up and allow you to get your full 30 minutes a day!
Turn Off Social Media
Social media is one of the biggest and most recent causes of anxiety and depression. Too much social media can negatively impact your mental health, so be more mindful of how often you pick up your phone to scroll. Why not take the time you usually spend on instagram doing something productive like reading the news, or listening to a podcast - you can even devote this time to your new skills, or your 30 minutes of exercise. Doing things that bring you joy rather than mindlessly scrolling is a great way to boost your happiness levels.
Do Nice Things for Others
Acts of kindness and generosity are a great way to boost your happiness levels while also improving someone else's day. Generosity acts actually activate the parts of the brain that are stimulated by both food and sex - both great causes of happiness! You’ll feel great knowing that you’ve made a positive impact yo someone’s life, and they’ll be inspired to pay it forward too.
Why not try our 3-week yoga challenge as a way to boost your happiness this month?
Commit to 21 days and learn to live for today. Often when we create intentions, we focus on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. When we focus primarily on the prize instead of the steps to achieve it, we are living for the future. One of the most important principles in yoga is learning to be in the now. Committing to our 21-day yoga challenge can help you embody living in the present moment.
If you overthink how you’re going to squeeze in 21 consecutive days of yoga, you might quit before you begin. You’ve got family and work and workouts and commitments, right? Why add something else to your overflowing plate? Simple: By choosing to practice yoga every single day for three weeks, you are opening yourself to being fully present in your body, your mind, and your heart.
If you look at the yoga challenge as a day-by-day commitment, a commitment to practicing yoga today and not worrying about the rest, you are committing to living in the now. Appreciating the air around you. Appreciating the scents, the sounds, the sights, and the sensations. Not brooding over the past. Not planning for the future. Simply living your life.
Allowing everything else in your life to fade away for twenty, forty, or sixty minutes will recharge your batteries. Clear your mind. Reset your nervous system, your digestion, and your perspective. The benefits of yoga are always three-fold: physical, emotional, and mental. Whatever your reasons for participating in the challenge, you’ll receive all the inter-connected gifts of the practice, day by day.
All you need to do is show up and press play. We’ve created this program to both support you and challenge you. Structure and accountability and choices help you focus on the yoga. Each day you will receive two class choices in your inbox, so choose the one that resonates more for you on any given day: short, long, fast, gentle. Join us and enjoy living in the now!
Shine today and sign up for the challenge right now!
There are recipes in the world you have never ever heard about, but as soon as you try them, you are hooked and can’t imagine your life without it. I have to warn you – this one here might be one of those recipes. It is for me, anyway. These little pearls came to my life a few months back as serendipity. I had cooked barley for salad and had some of it leftover, even a little dried already.
The thing is that I really don’t like throwing away food BUT I also didn’t want to eat dried out barley. So I figured why not make it extra crispy if it is too dry to eat anyway. Luckily, it worked very well. For a while, I would say I was addicted to sprinkling those on everything. Like really everything - from salads to soups, and for those I consider using savory toppings normal. But I would also use it on natural yogurt and fruits, smoothie bowls, ice cream…. Not so normal anymore, but so, so delicious. By now the first excitement has faded, but I still occasionally make a batch and finish it too quickly.
I will not give you a portion size for this recipe, but I do recommend preparing these little crispy nuggets from at least 200 grams of barley. They will last for a few weeks if kept in an airtight container. And away from snacking area ☺
Delicious Crispy Barley
Cooking time: 5 hours in total, but only 10 minutes of active time
Barley
Oil for frying
Salt
Soak the barley at least for a few hours or overnight, then rinse and boil until tender. It takes around 20 minutes. In case you really don’t have time to soak the barley before, the boiling time will be longer.
Drain and spread out on a kitchen paper in one layer. Leave them to dry for at least 2 hours or again overnight, but in this case keep them in the fridge, uncovered.
If the barley is very dry, heat oil in the bottom of a small saucepan. The oil should cover about 1 inch of the base. The temperature is correct if the barley pearl thrown into the oil immediately starts sizzling.
Fry the barley one handful at a time and do not overcrowd the pan. Carefully throw the barley to the pan, let fry for about 30 seconds, then start carefully stirring with a slotted spoon until the grains are not stuck together anymore and are nice and crispy. It takes around a minute. Then lift out and drain on kitchen paper.
Repeat with all the barley you have, then season with salt, let cool and store in an airtight container to sprinkle them over everything from soups to salads to yogurt.
The 7th Chakra is the crown chakra, and it can teach about unity and transcendence. It encompases the top of your head, where the other 6 chakras integrate. It’s important to try and keep your Crown Chakra balanced, as it can help you to understand the world and your existence in it.
When your 7th Chakra is activated, it can unify your mind with your higher self. This Chakra is associated with wisdom and enlightenment, and awakening this Chakra can help to shake off confusion, self-doubt and hesitation.
The name for the Crown Chakra in Sanskrit is Sahasrana, which is translated as ‘the thousand petal lotus’. The energy collected in this Chakra helps you to be connected to everything in the world, and when it is unbalanced you can start to feel disconnected and attached to certain aspects in your life. This imbalance can also feel like you’re ‘stuck in your head’.
If you want to activate your 7th Chakra, here are the best poses to help you:
Headstand
The headstand, or Sirasana, is the best posture for stimulating the energy found in the crown chakra. However, this is a difficult pose that takes a lot of work and practice, as there is a risk of neck injury. When they are engaged correctly, the core muscle strength will help to create the steadiness you need for a headstand. Try to stay in the pose while managing regular breathing, up to five full breaths is recommended.
If a full headstand is a little beyond your capabilities, you can also try a supported headstand, or Salamba Sirasana. This supported headstand inverts the flow of blood to the head, letting the rest of your body and organs rest. This supported version allows your to shift the body weight to your forearms and shoulders, as you lift one leg at a time. You can also practice against a wall to start off.
In both headstands, your crown is connected to the floor, grounding it and connecting it to the earth, helping to restore the energy flow to your body.
Rabbit Pose
If you’re not into headstands, Rabbit pose is another way to connect with your 7th Chakra without the full inversion. This pose allows you to forward bend from kneeling and lift your back as you cup your heels with your hands. It requires core strength and allows your sides and back of your body to expand with the breath.
Savasana
Savasana is a great pose to practice detachment, to fully let go of any judgement, desires or expectations and just be at one with yourself. While this pose is easy on the body, it can be difficult to keep your mind still. But by achieving this stillness, you can activate your crown chakra. Try to visualise a light entering the crown of your head and flowing through your body as your breath to increase the benefits. You can support your head on a blanket if you need, but the importance here is to let your body relax and be still, and let your mind quiet. This calm pose will help to balance the crown chakra, as well as release any stress.
Half Lotus Pose
Ardha Padmasana or Half Lotus Pose is a great pose for meditation and helps activate the crown Chakra. Achieve this pose by sitting down, lifting your left foot over your right thigh and simply sitting here with your hands on your knees. This pose helps to neutralise your blood pressure, as well as balancing your body and calming your mind. Half lotus can help to directly tap into your higher consciousness.
Tree Pose
Tree pose is a balancing pose that taps into the energy of the 7th chakra through the gaze and position of the arms. This pose helps to align all your chakras from root to tip. Start with mountain pose and extend your spine, fixing your gaze. Lift your left leg and place the sole of the foot on the right leg inner thigh. This pose is great for practicing balance and strengthening your whole body!
Other ways to activate the crown Chakra:
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Your breath can help you to balance and activate the crown chakra, and alternate nostril breathing can help to connect the two hemispheres of the brain. Our nostrils can help us tap into the charged energy of the crown chakra by connecting our breath to our mind. This practice balances the crown chakra. Sit in a comfortable position and hold your hands so your last two fingers and thumbs are stretched out. Placing your thumb on your right nostril, inhale deeply in the left and hold for 2-3 seconds. Now place your fingers on your left nostril and exhale deeply from the right nostril. Do this 5-6 times on each side.
This will help to bring your mind to the present moment and bring calm and balance to your mind.
Seed Mantra Meditation
OM is the seed mantra of the Crown Chakra. This is a sound that when chanted, will resonate with the crown chakra and activate it. You can do this by sitting in an easy pose, taking deep breaths and chanting OM loudly, feeling your chakra opening and letting energy flow.
Want to stimulate your crown chakra? These classes all focus on the 7th chakra, and help to charge and balance it in order to feel at one with the world.
Yoga for the 7th Chakra with Elise Fabricant
Sahasrara Chakra Flow with Dana Damara
Ever need a reminder that life isn’t just our individual experience and we are all part of something bigger?
In yoga philosophy, the Sahasrara or Crown Chakra is the seat of pure consciousness and where we connect with the universe. In order to stimulate and maximize your personal connection with the world around you, learn more about how to tune into your subtle body and chakras.
The chakras, including the Crown Chakra, are part of our subtle body. All of us are made up of three bodies: the gross or physical body called the Stula Sharira, the subtle body or the Sukshma Sharira, and the causal body or the Karana Sharira. The physical body is our muscles and skeleton––what we can see with the naked eye. It forms the Annamaya Kosha, the coarsest of the five sheaths.
What concerns us most in yoga is our subtle body, which is a blueprint of the physical body and contains the chakra system. A simple analogy to conceptualize the subtle body is that what electricity is to a machine, the subtle body is to the physical body. Energy channels called Nadis carry energy throughout the body and the two primary pathways are the Ida and Pingala.
The Sushumna Nadi runs from Muladhara (Root) Chakra to the Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra. The Sushumna Nadi runs along the spine and encompasses 13 other Nadis. The Ida runs from the base of the spine and coils through each chakra to the left nostril to Ajna (Third eye) Chakra, and governs the right brain, parasympathetic nervous system, and references the moon, female, and pacifying energies. The Pingala runs from the base of the spine and coils through each chakra to the right nostril to Ajna Chakra, and governs the left brain, sympathetic nervous system, and references the solar, male, and dynamic energies.
Working to balance the energy through the chakras is vital to our physical, mental, and emotional health. Located on the top of the head, Sahasrara is the seventh chakra. It is represented as the thousand-petal lotus, the colors white, violet, and gold, and is related to all senses and the pineal gland. An open Sahasrara chakra is when only unconditional love exists, the soul search is complete, and the direct link to the divine is established. The associated bija mantra is a silent OM because it represents everything and nothing. Headstand, Savasana, Tadasana, and meditation are all pathways to the Sahasrara. Samadhi, the highest level of consciousness is associated with the Sahasrara.
Ready to feel connected to the world around you? This week's four classes stimulate and charge the crown chakra.
1. Dana Damara - Chakra Flow Series 7: Sahasrara Chakra
2. Elise Fabricant - Yoga for the 7th Chakra
3. Jack Cuneo - Once More into Handstand Dear Friends
4. Michelle Marchildon - Handstand Help 10 Different Ways
I love all the fresh summer food and the feeling of picking fresh herbs straight from my balcony. I live in the middle of the city, in Estonia, but I am fortunate to have a huge balcony, so I grow all kinds of edible plants myself - fresh lettuce, parsley, peas, dill, basil, and even courgettes and tomatoes.
I promise you – it is worth your time because they taste so much better than store-bought veggies and are always extra fresh. This year my basil is going strong, and I have already made several patches of pesto and used the leaves in at least 30 spring rolls. Today I a sharing a recipe that features asparagus with lemon-basil crumb, but the same crumb would also work very well with cauliflower.
For me, just vegetables and this delicious crumb is enough for a light dinner, but I imagine it would also taste good as a side next to grilled fish.
Delicious Roasted Asparagus with Lemon-Basil Crisp
Serves: 2
Cooking time: 20
14 oz green asparagus
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
The zest and juice of half a lemon
10 big basil leaves
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 430 F.
Cut the wooden stems off the asparagus, sprinkle with oil and salt lightly. Roast for about 13 minutes.
At the same time, prepare the crumb. Heat the olive oil on a pan, add panko and fry until crispy on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix chopped basil, lemon zest and lemon juice.
If the asparagus is roasted, serve it on the plate.
Right before serving mix the lemon-basil mix with crispy breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the asparagus. Eat quickly!
I chose to have my career as a yoga instructor. There is a lot that goes into it and it constantly develops an array of skills and parts of myself, such as public speaking, my creativity, and courage. It continually motivates me to show up in the present moment too. There is so much to this beautiful job, but what really qualifies us to teach yoga is simply that we continue to practice yoga. We must practice what we teach. We also must really love people.
Like any other mission, or purpose in life, it can present challenges, but as yoga teachers if we are humbly willing to show up to the moment, focus on growing and healing ourselves, and do all that we can to be of service to our community, this is such a rich profession. It is a great honor to be of service and inspire people back to their true nature and back to joy.
One goal of teaching yoga is to assist others in the experience of yoga, guide them towards enlightenment, a more liberated consciousness, and freedom from attachment and separation. If we are teaching yoga we have probably experienced moments of this bliss in our personal practice, and we want to share it with everybody. The more present we are to our every moment, the easier it becomes to facilitate and guide the yoga experience for others.
Yoga is a unique experience that feels different for each of us. As teachers, instead of micromanaging the experience for each student, we can instead inspire practitioners to show up to the practice, presence themselves, and heal. When a heart opens and softens in the yoga practice you know it, because if you are teaching yoga, you remember how the practice opened, and softened your heart. We are all capable of this feeling. But we cannot rush it. We strive with patient endurance. We always bring it back to love. You can create this kind of feeling for your class as a yoga teacher, or whatever feeling you want to facilitate. It is important to set the tone for the class. We want our students to trust and listen to us, so the best way to establish trust is to be consistent.
Simple things, like starting and ending class on time. This shows your students that you honor their time. The schedule is the time commitment we all agree to, stay with the schedule.
Also, if you commit to a class, commit. Don’t sub the class out often. You may lose students if you are not there. It takes time to build a class, a community. It takes time to build the trust to start to guide the exploratory education offered through the practice.
Show up to your own life and keep it simple and happy. If you are a stress ball in your personal life your yoga students will probably feel it. We as yoga teachers get under the energy and inspire our class to feel something, something within themselves. As teachers of yoga we can plant the seeds of wisdom and nurture those seeds through the sharing the ancient teachings of yoga. The 'scriptures' of yoga are hip these days too! They are just as profound today as they were thousands of years ago. When we can take the teachings of yoga and relate it to our life, we can better communicate the consciousness that naturally arises from the practice of yoga.
The best thing we can do as yoga teachers and as yogis is to be authentic and show others our own lives working for us. To be a teacher of yoga, you do not have to have a teacher certificate or teach classes in a yoga studio. You can teach to your loved ones, your co-workers, just by living it, practicing yoga, and sharing it if you feel inspired.
For example, show your children while you are in traffic running late to the next event, how you take a few deep breaths, and remain calm and happy. Show them how you can presence your self to all that arises, side step the drama of emotional escalation, and act in accordance to your values. Talk to them about your experiences with life. Tell them your goals, what you are working on to better your self, show them humility. Another example is at work, we can teach yoga to others by our ability to stay present and calm under pressure, by our ability to receive feedback with gratitude and humility, and through showing kindness to our co-workers. People feel it when we practice yoga, and it inspires them too to show up, and hold their own. All of us practicing yoga are teaching yoga in some way.
If you're on the path as a yoga teacher, know that you make a real difference in people's lives, whether or not you always feel it, and let that alone keep you motivated and inspired in sharing this practice with others.
By Shannon Connell
Shannon is a certified Jivamukti, Power, Yin, Hot Yoga, and Mindfulness Meditation Instructor, Usui and Karuna Reiki Master Teacher, and Registered Psychotherapist. She honors the interconnectedness between All-beings and All-things and is passionate about participating and supporting her community in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. You can visit Shannon and learn more through her website, www.shannonconnellhealth.com.
Stay inspired with yoga, right now!
Slow Yoga Reset with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Yoga has come a long way, and in these modern times, the average yogi has a wealth of options when it comes to classes and styles of yoga. Each style of yoga can be vastly different from the next, all linked with a focus on physical and mental strength, flexibility and mindfulness. Ashtanga yoga is a style that can be the most intensive, and requires a lot of disciple and determination.
Ashtanga yoga is a standard set of asanas, focusing on breath, and internal mental space. Ashtanga yoga is a rigorous workout, and it’s known for its fast pace and difficult postures. Ashtanga typically features more traditional transitions and poses are held for a longer time than in some faster modern styles of yoga. Ashtanga is a great style of yoga for those who want to get a good workout and also clear their mind.
It’s most similar to Vinyasa, however, it differs as Ashtanga series stays the same every time, whilst a Vinyasa flow can differ from class to class. Ashtanga also incorporates many aspects such as chanting and breathing that are parts of traditional yoga, and vinyasa flows can sometimes leave out.
Ashtanga yoga can bring you back to the roots of yoga - that is, inner peace within yourself and mindfulness. It’s easy to lose sight of this with the exercise focus yoga can have in modern times. The term Ashtanga yoga literally means ‘the eight limbs of yoga’. This concept was first brought to life in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, which is a text that outlines to purpose of a yoga practice, and the principles you should strive to live by if you are a yogi.
The eight limbs of yoga make up an eightfold path. This is a set of guidelines on how to live a better life, through the practice of yoga. This path, or ‘eight limbs of yoga’ help to outline both the importance of the postures and physical practice of yoga, but also lay out some ethical guidelines to take off the mat and into your everyday life. Ashtanga yoga helps yogis to become closer to these guidelines, as it places an emphasis on all the yoga limbs, and is very much a spiritual as well as physical practice.
So how was the practice developed?
K. Pattabhi Jois developed the practice of Ashtanga yoga, and was very heavily influenced by the concept of the eight limbs of yoga. Pattabhi started his yoga journey as a student of T.Krishnamacharya in the 1930’s. He studied at the College of the Maharaja in Mysore, India. Here he studied the Yoga Korunta, an ancient text that is said to be written by sage Vamana Rishi. It is said that he wrote the text to help people heal through yoga.
Pattabhi’s practice of Ashtanga yoga focuses on a set series of yoga poses that are linked together through breathing. Ashtanga differs from many other modern styles of yoga in that the Ashtanga sequence is always the same. Traditionally, Ashtanga yoga is performed without any music, or lighting that you might find in a modern yoga class.
The idea behind this is that by removing these external factors that can influence your yoga practice, you start to bring your attention and focus internally, focusing on the inner aspects of yoga - to start thinking about the spiritual practice as well as the physical.
Ashtanga yogis progress their way through six series of Ashtanga sequences. Ashtanga is designed to be a daily yoga practice, so you’ll see improvements and progression day by day. Each practice will comprise of four parts. An opening sequence, one of the ‘series’, back-bends, and a set of inverted asanas to finish off, and then as always, a savasana.
The opening sequence always begins with 10 sun salutations, followed by several standing asanas. The six main series are referred to as the primary series, the intermediate series, or Advanced A, B, C or D. Newcomers and yoga beginners will start with the primary series.
The Ashtanga primary series is the most important of the yoga series, as it forms the basis of the whole system. In Ashtanga, advancing to the most difficult series isn’t the goal, rather, maintaining internal focus is. This is why daily practice is highly emphasized.
This emphasis on internal focus, combined with the physical intensity of the practice can sometimes give Ashtanga yoga a scary reputation! However, if you feel up to the challenge, and are physically fit enough for Vinyasa, you’re prepared enough to tackle Ashtanga. Any yogi should try it at least once. Ashtanga allows you to explore yoga in a different and deeper form.
Why not try our 9 days of Ashtanga Yoga Immersion series and find out Ashtanga's benefits for yourself?
“Do your Practice and All is Coming”- Sri K Pattabhi Jois.
If you love Vinyasa yoga and have wondered how it evolved, spend some time with us this week on an Ashtanga immersion and learn the foundation from which Vinyasa in the West is derived. Tap into the ancient wisdom and traditional practice of Ashtanga yoga, brought to the West by K. Pattabhi Jois, who is considered the Father of Ashtanga yoga.
Ashtanga is a sweaty, vigorous yoga system based on the eight-limbed yoga path outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Jois developed the Ashtanga yoga system when he was a student of T. Krishnamacharya at the College of Maharaja in Mysore, India in the early twentieth century. Traditionally, Ashtanga is taught in the Mysore style, which means students practice in the same room, at their own pace, with individual guidance from the instructor. Kind of like you, practicing yoga at home with YogaDownload.com.
Jois believed the entry point to yoga was through the physical asanas because those were more accessible and that discipline learned in this phase of practice was necessary to follow the eight-limbed path. Once the physical postures were mastered, he taught students pranayama and meditation as the next steps on the path to spiritual enlightenment. The Ashtanga yoga sequence is always the same series of postures linked with Ujjayi breath. Traditionally, the class starts with chanting and mantras, sun salutations, standing postures, and floor postures, culminating in Savasana.
There are progressive series beginning with the Primary series and your teacher must approve your taking it to the next level.
The eight-limbed path of Ashtanga yoga includes:
1. Yamas – the five moral restraints
Ahimsa – non-violence
Satya- truthfulness
Asteya— non-stealing
Brahmacharya— moderation
Aparigraha- non-hoarding
2. Niyamas— the five moral observances
Saucha- purity
Santosha- contentment
Tapas- burning zeal in practice, perseverance
Svadhyaya- self-study
Isvara-pranidhana- devotion to a higher power
3. Asana— Posture
4. Pranayama— Mindful breathing
5. Pratyahara— Withdrawing the mind from senses inward
6. Dharana— Concentration
7. Dhyana— Meditation
8. Samadhi— Absorption and enlightenment. Union of self with object of meditation
Are you ready to go deeper? This 9-day Ashtanga yoga immersion will help you build your practice and understanding of Ashtanga day by day. If you’re inspired by the philosophy behind the practice, dig deeper into the eight-limbed path by reading or re-reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Immerse yourself into Ashtanga right now, with the 9-Day Ashtanga Yoga Immersion!
Ah, summertime here in Colorado – the weather is beautiful, the kids are out of school, and fun in the sun is the name of the game. But with all the fun, free time, summer can also be hard for us moms trying to keep our kids eating healthy. Sometimes the break from school just turns into one long holiday of eating less healthy options – hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, soda – until your kiddos are left jacked up on sugar, experiencing frequent bellyaches, having meltdowns from sugar crashes, and more. What’s a healthy mom to do?
As working moms in the wellness industry, we know how important it is to keep your kids eating healthy without depriving them of all the fun they see their friends having. So we go for a happy medium: healthy sweet treats! And this recipe is one of our all-time favorites.
Our Chewy Dark Chocolate Cookie Bites are the perfect balance between sweet treat and healthy snack. They’re sweetened with monkfruit, a natural sugar substitute that won’t spike your blood sugar, therefore avoiding the dreaded sugar crash. Plus, they’re high in protein from the chickpeas and almond butter, giving your little ones sustained energy for long days of playing outside.
Bring these to your next outdoor party or potluck for a kid-tested and approved snack all your guests (even the adults!) will rave about.
Since we keep chocolate off our plates during the cleanse, this is a treat you can enjoy during your 80:20 eating plan. To learn more about our 80:20 Lifestyle Program, click here.
Do you have a favorite summer or sweet treat you’d like us to give a conscious makeover? Let us know in the comments below!
With love and chocolate cookie bites,
Chewy Dark Chocolate Cookie Bites
Yield: 20-24 small cookies
1 ½ cups chickpeas, canned, drained (will take slightly more than one 15.5oz can) ½ cup almond butter ¼ cup Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener 1 TB. olive oil or coconut oil 1 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. vanilla 2/3 cup Enjoy Life Semi-sweet Chocolate Mini Chips Sea salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil. Place chickpeas on a cloth towel. Pat them dry then place in a food processor fitted with an S blade, pulse until the “dough” is smooth. Add in almond butter, Lankanto sweetener, olive oil, baking powder, vanilla, salt and blend. Pour cookie dough into a medium bowl. Fold in chocolate chips. On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop balls of cookie dough, about a tablespoon in size. Bake for 15 minutes. Eat warm and enjoy!
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.
Enjoy a Conscious Cleanse inspired yoga class from Jo of the Conscious Cleanse in the Yoga for Detox, Vitality, & Cleansing package!
Several years ago I read something that said something along the lines of 'mastery' simply being the result of doing things you've committed to and decided you would master, even in the moments when you really don't feel like it. I resonate with this, and have often returned to the lightbulb moment this perspective gave me, on days when I do not feel like showing up on my yoga mat. When I manage to overcome the obstacles of getting onto my mat (which are usually made up excuses), almost always, I'm happy I practiced. Very seldom, if ever, do I regret taking the time to do yoga. Can you also relate to this?
The benefits of yoga are too numerous to list, and so rich for those that feel the effects of a regular practice on their well-being. Life can feel challenging sometimes, and having something to return to that brings a greater sense of peace, is priceless. I've learned that for whatever reason, the yogic combination of focusing on the breath while putting the body into these powerful shapes, has the ability to transform my thinking, and leave me feeling more relaxed, happy, and content, time and time again.
However, to reap the benefits of yoga, one must actually practice yoga. This can be the biggest challenge of all! When teaching yoga, I often tell students during the first few minutes of class, that they've already completed the hardest part, just by showing up to class.
With so many benefits, why can it still be such a battle to get yourself onto your mat? Whatever the reason might be, finding solutions to your excuses can make your yoga routine a more regular and beneficial occurence.
Here are 9 tips that make it easier to do yoga more consistently.
1. Enjoy Practicing
This might be the most important tip. If you don't enjoy yoga, you're unlikely to keep showing up. Keep trying teachers, studios, and styles until you find something you love. It's simple, we're more likely to do things repeatedly, that we actually enjoy, instead of feeling like we 'should' be doing them.
To enjoy the practice, it's often finding the right teacher that strikes the delicate balance of effort and ease for your unique body. When class is way too hard, it's easy not to want to go all the time. When classes are too easy, you can get bored and also be less motivated to go. When you find those perfect teachers for your body, where you leave feel perfectly worked, but also enjoy the process, you'll be more likely to show up over and over again.
Practicing yoga can feel torturous if you allow it to, or you can have moments when moving with your breath is nothing short of ecstatic. Remember, you get to choose. Play your favorite music, find teachers that are lighthearted, don't take yourself too seriously, and remember to make your yoga fun.
2. Join a Studio (or Online Studio)
In his book Willpower Doesn't Work, Benjamin Hardy argues that it's the environment that creates motivation and drive, not merely our own internal willpower. When we've committed to an environment where we practice yoga, like a studio, we are far more likely to show up and practice. When you have a place you go, teachers you know, and a studio fee you've already paid for, showing up on your mat becomes more second nature.
Don't have a studio you love near you? Fortunately, online studios, like YogaDownload, where I teach, are virtual studios that you can access from wherever you are, and still build ongoing practices with a variety of teachers. Technology makes accessing yoga easier than ever, and it's amazing as a teacher to read reviews from students taking class and reaping the benefits of a regular yoga practice, all over the world.
3. Take a Teacher Training
Some people go to teacher trainings with the aim to teach, while others know they don't want to teach, but go through a training to take their practice to another level. One of the main benefits of doing a teacher training is that you leave with the understanding of how to structure and sequence a full yoga class as well as much more in-depth knowledge of healthy alignment.
This information makes it much easier to actually roll out your mat and know what to do, versus having to guess how to sequence the poses.
4. Develop An At Home Practice
Similar to the tip above, having your own routine to practice yoga at home is a difference maker in the amount of yoga you do. While a teacher training can help, you might surprise yourself with how much you can piece together on your own, just from the amount of classes under your belt. Again, if you don't like to practice without a teacher's guidance, you can still develop an at-home yoga routine with online channels!
5. Create Accountability
Accountability works. Whether you make your own accountability group with friends where you set weekly life goals (and practicing yoga can be one), make a yoga group where you go to class together once a week, or make it a more casual commitment with a friend, the bottom line is telling people you are going to do something, makes it more likely you are actually going to do it.
While it's not always easy, being in integrity with our word is crucial to begin to trust ourselves. So while you might be more likely to back out of practicing on your own, when you commit to it to other people, you will be more likely to go. It can be as simple as making yoga dates with friends!
6. Teach Yoga
While this might not be a practical tip for everyone, the accountability that teaching provides, might be the reason alone that I've kept showing up to this practice for so long. I highly doubt it, but who knows, maybe if I had not begun a path of being a teacher, I would have let go of yoga a long time ago for new passions and pursuits.
Part of being a good teacher however, is maintaining one's own practice. There are definitely worse things to have to maintain, than a yoga practice, to stay on point at your job! The difference in my teaching quality when I am immersed and showing up in my own yoga practice versus when I'm not, is noticeable. If I get lazy, the fact I teach yoga to others, keeps me motivated to get back on my mat, and humbled at the never-ending and lifelong relationship to this practice.
7. Mix it Up
Some of us are creatures of habit, while others are fans of variety. Many of us lie somewhere in the middle. Doing the same things in the same place day in and day out, can begin to stifle excitement about anything after awhile.
With so many unique styles of yoga, each with their own benefits and approach, you don't have to get into a rut of feeling bored or uninspired in your yoga. Try a new style if you're feeling unmotivated. When I'm practicing at my most, my practice is a mix of Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga, Hot, and Yin. It varies, and sometimes for periods, I lean into one of those styles more.
What matters isn't the style, but the fact that we practice at all. Throw in a Yin class once in a while if you need help in relaxing, you might really like it. This is again where the internet can provide many diverse options, and more and more in-person studios are offering a greater mix of classes on their schedule.
8. Set a Goal of Number of Times to Practice Per Week
Simply picking the number of times you want to show up for yoga each week, can give you the needed structure to practice more. If you've been stuck at one class per week, but know you want more, maybe pick three or four days a week to practice. If you're at zero, or once a month, even one or two practices per week has the power to make positive shifts in your life. If you practice regularly but want to take it up a notch, challenge yourself to five or six days a week, or sign up for a yoga challenge, which supports you practicing every day for several weeks to a month.
Remember, there's no rule on how much you need to practice, so explore what number is ideal for you!
9. Be Reasonable & Gentle with Yourself
We are not robots, nor are we here to be perfect. While we might aim to show up six days a week, if you find it's not really possible with your routine at all times, go for four days to start and add on from there. What's important, is you set objectives that are attainable, even if challenging. Don't make unrealistic goals and continually find yourself disappointed over and over. Set yourself up for success instead.
The same goes for how your body feels and the intensity of your practice. If you find you're overdoing it and your yoga is actually feeling more detrimental than beneficial to your body, take it down a notch! Remember, one of the foundations of yoga is Ahimsa, which means non-harming, so always listen to your body to ensure the practice is actually benefiting you.
Conclusion: Regardless of your previous experience or preferred practice style, playing with some of these different tips can make yoga more of a regular thing for you. If you know yoga makes a difference in your mental and physical well-being, keep practicing and make showing up on your mat a priority in your life. Not only do you benefit from yoga's magic, but so can the people in your life.
By Keith Allen
Keith teaches Vinyasa & Hatha yoga and Meditation on YogaDownload. He also teaches 200-hour yoga teacher trainings in Thailand. Practice with him below, or contact him via his website or Instagram for more information on enrolling in a teacher training in the Thai islands.
Feel Amazing Flow with Keith Allen
Yoga is a practice that can be done anywhere, as long as you have a mat and a quiet space. It’s super easy to take your yoga practice outside, but have you considered taking your yoga practice overseas and somewhere international?
There are plenty of beautiful outdoor spots all around the world for you to roll your mat out, where the nature and scenery is part of the yoga experience.
Yoga is deeply symbolic of nature, from the names of many postures (Tree, Mountain, and poses named after animals), to the corresponding elements of certain poses (Earth, Air, Water, and Fire).
The yoga community is widespread around the globe, so there are special places for you to treat yourself to a purposeful and beneficial yoga travel adventure, and also bring your yoga practice into the open air.
Here are 6 exotic yoga destinations where the scenery is as potent at the practice itself and there are sufficent opportunities to take your yoga practice outdoors.
Rishikesh, India
The birthplace of yoga is found in a small town at the bottom of the Himalayas, the town of Rishikesh, India. This town is found along the Ganges River, and is a holy pilgrimage destination for those who practice hinduism. There are a wealth of yoga classes, retreats and workshops available in the town, so even if you don’t book in advance, don’t worry. Or you can even do your practice yourself, overlooking the beautiful river in the city.
There are other things to do here too, such as visiting local temples, rafting or swimming in the Ganges, or other spiritual workshops. You can also travel a little further afield to visit noteworthy destinations such as Mussouri, Dheradum, Shimla, or Dharma Sala, the residence of the Dalai Lama.
Nepal
Nepal is a place with plenty for yogis to explore, as well as other challenges (Mount Everest, anyone?). Nepal is part of the Himalayas, and it’s a very spiritual place to explore, with sights such as the sacred Kathmandu valley, amazing nature and the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas. There are plenty of yoga Ashrams for your practice, and get into those downward dogs and enjoy the majesty of the world's biggest mountains.
Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for both travellers and yogis, with lots of yoga teachers and schools holding retreats and trainings on the Thai islands. Here is a good destination to combine your yoga practice with some traditional thai massage, to help stimulate your meridians. There are a plethora of other outdoor activities to enjoy in Thailand, such as snorkelling, trekking, surfing - as well as just relaxing on the beach.
Thailand is also a culinary destination for Thai food lovers, so your palate can be satisfied after practice each and every day you're there.
Bali
Bali, indonesia, has become a popular destination for a yoga vacation, with plenty of opportunity to practice yoga, as well as relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The best places to go for yoga are Ubud, or Canggu, but there are also yoga destinations on the Gili islands, if you don’t mind a boat ride. There’s also amazing temples and beaches to explore, as well as relaxing with a massage to ease aching muscles.
Australia
Australia is one of the more modern places to embrace yoga. Yoga arrived in Australia in the 1940’s by a western yogi called Michael Volin. Spiritual places in Australia like Uluru are worth visiting on your yoga pilgrimage.
Byron Bay is also a mecca for yogis, with multiple yoga studios, farmers markets, and a general laid back attitude in a gorgeous beach time. It’s also the perfect base to explore the rainforest park of Mt. Warning, which offers the most breathtaking views of Australia.
There’s also no shortage of quality yoga in beautiful studios in the metropolitan cities of Melbourne and Sydney, if urban environments are more your thing.
Hawaii
Hawaii is a literal paradise in which to practice yoga. Many established yogis have set up studious in Maui, but there are also classes on every island.
Yoga on the beach is big here, as well as acro-yoga, and paddle board yoga, so you can find places to practice outdoors. There’s also loads of other activities such as hiking or whale watching, or simply relax on the beach and work on your sense of mindfulness.
Italy
While Italy might not be the first place to come to mind for yoga, open air villas in places like Tusacay and the Almafi Coast are becoming more popular for stunning yoga getaways. With an abundance of rolling hills, old architecture, and pristine Mediterrannean coast line, Italy is a treat for all of the senses.
The Italian way of life, where taking your time, enjoying the finer things in life, and savoring each moment, can complement a yoga trip, if becoming more relaxed is one of the goal's.
Who doesn’t want delicious Italian food and a glass of fine wine after a day of enjoying nature and practicing yoga?
And finally, anywhere!
If you’re unable to whisk yourself away to an exotic destination , you can still practice yoga outdoors and feel connected to nature. Being in nature and practicing yoga can help to replenish your energy. Spending time outside sends signals to the brain to stay alert, which can increase feelings of vigor and vitality.
The natural scenery of being outdoors can also heighten your awareness, as the fresh air helps you be more aware of your breath. Looking at beautiful scenery also helps to release endorphins, and the different aspects of being outside - cool breezes, feeling grass, hearing wildlife - can help to transform your practice into a multi-sensory experience.
Practicing yoga in a new environment also helps to increase your confidence, and help push you out of your comfort zone with your practice - especially if you’re used to working in the same environment.
Finally, the outdoors can help to boost the benefits of meditation, helping you to reduce stress and feel calm!
Want to practice yoga with expert teachers in gorgeous Tuscany? Join now while spots are still available, for YogaDownload’s Wine, Food, & Yoga retreat!
Take your practice outside also, anywhere you want to practice in the world, with YogaDownload’s free app!
One of the greatest ways to feel connected to the world inside of you and the world around you is to step into nature.
When you spend too much time indoors or with your nose buried in your phone or computer screen, it’s easy to lose touch with how you’re feeling. Where yoga teaches us to use mindful breath and movement to tune out distractions and to tune into the present moment, stepping out into nature allows us to feel connected simply by being.
Taking your yoga outdoors to a park or the beach, where you can breathe in clean air and enjoy beautiful scenery, enhances yoga’s myriad benefits.
Being in nature reminds us that we are connected to something greater than ourselves.
Flowing through sun salutations under warm sunny skies or practicing the oceanic sounding Ujayii pranayama next to the ocean soothes our nervous system. We’re at one with the world around us.
Nature reminds us to embrace the scents of flowers, the sounds of birds and bees, the feel of grass beneath our feet, the vision of fluctuating skies, and the feel of the earth beneath our toes. Similarly, in meditation, we learn to allow the fluctuations of our thoughts without reacting to them because we know they are temporary and fleeting. Learning to flow with the current keeps us grounded in the present moment, one of yoga’s primary goals.
Even if you can’t be outside on the grass or sand, many elements of yoga help you visualize it. Several asanas in yoga are symbolic of nature, from ones embodying the elements of earth’s grounding, air’s lightness, water’s flowing, and fire’s heat.
You’ve probably heard yoga instructors use descriptions invoking the great outdoors like rooting down into the earth in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) or spreading upwards like the branches of a tree in Tree Pose (Vrksasana). Another way yoga mimics nature is by many poses named after animals like Eagle (Garudasana), Crow (Bakasana), and Tortoise (Kurmasana). When we spread our wings or hone our focus, we are pulling in the power of these wild creatures to feel connected to the universe.
Whether you can get outside or not, we’ve got four yoga practices themed and designed to remind you of the healing power of nature.
1. Pradeep Teotia - Build Your Inner Fire
2. Josey Prior - Balancing in Flamingo
3. Patrick Montgomery - Yoga for Rock Climbers: Upper Extremities
4. Denelle Numis - Element Yoga: Earth
If you’re feeling adventurous, take your phone outside and use the YogaDownload app to practice outdoors.
We'd love to see where you took your practice. Feel free to take photos and tag with the hashtag #goyouromway to share!
Here in Colorado we’re rapidly entering the dog days of summer – and it’s hot, hot, HOT outside. And when the weather gets this warm, we love to cool off with a refreshing chilled beverage. That’s where this recipe comes in!
Our Vegan Mango Lassi is a dairy-free spin on the traditional drink you know from your local Indian restaurant.
This recipe is a great alternative for those who are sensitive to dairy or vegan, since yogurt is the main ingredient in a traditional mango lassi. We like to use homemade coconut or cashew milk in ours, but you can use any non-dairy milk (think hemp, almond, or even macadamia nut).
This refreshing drink also packs some serious nutritional benefits. Mangos are a great source of prebiotic dietary fiber to keep your gut biome healthy and fed. This sweet tropical fruit is also an excellent source of vitamin C, good source of vitamins A and B6, high in antioxidants, and is a good source of potassium.
If you’re looking for a more festive drink, you can easily make our vegan mango lassi into a Conscious Cocktail by adding your favorite light, dark, or spiced rum for a tropical drink that brings the beach to your backyard.
We hope you enjoy this cooling, tropical beverage! Do you have a favorite summer recipe you’d like us to give a conscious makeover? Let us know in the comments below!
With love and vegan lassi,
Vegan Mango Lassi
Yield: 1 ½ cups
½ cup coconut or cashew milk 1 cup frozen mango 2 TB. raw cashews, soaked for up to 2 hours 1 ½ TB. lemon juice Pinch of sea salt Pinch of turmeric
Instructions: In a high speed blender, blend cashew milk, mango, cashews, lemon juice, sea salt, and turmeric until creamy. Enjoy!
Tropical Rum Mango Cocktail
Yield: 1 cocktail
6 oz Vegan Mango Lassi 2 oz rum of choice Fresh mango, for garnish (optional)
Instructions: In high-speed blender, combine lassi and rum by pulsing for a few seconds. Pour into chilled glass, and serve cold. Garnish with fresh slice of mango if desired.
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 with Jo of the Conscious Cleanse, in YogaDownload's Yoga for Detox program!
Yoga continues to grow in popularity. The practice is no longer for one type of person and a new modern culture has developed around yogis and yoga studios.
Understanding of simple studio etiquette is one good example. With any subculture comes stereotypes too. While exaggerated, as they always are, they're also good reminders not to take ourselves, our image, and the hobby of practicing yoga, too seriously.
A yoga teacher has shared 6 hilarious stereotypes of yoga students that yoga teachers might be all too familiar with. Yoga is all about love and understanding in the end, so do your best not to judge anyone you might come across in the yoga studio. Remember, we are all just doing the best we can.
1. The Frequent Texter
These ones are usually Type A workaholics who strut in on the iPhones, constantly texting. Such people will be frequently checking their phones (if you let them) and usually don't want to stay for the final savasana.
Fortunately as a teacher, you have the freedom to make a simple no cell phone rule in the studio, part of the culture where you practice. If it's violated, I usually ask students to put their phones away when I see such behavior.
2. The Know-it-All
Know-it-alls can be everywhere and it’s not just a yogi thing.You will have to learn to deal with them in many jobs, and being a yoga teacher is no different.
These students will call you out when you get something wrong about anatomy or when they think they know a pose better than you. They want to share all the knowledge with the class, at whatever time, and have no qualms about correcting the instructor.
Let’s admit it, as teacher, sometimes we’re wrong and there’s nothing wrong with a little correction! If they call me to the side and point out something wrong, it can actually be appreciated if done in a polite way.
3. The Exhibitionist
Being in a yoga class can be an opportunity for some to wear revealing clothes. Some people don't miss out on this opportunity and revel in this part of going to a yoga class. There's nothing wrong with being confident and comfortable in your own skin.
Once in awhile, it can cross a line, but usually it's unintentional. Yes, I've once had to go to a student and advise him to put on some underwear because he was exposing himself in all the wrong ways. Surprisingly, he took it really well and has it's never been an issue since.
4. The Acrobat
There are the hyper-flexible yogis that can get into seemingly impossible positions and often have practices that are more advanced than the teacher. You find these students casually twisting themselves into a pretzel, just to warm up before class. These students can be pretty intimidating, to both the teacher and newer students, who might feel like they’re in the wrong class. Again, it’s not usually intentional and most of them are just in the moment.
5. The Teacher’s Pet
Teachers pets exist in yoga too! This is the student that’s always at the front of the class, following everything the teacher teaches and getting ideas pretty quickly. What teacher doesn’t love teacher’s pet though? They make this job worth it because you know at least one person in your class is taking you seriously, even if the others might not be! These are often the students smiling and nodding at every thing you have to share.
6. The Zen Student
You can spot these students from afar. They’ve probably been to Thailand, or Sri Lanka, or India, and they have a bald head and some exotic tattoo. During classes they are completely present and in the moment. These students often have their eyes closed, a big grin on their face.
They’re never showing off, they're just happy to be in the zone. They love to be a channel for the right kind of energy and frequency and spread the good vibrations throughout the class, and towards the teachers.
Yoga is all about love and understanding in the end, so do your best not to judge anyone you might come across in the yoga studio. Remember, we are all just doing the best we can.
By Serena Dorf
She is passionate about marketing, psychology, and personal development. Serena Dorf is a content writer at EssayOnTime and SuperiorPapers.
Practice yoga right now and see which student you are!
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