Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Over 50% of all working Americans report having back pain each year. That's 5 out of 10 of you will have back pain this year! As a yoga therapist and a teacher of thousands of public yoga classes over the last 16 years I see many people with poor alignment, and the inability to flex, extend and twist their spine normally.

The mystical full moon in Pisces is the culmination of months of energy that began building with the Pisces new moon and solar eclipse that occurred earlier this year on February 24, 2017. On that date, we planted seeds in the psyche that blossomed our desire for transcendence, spiritual connection, and oneness. Pisces energy encourages us to swim in the waters of the unconscious, and after the recent eclipse events in August, many of us likely still are!

I have sort of a love affair with pancakes. Or rather, it’s more like a Nicholas Sparks style recollection of that one summer when I was eating gluten.

Every day during my teacher trainings I give my students time to practice on their own—at their own pace. The practice period is only 15 to 20 minutes, but it gives everyone a little quiet time to integrate the work we’ve been doing as a group. And, it gives everyone the opportunity to work on whatever it is they need at the time. I’ve watched hundreds of students practice in this environment and one thing that stands out: No one goes fast. No one. I’ve never seen one person choose to move at a pace that outstrips their breath. I’ve never seen someone go so fast that they get winded. I’ve seen people choose to practice quiet, restorative poses. I’ve seen people choose ridiculously demanding poses. I’ve seen people choose everything in between. But, I’ve never seen someone move so fast that they can’t breathe deeply.

Vacations are a good chance for you to try something new. It allows you the opportunity to be braver being in a new place and seeing new sites. Brave, relaxed, and in a mood for fun, yoga is one thing you could consider trying out. It’s new but offers the same type of relaxation that a vacation provides.

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

You’ve spent the last few months saluting the sun. So don’t spend the next few weeks – the last precious days of hazy sunsets, al fresco dining and going barefoot – diving head first into a pumpkin latte. Seasonal transitions are natural and gradual, and we’re natural beings, so go with the flow and don’t rush from one season to the next. Summer is a time of sweetness and extroversion, and as it begins to wind down, this is a precious time to savor it’s lightness and glory, while also turning inwards to reflect and rejuvenate. This week, we invite you to soak up the end of summer and to slow down in the process.

The recipe that we’re sharing today is one that we’ve been holding onto because it falls into our 80:20 category! Now that the summer cleanse is behind us, we want to talk about matcha – the green tea superfood that we’re head over heels for (when not cleansing).

Pop culture continues to enjoy a glossy-eyed love affair with yoga. But many long-time practitioners and professionals are discovering that, somewhere along their journey over the last decade or so, either yoga or they have changed. As once die-hard yogis attempt to discern what, if anything, of their practice has stood up against the test of time, their relationship to yoga needs to be allowed to evolve or they’ll likely feel compelled to part ways.

One of the reasons why the Yoga Sutras are somewhat hard to understand for a first-time reader is because of the presentation and organization of the sutras themselves. Rather than presenting a chronological order of yoga with clear instructions, the very first chapter sets out to explain the unexplainable – the end goal of yoga, or samadhi. In fact, it takes an entire chapter and 51 sutras to really define and deconstruct what yoga is. Keep in mind, asana isn’t mentioned once!

What does it mean to be a Warrior? How can practicing yoga enable you to tap into your inner courage and stand up for freedom and truth? Even in the face of opposition and great odds?

The beginning of August featured a full moon and lunar eclipse that kicked off the most powerful astrological month of this year. With the Leo New Moon on August 21st, we are also blessed with a total solar eclipse: the biggest astrological influence on the psyche in 2017. This eclipse provides us with an energetic and psychological impact that remains for 6 months to a year. What you set into motion with your intention and attention during this eclipse bears fruit for a long time to come.

Get your zoodle on with our no cook, no bake, all flavorful Fiesta-style Zoodles. You can make this dish in a flash all without heating up your kitchen. And, you’ll get your fair share of delightfully fresh, crisp veggies without the typical green salad. Make it for your next potluck or have it in the fridge for a go-to snack. Cheers!

Greatness can be achieved through dedication and daily meditation. Highly successful people are doing it so why won’t you? Each of us has different reasons for meditating. Don’t worry though, as all possible outcomes are always positive. Practicing meditation in the morning might be much more beneficial for you than in any other time of the day.

This salad was inspired by those gorgeous, colorful Bollywood flicks that offer a feast of singing, dancing, and romance. I love Indian food, as it was my first real introduction to all things curry. Only much later did I learn that turmeric, a typical curry spice that gives curries a yellow tint, has tremendous antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. And to think, I loved it just for its taste! Here, I was hankering for a swirl of flavors with an Indian feel. The chicken makes a great starting point because it’s full of protein and amenable to all sorts of accessorizing. In this case, the apple and raisins play delightfully off the curry spices.

You may have heard that yoga is the fountain of youth and this week, we invite you to dive in with two well-respected, popular, and lovely instructors, Desiree Rumbaugh and Michelle Marchildon. They have teamed up to create a program designed to encourage you to feel your best at any age. We’re thrilled to introduce a new series of videos and a book, Fearless After Fifty: How to Thrive with Grace, Grit and Yoga.

The most important astrological events of the year occur in August — two eclipses light up the sky and call us to delve into our psyche to reap the rewards of deep spiritual work. Eclipses conceal and reveal what might be otherwise hidden in the shadows. Despite the discomfort usually caused by looking into the psyche, shadow work is a necessary process for catalyzing true and lasting transformation. This August, you are presented with the opportunity to harness the energies of the cosmos, surrender what no longer serves you, and recreate yourself in the light of the newly eclipsed sun.

You can be whomever you want. You can do whatever you dream. You are capable of living a life without limits. There’s a caveat, however: you need to start trusting your inner voice and releasing limiting beliefs and habits.

Who doesn’t love a yummy buddha bowl? Warm, nourishing, versatile, and packed with goodness, one bowl meals are a staple when we’re just not sure what else to cook up for dinner. Plus, they’re a great way to use up any leftover veggies, meats or grains that you have in the fridge.

I spent my first two years of yoga avoiding Warrior III. Then, I spent another year avoiding it. Finally, after avoiding it for an additional 15 years, I’ve made it a mainstay of my practice. What can I say? I guess it takes me a while to warm up to things that expose my weaknesses, knock me off balance, and frustrate my ego. I have to admit, I actually like it now.

Wanna sneak away for a quick, passionate session? Just the two of us, and your yoga mat.

Eggs and vegetables, what a formidable combination! Well, perhaps "formidable" is a strong word, but it's certainly a combination that can't be beaten! As a person that often meal preps her breakfasts for the work week, any combination of eggs and vegetables in my belly leads to me having a better morning. If I eat anything with too much sugar - I've been known to be a bit heavy handed with my overnight oatmeal's maple syrup pours in the past - I definitely feel that quintessential 11 a.m. crash so many folks talk about. A breakfast with eggs and vegetables definitely helps me stay steady and focused until lunchtime. Protein and vital nutrients, for the win!

Harry Potter yoga, goat yoga and now-- aqua yoga? The latest trend in yoga, Aqua Yoga adapts the principles and movements of yoga to a water environment. The water provides buoyancy and will let you concentrate more on strengthening and stretching your body rather than struggling to balance yourself. Practicing yoga in water also relieves joint and bone stress. If you have ever experienced difficulty in holding a yoga pose correctly, you will be surprised by how you can just float into that position under water with grace and ease.

On July 23rd, the new moon in Leo encourages us to take stock of where we can infuse more playful energy into our lives. If we’ve gotten too serious, haven’t taken a break in a while, or have forgotten to smell the roses, use this new moon energy to clear out the “serious” in favor of the “fun.” Commit to finding balance in your life, and release any workaholic tendencies that were illuminated earlier in the month by the Capricorn full moon.

Yoga teachers will tell you that arm balances just might be the most feared or most loved part of class. Why do some people jump, no pun intended, at the chance to take flight on their hands and go upside down while others use the opportunity to sneak out to the bathroom?