Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

What’s your go-to warm up before you start your favorite workout? And do you cool down and stretch after you hike, bike, run, or do a HIIT class? To enhance your performance and to prevent injury, it’s important to warm up properly as well as allow your system to return to normal after exercise. If you’ve never tried yoga before or after your favorite sports and activities, this week we’ve made it easy for you. Many cardio activities, like cycling and running, consist of repetitive movements in one direction and in one plane of motion. Sports like golf and tennis are focused on using one side of the body, which over time develops certain muscle groups to the detriment of others. Over time, this creates imbalances in the muscles and joints leading to overuse injuries. Yoga is dynamic and moves your muscles and joints through a full range of motion. A well-rounded yoga warm up is a great way to stay balanced and aligned.

Yoga is an incredible way to renew our mind, body, and spirit each time we step onto our mats. We’ve heard over and over from our students that one of the best benefits of regular practice is the feeling of softening or a sense of being more content. And physically, if we aren’t keeping our bodies moving, we literally become stiff and inflexible. We’ve just celebrated the Vernal Equinox, which is a perfect time to celebrate the changes in the seasons. When we align ourselves with the cycles of the earth, we harness the strength of nature to become our most balanced, strong selves. Depending on where you live, you’re either eagerly awaiting the flowers blooming or watching the leaves fall. It’s a great time to shed what no longer is serving you and create space to invite in the fresh and new.

As we age, our bodies undergo various physical, mental, and emotional changes. These transformations can be challenging to accept for many individuals, leading to feelings of frustration, disappointment, and even depression. However, we can better navigate advancing years by embracing change and finding ways to adapt and adjust. One practice that’s been popular practice for decades due to its ability to encourage physical and spiritual health is yoga. Unlike other high-impact exercises, that may take a toll on your body, yoga is a low-intensity workout incorporating controlled breathing with stretches and meditation. Through regular practice, individuals can build strength, improve balance and flexibility, and reduce joint pain. However, it can be intimidating to new practitioners, especially those who are older and those with mobility or health issues. Fortunately, yoga can be for everyone, and there are special classes tailored to the needs of aging people.

Does anyone else have trouble falling asleep at night? You snuggle under the covers, lay your weary head on the pillow ready to drift off to dreamland and boom––your mind is racing. If you can relate, you’re not alone. Many of us are stuck in the “fight or flight” syndrome and our nervous systems have trouble switching into “rest and digest” mode. Quality sleep is essential for us to rejuvenate and maintain our physical, emotional, and mental health. If you’re ready to have your best night of sleep tonight, read on for a few of the ways yoga and meditation can help.

When we are going with the flow, we are aligned with ourselves and with the world around us. But with the busy-ness and fast pace of life, it’s easy to slip into a state of distraction and lose sight of your center. Yoga is all about clearing out the mental clutter and finding freedom in your mind, heart, and body. A “flow state” is when you are immersed in an activity to the point you no longer reason you’re “doing” it, you’re simply in it. For some people, finding their flow is playing or listening to music, running, dancing, surfing, gardening, or whatever activity allows them to settle in an energized state of freedom. Yoga is an excellent path to finding your flow. When we focus on connecting the power of physical movement with the practice of breathing in certain ways, we can expand our prana or life force energy and get energized or relaxed, depending upon the technique.

oga is many different things to many different people but at its core, yoga is a tool to create a quiet mind and a serene heart. Yoga reminds us that we cannot control external events; we can only control our reaction to them. Our world is a hectic place these days and if you’ve felt helpless seeing all the suffering, you aren’t alone. The power of the individual can radiate out to the collective. So if we work to increase our own love and compassion and share it with those around us, and others do the same thing, we can create a more peaceful world. An excellent starting point is to balance our Anahata (Heart) Chakra. Love lives in our hearts and Anahata is associated with selflessness and with enlarging our capacity for compassion. Love and fear are two sides of a coin and when we’re stuck in fear, or when we cannot forgive others, we shut down. We aren’t as kind to others because we fear being hurt and our energy impacts those around us.

Yoga’s gifts are numerous but one of the best is the ability to move from the reactive state called fight or flight where we’re operating with high stress levels and taxing our nervous systems. Through asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation, it’s possible to move into rest and digest mode, which is a receptive state. If stabilizing your blood pressure, balancing your heart rate, and lowering stress hormones sounds like what you need, read on. Depending on what style of yoga you practice, you can energize or relax. To become more calm, poses like forward bends, twists, and restorative postures will help you quiet your mind and pacify your nervous system. By slowing down on the mat, you’ll create the space to feel more clear and relaxed. This week, we’ve hand-picked classes to help you chill out, naturally.

You’ve heard the expression “waking up on the wrong side of the bed,” right? Well, some days when your alarm goes off, you and want to burrow beneath the covers instead of getting up and facing the day. Our emotions and moods are always changing. And depending on what’s going on in your life, you may be facing serious challenges at work or in your relationships. We can’t control a lot of what’s happening around us, but we can take steps to control our reaction to them. Yoga and meditation are powerful tools to help us create tangible space in our reaction time to external events. No matter what’s happening in your day to day, practicing yoga in the morning sets you up for a positive experience.

As you know, a meaningful yoga lifestyle is about far more than poses and attending classes. At its best, any yoga practice is part of a holistically positive and aligned way of living. One essential component of this is making dietary choices that best support your practice. Nutritional philosophy has historically been a central part of yoga. Nevertheless, it’s worth looking a little closer at how you can leverage traditions and modern nutritional knowledge to fuel your body in a way that’s right for you. The first step to aligning your plate with your yoga practice is getting a better understanding of nutrition. Let’s start with the definition. At its core, nutrition is the way your body uses food and other elements to nourish itself. It’s a process that supports the various basic needs of your holistic wellness. This is why balance is so often considered vital in nutrition. Different food groups — fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins, among others — give your body specific fuels. When these are unbalanced or the body is missing something, it can impact performance and your experience.

Ready to align with the moon? February 10th marked the Lunar New Year, which celebrates the New Year based on the lunar calendar. This week, we’ve got four classes designed to attune your physical and subtle body to the energetics of the moon. Light can’t exist without darkness and vice-versa. Hatha is the physical practice of yoga and “Ha” means sun and “tha” means moon. The sun provides us with light and life, but the moon wields significant power on the Earth and on us. On a grand scale, the moon controls the ocean tides with its gravitational pull. About 71% of the earth is covered by water of which the oceans are 95%. So, as the moon waxes and wanes, it influences everything from fishermen’s livelihood to tsunamis to daredevils surfing fifty-foot waves off the coast of Nazaré. Of course we all feel the moon’s impact on our moods and emotions so aligning with the moon’s energy can be really impactful.

A strong core and a healthy spine go hand in hand. Visualize the muscles of your core, which include your abdominals, back, and glutes, as a natural girdle supporting your spine. Keeping these muscles strong and supple will protect your spine, improve your posture, maintain and improve alignment, and help you avoid lower back pain. Whether you’re taking a yoga class specifically designed to focus on core/spine health or a core/Pilates class, you’ll garner these benefits. Back pain is often the result of weak abdominals, tight hip flexors, and inflexible hamstrings. It’s vital to ensure all three of these elements are addressed to keep your core and spine in optimal health.

B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the yoga teachers credited with bringing yoga to the West taught that pranayama was more advanced than asana. In his classes, he instructed his students to master the physical postures prior to attempting pranayama techniques. Pranayama allows you to sink into deeper meditation. A well-rounded yoga practice includes asana, pranayama, and meditation. What is Pranayama? Pranayama is the practice of extending and regulating your prana or life force. Simply by focusing on mindful breathing, we can learn to change the way we feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Simply by utilizing different techniques, you can calm your nervous system, boost your energy, quiet your mind, and soothe your emotions. Pranayama gives you the ability to manage your prana.

Most yogis practice at a well-established studio with all the equipment needed to run a great practice. This means yogis can play music, perform equipped poses, and allow newcomers to borrow things like blocks and bands. However, you don’t necessarily need to practice from the same space year-round. In fact, taking your yoga on the road may be the perfect way to learn new flows, connect with other practitioners, and earn some extra cash. Yoga on the go is perfect if you’re traveling but still want to maintain your fitness, too. Even a simple session with a mat, a clean space, and thirty minutes of free time can clear your mind and improve your health.

Are you ready to mix it up on your mat? Yoga fusion classes run the gambit of combining yoga with weights, barre, Pilates, HIIT, cardio––the variety is part of the fun! These special classes emphasize getting stronger, but also staying flexible. Whether you are short on time but want to fit in your fitness and your yoga or whether you get bored easily, we’ve got some awesome classes for you.

Can you believe we’re more than halfway through January? If you started the year out with the intention to expand or maintain your yoga practice, how is it going? If life has gotten busy and you over-estimated just how much time you actually have, we’re here to make it easier for you to be consistent with your yoga routine. Don’t waste energy stressing about why you’ve not had time to practice yoga as frequently as you would like. Instead, focus on how you can fit in your yoga, even when you’re short on time. Consistency is key to feeling balanced, strong, and flexible. Quality not quantity! You don’t need an hour or ninety-minute practice to garner all the mind, body, and spiritual benefits of yoga. Even fifteen to twenty-minute classes will help you find a better mood, vibrant energy, and a stronger more supple body. Practicing yoga several times a week is an investment in your health––both inside and out. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali referred to yoga as a process of being a gardener or farmer. Each yoga practice is planting seeds for your future health and well-being. You might not see the benefits today but you’re setting yourself up to feel your best tomorrow and beyond.

“The very heart of yoga practice is ‘abyhasa’ steady effort in the direction you want to go.” ― Sally Kempton Has someone told you that you MUST practice yoga in the mornings or the evenings or when the moon is full or fill-in-the-blank? It’s simply not true. No hard and fast rules exist. The best time to practice is when you can step onto the mat! In our busy lives, every day can be different and so you can adapt your practice based on your schedule. One of the greatest benefits of practicing yoga at home or on the road is you choose. There are advantages of practicing at different times.

For most people, yoga represents a reprieve from everyday life. While on your mat, you can put your troubles aside and work on your strength, balance, and mobility. However, the Yogi ideals can make life off the mats that much more fulfilling, too. Yogi ideals can have a profound impact on the way you view life and help you develop self-love and awareness during your everyday life. The Yogi ideals can help you make better decisions, too. Following the yogi way of life can reduce the harm you cause and help you move through the world with grace, mindfulness, and love.

Like a spark of lightning or a crash of thunder, our lives can transform in a flash. We can’t control external events, but we can control our reaction to them. Think of your yoga mat as the preparation zone for the rest of your day. Life isn’t linear, it’s a winding twisting journey so why not twist it out on your mat first? Twists are an excellent way to invite in a feeling of lightness, to release negative thoughts and emotions, to keep your spine healthy, and to benefit your internal organs. Here are 3 ways twists help. This week’s classes focus on twisting postures, not simply to benefit your physical body but serve as a tool to navigate life’s twists and turns. Enjoy!

Consistency is a concept we discuss frequently in yoga. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1:14 states, sa tu dirghakala nairantarya satkarasevito drdhabhumih: Practice that is done for a long time, without break and with sincere devotion becomes a firmly rooted, stable, and solid foundation. In other words, you must be consistent in your yoga practice to reap the physical, emotional, and mental benefits. A few classes here and there won’t do it. Sometimes it’s simply not feasible to practice full length classes regularly at a studio. One of the biggest benefits of online yoga with us is you can practice anytime and anywhere. Consistency and discipline looks different for all of us. If you’re a YogaDownload yogi, you understand the importance of yoga most days. If you only have fifteen minutes, you can squeeze in a quick practice at home or when you’re traveling. On the days you have plenty of time for a longer class, great! It’s more about the commitment to settling into your breath and movement each day, no excuses.

Whether you celebrate Hannukah, Christmas, or Kwanza, it’s that hectic yet slow time of the year. Add in that we’re in the midst of Mercury Retrograde––the time when the planet of communication is traveling backward––and you may be feeling off your game. It’s the time of year to release expectations and attachment to how the next few weeks will unfold. According to Patanjali’s Eight Limbed-Yoga Path, the final Yama is Aparigraha which is: A=”not”, the absence of, the freedom from Parigraha=hoarding or collecting. In other words, Aparigraha means not being greedy and not attaching too much importance to possessions, outcomes, and even relationships. Yes, this concept can be confusing. In relation to the holidays, it can be a reminder not to worry too much about what you cannot control.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the holidays are one of the busiest times of the year! Despite our best intentions to maintain our healthy routines and remain balanced and grounded, we often find ourselves feeling stressed out. If you usually practice active, flowing styles of yoga, it might be the perfect time to slow down and focus more on Yin yoga to tide you over to 2024. Yin yoga is a quieter style of yoga that soothes your nerves and relaxes your fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced yogi, you can adapt Yin yoga to your individual abilities and needs.

It may sound like a contradiction to discuss flowing and stillness as co-existing, but they actually go hand in hand. Learning to still or quiet your mind and focus on your breath flowing through your body enables you to find your zone, where you stop doing and you’re simply being. When you’re able to filter out distractions, you’re able to access a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. Perhaps you feel in the zone when you are totally immersed in a favorite activity, like running, surfing, dancing, or gardening.

You may have heard the terms flexibility and mobility used interchangeably but although they are complementary, there are distinctions. Think of flexibility as the muscle’s ability to stretch passively. Mobility incorporates flexibility but also requires strength to actively move a joint through its full range of motion. It’s important to work on both flexibility and mobility and guess what? Yoga provides a way to improve and maintain both. Mobility and flexibility provide a myriad of benefits to help you feel your best. The combination of both helps you move your body through your full range of motion, whether you’re swinging a golf club, picking up a heavy box, or flowing through chatarangua dandasana. When your muscles are tight or inflexible, they can create restriction of the joints and restrict range of motion.

Traveling is often considered an exciting experience. Unfortunately, not everyone finds the process to be entirely positive. If you live with travel anxiety, your symptoms can put a serious dent in something that should really give you great cause for joy and enrichment. The good news is that you’re not powerless here. Some knowledge, preparation, and a few techniques can help you manage and even overcome your anxiety. This can help free your mind and body to fully drink in all the positive attributes travel has to offer. Travel anxiety is a difficult experience, but there are tools to address it. Get to know what the causes are and adopt relevant preparation and coping strategies. That said, it’s worth also generally building anxiety-reducing methods into your wider lifestyle. This can empower you to both enjoy greater day-to-day wellness as well as preparing you to make effective adjustments when traveling.

Are you ready to feel energized and empowered and embark upon your day? Or do you just feel like lounging on your couch or staying in bed with the covers over your head? If you’ve been feeling stressed out or simply lethargic, yoga is one of the most powerful ways to lift your spirits and feel better. Often, we feel depleted because we are focusing on external events, or we’ve slipped into a pattern of being sedentary. This week, take some time to rebuild your strength, mentally, emotionally, and physically.