Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

We recently posted a class called "The Power of Our Stories" featuring LIVE music by my ol' man KenK.
 


Valentine’s Day is just a couple of days away so we thought it would be a perfect time to talk about one of our favorite topics: Radical Self Love.

I’ve done a lot of work and training around this word “manifest”. It continues to intrigue me and excite me for sure. I mean it’s such a simple word right? Manifest… “to make clear or evident to the eye or understanding.”

As a yoga teacher, I’d always known of the incredible benefits of yoga for the body, mind, and spirit. Until I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer, however, I had no idea how much yoga would help me weather the toughest time of my life. I credit teaching and practicing yoga as vital components in my journey back to radiant health.

Imagine, if you will, waking up late, the monday after Thanksgiving, a holiday traditionally dedicated to gluttony. The pants you laid out the night before- you know, the favorite ones?- are suddenly too snug, but being your lucky pants, you have to wear them. They constrict your movement and just don’t feel all that comfortable.

Moving up the leg, this second installment of the Fast & Flexible series focuses on the quads, hamstrings and IT band. These are the muscles of the legs that provide strength and stability. The power plants of the leg, if you will.

We all have dreams. The more I chase my own, the more I find myself listening attentively to others talk about theirs. I often hear: “one day”. “I wish I could”. “My family wouldn’t understand”. “I can’t afford it”. I have been there myself. It seems we feel more secure when we put limitations on ourselves. Yet we are not realizing our full potential. How do you know until you try?

Showing up fully and living your Truth take courage. I renamed Virabadrasna (Warrior) I the Courage Warrior because its physiology is so brilliantly appropriate.

It always amazes me that as soon as the snow starts to melt, runners hit the road. Despite the fact it is 32 degrees with a brisk head wind, I see runners in shirts, no jacket and shorts, dodging remnant snow piles, pot holes and all forms of traffic to get their runs in. You runners are a very motivated bunch and apparently impervious to cold.

Just three simple words, that’s all it takes to seed your life and set it into motion. But what happens is we are bombarded by so much, much more than three little words each day.

Our theme for this week has been “who are you”. Beneath the labels, the job titles, the busyiness, the ambitious attitude, the resolutions, the sweat on your mat … who the hell are you and what do you stand for?

Whew … courage, what a word. I was told by one of my amazing teachers once that the word courage actually radiates the highest vibration when it comes to connecting with the Divine. That blew me away. It is one of the most powerful virtues, she said. Because it creates. It creates the next thing based on your decision to make a decision that best suits your development, if you are present that is.

In our physical body we experience the world. In our body we make love, hug a friend, fidget, get mad, anxious or stressed. In our body we feel a breeze, swim in the ocean, sing, laugh, dance and cry. In our body we repress emotions, hold tension, hate ourselves and love others. Although our body is the vehicle in which our spirit experiences the world, there continues to be ongoing discussion regarding Western yoga as a purely physical practice, or posture (asana) focused. I feel we need the physical practice to build the strength and flexibility to be able to withstand the nuances and complexities that are life.

I’m often asked how I can continue to drink green smoothies when the weather gets cold. This smoothie is my answer.

When you practice yoga online you don't get the feel of a public class...we get it. Now get over it. That's the only reasonable objection to practicing yoga online.

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the home, Not a yogi was stirring, not even an OM.

Some people bash yoga festivals as being a bit pretentious, inaccessible, and elitist...and they're right. But so is yoga as a practice, so let's all get over it and, instead, celebrate why yoga festivals ROCK!

Let’s take a look at the benefits of including yoga in your regular cross training routine. While practicing yoga builds strength and flexibility in areas like the core, hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors, yoga poses also help to improve mental endurance.

Holiday festivities are in full swing and that means it’s time to start planning another healthy holiday feast.

Resonance as defined by Webster is: the reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection from a surface or by the synchronous vibration of a neighboring object.

Are you burnt out, grumpy, or in a funk? Can I be honest with you? I often am!

Turmeric – the main ingredient in curry, a relative to ginger root, and a spice that I’ve recently been completely obsessed with, is a superfood and one of nature’s most important spices. Long used for adding color and flavor to just about anything including veggies, salmon, soups, smoothies and salad dressings, turmeric is as popular in the kitchen as it is in the medicine cabinet.

"Happiness cannot be pursued. You do not find happiness; happiness finds you. It is not an end in itself, but a by-product of other activities, often arriving when it is least expected." ~ Mick Brown

I created a practice called OUTLAW Yoga, and wrote a book called OUTLAW Protocol – how to live as an outlaw without becoming a criminal.

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year! With cash registers beeping, and everyone telling you, "Go shopping HERE!!" It's the most wonderful time of the year. . .