Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Restorative and Yin Yoga are often confused and assumed to be the same style of yoga. Some yoga studios even use the class names interchangeably. They are, in fact, different styles of yoga that employ distinct techniques and philosophical approaches. While some of the benefits of these practices are the same, the aim and methods not only differ, they are complete opposites. Why do they get confused? At first glance, they appear to be similar practices because they explore mostly poses that rest close to the ground and often use props to support the body. Like most yoga practices, both Yin and Restorative Yoga can promote relaxation and stress relief.

There are many benefits to practicing yoga regularly. Some are more obvious than others, like more flexibility, strength, and balance. However, yoga’s benefits can also extend off of the mat, and into other areas of our lives as well. For example, yoga can make you more productive and better at your job. Yoga can also increase your energy levels throughout the day. And yoga can also make you better in bed, whether you’re gay, straight, or anywhere in-between. Really? Yes really, and here’s why:

If you’re thinking of starting yoga practice, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed with trying to decide which class is right for you. There are lots of different traditional yoga practices, as well as a huge variety of hybrid yoga classes, which can make trying to pick a style confusing. Here’s a quick guide to a few different types of yoga, and how to choose the right type of yoga for you. Hatha Yoga A hatha yoga class is great for beginners, who want to learn the basics of yoga. This is because the movements are slower than other types of yoga. There is more focus on alignment and deep breathing, with longer posture holds and no flow in between asanas. It’s a great place to start before trying out more advanced and fast yoga styles.

It’s important that seniors do all that they can to stay in shape and optimal health. In order to get the best quality out of life, it's ideal seniors make it a point to preserve their overall health and wellness; and in order to do that, they should work out at least 3-4 times a week for about 30 minutes a day. Though some seniors want to workout, they don’t know how or have not found the right workouts they enjoy, for their body. If this sounds like you, or you simply are a senior that is looking for something new, try some of the following workouts. These four easy workouts that every senior should incorporate into his or her life to improving the quality and longevity of it. What are the Best Workouts for Seniors?

If you have a friend or family member that loves yoga then buying them a yoga-related gift the next time their birthday comes around is a really nice idea. You getting them something they’ll enjoy and find useful, it’s also a gift that will encourage them to keep up their practice. Because practicing yoga is proven to be extremely good for you physically as it can improve your flexibility, strength, posture, muscle tone, and range of motion. And the controlled breathing, mindful movements, and spiritual aspects of yoga mean it’s great for your mental and emotional health too. Yoga can calm your busy mind, relieve stress, improve your mood, help you to sleep better afterwards, and give you a sense of overall well-being. So, giving a gift that helps someone with their yoga practice can also contribute to keeping them healthy in all areas of their life. However, it can be hard to know what to get if you don’t have experience of practicing yoga yourself!

Yoga has been proven to have benefits to your mental health, and a wealth of research has gone into how practicing yoga can improve the lives of those with mental health conditions. The results are staggeringly positive, proving that yoga can help with many common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, as well as others. There is now one in every four people affected by mental health disorders, so more and more people are looking for effective ways to help protect and restore mental health. Yoga is becoming more and more accepted as a way to manage mental health conditions. It’s already used to reduce stress, improve flexibility and promote a more ‘zen’ state of mind. However, more people are digging deep to understand the therapeutic benefits of yoga on mental health. These findings are also backed up by studies which show that yoga practice can change the structure and function of your brain, proving that yoga can improve your emotional health in a neurological way. Here are some of the ways yoga can support your mental health.

If you suffer from back pain, or have an any point in your life, you are not alone. Back pain affects many people. Fortunately, for most, you are not a helpless victim to your back pain. There are things you can do every day to help relieve actuve back pain, and also heal and prevent future back pain. Yoga creates long-lasting relief from back pain. Science is continually backing this up. Here is why, explained in this easy to understand infographic, created by Dan Singleton, a survivor of back pain, and founder of Back on Site.

Yoga mudras are emotional, devotional, and psychic gestures, usually done with the hands. While seemingly simple, these gestures help your body in restore it's physical, mental, and spiritual health. These benefits can be accessed by using yoga mudras on their own, or while performing yoga asanas (poses). Here is everything you need to know about what yoga mudras are, what they symbolize, and why they are powerful. Mudra comes from the combination of two words: “Mud” and “Dravay”. “Mud” means pleasure, and "Dravay” means to draw forth. Mudras can also mean 'to seal'. Thus, performing mudras is like creating a closed circuitry within the body. Mudras are simple hand gestures of arranging and touching fingertips in specific ways, to stimulate different parts of your brain and body. Mudras alter the flow of energy in your body and mind, and tap into energy on an astral level.

Alongside insecurity, anxiety and self-centeredness, one of my greatest emotional challenges in life has been anger. And while it was much worse in my teens and twenties, it still tests me. Even just a couple of years ago, when I was living in Hawaii, there were days when I just woke up with an unshakable and debilitating irritability and animosity towards everyone and everything, for no immediately obvious reason. And this was particularly disheartening because, at the time, I felt that I had everything for which I could ever wish; I was living where I had always dreamed of living and had a wonderful partner, all the time I desired for investing in my practices, meaningful and successful work that generated more than enough income to support our modest but very comfortable life – not to mention surfboards, paddle boards, hiking shoes, climbing gear, and the perfect environment in which to use them all, every single day. And here I was, waking up exasperated and resentful of a life that was failing to fulfill me, compounded by all the guilt and shame that resulted from judging myself for feeling this way. It was a horribly difficult time, but it did teach me at least one important lesson: anger won’t disappear at some point in the future, when external conditions are perfect.

As I sit here and think about this blog post, I can hear in the back of my head, "I will finally be happy when this post is written." Here I am placing conditions on my happiness and I know that I am not just doing it here, but I am guilty of it in many other area of my life. Thinking about this thought, I ask myself, “am I really going to be happy and content long term when this blog post is written? Or will I be seeking the next goal to place my conditions of contentment on?” Conditions on contentment was never something that I ever gave much thought to, I just assumed that they came with the process of being content, however, fleeting it may have been. However, true contentment does not lie in reaching the destination, but rather in enjoying the process. Something that I would come to learn through my personal yoga practice and the trials and errors of seeking lasting contentment.

If you’re getting stuck in a rut these days, and need something to boost your spirits, it’s tempting to lean into back habits and pick up fast food or a pint of beer. But before you head for the bad vices, try yoga for just 15 minutes. 15 minutes of yoga practice a day can help to improve your mood and your health. Whatever space or time you have, it can be easy to fit in 15 minutes of yoga a day and help to boost your health and make you feel better. Here’s some of the benefits of just 15 minutes of yoga a day. Better Fitness Levels

Staying at home? In the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, many people are wondering what they are going to do during this lockdown or social distancing period, and how they will stay active. If fitness is important to you, you may be trying to find the new normal in indoor routines. The idea of being isolated during these stressful times can be daunting. Fortunately, taking care of ourselves and our health doesn't need to go to the bottom of the to-do list just because we’re indoors. In fact, the World Health Organization encourages movement and self-care during quarantine. Take care of your body, mind, soul, and family with our indoor health tips. Staying Healthy During Isolation

So, I won’t be the first to suggest that some good might come of the lockdown and social distancing enforced upon many of us by government action over the spread of Covid-19. Social media is not only full of political rants and tyrades of fear, but also of heartfelt encouragements, expressions of kindness and solidarity, and even beautiful poetry about us members of the great human family who are stepping up to take care of each other in difficult times, about the benefits to the environment and ecosystem of the planet from the forced cessation of destructive human production and transportation activities, and even about the psychological and spiritual benefits of just withdrawing from the world a while and spending time with ourselves.

If you have done yoga before, you know it is about getting to a place of important to be physical, mental, and spiritual peace, more than it is about how anything looks. At least to a certain extent. To induce those feelings that help you clear up your head it is essentially important to be in an environment where the distractions are minimal and your mind can focus. Moreover, to be physically at peace, you need to be in yoga clothes that feel comfortable and relaxed. If you're clothes don't fit right, aren't ideal or mobile enough from yoga, or you simply don't feel good in them, it can be a distraction from finding your sense of peace on your mat.

Have you ever heard someone say “I can’t practice yoga because I’m not flexible enough?” Maybe you’ve said it yourself! Truth is yoga encompasses so much more than the pretzel postures plastered all over Instagram. The physical practice of postures is just one aspect of yoga and the benefits of the other parts of yoga practice are just as transformative, if not more, than the workout. Here are 5 ways you can practice yoga right now, no mat, physical coordination, money, yoga pants, or muscle flexibility required. Try Something New The practice of yoga is unique in that it asks us to get outside our comfort zone. But you don’t have to have a mat to do that. Try a new food or a new route to work. Start a conversation with a stranger. Do a different workout. Try a new hobby or activity. If you’re intimidated by yoga because you’re afraid you’re not going to be able to do it right or you won’t be good at it, know that this is part of the process of the practice. Yoga asks us to intentionally show up to our discomfort.

Sometimes in life we get knocked off center. We CAN begin to doubt ourselves and struggle to find ways to trust ourselves, our strengths, beliefs, our knowledge, and our power. We can get knocked off center because of things that came up unexpectedly, or something we tried that didn’t go according to plan. Maybe a harsh word from another or ourselves that allowed self-doubt to creep in. The causes can be endless, but regardless of any cause, any cause of imbalance always rests at home in our mind and our thoughts. It is in the mind where we can hide out in the past or false truths, instead facing the untainted present with clarity and confidence. We can know all of this and yet still feel challenged to find the confidence to give things another try, or step out of our protective barriers. An easy way to restore confidence is to do something you know you do really well.

Yoga has a lot of benefits, from the physical to the mental. But did you know it can also boost your self confidence? Body confidence is something everyone should have. It helps you to be happy in life and with yourself, and be proud of yourself and the body you inhabit. Body confidence is believing in yourself, and not having self-doubt about your image. Yoga is one of the best ways to boost your body confidence. Here’s the ways in which it can improve how confident you feel in your body: Yoga boosts your focus

Yoga reminds us that having a human life is an awesome opportunity! It does not matter if you are physically beautiful, or materially rich. Yea it’s maybe some good karma, but what we do with the life we have is up to us. While each of us have a different set of circumstances, we have some capacity to create inner freedom. The superficial is not important to the yogi. The connection to cosmic consciousness is what's important. Through the practices of yoga the body will be its most beautiful, yet as yogis we are most interested in just that quality of consciousness. Higher states of consciousness which are possible through yoga, create a greater sense of connection to ourselves and the world around us. Life is limited, so take good care of your body so you can become conscious and be present for the adventure of your life as much as you can. Yoga allowed me the consciousness to remember that my time in my body is limited. It is something I remember, as I give thanks each morning when I awake from sleep. It is what inspires me to explore, and gives me the strength to be myself in the world and enjoy my time here. Yoga can also make us conscious enough to be braver.

If you can do every pose in a yoga class effortlessly, you're in the wrong class. While it's important to be content with where you're at, it's just as important to keep growing, evolving, and pushing your boundaries. It can be easy to get complacent even in yoga, doing the same poses with the same teachers. However, you may be scared to take the plunge, and are wondering how to move from beginner to an intermediate yoga class. Here’s our top tips on how to move up in your yoga practice. Be Consistent

The start of the year is a time for resolutions - and many people’s resolutions will be to work out and exercise more - perhaps even get into a yoga routine! However, it can sometimes be hard to find the motivation to keep going, especially towards the end of January when it’s cold and dark, and the motivation you had on the 1st of the month is starting to wane. However, the best way to keep going with your yoga practice is to start a routine. Thinking about giving up? Let us remind you of some of the benefits of yoga, and give you some tips to get into a regular routine for 2020. Need some inspiration to get into your yoga routine for 2020? There’s a wealth of benefits that practicing yoga can supply. As well as the expected, such as physical health and fitness, there are also some more unknown benefits.

Even though we spend the vast majority of our childhood learning in formal education settings, there are so many useful life lessons and skills that our schools fail to teach us. Education might be effective in teaching us book smarts, but should go beyond classrooms and homework in teaching our youth how to live a fulfilling, meaningful, and happy life. We’re now beginning to see that growing into a healthy, happy, well-adjusted adult doesn’t just happen. It takes work and we should give our kids the tools and opportunities to learn how to accomplish this goal. Yoga can help us find this as adults, but research increasingly shows that it's helpful for children, who begin yoga and meditation at a young age. Yoga is about much more than the poses (asanas) and physical benefits. This ancient Indian art helps us truly connect with our bodies, our inner world and the web of life that we are all a part of. It's mental and emotional benefits are profound and can be useful in the ups and downs of day to day life. It’s non-competitive and can be practiced by people of all ages and fitness levels and it imparts values like inclusivity, union and compassion, as opposed to always trying to be the best.

It might sound cliche, but it's good to have an open heart. What does this mean though and why is it good? From the perspective of the chakra system, the heart is the place where we love from. Simply put, when your heart center is open, you are more open to experiencing, giving, receiving, and enjoying love with others (as well as being more loving towards yourself). When your heart is closed, you're more closed off from experiencing love. Can doing yoga poses help us experience more love? Yes! Our bodies and minds are connected, and putting your body into a more open and loving shape, can make your mind more loving and open. Think about how someone who is defeated, sad, and heartbroken carries themselves. It's usually a more hunched forward position and closed in the chest. Now think of someone who is bright and confident. Their posture is usually tall, proud, and open, specifically around the ara of their chest. This is an example of the connection between our emotions and our bodies.

In modern life, people are often working on laptops and using smartphones. Because of this, there can be a lack of rest for your hands. This often leads to the tissues inside your carpal tunnel to swell, which blocks the median nerve in your wrist, which is responsible for the finger movement. Carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway through which muscle tendons and the median nerve pass through. Issues with your Carpal tunnel, more commonly referred to as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, can be uncomfortable, and get in the way of day to day tasks. Fortunately, there are specific yoga poses and general areas of your body to target in your yoga practice, for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, that will help to heal it naturally. Neck Stretches

There are many things you can do to enrich your spiritual life while in recovery from an addiction. And I’ve found that without doing so, the stress of learning to live without drugs and alcohol can be so intense that I can’t stay sober unless I find some suitable resources to cope. I wasn’t a big fan of the idea of holistic therapy at first. However, over time I’ve really developed an appreciation for meditation and yoga. They’ve both really contributed to the quality of my recovery. I’m going to explore the benefits of both in detail below. Yoga In the context of addiction recovery, yoga is best utilized alongside traditional treatment options that emphasize professional therapy and participation in a support group like AA.

When we are considering different things to pair together, it is always a subjective matter. For instance, there might be people who love salted chocolate, while others want salt nowhere near their chocolate! The same can be said about adding music to your yoga practice. Some people love vibration support and melodic inspirations when they are flowing from one pose to another and find it improves their practice. Others revel in the silent internal waves of just their breath and prefer yoga without any music. There’s no right or wrong answer here, it’s simply a matter of preference. Regardless, music has become increasingly popular to complement a yoga practice and seems here to stay for those who like this combination. Because of this, there are people who are always looking for new excellent music choices for their yoga sessions. If you’ve been moved by music during a yoga class, you can appreciate the beauty of this combination. Music can add another layer to a deep, rigorous flow and can support you in the challenging moments of a class, or keep your mind from wandering. Many have opened to new music artists and styles of music from tracks they discovered that moved them during yoga. What Is Yoga?